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Hiotographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


21  WEST  KK\H  STREET 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

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1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

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5 

6 

THE   WORKS 


00 


HUBERT  HOWE  BANCROFT. 


y 


THE    WORKS 


OF 


HUBERT  HOWE  BANCROFT. 


VOLUME  xxxni. 


HISTORY  OF  ALASKA. 

1730-1885. 


SAN  FRANCISCO : 

A.  L.  BANCROFT  &  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS, 

1886. 


Bntered  scoording  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  Tear  1886,  by 

HUBERT  H.  BANCBOFT, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


All  Sights  Reserved. 


i 


PEEFACE. 


On  the  whole,  the  people  of  the  iTnited  States  have 
not  paid  an  exorbitant  price  for  the  ground  upon  wliich 
to  build  a  nation.  Trinkets  and  trickery  in  the  first 
instance,  followed  by  some  bluster,  a  liUle  fighting, 
and  a  little  money,  and  we  have  a  very  fair  patch  of 
earth,  with  a  good  title,  in  which  there  is  plenty  of 
equity,  humanity,  sacred  rights,  and  star-spano-led 
banner.  What  we  did  not  steal  ourselves  we  bought 
from  those  who  did,  and  bought  it  cheap. 

Therein  we  did  well,  have  that  much  more  to  be 
proud  of,  and  to  confirm  us  in  our  own  esteem  as  a 
great  and  good  nation;  therein  lies  the  great  merit— 
the  price  we  paid.     Had  it  been  dear,  as  have  been 
some  meagre  strips   of  European    soil,  over   which 
France,  Germany,  and  the  rest  have  fought  for  cen- 
turies, spending  millions  upon  milHons  of  lives  and 
money,  all  in  the  line  of  insensate  folly,  and  for  that 
which  they  could  not  keep  and  were  better  off  with- 
out—then  we   would  cease  boasting  and   hold   our 
peace.     But  our  neighbors  have  been  weak  while  wo 
are  strong ;  therefore  it  is  not  right  for  us  to  pay  them 
much  for  their  lands. 

Ignoring,  as  we  do,  the   birthright  of  aboriginal 
races,  that  have  no  Christianity,  steel,  or  gunpowder 
we  may  say  that  the  title  to  the  Mississippi  Valley 


(V) 


m 


VI 


PREFACE. 


was  settled,  and  the  Oregon  Territory  adjudged  to  be 
ours  by  divine  right.  Texas  came  easily;  while  one 
month's  interest,  at  the  then  current  rates,  on  the  gold 
picked  up  in  the  Sierra  Foothills  during  the  first  five 
years  of  American  occupation  would  repay  the  cost  of 
the  Mexican  war,  and  all  that  was  given  for  California 
and  the  adjoining  territory. 

In  the  case  of  Alaska  we  have  one  instance  where 
bluster  would  not  win ;  fighting  was  not  to  be  thought 
of;  and  so  we  could  pay  for  the  stationary  icebergs 
or  let  them  alone.  Nor  with  money  easy,  was  Alaska 
a  bad  bargain  at  two  cents  an  acre.  It  was  indeed 
cheaper  than  stealing,  now  that  the  savages  receive  the 
teachings  and  diseases  of  civilization  in  reservations. 

In  1867  there  were  few  who  held  this  opinion,  and 
not  one  in  a  hundred,  even  of  those  who  were  best  in- 
formed, believed  the  territory  to  be  worth  the  pur- 
chase money.  If  better  known  to-day,  its  resources 
are  no  better  appreciated;  and  there  are  many  who 
still  deny  that,  apart  from  fish  and  fur-bearing  ani- 
mals, the  country  has  any  resources. 

The  area  of  Alaska  is  greater  than  that  of  the 
thirteen  original  states  of  the  Union,  its  extreme 
length  being  more  than  two  thousand  miles,  and  its 
extreme  breadth  about  fourteen  hundred;  while  its 
coast-line,  including  bays  and  islands,  is  greater  than 
the  circumference  of  the  earth.  The  island  of  Una- 
laska  is  almost  as  far  west  of  San  Francisco  as  San 
Francisco  is  west  of  the  capital  of  the  United  States; 
while  the  distance  from  the  former  city  to  Fort 
St  Michael,  the  most  northerly  point  in  America 
inhabited  by  the  white  man,  is  greater  than  to  the 
city  of  Panamd. 


I 


i 


I 

I 

I 

5 


I 


PREFACE. 


v.i 


With  the  limits  of  tlie  continent  at  its  oxtrenn! 
north-west,  tlio  limit  of  the  history  of  western  Xortli 
America  is  reached.  ]iut  it  may  be  asked,  what  a 
land  is  this  of  which  to  write  a  history^  J-Jleak, 
swampy,  fog-begirt,  and  almost  untenanted  except  by 
savages — can  a  country  without  a  people  furnish  ma- 
terial for  a  history?  Intercourse  with  the  aborigines 
does  not  constitute  all  of  history,  and  few  exce[)t  sav- 
ages have  ever  made  their  abiding-place  in  the  wintry 
solitudes  of  Alaska;  few  vessels  aave  bidarkas  hav(! 
ever  threaded  her  myriad  isles;  few  scientists  ha^■l! 
studied  her  geology,  or  catalogued  her  fauna  and  flora  ; 
few  surveyors  have  measured  her  snow-turbaned  hills  ; 
few  miners  have  dug  for  coal  and  iron,  or  pros[)ecte'  I 
her  mountains  and  streams  for  precious  metals.  Ex- 
cept on  the  islands,  and  at  some  of  the  more  accessible 
points  on  the  mainland,  the  natives  arc  still  unsubdued. 
Of  settlements,  there  are  scarce  a  dozen  worthy  the 
name;  of  the  interior,  little  is  known;  and  of  any  cor- 
rect map,  at  least  four  fifths  nuist  remain,  to-day, 
absolutely  blank,  without  names  or  lines  except  those 
of  latitude  and  longitude.  We  may  sail  along  the 
border,  or  be  drawn  by  sledijre-doijs  over  the  frozen 
streams,  until  we  arrive  at  the  coldest,  farthest  west, 
separated  from  the  rudest,  farthest  east  by  a  narrow 
span  of  ocean,  bridged  in  winter  by  thick-ribbed  ice. 
What  then  can  be  said  of  this  region — this  Ultima 
Thule  of  the  known  world,  whose  northern  point  is 
but  three  or  four  degrees  south  of  the  highest  lati- 
tude yet  reached  by  man? 

Such  is  the  general  sentiment  of  Americans  con- 
cerning a  territory  whicli  not  many  years  ago  was 
purchased  from  Russia,  as  before  mentioned,  at  the 


IIisi.  Alaska,    'i* 


Vlll 


PnEFAfE. 


into  of  alxHit  two  cents  on  ncrc.  and  was  oon.siderecl 
dear  at  the  price. 

To  answer  tlie.se  questions  is  the  purpose  of  the 
jirc.scnt  volume.  This  Anieiiea  of  the  Russians  has 
its  little  century  or  two  of  history,  as  herein  we  see, 
and  which  will  ever  remain  its  only  possible  inchoation, 
interesting  to  the  story  of  futui'e  life  and  proi^ress  on 
its  l)orders,  as  to  every  nation  its  infancy  should  he. 

ThouL'h  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  (greater  por- 
tion of  Alaska  is  practically  M'orthless  and  uninhabit- 
able, yet  my  labor  has  been  in  vain  if  I  have  not  made 
it,  appear  that  Alaska  lacks  riot  resources  but  develop- 
ment. Scandinavia,  her  old-world  counterpart,  is  pos- 
sessed of  far  less  natural  wealth,  and  is  far  less  grand 
in  natural  configuration.  In  Alaska  wo,  can  count 
more  than  eleven  hundred  islands  in  a  single  group. 
AVo  can  trace  the  second  loni^est  watercourse  in  the 
Avorld.  We  have  lai'ijc  sections  of  territory  where  the 
average  yearl}'  temperature  is  higher  tlian  that  of 
Stockholm  or  Christiania,  where  it  is  milder  in  win- 
ter, and  where  the  fall  of  rain  and  snow  is  less  than  in 
the  southern  portion  (  ^  Scandinavia. 

It  has  often  been  stated  that  Alaska  is  incapable  of 
supporting  a  white  po[)ulation.  The  truth  is,  that  her 
resources,  though  some  of  them  are  not  yet  available, 
are  abundant,  and  of  such  a  nature  that,  if  j)roperly 
economized,  they  will  never  be  seriously  impaired. 
The  most  habitable  portions  of  Alaska,  lying  as  they 
do  mainly  between  55'  and  GO'  x.,  are  in  about  the 
same  latitude  as  Scotland  and  southern  Scandinavia. 
The  area  of  this  portion  of  the  territory  is  greater  tli;in 
that  of  Scotland  and  southern  Scandinavia  combined; 
and  yet  it  contains  to-day  but  a  few  hundred,  and 


PREFACE. 


Ix 


has  never  contalnod  more  than  a  thousand  white 
inliabitants;  while  the  j)o))ulatiou  of  Scotland  is  about 
throe  millions  anil  a  half,  and  that  of  Xorway  and 
Sweden  exceeds  six  millions. 

The  day  is  not  very  far  distant  when  the  coal  meas- 
ures and  iron  deposits  of  Scotland,  and  the  mines  and 
timber  of  Scandinavia,  will  be  exhausted ;  and  it  is  not 
improbable  that  even  when  that  day  comes  the  re- 
sources of  Alaska  will  be  but  partially  opened.  The 
little  develo[)meiit  that  has  been  made  of  late  years 
lias  been  acconn)lished  entirely  by  the  enter[n-ise 
and  capital  of  Americans,  aided  by  a  fi  \v  hundred 
hired  natives.  Already  with  a  white  ])opu]atiou  of 
five  hundred,  of  whom  more  than  >ur  Tifths  ai'e 
non-producers,  the  exports  (^f  the  territi  ry  exceed 
$3,000,000  a  year,  or  an  overage  of  !;i>G,OriO  [)er  capita. 
Where  else  in  the  world  do  we  find  such  results  ? 

It  may  be  stated  in  answer  that  the  bulk  of  those 
exports  comes  from  the  fur-seal  grounds  of  the  Prv- 
Mlof  Islands,  which  are  virtually  a  stock-farm  leased 
by  the  government  to  a  counnercial  company;  but  the 
])resent  value  of  this  industry  is  due  mainly  to  the 
careful  fostering  and  judicious  management  of  that 
company;  .and  there  are  other  industries  \\hich,  if 
]»ro])erly  directed,  promise  in  time  to  f)rove  equally 
profitable.  Apart  from  the  seal-islands,  and  apart 
from  the  trade  in  land-furs  that  is  diverted  by  the 
Hudson's  Hay  Company,  the  production  of  wealth 
for  each  white  person  in  the  territory  is  greater  than 
in  any  portion  of  the  United  States  or  of  the  world. 
This  wealth  is  derived  almost  entirely  from  the  land 
and  pelagic  peltr}',  and  from  the  fisheries  of  Alaska; 
for  at  present  her  mines   are    little    developed,  and 


X  PKEFACE. 

her  for(!sts  almost  intact.     And  yet  we  are  told  that 
the  country  is  without  resources! 

It  may  be  su])posed  that  for  the  history  of  such  a 
country  as  Alaska,  whatever  existin<if  information 
there  might  be  would  be  quite  accessible  and  easily 
obtained. 

I  have  not  found  it  specially  so.  Here,  as  elsewhere 
in  my  historic  fields,  there  were  three  classes  of  mate- 
rial which  might  be  obtained :  first,  public  and  private 
archives;  second,  printed  books  and  documents;  and 
third,  personal  experiences  and  knowledge  taken  from 
the  mouths  of  livincj  witnesses. 

Of  the  class  last  named  there  are  fewer  authorities 
here  than  in  any  other  part  of  my  territory  north  of 
latitude  32°,  though  j)roportionately  more  than  south 
of  that  line;  and  this  notwithstanding  three  distinct 
journeys  to  that  region  by  my  agent — a  man  tlior- 
oughly  conversant  with  Alaskan  affairs,  and  a  Rus- 
sian by  birth — for  the  purpose  of  gathering  original* 
and  verbal  information.  All  places  of  historical  im- 
l>ortancc  were  visited  by  him,  and  all  persons  of  his- 
torical note  still  living  there  were  seen  and  ques- 
tioned. Much  fresh  information  was  thus  obtained; 
but  the  result  was  not  as  satisfactory  as  has  been  the 
case  in  some  other  quarters. 

The  chief  authorities  in  print  for  the  earlier  epochs 
are  in  the  Russian  language,  and  published  for  the 
most  part  in  Russia;  covering  the  later  periods,  books 
have  been  published — at  various  times  in  Europe  and 
America,  as  will  be  seen  by  my  list  of  authorities — 
and  have  been  gathered  in  the  usual  way. 

The  national  archives,  the  most  important  of  all 


■1 


PREFACE.  j5| 

sources,  are  divided,  part  hc'mg  in  Russia  and  part  in 
America,  though  mostly  in  the  Russian  langua<ro. 
Some  four  or  five  years  were  occupied  by  mv  assist- 
ants and  stenograpliers  in  making  abstracts  oV  mate- 
rial in  Sitka,  San  Francisco,  an(l  Washington.  Fur 
valuable  cooperation  in  gaining  from  the  archives  of 
St,  Petersburg  such  material  as  I  required,  I  am  spe- 
cially mdebted  to  my  esteemed  friend  M.  Pinart,  and 
to  the  leading  men  of  letters  and  certain  officia'ls  in 
the  Russian  capital,  from  whom  I  have  received  every 
courtesy. 


CONTENTS  OF  Tins  VOLUME. 


Pai:p, 


CHAPTEP.  I. 

INTUOljlCTDRV. 

Russia'-s  Share  i,i  Amcrica-I'liysical  Features  ,.f  Alaska-Coiin.'.untiou 
an.l  Chniatc-Thc  .Soutl.ern  Crescoiit-Tlie  T.iml.le.l  Mountains- 
\  olcanoes  an.l  Islands-Vegetation-California-Japaii  Current-An- 
tic 8eal)oara  and  the  Interior— Condition  and  Character  of  the  Ru-- 
«ians  in  tlic  Sixteenth  Century-Serfs,  Merchants,  and  XoMes-Th.; 
Far  Currency— Foreign  Comniereial  Relations— ].:n,rlan,l  in  the 
AUute  and  Caspian  Seas-Fastern  Progress  of  tlie  Itussiau  Fninirc- 
Ibe  JSTorth-east  Tassage 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  CEXTUltV-MAKCII   OF  THE   COSSACKS. 

lo7S-1724. 
Siberia  the  Russian  Canann-From  the  Bhick  an.l  Caspian  Seas  over  th.> 
Iral    Mountains-Strogan.)f,    the   Salt-miner- Visit   of    Vernrdc- 
Occupationof  the  01.  l,y  the  Cossacks-Character  of  the  Conm.er- 
ors-Thcir  Ostrog  on  the  Tol.ol-The  Straight  Lineof  Mar.'h  tiunce 
to  Okhotsk  on  the  Pacific-Tiu.  I'ron.yshloniki-l.ena  Itiver  Reached 
-Ten  Cossacks  against  Ten  Thousand-Yakutski  Ostro--].;,;,,],,,-! 
tion  .)f  the  Amoor-Discoveries  on  the  Arctic  Seahoar.lllvory  vcr 
sus   Skins-Tho   Lan.l  .,f  the   Chukchi   Inva.led-Okhotsk   Kstah- 
hshcd-Kamchatka  Occupied-Rumors  of  Realms  Reyon.I  ]  i 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE   KAMCIIATKA    ):XIM;DITX0X.S. 

17-'j-17lO. 

Rmposes  of  Refer  the  Great-An  Expedition  Organiml-Sets  out  fron. 
Stleterslmrg-Death.,f  the  Tsar-IIis  Etibrts  Secon.h.l  bv  Calh- 
cnne  an.l  Klizabeth-Rcring  and  Chirikof  at  Kamchatka- Tlu.y 
Coast  ^ortlnvnr.1  through  Bering  Strait  an.l  Prove  Asia  to  be  S,  pa- 

ratedlromAmerica-A.lventur..sofShcstakof_Expedilionsof|l,.ns, 

(xiii) 


^«* 


sir  CONTENTS. 

PAOE 

Ft'doi'of,  mid  (xvozdcf — Auieriea  Sighted — Orgiuiizrtion  of  tlio  Scc- 
oud  ( liiiiTal  Exiieilitioii — Hihliugr.'ipliy — I'oisoiinul  of  tlu^  Kxpcdi- 
tioii — llcriiig,  Cliirikcjf,  SpaiibiTg,  Walton,  Croyorc,  Stolkr,  .Miillfr, 
Fi-.|u'r,  and  Otlicrs — llnssiau  Religion — Easy  !M<jrality — Model  Mis- 
t^ionarii.'S — I'ho  Long  Weary  Way  across  Siberia — Charges  against, 
lieiiug — Arrival  of  the  Expedition  at  Okhut»k 35 

CHAPTER  IV. 

DISCOVEHY   OF  ALASKA. 

1740-1711. 

Tlic  Day  of  Departure — ^Vi  rival  of  Imperial  Despatches — They  Set  Sail 
from  Okhotsk— The  Sv  Petr  aud  the  So  Pnvcl — Bering's  and 
Chirikof'a  llespective  Commands — Arrival  at  Kamchatka — Winter- 
ing at  Avatcha  ISay — Embarkation — 111  Feeling  between  Chirikof 
and  Bering — The  Final  Parting  in  Mid-ocean — Adventures  of  Cliiri- 
kof — Ho  Discovers  the  Mainland  of  America  in  Latitude  5.")'  -1' — 
Tiie  Magnificence  of  his  Surroundings — A  Boat's  Crew  Sent  Ashore 
— Another  Sent  to  its  Assistance — All  Lost! — Heart-sick,  (.'hirikof 
Hovers  about  the  Place — And  is  Finally  Driven  Away  by  the  Wind 
— He  Discovers  Unalaska,  Adakh,  and  Attoo — Tlie  Presence  of  Sea- 
ottt'rs  Noticed — Sickness — Return  to  Avateha  Bay — Death  of  Croy6re 
— Illness  of  Chirikof 03 

CHAPTER  V. 

DEATH     OF     n  E  11 1  N  O. 

1741-1742. 

Discovery  by  Rule — The  Land  not  where  It  ought  to  be — The  Avateha 
Council  should  Know — Bering  luicountera  the  Mainland  at  Mount 
St  Elias — Claims  for  the  Priority  of  Discovery  of  NorUi-westernmost 
America — Kyuk  Island — Scarcity  of  Water — The  Return  Voyage — 
Illness  of  Bering— Longings  for  Home — Kadiak — Ukamok — Sickness 
and  Death — Intercourse  with  the  Natives — Waxel's  Adventure — 
Vows  of  the  Dane — Amehitka,  Kisidia,  Semiche,  and  other  Islands 
Seen — At  Bering  Island — Wreck  of  the  Su  I'e'r — Deatli  of  Beiing 
— Gathering  Sea-otter  Skins — The  Survivors  Build  a  Small  .Vc  J''(r 
from  the  Wreck — Return  to  Kamchatka — Second  Voyage  of  Chirikof.     7o 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  SWARMING   OF  THE   rUOMYSHLEXIKr. 

174.3-17(i2. 
EiVect  of  the  Discovery  in  Siberia — Hunting  Expeditions  in  Search  of 
Sea-otters — Voyages  of  liiissof,  Nevodchikof,  and  Vugof — Rich  Har- 
vests of  Sea-otter  and  Fur-seal  Skins  from  the  Aleutian  Archipelago 


CONTEXTS. 


XV 


PAXlE 


35 


— The  Cunning  Proniyslilcniki  and  tlie  Mild  Isljuidcrs — The  Old 
'J'jilt;  of  \VroiiL(  and  Atrocity — IMoodsIicd  on  Attoo  Island — F.arly 
Monopolies — Chuprof'H  and  Khohjdilv;*''  Adventures— Russians  Y)e- 
fi';ited  on  Unalaska  and  Andia — Yngof's  Unfortunate  Sjieculation 
— Furtiicr  Discovery — The  Fate  of  Golodof — Other  Adventures Di) 


CHAPTER  VII. 

FCKTHER  ADVKNTURKS  OF  TUE  PROMYSIILEKIKI. 
1700-1707. 

Tolstykh's  Voyage — Movcmouts  of  Vessels — Sta'Min's  Map — Wreck  of 
the  Andreian  i  Natalia — Catherine  Speaks — A  Company  J'Vu'niod 
— Collecting  Tribute — The  Neiie  Xachrkhten — Voyage  of  the  Znl:- 
har  i  EHzavt'ta — Terrible  Retaliation  of  the  Unalaskans — Voyage 
of  the  Sv  Triiitska — Great  SutTerings — Fatal  Onslaught — Voyage 
of  Glottof — Ship  Nomenclature — Discovery  of  Kadiak — New  Mode 
of  Warfare— The  Old  Man's  Tale— Solovief's  Infamies— The  Okhotsk 
<iuvernnient — More  St  Pi'tern  and  St  Pauls — Queen  Catherine  and  the 
Merchant  Nikoforof — End  of  Private  Fur-hunting  Expeditious 


1-27 


G3 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

IMPERIAL  EFF0RT8  AND   FAILURES. 

17G4-1779. 
8ynid's  Voyage  in  Bering  Strait — Stashlin's  Peculiar  Report — The  Grand 
( !u\ernment  Expedition — I'romotions  and  Rewards  on  the  Strength 
of  Prospective  Achievements — Catherine  is  Sure  of  Divine  Favor — 
Very  Secret  Instructions — Heavy  Cost  of  the  Expedition — The  Long 
Joui-ney  to  Kamchatka — Dire  Misfortunes  There — Results  of  the 
Etiort — Death  of  the  Commander — Journals  and  Reports — More  Mer- 
cantile Voyages — The  Ships  Sv  Xil.-ola'i,  Sv  Andrei,  Sv  Prokoj),  and 
Others — The  Free  and  Easy  Zaikof— His  Luck 157 


to 


CHAPTER  IX. 

EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE, 

1770-1787. 
Political  Changes  at  St  Petersburg — luxiles  to  Siberia — Mic  Long  Weary 
Way  to  Kamchatka — The  Be nyovski  Conspiracy — TI'o  Antaor  Bad 
Enough,  but  not  So  Bad  as  He  would  Like  to  Appear — Exile  Regula- 
tions—Forgery, Treachery,  Robbery,  and  Murder — Escape  of  the 
Exiles — Behni  Appointed  to  Succeed  Nilof  as  Commandant  of  Kani- 
eluitka— Further  Hunting  Voyages— First  Trading  Expedition  to  the 
^laiuland— I'otop  Zaikof— Prince  William  Sound— Ascent  of  Copper 


xvi  CONTENTS. 

PAOB 

River — Tread  1  croiis  Cliut'JicIics—  PHi/Iitof  the  Russians — Ilomcof  the 
Fni'-Hcals — Its  Discovery  by  Ger.issim  Prihylof — Jealousy  of  Rival 
Compuuies 1 75 

CHAPTER  X. 

OFFICIAL    EXrt.ORATIONS. 

1773-1779. 
Russian  Supremacy  in  the  Farthest  Xortli-wist — The  Other  lunopcan 
Powers  would  Know  What  It  Means — Perez  Looks  at  Alaska  for 
(Spain — The  Santiaf/o  at  Dixon  Entrance — ( 'uadra  Advances  to 
Cross  Sound — Cook  for  England  Examines  the  Coast  as  Far  as  Icy 
Cajic — Names  Given  to  Prince  William  Sound  and  Cook  Inlet— Rev- 
elations and  Mistakes — Lodyard's  Jouniey — Again  Spain  Sends  to 
the  North  Artcaga,  Who  Takes  Possession  at  Latitude  59"  S' — liay  of 
La  Santisima  Cruz — Results  Attained 194 

CHAPTER  XI. 

COLONIZATION   AND  TUE  FUK-TRADE. 

1783-1 787. 
First  Attempted  Settlement  of  the  Russians  in  America — Voyage  of  fl  ri- 
gor SheliUof — Permanent  Estahlishment  of  the  Russians  at  Kadiak — 
Return  of  Shelikof— His  Instructions  to  Samoilof,  Colonial  Connnand- 
cr— Tlie  Historic  Sable  and  Otter — Skins  as  Cuirency — Tiajipiiig 
and  Tribute-collecting— Method  of  Conducting  the  Hunt — Kcgula- 
tions  of  the  Peredovchiki — God's  Sables  and  Man's— Review  of  tho 
Fnr-tradc  on  the  Coasts  of  Asiaand  America — IVrnicious  System  In- 
troduced by  the  Promyshleniki — The  China  Market — Foreign  Ri- 
^■al3  and  their  ilethod — Abuse  of  Natives — Cooks  and  Vancouver's 
Opinions  of  Competition  •nnth  the  Russians — Extirpation  of  Ani- 
mals     222 

CHAPTER  XII. 

FOUEION    VISITORS. 

175>G-1794. 

French  Interest  in  tho  North-west — La  Pt-rousc's  Examination — Discov- 
cry  of  Port  des  Francais — A  Disastrous  Siu'Vej- — English  Visitors— 
;Meares  is  Caught  in  Prince  William  Sound — Terrible  Struggles  with 
tho  Scurvy — Portlock  and  Dixon  Come  to  tho  Rescue — Their  Two 
Years  of  Trading  and  Exploring — Ismaihif  and  Rocharof  Set  F(jrth 
to  Secure  tlie  Claims  of  Russia — A  Treaclierous  Cliief — Yakutat 
Bay  iOxplored — Traces  of  Foreign  Visitors  Jealously  Suppressed — 
Spain  Resolves  to  Assort  Herself — Martinez  and  Haro's  Tour  of  In- 
vestigation— Fidalj.'),  Marchand,  ami  Caaniafio — \'ancouver"s  Expe- 
dition   253 


CONTENTS. 


xvu 


175 


194 


ping 
4ula- 

1 

■  the 

i 

1  lu- 

J 

i  j;i- 

voi-'a 

Ani- 

'122 

ISCOV- 

ors — 
witli 
Two 
'orth 
kutat 
sed — 
jf  lu- 
L^xpe- 


CHAPTEll   XIII. 

THE  BILLINGS  SCIKNTIFIO  EXl'EDITIOX. 

1 785-1703. 


I-AQB 


•loo 


J 

Flattering  Prospects— Costly  Outfit— The  Usual  Years  of  Trcparation — 
Au  Expectant  ^Vu^lll  to  be  iMiliglitenecl — (lathering  of  tlio  lv\pedi- 
tion  at  Kamchatka — Divers  Winterings  nml  Ship-lmihling  — rrtlini- 
inary  Surveys  North  ami  South — At  Unalaskaund  Kailiak — Ilussian 
Eewanls — I'erioilie  I'roniotiim  of  Hillings — At  St  Lau  leiRO  Island — 
Billings'  Land  Journey — Wretched  Condition  of  Russian  Hunters — 
Eud  of  the  Tribute  System— Result  of  the  ]'].\puditiou— Saryuhef's 
Surveys — Shclikofs  Duplicity — Priestly  Perfonuauce 282 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

ORdANlZATION  OK  MONOl'OLY. 

1787-1705. 
Shclikofs  Grand  Conception — Governor-general  Jacohi  Won  to  the 
Scheme — Slielikof'.s  Modest  Itequcst — Alaska  Laid  under  Monopoly 
— Stipulations  of  the  Empress — Ilumano  Orders  of  Ivozlof-Ugrcniu 
— Public  Instructions  and  Secret  Injunctions — Delarofs  Administra- 
tion— Shel.kof  Induces  Baranof  to  enter  the  Service  of  his  Com- 
pany— Career  and  Traits  of  the  New  Manager — Shipwreck  of  Ba- 
ranof  on  Unalaska— Condition  of  the  Colony — Rivalry  and  Other 
Troubles — Plans  and  Rcc(jnimcndations — Engagement  with  the  Kal- 
jushcs— Ship-building — The  Englishman  Shields — Launch  and  Trib- 
ulations of  tho  Phwiiix , 305 

CHArXER  XV. 

.STRIFE  BETWEEN'   RIVAL   COMPANIES. 

1701-1794. 
The  Lcbedef  Company  Occupies  Cook  Inlet — Quarrels  between  the  Lcbc- 
def  and  Shelikof  Companies — Hostilities  in  Cook  Inlet — Comjilaints 
of  Kolomin  against  Konovalof — War  upon  Russians  and  ludiaus 
Alike — Life  of  the  Marauders — Paeidc  Attitude  of  Baranof- -His  Pa- 
tience Exhausted — Playing  the  Autocrat— An-cst  of  tiie  Ringleatlcrs 
— Etfcct  on  the  Natives — Baranol'a  Speech  to  his  Hunters — Exjicdi- 
tiou  to  Vj'kutat — Meeting  ^^itl^  Vancouver — The  Lebcdef  Company 
Circumvented — Troubles  with  Kaljuslics—Purtot'sliesolute  Conduct 
— Zaikof 's  Expedition 33-t 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

COLONIZATION    AM)   MISSIONS. 

1794-1790. 
Mechanics  and  Missionaries  Arrive  at  Pavlovsk — Andjitious  Sciiemoa  of 
Colcjnization^ Agricultural  Settlement  P'ounded  on  ^  .'dvutat  Bay — 
Shipwreck,  Famine,  and  Sickness — Golovnin's  Itcport  on  the  All'aira 


xvm 


CONTENTS. 


PAQK 

of  the  Sliolikof  Company — Discontent  of  the  Miasionaries — Com- 
plaints uf  tlio  Arcliiniandi'ite— Fu,tlier  !Makur  in  Unalaska — Father 
Jiivrnal  in  Kudiak— Divine  Service  at  Tlirec  .Saints — Juvenal's  Voy- 
age to  Ilyamna — His  Reception  and  Missionary  Labors — He  iV.ttenipt8 
to  Al)i)lisli  Polygamy — And  Fails  a  Victim  to  an  Ilyamna  Damsel — 
He  iti  Butchered  by  the  Natives 351 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE   E0a«IAN    A5IKUICAN   COiirANV. 

17'JG-1799. 

Tlircatened  Exhaustion  of  the  Seal-fisheries — Special  Privileges  Given  to 
Siberian  Merchants — Shclikof  Petitions  for  a  Grant  of  the  Entire 
North-west — He  is  Supported  by  Rczanof — Muilnikof's  Enterprise — 
The  United  American  Company — Its  Act  of  Consolidation  Ccntirmed 
by  Iiiij)crial  Ou'"az — And  its  Name  Changed  to  the  Russian  Ameri- 
eau  Company — Te.xt  of  the  Oukaz — Obligations  of  the  Company 


iiiy 


II  : ' 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  FOUNDING   OF  SITKA, 
1798-1801. 

Baranof'a  Difficulties  and  Despondency — Sick  and  Hopeless — Arrival  of 
tilt!  Elizaveta— An  Expedition  Sails  for  Norfolk  Sound — Loss  of 
Canoes — The  Pax-ty  Attacked  by  Kolosh — Treaty  with  the  Sitkans — 
Yankee  Visitors — A  Fort  Erected — The  Yakutat  Bay  Settlement — 
Baranof  Desires  to  be  Relieved — His  Official  Tour  of  the  Colonics — 
The  Chief  ^lanager's  Piety — His  Comjilaints  of  Foreign  Encroach- 
ments— British  Aggressiveness 384 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE     SITKA     MASSACRE. 
1802. 

Rumors  of  Revolt  among  the  Kolosh — They  Attack  Fort  Sv  Mikhail — 
Testimony  of  Abrossiin  Plotnikof — And  of  Ekaterina  Lebedef — 
Sturgis'  Equivocal  Statement — Captain  Barber  aa  a  Philanthropist — 
Khlebnikof's  Version  of  the  Massacre — Secret  Instructions  to  Bara- 
nof—Tidings  from  Unalaska — Further  Promotion  of  the  Chief  Man- 
ager— He  Determines  to  Recaptui-e  Sitka — Preparations  for  the  Expe- 
dition  401 


CHAPTER   XX. 

SITKA  RECAPTURED. 
1S03-1805. 

The  Nndeshda  and  Neva  Sail  from  Kronatadt — Lisiansky  Arrives  at 
Norfolk  Sound  in  the  Nrva — Baranof  Sets  Forth  from  Yakutat — 
His  Narrow  Escape  from  Shipwreck — He  Joins  Forces  with  Lisiansky 


PAOB 


351 


CONTENTS. 


xlx 


PAfiK 


— Kniitlesa  Ncgotiatioim-Dcfoat  of  the  Russiaris-The  Fortress  Bom 
banled  -A.ul  Kvacuated  by  tlie  ,><avaKos-Tlie  Natives  Ma.s«acro 
then-  Clul.lren-Lisiansky's  Visit  to  Ka.liak-Ilis  Deserij.tion  of  tlio 
Settlements— A  Kf.losli  Embassy— A  Dinner  Party  at  Novo  Arklian- 
gclsk— The  Kcuu's  Homeward  Voyage— Bibliography 40^ 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

kezanof's  visit. 
1804-ISOC. 
Voyage  of  the  XculcMa~A  Russian  Embassy  Dismissed  by  the  Japan- 
ese-Kezanof  at  St  I'aul  Island-Wholesale  Slaughter  of  Fur-seals- 
TheAmlumador's  Letter  to  the  Emperor-The  Envoy  Proceeds  to 
Kad.ak-And  Thence  to  xNovo  Arkhangelsk-His  Report  to  the 
Russian  American  Company-Further  Trouble  with  the  Kolosh- 
Ihe  Ambassadors  Instructions  to  the  Chief  .Mauagcr-Evil  Tidiu-s 
from  Kmliak-Iiezanof's  Voyage  to  California-llis  Compiaiu'ts 
against  ^aval  Ollioers-His  Opinion  of  the  Missionaries-! lis  L-ist 

Journey  

•^  443 


384 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

SEVE\   MOllK   YEAItS  UK  ALASKAN  ANNALS. 

1800-1S12. 
Ship.buil,ling  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk-The  Settlement  Threatened  by 
Kolosh-A  Plot  against  the  Chief  Manager's  Life-The  Couspira 
tors  laken  by  Sur,,  rise -Arrival  of  Golovnin  in  the  Sloop-ol"  war 
l>mna~lhH  JJescription  of  the  Settlement-Astor's  Vess.d  tlie 
Lulerprm,  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk-Negotiations  for  Tra,le-(;'c,l.,v- 
mu  s  Account  of  the  Mattcr-Farnum's  Journey  f,.„n.  Astor.a 
to  St  I  otersburg-AA  reck  of  the  /««.-S,il}er,ngs  of  her  Crew  4.il 


401 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

FOREIGN   VENTCKES   AND   THE  KOSS  COU)NY. 

180:}-1S41. 

Baranof's  Want  of  Mcans-O'Cain's  Expedition  to  California-And  to 

eTsril"       r  "T  ?  '■■"'  ^^"-— -Trading  Contracts  with  A„,e,  • 

can   Sk.ppors-Kuskof  on   the  Coast  of  New   Albion-The   Ross 

Colony  l.ounde,l-Seal-lnmting  on  the  CW  of  California-Sl  in- 

Sii' "17    '''■  «"''r"~"^'"''"""'^  "*■  ^^'-''•^'''^  t«  Novo  Arkhangelski 
ortieulture-Stoek.raising-Losses  Incurred    by    the  Commny- 
Huntmg.pos    Established  at  the  Farallones-Failure  of  the  E  ter- 
prise-Sale of  the  Colony's  Effects.  .-„ 

4/6 


XX 


CONTENTS. 
C'TIAl'TER   XXIV. 

FCllTIIEH  ATTKMITS   AT   lOllElOX  COLONIZATION. 
1808-1818. 


PAUB 


iriigrtiicister  in  the  Samlwiuli  Islands — I'aranof  Again  Desires  to  be  Tle- 
lioved — l-lliot  Sails  for  California  in  the  Ibncn — Ilis  Captivity  — 
Kotzelau!  in  tli'!  Iliirik  in  Scanli  <if  a  North-east  I'assayo— His  Ex- 
plorations in  Kotzelme  Sound-  He  Proceeds  to  Uiialaska — Ami 
thenoo  to  California  and  tlie  .Sandwich  Islands — Kinn  Kanichainelui 
— A  Storm  in  the  North  Pacific— The  I'lirik  lletnrns  to  I'nalaska 
— Ifei-  Homeward  Voyaj,'e— IVuinctt'sTrij)  to  the  Sandwieli  Islands — 
Cai)tain  Lozaref  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk — His  Disputes  with  tlie  Chief 
Manager — Shefl'er  Sails  for  Hawaii — And  thence  for  Kauai— His 
A'^'recnunt  with  King  Tomari — .Jealousy  of  American  and  English 
Traders — Flight  of  the  Ilussians 490 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

CLOSE  OF  BAKAN01''S   ADMINISTRATION, 
1SI9-1S21. 

Ilagcmeistcr  Sails  for  Novo  Arkhangelsk— He  Supersedes  B.iranof — 
Transfi'r  of  the  Company's  Eirects — The  Accounts  in  (!ood  Order — 
Si.kness  of  the  Ivx-manager — Baranof  Takes  Leave  of  the  Colonies — 
His  Deatii— Ilemurks  of  Kldehnikof  and  Otiiers  on  ]>.iranof — Kor.a- 
sokovsky's  l']xpedition  to  t-ho  Knskokviin — llociuefenil's  Voyage — 
Massacre  of  liis  Hunters— Fiirtlier  JCxplorations— Dividenila  and  In- 
crease of  Capital — Commerce — Decrease  in  the  Yield  of  Furs — The 
Company's  Servants CIO 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

SECOND   PERIOD   OF  THE   UlSSIAN   AMERICAN   COMPANY'S   OPERATIONS. 

1821-184-2. 
Golovnin's  Report  on  the  Colonies — The  Company's  Charter  Renewed — 
New  i'rivileges  Gi'anted — Mouravief  Appointed  Gcjvernor — Alaska 
Divided  into  Districts — Threati;ned  .Starvation — Chistiakof  Super- 
sedes ^Mouravief — Foreign  Trade  Prohibited — Tiic  Anglo-Kussian 
and  Uiis.iii-American  Treaties — ^lore  Explorations — Wraiigell's  Ad- 
ministration— He  is  Succeeded  l)y  Kuiiriancjf — iJisjmtes  with  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company— Tlieir  Adjustment— Fort  Stikeen — Etholen 
Appointed  Governor — A  Small-pox  Epidemic — Statistical 530 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE  RUSSIAN   AMEUIl'AN    COMPANY'S   LAST  TERM. 

1842-1800. 
The  Charter  Renewed— Its  Provisions — Tiie  Adair  at  Petropavlovsk — 
Outbreaks  among  the  Natives— The  Nulato   Mass;iere — A   Second 
I\ia,Uduci'u  ThiLa.,c;;eu  at  Novo  Aikliaugelsk  —  ICxploratioua  —  The 


COXTKNTS. 


XXI 


Western  Union  Tflograpli  Ci)i)ii)iin3- — ^Vl•.st(l:lIl^H  TxiHTii^ncc— The 
Comitaiiy  llt'iiut'sts  Aiiotlie/  Itcnuwal  (if  its  (,'iiarttT— Ni'i^otiatitiiia 
Avitli  tlic  liiiixiial  (iovfi-niniint  'I'lirir  I'"ailiiro--ri)puliiti(in — l''iioil 
Suii]iIii'S  - 'I'lif  Viuld  of  Fiiis--\Mialiii','-  J)ivii[(ii(i.s~Ti'ailo—  llib- 
liogiai)liical '>i'>S 


490 


CHArTi:ii  XXVIII. 

ALASKA   AS   A    fSITKI)   STATE;!   COLONY. 
18li7-lS,S3. 

Xlotivcf,  for  the  Transfer  liy  the  Rnssian  rjovernnicnt — Xcpotiation:^  Coin- 
nicmt'cl  Senator  ('ok' 's  I^H'orts — 'I'hi;  Treaty  Si;.'n<'il  and  Katiliri! — 
]\easons  for  luul  against  tiie  rnrciia.se — Tlie  Territory  as  an  liivest- 
nieiit — Its  Formal  Cession — Inlhixof  American  Adventurers — Meas- 
ures in  Congress — A  Country  without  Imw  or  I'roteetion  ~l-A-il  Ell'eot 
of  tiie  Military  Oeenitation — An  Janeute  at  Sitka—  Furl  her  Tronlilua 
witli  the  Xativi^s — TlicirC'ause — Ilootchenoo,  or  Mohisses-runi  —  liev- 
euue — Su;_'gestion8  for  a  Civil  Government — Want  of  Mail  Facilitiea 
— Surveys  and  Exi^lorcations 590 


■The 


510 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

COMMKllCE,    KEVKNCE,    AND   ICKS. 

18GS-IS84. 
Imports  and  F.xport.s — Cost  of  Collecting  IJevenuo— The  llndson's  Bay 
Coiujiany — Smuggling — Tlic  Alaska  Connnercial  Coniiiany — It  Ob- 
tains a  Lease  of  tiie  I'rx  liilof  Islands — Tlie  Terms  of  the  Contract 
— Kenuineration  and  Treatment  of  the  Xatives-Tlieir  Mode  of  Life 
— huesligation  into  the  Comiiany's  Management — Statements  of 
Rohert  Desty — Ancl  of  tlio  Secretary  of  the  Treasury — Increase  iu 
the  Value  of  I'uis — Itemarks  of  If.  W.  IHliott  —  Lundin:,'  vf  the  I'ur- 
seals — Tlieir  Combats — Metiiod  of  l)riving  ami  Slaugliteiing — Cur- 
ing, Dressing,  and  Dyeing — Sea-otters — Land  IVlti'v <J.'iO 


...  530 


CHArXJlli   XXX. 

ri.s  i[  i;  i:  i  r.  s. 
1S(  17-1  SSL 

Salmon  Fa  eking— Price  and  ^Veil.dlt  of  the  I.'au  I'ish— Yukon  Piiver 
Salmon — Alaskan  Canneries — Domestic  Consumpti(ni  and  Waste — 
Tlu^  Cod-bank.s  of  Alaska — Large  Increase  in  the  Catch  of  Cod-fish 
and  Decrea.so  in  its  Value— The  llalibnt-llsheries— Herring  and  Her- 
ring-oil -Mackerel — Tiie  iMihnhon  or  Candle-fish — \'ahie  and  I'l-os- 
peets  of  the  Alaskan  l''islieries — Wlialing  Fnterprise—Tho  Xorth 
Pacific  Whaling  Fleet— (iradual  Decrease  in  the  Catch— TIn'eatened 
E.shaustidii  of  the   Whaling-grounds GGO 


xxU 


C0NTKNT3. 


CHAPTEK  XXXI. 

SETTLEMENT!!,   iXOKICULTIKE,   SHII'-UCILUINO,  AST>  MINING. 

1704-1884. 


Pill 


Sitka  (lurinj,'  tliu  Ruasiun  Occupation— The  Town  Half  Deserted — Social 
Life  at  the  Capital— Tlic  Sitka  Liln'ary- Ncwspape^^'— Fort  Wian- 
gcU  — 'ronj,'a8!i— Ilarrislmrg — Settlements  on  Cook  Inlet — Kailiak  — 
Wood  Island — Spruce  Islanil-Tlirce  Saints — Afognak — Tlie  AliMitiaii 
Islandu— Volcanic  Kruptions  and  Karthi[nake8 — Saint  Michael— i''ort 
Yukon — Agriculture— .Stock-raising— TiinlxT — Shi|)-building — Coal- 
mining— Petroleum,  Copper,  Quicksilver,  Lead,  and  Sulphur — Silver 
and  (Jold 071 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

CnURCIIES,    SCIIOOUS,    AND   IlOSl'ITALS. 

1705-1884. 
The  First  Cliurchea  in  Ru.4sian  America — A  Diocese  Established — Vcni- 
auiinof— The  Sitka  Cat  licdral — Conversionof  the  Indians— 'I'lic  Clergy 
Hehl  in  Contempt — I'rotcsfaint  Missions — Schools — Tlio  Sitka  Semi- 
nary— Tlic  (Jeneral  Colonial  Institute — Meteorological— Diseases — 
Hospitals — Tlie Company's  Pensioners — Creoles — Bibliographical. . . .  099 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

ALASKA   AS  A    CIVIL  AND   JUDICIAL   DISTRICT. 

188.3-1885. 
The  Organic  Act— A  Piiantom  of  Civil  Government— Proposed  Indian 
Keservations— Educational  Matters— Appointment  of  United  States 
Olhcials— Iveport  of  Governor  Kinkead— His  Successor  Appointed — 
Scliwatka's  Voyage  on  a  llaft — Evorette's  Exploration— Stoncy's 
Expedition— Mining  on  the  Yukon  and  its  Tributaries— The  'I'akoo 
Mines- Tlie  Treadwell  Loile— Fisheries— Commerce  and  Navigation  717 


AUTTIORITnLS  orOTED 


IN 


THE    HISTORY    OF    AI^VSICA.. 


Aita  Potropnlitann,  17">0otsof|.     In  T,il)rn!'y  of  roiiOTCss. 

Akacliiiiii' (lor  Wi.ssunHuliat'tcu  .Sitziiiig.shfrioiito  luid  Aljliaiullungcii,     Berlin, 

lS."i!»  I't  si'i|. 
Alaska,  Ari'iiiv<;s  from  I'nalaska  and  St  Puiil.     MS. 
Ala.ska,  Army  Sketclics  l>y  an  Oiiiccr  oi  the  I'.   S.  Navy.     In  Army  and 

Xavy  .Fimnial,  ISIJS  !». 
Alaska,  History  of  tiio  Wroiifcs  of.     San  Francisco,  IS75. 
A!,i-ka,  Ilcport  of  tin;  Jcckuulic  ( 'onimitlcc.     W'asliiii^'ton,  187i>. 
Alaska,  Trailers'  I'rotcctivo  As-iociation.     San  Fiaiicisco,  IS(i!(. 
Alaska  ComiMcicial  t'oiiniany,  Alaska  Fnr-Scal.  n.iil.,n.(l.;  I'y-law?.    S.  F., 

Isyo;  Kxtiaorilinary  I  i(\clo]iiiii  nts  in  rcgar<l  to  the  Monopoly.   n.[il.,  n.d. 
Ala.ska  Conuuurcial  Company,  Taylor  vs  A.  C  Co.  [I'Jtli  Dist.  Court,  l!S71|. 

MS. 
Alaska   Fuv-Sc  d   Fisheries,   Letter  of   tlio  Secretary  of  the  Trea.iury  [Ust 

Con^',,  -J.l  Ses.s.,  II.  Ex.  T)oc.,  \-2U].     Washinu'ton,  1870. 
Alaska  Scrap  I'look,  l.S(iS-7'>.  I>y  Airapius  Honeharenko.   "J  vola. 
Alasli.i  Ship  J'.iiililini,' Comiiany,  I'etitiuu  jjiayin^;  for  grant  of  certain  lands. 

H:{d  Cong.,  'M  Sess.,  Sen. ".Mis.,  i:5.J     Wa.sUington,  1875. 
Alliany  (Or.)  Kegistc  r. 
Alegre  ( j-'rancisco  .Javier),  Ilistoria  dc  la  (^'ompaiiia  de  .Iesn.s  en  Xueva  E.spania. 

"Mixico,  ISII.  ;}  vols. 
Altiiias  (Cal.),  Modoc  ludependeiit. 

A'var,id(»  (.liian  J5autistat,  ] I istoriji  dc  California.   MS.  .')  vols. 
American  (!<'ographical  an<l  Statistical  Society.     Xew  York,  1850  et  seq. 
American  C>iiaiterly  Review.      J'hiladelphia,  lS27etsei]. 
American  State  Papers.     IJoston,    1817   1'.'.    IJ  vols.;    Washington,   lS3'2-4; 

I8.'p8-(il.  folio,  lif)  vols. 
Aiial;eini  (Cal.),  ( Jai'titl;'.'. 
Anderson  (.\d,inil.  Historical  and  (  hronolo;;ical  Deduction  of  the  Origin  of 

Commerce.     lyondon,  ISOI.   folio.   -1  vols. 
An<k'rson  (Alexander  C. ),  Xorthwest  Coast  History.     MS. 
Anderson  (.Mexandtir  (J.),  Notes  on  Indian  Tribes  of  IJritish  Xortli  America. 

In  Historical  Mag.,  vii.  7.'$. 
Annals  of  ('(ingress,    [l.st  to  18th  Congress.]    Washington,  1S34-5G.  42  vols. 
Antioch  (Cal.)." Ledger. 

A[>ost6licos  Afanes  do  la  Compania  dc  .Jesus.     Barcelona,  1754. 
Anti>,  Log  lHj„k.  18-21-5.     MS. 
Archivo  del  .Arxohispiulo  do  San  Francisco.     MS.  5  vols. 

Uisx.  Ai,.vtiKA.    3*  (zxiii) 


SXIV 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


Arehivo  do  C.ilifomia.     MS.  273  vols.,   and  a  f.Tont  mass  of  loosp  papers. 

Documwits  iiris'-Tved  in  the  U.  .S.  .Siirvcyor-yii.crars  ollici-  at  San  Iraii- 

cisc'o.     (J())iit's  in   my  Collection.     Diviilwl  ua  follows:  Piov,  St.   lap.; 

I'luv.  lice;  Dc'pt.  St.  Tap.;  Dupt.  lice. 
Aivliivo  de  las  .Misionua.     MS.  "2  V(j1s. 
Arcliivo  dul  (Jljiiipado  du  ^Monterey  y  Los  Angeles.     MS. 
Arcliivo  do  Santa  Jiarhara.   MS.    11  vols. 
Aruistroni;  (.Vloxander),  Personal  Narrative  of  the  Discovery  of  the  Xorth- 

\ve«t  I'as.sa^-o.     London,  IH.iT. 
Artcaira  (Iirnaeio),  Tercera  E.xi)loracion,  1770.     MS. 
A:itoria  (Or.),  Astorian. 
AitliiKiJjKi.  .lournal  of  the  Ship.     !MS.     In  Lilnary  of  Department  of  State. 

WuMliingtcjn,  1).  C. 
Atlantic  Monthly.     IJoston,  1858  et  serj. 
Axanxa  (Virey),  Ynstriiucioii,  1800.     ^iS. 


I'aer  (Karl  Fr.  von).  See  Wrangell  (Contro  Aihniral  V.),  Statisti'^che,  etc. 

liaird  (Spencer  F. ),  Fish  and  Ful'.cries  [lls'^  (.'on;;.,  "Jd  Sess.,  Sen.  Mi.s.  Doc, 
108;  4,")th(J(mg.,  lid  Sess  ,  Sen.  Mis.  D.ic,  4')|.      \Va;:>hin^'toii,  I.S7i),  1S77. 

l!alhi  (Adi'ien),  Jntroduetiou  ;l  I'Atlas  ei.hno';i-a])hi(jno  ihi  glohc.      Paris,  lSj;i. 

Ijanerol't  (U'lhert  Howe),  History  of  the  Paciiie  States  of  Nortli  .\nieriea. 
San  Fraiu'--;o,  1SS2  et  se(p  L'S  vols.;  Native  Jiaees  of  the  Paeilie  States. 
New  Vori      1)S7">.    ")  vols. 

Bancroft  Lilirary,  MS.  .Scrap-books,  containing  classified  notes  used  in  writ- 
ing Jiancrolt's  works. 

iSnrnnuva  (Ale!;.  .\. ),  Shi/neopisanie.    fBiographj'.]    St  Pytcr.-;l)urg,  IS.'!.'). 

XJarher  (.Iohn\  and  Henry  Howe.  History  of  Western  States  and  Terri- 
tories.    Cincinnati,  18(17. 

Barrington  (Daine.-),  Miscellanies.     London,  1781. 

Barrow  (.1.),  Cook's  Voyages  of  Discovery.     London,  1S7I. 

Baslmiakof  (Feodor),  Papeis  relating  to  Trial  for  Sorcery,  IS'29.     MS. 

Bayly  (W'illiiini),  Tlu;  Original  A;  tronoi:iic;d  Ohsei'vatioiis  made  hy  Capt. 
Cook  and  Lieut,  .las.  King,  1770-8i).     London,  17.'i-'.  4to. 

Beanian  (C.  C),  Our  New  Northwest.     In  HarjierVi  Montldy.     July,  18(57. 

liearih'.lee  (L.  A.),  Keport  on  condition  of  aUair-i  in  Alaska  [4(>lh  Cong.,  'id 


Sess. 


L'n.  Ex.  Doc,  1()")J.     Wasliington,  1880. 


Beechey   (F.    \S'.),  Narrative  of  a  Voyage  to  the  Paciiie,  etc,  in    IS'J.VS. 


Be 


London,  1S:<1,  2  vols. ;   Philadelphia,  18:?2. 


Bclelur(K 


i.y(F.  W.),  / 


lOologv  o: 


f  \"ov; 


Sec  Piichardson  (J.)  et  al. 


■d).  N 


don,  1813.  •!  vols 


irrati.ve  ot  a\  oyage  ronm 


the  Woild  in  18;!()-f2 


Lou- 


Bell  (.!.• 


:  ).  A 


Systi'm  of  (Jeograiihy. 


(:;ia 


18n 


!(.  t)  vols 


d.  Or.,  1S7:1. 


Bc'.l  ( \V.  C. ),  'J'he  (Jaiddities  of  lui  Alaskan  Tr  _ 

IW'liiiont  (Nov.),  Cou.rier. 

Benton  (Thomas  IL),  .Abridgment  of  Debates  in  Congress,  17">9-18u(}.     New 

York,  l8.")7-(i:!.    Ki  vols'. 
Benyovsid  (Maurice  A.),  Mi'Uioirs  and  Travels.     I^ondon,  17!H). 
Berenn  (l'',vgeni  .\.K  J'uteshestvii"  kor:d'lai;.  \.  Kotnpaniy  X'tlolm.    fVoyago 
if  the  Kiissian  Ann  rican  Company's  f-liip  XitJu'i,  1S;!7-!'.]     In  Z:ipiski 


Hy.lr. 
Berg  (Vassili),  Kliroiiologich 

Discovery  of  the  Aleutian  Isl'ini 
Berrv(M.   P.),  Dcvdopments  in  Alaska.     MS. 
r>:d\vell  (.b.hn),  California,  1841    8.      MS. 


Tstoria.     |(?!ii'ono!o'.;ical  History  of   tho 
St  Petersburg';  1820. 


Bil^'llMl' 


■lohn 


I,  A  U 


ISIO. 


iphical  and  Historical  View  of  the  World.     Lond( 


]'<laehke  (L. ),  Topographia  niodica  portuu  Novo-Archaugclscensis.     Petropoli 


I8P2-S. 
lUagdon  (Francis  William),  The  Modern  Ceogiapht 


Loudon,  11. d.  5  vols. 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


XXV 


•  (Tlieoilnrs  A.),  rjem^ral  Topograpliii;.".!  iiiiil  rjeologicr.l  Feiitiircs  of  Twjvt'i- 


wt's.'L'ni  ('oust  (if  America  [lOtli  C> 
Wll.sllin''t:Jll,  l.S(W. 


•_M  .Si.'ss.,   H.  Mx.    l)o( 


I7:.J 


is-j.vs. 

Lou- 
J.    Ncvr 


\'ov;i:ro 
Z-ii-isUi 

of    tlio 


B!:ik'' (William  P.),  (loograpliical  Xotes  upon  liussiau  AuK'rica.     Was'ii;!,'- 

toii,   IHIW. 
JV.oilgi'tt  (Loiiuc;),  Alaska,  what  is  it  won Ii  ?     Ju  Lippiucott'.s  .Mail.  i.  ]; 'JS. 
liloo<l,u'oo.l  (('.  ])'.).  l''i;^l't  Months  inSitka.     In  Ovcrlmd  Moutlily.  Fob.  I'i )  •. 
IrHku'a  y  C'liailiii  (Jivni   Fiaucisco),  Couicuto  dc  la  Xuvcjation,  177.').     .'I  ■>. 
]jji[cL,';i   }•  L'liadra  (.luau   IVanuisco),   Navcgacior.   y   l)c:iL'ulji'iniicnto,    177'.'. 

MS. 
Boih'u'a  y  C'uadi'a  (.Fiiau  Francisco),  Sci^unda  Salida,  177!).     I^IS. 
l!o  k'ga  y  Cnadra  (.Juan  Francisco),  Viaj,'c  do  1775.     .MS.  .: 

I'.oono  (.i.  If.  A.),  r.ussian  Auiorica.     Jn  Atlantic  Monthly,  June,  1807. 
lliston  (.Mass.),  Daily  Ailvcrtiscr,  I^vcuin;,' Transcript,  Herald. 
Jlmton  in  the  Xorthwtst,  Solid  Men  of.     MS. 
i;roikett  (L.  P.),  Our  Western  Empire.     Philadelphia,  etc.,  1881. 
llrooks  (Charles  Wolcott),  Japanese  Wrecks  in  Xorth  Facilic  Oceau.     S:''i 

Francisco,  I.S7(). 
Ihoimhton  (W  liliani  R.),  A  Voyaj,'e  of  Discovery  at  the  Xorth  Pacilic  Ocean. 

Jiondon,  1804. 
J'.rowne  (.J.  Ross),  Lower  California.     Sec  Taylor.  Alex.  S. ;  Peport  upon  (ho 

•Mineral   Resources  of   the  States  and   Territories  AVest  o!  tlie  Rcr'icy 

-Mount.'uiis.     Wasliin;,'tou,  I8()7;  Washington,  18{iS;  San  l'"rai!ci---co,  iSiiS. 
r.ryant  (Charles),  and  II.  II.  Mclutyrc,  Report  ou  Alaska.     [4 hit  Cong.,  "Jd 

Scss.,  Sen.  Ex.  Hoc.  ;>l'.J     Washington,  IS(i!). 
lluike  ( Ednunid I,   An  Account  of   the  Eiu'opcau  Settlements  in   Amcrii :;. 

J>ondon.  17f!().  -2  vols.;  Id.,  1771).  2  vols. 
Ruriiiy  f. lames),   (Jhronolo'^'ical  History  of  Xorth  ]']asteni  Voyages  of   Dis- 
covery.    London,  Isl'.t. 
Uusclim.in  (.roll.  Carl),  Die  Pinia-Spracho  und  die  Sprache  der  Kolosoheu,  etc. 

I  iu'riin,  iSoO.j     Uo. 
lUiss,',  .Jiujial  Fiir  lUissland.     St  Petersburg,  1 794. 
Jliistamanto  (Carlos  Maria),  Suplcmento  d  Loa  Tres  Siglos  dc  Cavo.     Jalapa, 

!S7(). 
Puller  (William  F.),  The  Wild  X'orth  Land.     Philadelphia,  l;-i74. 

California.  Iv-itablecinnento  y  Progresos  de  las  Misiones  de  la  Antigua  C.iii- 

foniia.     In  J,>oc.  Hi.-;t.  Mcx  ,  .serie  iv.  tom.  iv. 
California,  Journals  of  Asse/nMy  and  .Senate,  1st  to  •24th  .sessions,    RSoO-Sl ; 

with  Ajipendices— 10;{  volumes  in  all. 
Calvo  (Ciiiirles),  Recucil  Complot  des  Traites  de  rAmerique  Latine.     Paris, 

1S()L'-!I.    Hi  vols. 
('-.'.'.uv  (I>avid,  V,'.),  Anic  'can  Year  Rook.     Hartford,  lS(j',». 
Campbell  (Archil)ald),  A  Voyage  rouml  the  World  from  lS0(;-l-2.    ]',dinburL;h, 

isKi:  lioxbury,  bSJ,"). 
(-'auip'ie!!  (Joseph  15.1.  Letter  concerning,'  importation  of  breechdoadim'  riiles. 

L44thCong.,  IstSess.,  ]l.  Ex.  Do.■.^S;^,.|     Washington,  isTd. 
CaiiCi'lada  (Jiuui  Lopez),  JJuina  do  la  \ueva  F^pana.    Cadi/,  l.sll,-  Tel.gnifo 

MoNicano.     Cadix,  181.'{  et  seq. 
Can-  (.John  A.),  Connn, mica'. ions  to  Sec.  of  War  in  relation  to  illicit  t.;it;ie  in 

li.pior.     |4;!d  Cong.,  2d  Sess.  Sen  Docs.  '24,  27.]     Wa.duiigtoii,  ];■.;, .. 
<'ar-on  City  (N\  v.),  Stati;  JJegi.ster. 

(V.rtas  Ediiicantes,  y  Cuiiosas.     Madrid,  17"i.'!-7.    l(i  vols. 
<artography  of  the  I'acilic  States.     San  Franci.sco,  lS7;i.     ;MS.  .T  V(,1s. 
Casta liares  (Manuel),  Colcccion  de  dociimentos  rel.uivo.s  al  departamcnto  do 

Californias.      Mexico,  1n45. 
Castro  (.Mamiel^.  Documentos  parft  la  llistoria  do  California.     ilS,  'z  vols. 
<'iistroville  (Cal.).  Argus. 
Catalii  (Mjigiu),  Carta  sobro  Xootku,  1794.     M;S. 


IHHI 


xxvi 


AUTII0niTIE.'5  QUOTED. 


C'liamisso  (Loui  i  C'jai-les  A.  Ton),  Ail<  "icrt  von  ( 'iiarnisso'.i  ^Yc'!■kc.     Vierte 

Aiill;ii,'e.      ]5craii,  l.S.")(}.   (J  vols. ;  iluisc  includuil  in  pi(_'>'uiliiig. 
('|]Uji|i('  ilAnteruclic,  Vi)yago  eii  SiltOrie.     i'jiris,  1708.  '.i  vols!.;  Amstenliuii, 

I77i).  •_'  vols. 
(.''iate;uil)ri;iii(l  I  F.  A.),  Voj'ac^cs  eu  Amt'iinuc.      Paris,  KS().'>. 
('.lica^o  (I11.^  liitur-Oci'iiij,  Tiilmiio. 
C'liirikot  (Aloxc'V),  Zluirnal  I'litcshostvia.     [Journal  of  Voyag   (.]    In  Impel  ial 

Naval  Archives.    St.  I'etcr.shui-L.'.     Bninlle  xvi. 
(.'i'.i:HtiaUof  (i'l'ter  Y.),  r'atcsliostvit'  Uoialilu  II.  A.  !\oiiiniiiiiy  A7<'//((.    [Voyage 

of  the  Jvutssiaii  Aiiierieau  C  )iiiiKi;iy"s  slui)  ].'/ciia   l,S_'l— 0.]     lu   Ziipiski 

Hy<lr.  viii. 
Clioris  (Louis).  Voyai^c  I'ittores.iue  autour  du  Moml  •.      l\iri-i,  ]H2'2,   foHo. 
(.lavigci'o    (Franeisco   Saverio),    Sturi.i    ilelLi    CaliiOi'iiia.      \'eiie,:ia,    ll^'.i.    2 

vols. 
("levelaiiil  (iiielianl  J.),    Xanative  of  Voyages.     C:uiil);iil  ,'e,    184"2.   2  vols.; 

l}ostoii,  1S.')0. 
(.'offiu  (lames  lleiiiy),  Winds  of  the  (!lol>e.     Vwishiu'itiin,  IS7o. 
(Aileeeion  ilo   Docuihentos   iii('>ilitiis   jiara  la   lli.jtoria  de   Espai'ia.     Madrid, 

lS42-8().  71  vols.   |S.  F.  J.aw  Libraiy.] 
Collinson  {It.],  .\eeount  of  tlie  I'roeeedin'^s  of  II.  ,M.  S.  Enfrr/irisi  from  Beh- 

riii,.;  Strait  tu  Cainliiid^ie  liay.     In  Load.  (leog.  Soi-.,  .Juur.  x.vv.  11)4. 
( 'ilunilii:!,  l>f]i:irtment  of.  (ieucral  Orders.      ISli.")  et  sei[. 

Coiyer  (\'inceiitl,  l)omh;iriini(  nt  of   \Vrani;ell.      Wa.-li..    IS7(':   Fiir-se;il  I'ish- 
"eries  of  Alaska  [41st  ('onj,'.  '2<1  Hess.',   II.   Kk.  Doc.  114.J    Wash.,  1,S70; 

Ke])ort  on  Indian  Allhirs.    n.pl..  ii.d. 
('  -aanr  (t'harles  T. ).  Letter  eoncerning  the  killing  of  fur-bcariug  animals.    lu 

S.  V.  ISulletiii,  Marcli  I'J,  1S77. 
Congressional  <  ill il)e.      Wa^liint/ron.  lS.Srtetsei|.   4to. 
('::ngrossional  Keeord.      Washington,   IS74etse(|. 
Cuok  (James),  Troisiemc  \'oyage  ;i  l"Ooeau  raeitiijuc  177()-SO.     I'aris,  178"). 

4to.  4  vols. 
('..ok   (.Tame-;),  Voyage  to  th"  Paei lie  Ocean  177<>-SO.     T/imlou,  K-^^.   Ito.  .S 

vols,  plates  in  folio;  London,   1784,  4id.  4  vols.;  Phila.iolpliia,    l8ls, 'J 

vols. 
(  ooley  (W.  D.),  Maritime  and  inlaiul  discovery.     London,  18;10-1.    3  vols, 
(ones  (Elliott),  'J'lio  l''ur-l)earin','  .\nimals  of  N'cjrth  Ameiica.     I'ostoii,  1.S77; 

also  in  I'.  S.  (!eol.  Smv.  of  the 'i'erriiorii  s.    Ilaydin,  .Mis.  Pal),  viii. 
('  i.:e  (William*,  A('(.'onnt  of  the  Uussian  Discoveries  between  Asia  and  .Vmer- 

iea.     London,  17^7. 
(■■■•jpi  (.luan).  Diariode  la  lv\prdicion  de  Mar.,  1774.     In  Palon,  Xot..  i.  (I'Jl. 
('r.nis'  (Tiiiis  Fi  y),  Xatinal  Wealth  of  California.     San  Francisco,  IbUS;  Id. 

with  illustrations  and  eonections. 


■i. 


I>  :1  (William  llealey).  Alaska  and  its  '-esonrces.  Boston,  1870;  Ts  Alaska  a 
paying  invest. neut.  In  Harper's  Moi'thly,  .Jan.,  1S7'_';  Letter  concerning 
<!encval  Thomas' Alaska  report.  In  i>oston  Daily  Advertiser;  Letter  to 
l",l!iott  anil  Maynard  on  condition  of  all'aii's  in  .Maska.  Wash.,  1^7•''>;  On 
the  relative  value  of  Alaaka  to  t!ie  I'nitwl  States.  In  Wasii,  Piiilosop. 
Soc.  Bull.,  M.iy  lS7i;  Keport  upon  tiie  agricultural  resontces  of  Alaska. 
Wash.,  ISlii);  Keporton  Mt.  St.  ICiias.    In  L'.  S.  Coast  Survey  Kjit.  IS7.""), 

Ji.-.llas  (.\.  (1.),  San  .hum,  Alaska  and  the  nortU-west  boundary.     London, 

is7;i. 

iVi'les  (Or. \,  Alountiunicr. 

IfM/y  ((Jliarles  P.).  .\unnal  Adilress  .Tan.  2."),  1870.     In  American  (Jeog.  and 

Stat.  Jour..  \-ol.  ii.,  jit.  ii.  'wxiii. 
jMv.dof  ((Javi'ila  I.i,  Dvukratnoie  Puteshestvie.     [Two  \'oya;vs  to  Anurica.] 

St  Peter.l.il!-L'.   1810.   'J  v.. I-. 


] 


i,;vii 


Ison  (( 


eo"i,'e),  (';kis 


t  P 


Alaska.    Wash..  ISd:!;   Direrto"v  for 


C:.a.t.     \\ 


I8( 


]Ma.'.,  l8(io,  Xov.  4u~ 


S;  Scieatilic  Expedition  to  Alaska.     In  Lippincoti,';! 


AUTHOR  ITIE  3  (:U(  )TED. 


•kc.     Vicrte 
Auistenliiui, 

In  Iiuiievi;;! 

„(.     [Voy;i<j;c 
111  Z^ipi-ski 

^■2'2.  foH.). 
Si-1.  -2  vols.; 

r,a.     Mailriil, 

i.ic  from  ]5eli- 
xxv.  l'.)4. 

■'iii-su,il  rish- 
Wush.,  IMO; 

'  imiiuiils-    111 


I'aiis,  ITS.-.. 

,  17S4.   ito.  3 
Iphia,    151S,  -J 

-1.3  vols. 
l',ii.^ton,  1S77; 
•;il),  viii. 
ia  anil  .Vmcr- 

,Xoi:..i.  (•.•_'4. 
isco,  lyOtS;  h\. 


1;  ;>i  Alai^ka  a 
i>r  L'lUK'i'Viiiu;,' 
mt:   l.ctttT  to 

,-',i..  is;.")-, v'li 

isli.   I'liilosop. 
,.^^  of  A!as!;a. 

nv.     LoiuUin, 


lu  (Jeo),'.  ami 

to  Anil  .■ii-M.l 

!,:■>•  for  r:;cili_c 
n  LipiiiiK'iiti,  -i 


1)."^  i.j  (ITorr.oo),  r.^L'onl  of  Japanese  vosrfcl.s  drivou  up.on  Xorllnvosi  Const. 

\Vo.i;j.sli;r,  IN7-'. 
iVivis  (Wi'liani  I!.),  (JlinipsoH  of  t!io  I'a.-it  in  California.     MS.  •_'  voV:. 
]<a\v.-<on  ((icorgc  -M,),  Xoto  on  .some  of  the  most  liecent  Cllange^^  in  ievcl  .if 

the  C.)a.st.      M'ntreal,  li77. 
lJca.se  (L'c.ti.r  Wjirnn),  ami  Tlionia.s  Simiison,  Actount  of  lleoent  Arctie  l)i.s- 

eovcricH.     In  Lond.  (!e'\!,'.  ."sje.,  .lour.  viii.  •_');!. 
i'elafiiM  (.I'lim  .Ir. ),  An  Imjuiry  into  t!ie  oriLjin  of  the  Antinuitie.sof  Anieiic.i. 

Cinci   nati,  ISi'.*. 
l)e]iartinental  Ito-'orils.     .MS.    14  vols.     In  .Vrehivo  de  Cal. 
l)iliart;injiital  .State  I'aper.s.     MS.  "JO  void.    In  Areliivo  de  (^"al.:  Til.    Benieia 

( 'ii.sto:n-Hou.'<e.   .S\iils.;  Id.,  IJeuicia  .Military,   vols.  .">:!  t  j  .^7. 
l)e  I'oktiea  (Pienv  de),  ( Ntrrespondenee  witii  See.  of  Stiite,  Ap.  "J,  IS'i'J.     In 

Annals  of  (.'on.-;.  lS-2_',  ii.  'JM.'. 
]  le  Smet  (I'.  .1.),  .Missions  de  TOregon.     (land.  n.d. ;  (lre,i,'on  Missions.     New 

V'.irk,  I.S47:  Voyages  aux  Montayncs  Koelicuses.     Lille,  l.>"!>. 
Oiroet.iries,  I'.Kiiie  L'oast  IjUsIucss,  Langley  1871-.');  Puget  Sound.     Murp!;y 

and  Harnet. 
l)isturnell  (■!.),  lulluenee  of  Climate  in  North  ami  South   Ameriea.      Xi  .\- 

York,  18U7. 
l)ixon  (tJeiirge),  Remarks  on  the  'N'o.yagea  of  .lolin  Meares,  Ksi).     Lond  ,:i, 

17'.)!';   Voyage  atitour  du  blonde   17.S"i-S.      I'.avis,  I7S'.).   '2  vols.;  \'oy,i  .o 

iMiind  the  World  17.S.")-S.     London.  17!S!).   4to. 
l)ohl).s  (.-Vrtlinr),  Aecount  of  tlie  Countries  adjoining  to  Hnilson"s  ISav.    Lo  i- 

don.  17-14. 
I"od''<'(\Vm.  Sunnier),  dration  at  Sitka  .Inly  4.  isos.     San  l''rancisi'o.  IS    ;. 
Dokhturof  (I'avel  A.),   I'uteshestvie   Kroiisiitadta  do  Annrikanskikli   I'ol  i- 

ni  <kh.     [Voyage  from  Ki'onstadt  to  the  (.'olonies   IS'_'0-_'.J     In  Z:;,  i^M 

lly<lr.  viii. 
l).)klad  Koiniteta  ol>  Ustroistvo  liusskikh  .\iiierikanski!ili  Koloniy.      [Repo  t 

of    Conimittoe    on   Iteorianization   of    liussian-.Viiieiicun  Colouies.J     ;  t 

I'e'arsliui'.',  l.S(i.S-4.  "J  vols. 
DuU'daa  iSn- -lame.sK  .Tournal  1.S40-1.     MS. 

I '  U'^las  (Sir  .lames).  Private  raiuis,  1st  .ind '2d  series.     M<.   2  vol-. 
I>ai\l;is  (Sir  .lames),   Voyage  to  the  \ortii«est  ( 'oa-t.     In  id,  .lourual     M  ■'. 
|).mg!ass  (William).  SuimiKuy,  liistorieal  ami   Political,  etc.  of  the  j>rili  !i 

S..ttleuKnts  in  Xortii-.\nieriea.      Unston,  17o").   "J  vols. 
l)..\v;ii('ville  (lal.),  .Mountain  Messenger. 
l!u    ll'iiilv  ( Ivlouardi,  I/Kxpi'dition  de    Petropavlosk.     In  IJevue  des  J..i:x 

-Moii.'les,  IS.VH. 
I'aliant-Cilly  (A.),  Viaggio  intoriio  al  (lloho.     Torino,  ISH.  '2  vols. 
Hiuiii  (.lohn).  The  Oregon  Territory  and  tlie  Driti.-ih  X.  American  fiu'-tra  le. 

Philadelpiiia,  KS4,-). 

lMinl>nrg!i  lieview.     Ivlinlmrgh,  l.SO'J,  ct  sof|, 

I'.Iis.i,  (l''raiieiso:>),  .Siilida  de  los  trcs  lui'iues  para  X'ootk.a  ano  d,^  M'X'i.      1"S. 

I'^li-ia  ( i''raneiseol,  'J'alila  diaria  de  los  liiunies  para  il  tiuerlo  de  Xootlia,  17.    \ 

.MS. 
Klisa  (I'vaneiseo^,  Voyage  1701,  Extracts  from.     In  Papers  relating  to  Trcaiy 

of  Wasli.  v..  17fi;  also  in  Keply  of  the  rnitdl  Stiites,  <)7. 
i:!liot  ((;(M.rg<>  11.).  The  Presidio  of  , Sin  I'raiieiseo.      In  Ovnlund,  iv.   ;;:',:;. 
KlHoit  (FTenry   Wood),   The  History  and  Present  (.'oiidition  of  the  I'i^he  y 

liidiixtries.     Wa.-li.,    ISSI;    Hejiort    niioii  eondition  of   ult'aii's  in  A!a.-:;'i, 

lllth    ('ong.,     1st   Sess.,    II.    Kx.    Doe.    :!:t.)     Wash..    1.S7.'>;    Ten    ^.a   < 

ae.|uaintaiiee  with  .Alaska.     In  Harper's  Montlily,  ls77. 
Ellis  (W.).  Aiithentie  .Xarrative  of  a  Voy.ige  in  search  of  a  Xorth-west  Pa.;- 

sa-e  in  I77li-S(>.     London.   17^4.   "J  vols. 
Eiigel  fS.iniuel).  (icograiihisehe  und   kriliscla.  Xachriehteu  und   .Vmnerk'iii- 

gen  iiliir  die  Luge  der  nordlieheii  Cegenden  Vou  Asien  und  Anie"'- 

jlitau,  1772. 


r 


XXVIU 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


Iv'iinn  (A.I,  Arcliiv  fur  wis.iciichaftliehc  Kiindc  von  Rnssl;in<l.    Eeiliii,  IPi"^. 
Ikiiolin,    lv\tr;iLts   IVoiii  Icttei's  to  tlic  Uoaid  of   Miiiiagcrs  of  the  Kussiiui 

AiiK-M'icaii  ( 'iiMipiuiy,  concuruiiig  lloss  Colony.      ISH.  MS, 
JIuivka  (('ill.)  N'ortiicrn  lnili')n;n<le;:'.,  Wcat  Coast  Signal, 
l^ans  (Khvood),  History  of  Oroyon.      ^IS. 
lv:t.!icts  from  ^Vcooiiu'us  of  Unaoian   Auiuricaii   Company   conccniiu;./   lies 

Sottluuicnt  in  1S47  and  1S30.     MS. 


I  I 


Fiik'oner  (Tlionms),  On  t'u'  Di.sfovcry  of  the  ^ligsissippi.    London,  1S44;  TIic 

Ore^iin  (jtiicstion.     London,  IS-lr). 
Farnliani  (J.  T.  or  Tiios.  J.),  Life,  Adventures  and  'IVavolsin  Cal.     Pictorial 

cd.     \l:\v  York,  l.S,")7. 
IVdix  {V.  A.),  J/()r('";,-on  ct  Ioh  cotos  do  IMctJan  l'aeili(juo.     Paris,   184G. 
Icrnandcz  (.losf),  Cosas  dc  California.     M.S. 

I'\  rnaiidcz  (.Tom'),  llocinncMiios  ]y.ir:\  l:i  Ilistcria  do  California.     !MS. 
Fidal'.'o  (Si'.lvadorl,  'J'alila  do  1  >cscubriniicnto.s  do  IT'oO.     ..MS. 
Fidalgo  (.Salva.lor),  Via-o  do  I7!!0.     MS. 
Filiitof  (Xikaadcr  I.),    i'utcslu'stvio  na  koralili   Ai(il:>i  na,  Sovoro-zapadnoni 

Ijorogu  Amciiko.    [Voya'.ro  of  tlio  Ain/.n  toward  tlio  nortli-wo.st  coast  of 

Aiuorica.      l>-)i21.|     In  Zajiisl.i  llydr.,  viii. 
Findlay  (-Vloxandor  ( ;.),  Dirootory  lor  tlio  Xavigation  of  tiio   Paciiio  Oooaii. 

Lontlon.  IS.")L  'J  vols. 
l'i:dayson  (Kocloriolv),  \'aneouvor  Tsliind  and  tlio  Xortliwcst  Coa^t.     M.S. 
Fiii!ior(.L  Fborhard),  Siliirisclio  <  Ic-chichtc.    St  IVtcr.^bnr'^',  ITiW.  U  v  b.. 
Hint  (  Timotliy),  lli.itory  and  (ioograpliy  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.     Ciuoi;i- 

nati.  ls;jj.  -2  vol.?. 
Forbes  (.Moxandcr),  < ':dift)rni:i.  A  li'.story  of.     Tjo;idon,  IS."!:). 
Fonstor  (.((jIhi  lioiidiold),  lli.story  (jf  \'oyages  and   l>iscoverieH  niado  in  the 

Xoi'th.      F.onilm,  IT'"'!',  -luo. 
Frano'.icro   ((iabriol),   Xarrativo  of  a   Voyage   to   the   Northwest   Coa^t  ^»f 

Anurioa,  U)ll-14.     Rodiiold,  lS;i4. 
Frciniann  ((i.),  Lottor.-j.     In  Zapi.ski  llaask.  Ceogr.  Obsliostvo,  i. 

Cahixy  ('I'lu').     Now  York,  1 SCC*  ct  .^oq. 

Cnielin  (lohanii),   Flora  Sibcrica  sivc  historia  plantaruin.     St  Potersbur;:, 

17">l"-.   4  Vols,     N'oyairo  en  Sit)('i-io.     Paris,  17i)7.  'J  vols. 
Coddard  (i''rcdcri(lc    ]).).  \Vii<ro  to  I'Jniigrati',  and  Why.     New  York,  1S(;0. 
Cold  Hill  iX.v.KXows. 

(lold'-chinidL  (Albert  I,  Sco  Cartofrraphy  of  the  Pacific  Coast. 
C,)id:'.;oni' ({..oui.'i).  Mi'inorial  r(>!;;tivo  Li)  .Alaska  seal  lisliory.     [12d  Cong.  ]st 

Scs.-!..  II.  Mis.  Doc.  ■").]     Was!iin,"ton,  liull 
(iolovnin  (Y.  M.).  Pute.shestvio  na  sidoopo  /■Cnmchufbi,  l.Sl."-i;);  fVoya!;o  of 

t'lif  K'i,iii//(if!.ri.\     In  Ma.tcrialui,  ]it  iv. ;  iicview  of  Kussivn  (.'olonii.'s;  ]\\ 

Iiu.--H.  Am.  (,''il.,  iii.  •_';  Z.'i|ii.<ki.     [Letters  on  eonditiou  of  l!u.-:sian  Amer- 
ican (.'olonie.-i.l     In  -Materialui,  ]it.  i. 
C<-rd.!n  (.Fanies   IJintlcy),   Hi.- toric;'.!    and  Ccographical   ilcnioir  of   t'.io  X, 

.\nioriean  ( "  )ntin"nt.      Uubliu,  lSi2).  4t'i. 
(!r;u;.!  V.dli'V  ('';.l.^,  I'"oot  Ilill  Tidings,  Xalional.  Unimi. 
Creonhow  (Itobert).  Hi.;.tory  of  Oregon  and  ('.ilifornia.     lioston,  IS!4;  London, 

LSI!:  Xev.-  York,  b'-4."i;  JJoaton,  IS4');  iJostun,  I.'vl7:  Memoir,  liistorie:.! 

and  Political,  on  the  Xortliwcst  Coast  of  X'orlh  Anierici.     ['Jdui  Conir. 

1st  Sess.,  Sen.  Doe.  174.1     AVash.  1S40. 
Crowingk  (C.),  Ikitrag /ur  Kenntni.ssder  orographischcn,  etc.,  dir  Xordv.c:  t 

kiiste  Auierikas.     St  I'otcrsburg,  IboO. 

Ilabcrsliani  (.\.  AY.),  Xoi-th   Paciiic  Surveying  .and  Kxploiing  ]].\pedition, 

Pliila<1el])hia,  b'CS. 
Haiisai'd  (T.  C.K  L'arlianicnttiry  Debates  from  ISO.'l.     Lomhni,  lSl'J-77.     ["'■ 

F.  Law  Library.  | 
Ilarpcr'.s  Now  .Monlhly  Magazine.     Xew  Y'ork,  ISoO  et  seq. 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


XXIZ 


tlic  Kussii'.n 


cerning  lio°s 


»ii,  1844;  Tlie 

i 

a\.     rictoiiiil 

i 

s,   1840. 

W' 

MS. 

i 

■tTo-zapadiraii 
-west  fuast  ot 

4 

raciilo  Ocean. 

1708.  -J  vr>l-.. 
illcy.     CiiK'i-.i- 


s  made  in  the 
west   Coait  -tif 

^t  Petevsburjr, 
w  York,  18li9. 

"l_M  Cong.  l:;t 

10;  [V'oya;'p  i>f 
■  n  ( '(iliniic.';  I'l 
Uussian  Aiucr- 

oir  o{   t'.ic  N. 


18!4;  Lrmtloii, 

\vm\  iiistovic:  1 

,     ['iCHli  Cong. 

(Ill-  Nonlv.c:  t 


ng  Kxiieilitiou. 
,  LS12-T7.     L'^. 


i 


ITartfonl  (('.inn.).  Tourant. 

ii'.'vey  (Mi:i.  J'aiiiil).  Life  of  .Tohii  McLouglilin.     MS. 

JFasw  jl  (Robert),  Voya^ie  of  the  ColHrnhla  IfnUrim,  1787,  1791-2.     MS. 

Hazlitt  (Wm.  Carcw),  ISi'itish  Columljiii  ami  Vaiicouvur's  lalaiul.     Lomlon, 

l.S."i8 
lleal(lshu.\'  (Cal.),  Russian  River  Flag, 
lleceta  (Br  mo),  Diaiio  del  Viage  de  177.").     MS. 
J!(eeta  (Urunc),  Ks])C'lieii«n  Maiitinia.     In  I'alou,  Xot.,  ii.  220. 
][eeeta  (15ruuo\  Sugiuul.'  b;x])linaeion,  177.'>,     MS. 
Heeeta  (Brni)  )),  Viaye  clo  177').     MS. 

llineH  ((Justavu.s),  Oregon:  It.s  Hiscoi'y,  Condition,  ete.     IjufFalo.  IS.'iI. 
JListcjrical  Magazine  and  Notes  and  (Queries.      Bo.ston,  etc.,  lS.")7-li'.).    I,')  vols. 
liittell  (.(oim  ,S.),  The  (Jonnnerce  ami  Industries  of  tht;   I'aeilio  Coast.     Sail 

Fr'iMeisi-o,  1882.   4to. 
l[od','edon  (l>.  15.),  Report  of  Aseent  of  Makii.shiii  Mountiiin.     [4()th  Cong., 

2d  Sess.,  II.  K\-.  Doc.  177.1     Wasliington,  ISiii). 
Holnilierg  (II.  J.),  10thnograi)lii.selie  .Slvizzen  iiber  die  Volker  d  ^s  Riussi.seluMi 

Anierika.  lleLsingfovs,  lS'>o. 
llonohihi,  Fiiend,   184;{  et  {*<-•<[.;  Polyne.sian,  18r)7  <'t  seq.;  Sandwicli  I-land 

<iazette,  IS,'{ii  et  seq. ;  Sanilwicli  l,;lan<l  News,  1810  et  seq. 
Iloncharenko  (.\gapius),  Address  to  tiio  People  of  .\laska.     In  Alaska  Her- 
ald iMiS;  (.'oniinereial  Coircsimndeneo  to  Opjuniieini  &;  Co.  of   LoucUia 

frtiiii  Oct.  18(J8  to  Jan.  187."?;  Scrap  liook,  see  Alaska. 
Hooper  (W.  H. ),  Ten  Montlis  aiiioin;  liie  Tents  of  thi;  Tuski.    London,  18.">;>. 
Howard  (O.  O. ),   Report  of   I'onr  in  Alaska,  June  1875.     [44th  Coug.   lat 

Sess.,  Sen.  lloe,   12.]     Washington,  I.s7l'>. 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  Rejiort  from  s])ecial  eoinniittee.     London.  18.'')7. 
Humboldt  (.\lcx.  de),  Essai  I'olitiquo  sur  le  lioyaunie  do  la  Nouvellc  Espagne. 

Paris,  ISll.   fo'iio.  2  vols,  and  atlas. 
Hunt's  .Merchant's  .Magazine.     New  York,  1 8.'}!)  et  .seq. 
Huleliings'  Illustrated  California  .Magazine.     San  Francisco,  18o7-0L  5  vols. 

Tni'iicrial  Xaval  Archives,     St  Petersburg,  1704  et  scq. 

Innay  (.lames  F.},  Sailing  Directions  for  the  West  Coast  of  XortU  America. 

J^oudon,  18()S. 
Intercolonial  Correspondence  of  Sitka.     Oiliee  of  Russian  American  Com- 

jiany,  in  Sitka  Archives.     M.S.  vols.  i.-.\.\iii. 
International  Ri'vicw.     Xew  York,  l.SSL  et  se((. 
]'.viii_r  (\Vasiiin;.;lon),  Asbaia.     Xcw  York,  LSiiO. 
l.ilciiicf,  .Noiivellc  carte  des  dceoiivertcs  fait^'s  jjar  des  vaisaeau.x  Russicns. 

Moscow,  177.5. 
Ismadof  (Stepan),  Zhurnal.     [.lourual]     MS.     In  Library  of  Department  of 

State.     Washington,  D.  C. 
Ivashint.sof    (\.),    Rus.ikia   krii;,'osvetniiia    putcshesl-le.     [Russian   Voyages 

round  the  World.]     in  Zapiski  ilydr.,  vii.  vii'. 

Jackson  (Sheldon),  Alaska,  and  Missions  on  Xorth  Pacilie  Const.  Xcw 
York.  IS;;0;  Alaska,  and  its  inli.ibitants.  hi  .Viiicricnn  Autiq.,  ii.  Oct., 
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Miimiio  Gosudarstvcniifivo  sovieta,  ISOo   and    lS(i(».     [0[>iuion  of   Imperial 

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Paris,  lS7o;  Xoto  sur  les  .\tkalis.  I'aris,  187;';  Voyages  ;i  la  (',) to  Xord 
Oucst  de  I'.Am 'rique.  I'aris,  lS7i").  folio;  La  eiiasse  I'.n.x  ainmanx  marin.s 
et  Icspecherieschezles  Iiidigeuca  dcla  eOteX.  O.  Roulogue,  S.  M.,  187r). 
8vo. 

Piukerton  (John),  (Jenerril  CoUoction  of  Voyages  and  'j'ravels.  Lundun, 
1808-14.  4to.   17  vols. 

Piochc  (Xev.),  Record. 

Placcrvillo  (Cal.),  Mount.ain  Democrat. 

Ple;Hchdef  (Sergi  I.),  Survey  of  the  Ru.j.iian  Empire.     London,  17!'-. 

Politol'.iky  (X.),  Kratkoio  Istoriclieskoio  ()bi);:r;;iiie  Obra/ovaiiie  y  Deistvio 
Kossiysko-Amerik.,  etc.  [Rrief  historical  review  <jf  origin  and  transac- 
tions of  Russian  American  Company.  J     ,St  Petersliurg,  bilJl. 

Ponafidin  (Z:dchar  I.),  Pute;Viiestvie  i/,  k;,lh-.()  do  Siiklii  LSl!;-18.  [Voyage 
from  Callao  to  Sitka,  1SU;-18.J     In  Z;ij;i.-.ki  Hydr.  vii. 

Portland  (Dr.),  Ree,  llulletin,  Cummercial,  Deutelic  Zeitung,  Herald,  Ore;;on 
Hendal,  Oregonian,  Standard,  Telegram,  \Ve.st  .'■^hore. 

Portloek  (Nathaniel),  Voya'.;(!  round  tlu^  World,  17S,")-8.    London,  178.")-S.  4to. 

PortTownscnd  (Wa:-h.),  .Vrgus,  DeuKJcratic  I'l'e.ss,  ,Mess:ige. 

Potechin  ( v.),  Settlement  of  Ross.     St  Petei-.sbiirg,  l;../,l. 

Pons  in  ((t.  T.),  (,)uestion  de  POregon.  Paris,  1840;  The  United  States. 
Philadelphia,   18.")L 

Prescott  (.Vriz. ),  Arizona  ^liner. 

Quarterly  Review.     London,  1800  et  seq. 


" 


>:x::iv 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


r.iullo  (T-.),  Einifjo  Xachriclitcii  iilior  <lic  Si>rnc!ic  dcr  Kai,!.'ancn.     SL  Peters- 

lim;,',   IS.iS. 
llaiiil()l|'li  (IvIiiuhkIK  Oriitiiiii  lifforc  Souiuty  of  C'al.   JMniicors,  Scj)t.    ISIiO. 

Ill  llutfliiiiy.s'  Ma.!,'.,  V.  •_'(;;{. 
liaviiioiid  (CliarloH  \V.),  Ituport  of  Viiknu  I'ivur  ami  island  nf  St  I'aiil.     .laii. 

1,  lS7()|MHt('nii'.'.,  -Jil  Scss.,  H.  j;x.  I)(.c.  \\-2\.     Wasliiii-toii,  is;,). 
Kayiial  (O.  T.),  Ilistoirc  l'liil.is(i]ilii<|\a'.     Paris,  ISl>()-|.    \2  vols.  an. I  atlas, 
licilii  rclif.H  I'liilosDjiliiqucs  sill' Ics  .\iiK'iicaiii.s.     Lomloii,  1770.  '_' vol.s. 
Ivi'il  Dliiir  (C'al.),  In(k>|iuiiik'iit,  Sontiiicl. 
Itcvilla  (iigcilo  (N'irey),  Iiifoniio  tic  12  Abril,  1~'M.     In  IJii.'itaniantc  Suplo- 

nicnto,  iii.  ]  IJ. 
JJcviic  lies  Doiix  Monik'S.     Paris,  IS.'iO  et  seq. 
]tcvu(\  Oriontalo  ct  Anii'vicaine.     Paris,  1S.7.(  vt  avq, 
Picliai-ilsoii  (.Sir, John),  Arctic  Soarcliinf^  J'^.xijoditioii.     London,  ISol.  2  vols.j 

'J'lic  I'dlar  Itt'u'ions.     Kdinbiirfih,  1801. 
Ricliiir<ls(iii  I.I.)  I't  al.,  Zoiilogy  of  IVcclit-y's  Voyage.  Lund.,  1h:!!I-I0. 
I'.idpath  (.lolin  (".),  A  Popnlai'  History  of  tliu  I'.  .S.     New  \'nik,  1~>77. 
Piviims  (Ivlward  F. ).  Atlantis,  .lournal  (k's  Xeiitsten  und  Wisscnswiiidigaten 

ito.      l.ciii/.iLr.  lS-_'7. 
Rocky  Mountain  l'rcsl)ytcriMn.     Denver,  1877  et  seij. 
IkK;(is  (Coiiuiiander  Jolui),  J.,etters  on  Surveying  ]v\peditioii  to  Xortli  Pacilio 

Ocean,  ISerin^f.s  Straits,  ami  Cliina  Seas,  -Vug.   lo.i4  to  .June  18.").").     Td.i. 

'JmjIs.     In  I'.  S.  Xavy  I  )ipaitnicnt.     \V.:sliington,  1).  C 
]lo(]Uefeuil  (Caniille).  .Toni'ual  d'unVoy.'ige  autoui'du  Monde^  18l(')-l!(.    Paii:^, 

lS'j;{.   -2  vols. ;  Voyage  lound  the  World,  lSl(i-li».     London,  l.S-';}. 
]!osel)Uig  (Or. ),  Western  Star. 
1I.OSS  (.loJHi),  Narrative  of  a  second  voyage  in  search  of  a  X.  W.  Passage. 

].,oniton,  ls,'{."). 
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]L()>si  I  L',\bi)e),  Souvenirs  d'un   X'oyage  en  OrJguu  et  en  Californie.      Paris, 

IS()4. 
Potclief  (Alex.).  Dee.lof  Ross  to  Sutter,  1841.     MS. 

Potlirocii  (.loscjih  T.),  Flora  of  Alaska.     In  Smithsonian  Report  18(i7.  4.'>I5. 
Riiuhaud  ( llippolyte),  Les  Regions  Xouvelles.      Faris,  18t)8. 
l!ussia.      Imperial  (k'ographical  Society.    St  Fetershuvg,  etc.,  ISOJ^)  et  sen. 
Russia,  Oliicial  Documents.     Dcpuitnient  of  Foreign  All'airs;  Ministry  of  the 

Interior;  Ministi'V  of  War. 
Russia,  Treaty  with.  Report  of  Connnitteo  of  Foreign  Aflairs,  May  18,  181)8. 

I  litth  Coiig.,  'Jd  Se.ss.,  ][.  Report  :i7.\     Washington,  18(J8. 
Russian  America,  A  Collection.   7  vols.     MS. 
Itussian  America,  Message  of  the  President  of  the  U.  S.  Feb.  17,  18()8.    [-!(>tk 

i.'>m:^.,  -Jd  Sess.,  H.  'K\.  Doc.  177.)     \Vashington,  181)8. 
I'ussiai)  American  Comjiany,  Archives.     St  Petersburg,  17'.K>-1SC7. 
liussian  American  Ciimj)aiiy,  Charters  of  170!*,  1821,   1842.     In  Tikhmeiief 

1st.  Olioz.  and  Mati'iialui. 
I'ussian  Ami'rican  l'"ur  ( 'omiiany.  Accounts,  1847-50.     M.S. 
liussian   Amc'rican    Telegraph,  .Statement  of  the  Origin,  Orgaukatiou,   etc. 

Rochester,  18(j(). 

Sacramento  (Pal.),  Pee,  Record,  l^-cord-L'^nion,  Reporter. 

Saint  Amant  (M.  de),  ^'oyagc8  en  Californie  et  dans  FOregon.    Paris,  18j4, 

Saint  I'etersburg,  Archives  of  History. 

f-ideui  (Or.),  ('a])ital.  Chronicle,  ^lercury,  Oregon  Statesman,  Record. 

.Sal;.  Fake  City,  Herald. 

I'-'alvatieria  (.luan  !Maria),  Cuatro  Cartas  sobre  misionos  en  Californias,  Xov. 

l(j|)7.    In  ]>oc.  Hist.  Mcx.,  .seiio  ii.,  tom.  i.  103;  Infornie  al  Vircy,  T.Iay 

2."),  170").     In  ^'enegas,  Xoticia  ii. 
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(■j.in  I'ranciseo  Newspapers.     Alaska  Ap]iea!,  Alaska  Herald,  Alaska  Tiilnr.ic, 

Alta  California,  Argonaut,  Call,  Christian  Advocate,  Chronicle,  Com- 


'^1 


.*: 


AUTIIOniTIKS  QUOTI'D. 


XXXV 


tmrciiil  TTcnilil  niid  Maikct  Hcvicw,  llvcniiij,'  llulli'tii),  K-.aniiiicr,  f  JoMcii 
Ilia.  Ili'!:il(l,  •liiui  iKil  (if  ('oiiiiiii'ii'i',  Miiiiii','  jiml  Sriciititic  I'lvss,  Niv.s 
Li'tti-r.  Ocuiili'iit,  i'.n'itii' Cliuiilmiini,  I'.icilif  llni'.il  I'lcss.  I'dst.  Scioiuiiic 
Press.  Stars  anil  Strijifs,  Ti'iniHTaiici!  Ailvorati',  Tinas,  Trilnino. 

Sim  .liis(' (<'.il),  Ai'irns,  .NIcri  iiry,  Patriot,  Saiitu  Clara  Argua. 

S  iiilit  I'.'tci'sliurt,"'!'  Kiiliiiilcr  I7.">(),  ot  slmj. 

San  I.r.is  ()lii.s]Ki  (Cal.),  'I'rihiinc. 

Si-nta  IJ.irluuu  (Cal.).  Trt'ss. 

^;ailt:l  Clara  (Cal.),  N'fws. 

^;•l!lta- Cruz  (Cal.),  County  Times,  Sentinel. 

Savyclicf  ((Javrila  A.),  Vuteslicstvie  i  koraM  OlkniHi'.  [Voya^'i;  of  Klotip 
'  OlL-nilic]     St  IVterHhnri,',  ISO-J.  4to.  2  vols. 

.Saner  (M.'irtin),  Aeconnt  of  u  ( !<'ograiiliic;il  ami  .Vstrononiical  ICxiieditioii  to 
the  Xorthern  Parts  of  Russia.      London,   IS()2. 

Seala  (Coiute  ile),  Inlliienee  de  I'Ancien  Coinptoir  Kusse  eu  Californio.  In 
N'onv.  An.  \'oy.,  exliv.  .ST"). 

Seanniion  (Cliarlvs  M.).  Cod-i"iHliery,  in  Overlaml,  iv.  4!{() :  I'lir  Seals,  in 
Overland,  iii.  :!!):>;  Wlialini,'.  Xoitliern,  in  Ovt'rland,  v.  .".^s  :  A  Jtus.-iiiii 
J5oat-\'oyai,'e,  in  Oveiland,  xv.  TmI. 

Solierei' (dran  15.).  Iteclu'relies  Jlistoriijui'S  et  (!eo'^'riii)lii((Ues  suf  le  Xouveau 
Monde.      Paii<.   1777. 

Sclilii/er  (.\n,!,'n»t  L.),  Ailu'enieine  <!<'si'liielito  von  dein  Xorden.      IlalU',  1771. 

S<h;no!der  (Cajjt.  J!.),  Xeuer  Pralviisclni'  We^wtiser  fiir  X'ord-.V.rierika. 
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S(  attle  (W'asli.).   Intelli,i,'encer,  Paeillo  Trilmne,  Pun;et  Sound  Dispateli. 

Seeniaii  (iiertiiold),  X'arr.itive  of  the  Vova,L;i'  of  the  //<  nilil  IS4.'>-.')I.  l^ondon, 
is.-;).   •„'  vols. 

Sewar  1  (William  11.).  ( 'oniinuiiierition  upon  the  suhjeet  of  an  intereontinenliil 
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Sjihnef  (.\le.N.  S.),  Istoriehuskie  Ouherki.  [Historical  Sketches.)  In  M(jr:,koi 
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Shalielski  (.\chille).  Voyage anx  colonies  rns.ses  IS'Jl-l!:?.     St  Petershurg,  IS-Jli. 

Shaw  (Francis  A.).  P>rief  History  of  Russia.     J5oston,  1S77. 

Shelikiif  (( Jrigor),  IVrvoie  Stranstvovanie,  etc.  |  Fii'st  Voyages  of  tlu>  Russia)i 
.Merchants,  17,s;{and  17>i7. )  St  Peterslmrg.  17ii();  I'lodolsheiiie  |  Furtlier 
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Sibir  Zolotni  l)no.     fSiheria's  ("lolden  Soil.  |     .St  Peterslmrg,  l7tiS  et  secj. 

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Si'ii!-si;yo  ^■iestnik  fSilierian  Messen!;er|.     St   Petersburg,  bSIS  et  f.eii. 

Siniinonds  (I'.  L.),  Sir  .li^hn  I'ranklin  and  the  Arctic  Regions.     JUiUalo.  JS./J. 

Simpson  (Si)'  Oeorge),  X'arrative  of  a  Journey  round  the  World.  London, 
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Sitka,  Alaska  Times,  M.S.  and  print;  I'ost,  .MS.  and  j)rint. 

Sitk;i  Archives.     In  J.,ibrary  of  ])cpartuieiit  of   State,   Wasliington,   D.  C 

i.s(i2-(i7.  1.S2  vols.  :ms. 

Smith.sonian  Institution,  .Vimual  Reports.     Washington.  ISo.'l  et  seq. 

Sobranie  Sochinenii;  (Literary  CoIK'ctions).     .St  Peter.U)nrg,  I7<i()etseq. 

Societe  de  (Jeogi'aphie,  IJuUetin.     Paris,  IS'i.")  et  se(|. 

Sokolnf  (.Mexandcr),  Pxi'ing  and  Chiiikof.  St  Petersburg,  1S4!I;  Istoria 
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Sokolof  (Sasili),  \'oyagc  of  Alexander  Markoll'  from  Okhotsk  to  Cal.,  1S35. 
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Sonora  (Cal.)  Herixld,  Union  Democrat. 


Xa?;vi 


AUTFIOIUTIES  QUOXrD. 


11 


!  I 


Ulill! 


SoutlKa'ftora  Alaska,  Memorial  nf  tlip  jtoojilo  tr)  the  PresicUiil  ami  Con,TCS3 

•  it  ilic  U.  S.   All;,'.   1(1,   iNiSl.      11.1.1.,  Issl. 
SoutliiTii  (jMiartcily  licviuw.     Xcw  Oiltiina  I'to. ,  l.S-1'2  ct  sorj. 
S|anl)i'rj,',  Joiirinil,  in  'IN-lxiLslc  .Arcliivcn,  (jnotod  liy  Sokolof.    InZapislii  Ilyilr. 
Niiailv  1  (•lii''''<l),  l.iii!  <)(  ,li)liii  Lcilvaril.     Cuiiil)rid',t',  lo'J.S. 
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1774. 
State  I'Mjicrs,  Saciiinicnto.     MS.,  IJ)  vols,  in  ArcLivo  do  Cal. ;  LI.,  Mis.siona 

aiiil  ('i)loni/ati(in.  '2  vols. 
StclliT  ((!c'or;,'e  \\'.),  IJesclirt'ibiin','  von  dciii  Landc  Kanit.scliatkii.    J'^rankfiirt, 

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Stocliton  (Cal.),  fiazcttc,  IleraM,  Lidepeudent,  San  Joafiiiin  Itepiiblieaii. 
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|)r  Miiiil  J'.essels.J     Wa.sliiiigton,  1>.  (J. 
Sumnci-  (Ciiarli.s),  Sjieeeh  on  the  Cussiion  of  Russian  America  to  the  I'.  S. 

Wasliiiigton,  1S(;7. 
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atlas.   4to. 
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^lin.  lies.;  Specimens  of  the  I'res:;.     [luS.  F.  -Mcic-nitili' Lihrary.J 
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('om|)anyJ.     St  I'eter.sburg,  1801,  JSO.'i.  2  vols. 
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Tooko  (William),  View  of  the  Russian  Empire.     Dnbliu,  ISOl.  3  vols. 
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Uuionville  (Xev.),  Register. 


m 


AUTiiouiTirs  quoti:d. 


xxxvu 


!  vob. 
(I   Sfsi;., 

uei'ik;!!!- 
liueiicaa 


■40  of  the 

Torri- 
ations  of 
Ellin- 
no  Her- 
1700. 


Uni.'cil  St;itc.4  fVwfit  nml  fionilctii;  Siirvcy,  V.  V.  Vut\.n-:m'.\  Siiiit.  Pacific 
CcMiMt  I'ilot,  Alu:;l;a.     \Va.shiii.;t<)ii.  IsT'.t. 

I'liituil  Sial;.4  Kxpliiriii;,'  Kxpcditioii  [WiliiciJ.  J'hihuli'liiliia,  1S44-."S.  It.), 
17  vols. ;  fdli.i,  M  vols. 

Uuittil  Stall's  (aiili'L'ii'al  Siirvcy.f  of  tilt' 'J'crritorics,  F.  V.  Ilaydfii.  AiiiMial 
JIi'lMnts,  IjiillL'tins,  MiscL'llaacuus  I'uljlioatiuii:*,  t'to,  \\'a.sliiiiL;tni,  \s',l 
i't«i'i{. 

United  States  fiC'olof^ical  untl  Ouoftrapliical  Siii'veys,  .1.  W.  I'dwcU.  t'luilri- 
Imtiiius  to  N'urtli  AiiitricaM  luliiii)lii;^'y.     \\  asliiiiu'ton,  l.'i7i>. 

United  States  (lovirniiieiit  I'oeiinuiit-i.  A;,'iieMltiui',  liineau  nf  StatislieH, 
Census,  ('i>ast  Survey,  CninnieiN'e  and  Navigation.  ( 'iiiiiiiien.ial  Kelatioiiii, 
J'Mueatiuii,  I'iiianee,  Indian  Atiiiirs,  liiterinr,  i,aiid  Oiiieo,  Navy  Ueji'irt 
of  Secretary,  ro.stniaster  ( loneral.  Secretary  of  War,  Signal  Service  llu- 
jiorts.  Tieasiiry.     Cited  liy  their  liatis. 

United  States  <  ii.vetiiiiieiit  Pncununtr'..  I!')\iho  I'lxec.  lloc.,  li'iu^e  donrii.'d, 
House  -Miseel.  J)<ic.,  Ji(pusc  Ilejioits  of  Coni.,  Messa','e  aiul  l)<icuinents, 
Senate  J'^xec.  Doi?.,  .Journal,  .Mi-eel.  Koe.,  Kept;;.  Ci.ni.  Cited  l>y  con- 
gress iin<l  session.  .Many  of  llie.se  documents  have,  however,  sepumto 
titles,  for  which  see  author  or  topic. 

V.illejo  (.Tosc  do  .Tesus),  Reniinisconcias  Historica.     ^IS. 

\  .•illejo  (.Mariano  (I.),  (/orrespondeiuia  Ili.stnrica.      M.S. 

Nallejc)  (.Mariano  (i.),  Docunicntos  para  la  llistoria  do  California,  17(19-1850. 

Sis.   .'i7  \.)Is. 
\'aneoiiver  ((leorge).  Voyage  of  Discovery  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.    L' iid.,  1798. 

H  vols.   -Ito.  iitlas  in  folio;  Lond.,  1801.  (i  vols. ;  Voyage  et  1 '1  coiivertea 

;'i  rOci'an  I'aeiliijiie,  etc.     Paris,  An.,  viii.  .'t  vols.  -ko.  atle. ;  iu  lolio. 
\'assilii  f  (Ivan  P.),  Vuipiski  iz  Zliurnuh.'  etc.     [Extract  from  log-liooU  of  ship 

J'iii/aiii/.]     In  Xovosti  Literatura,  IJSL'.'},  vi. 
Vassilief  (Mikhail  X.),  ()  jdavanie,  vU\     [Voyage  of  Olkrnitiv  and  Duhriiie 

X'lnim  nil'.]     In  Syn  (Hcehestva,  ISJO. 
^'ell('v;as  (.Miguel),  Xoticia  do  la  California  y  de  su  CoiKpii^sta  Temporal,  etc. 

.Madrid,  17-"»7.   'A  vol.'. 
\'eiiiaminof  (loaiiu),  Sclireiheu  aus  Kanitschiitka  [f:o:ii  ti'.c  .Moskow  ^'icdo- 

ii:o:-t|;   Z.'i]iisky   ol»   Ostrovakli   ()i);iala.shkiiiskago   Otdii  l.i    [Letters   ou 

Islands  of  L'lialaska  Di.strict].     St  I'etershurg,  lis4v).   -J  vols. 
'Veritas,'  I'^xamination  of  the   lius.jian   Cirant.   n.jik,  n.d.;  Is  the   tn'.de  of 

Alaska  to  be  wrested  from  general  competition,   etc.     San   Francisco, 

JS71. 
Via'^-ero  Univcnsal  (El).     Madrid,  17W1-1S01.  4^  yah. 
A"ia','e;3  en  la  Costa  al  X'orte  do  Califoniias.     Cojiy  from  .Snanish  Archives. 

"".MS.  [From  Prof.  <;co.  David.son.J 
Victoria  (15.  C.),  British  Colonist,  Chronicle,  Express,  Standiii'il. 
Villaviceiicio  (.luan  J.),  Vida  y  Virtutles  de  el  venerahlo  P.  .Juan  da  Ugartc. 

Mexico,  17.V2. 
Virginia  (Xcv.),  Evening  Chronicle,  Tcri'itorial  Enterprise. 
\"o\a'.;es,  J F.istorical  Aeeouiit  of,  i-ound  the  World.     L.'Ud.,  177i-Sl.  G  vols. ; 

Xew  Collection.     London,  1707.  7  vols. 

Vwdlacc  (D.  Mnekcnzio),  Russia.     Xew  Vork,  1.S7S, 

Walla  Vwdla  (\Vas!i.),  Statesinan. 

V\ird  (.lames  C),  Three  Weeks  in  Sitka.      :MS. 

A\'a.^lnii'4ton  (1.).  ('.),  Capital,  (.'hrouicle.  Critic,  Evening  .Star,  Moniin"  Xew-s, 

o:  I,  i  rihiine. 
Westdahl  (Fenii'tand).  Ala.ska.     :>f.S. 
Wliit(!  (,).  W.),  A  Cruise  in  .\Jaska  [JOth  Coug.^.^l  Se.si?.,  Sen.  Ex,  Doc.  8], 

Washington,  ^^^)i». 
^\'hitl.l■y  (.1.  ]).),  X'otioe  of  the  Mountain  Heights  iu  the  U.  .S.     .San  Fran- 

ci.-;co,  lSti2. 


XXXVIU 


AUTHORITIES  QUOTED. 


Whynipcr  (Frcdprick),  Journey  from  Xorton  Souml  to  Fort  Yukon.  In  Lond. 
(Jeog.  fioc.  .Fi)ur.,  xxxvi'i.  •210;  Triivcl  iiinl  .Vilvcnt.iie  in  tlio  Toi-ritory  of 
Alaska.  Xuw  York,  ISt'!*;  Voyage  ct  Aventurus  duns  rAlasku.  I'aris, 
1871. 

Wilkts  (diaries),  Xarrative  of  tlie  U.  S.  Explorini,'  Expedition,  riiiladcl- 
pliia,  KS44,  4to.   ;]  volt*. ;   I'liiladtdpliia,  lS4o,  .")voIs.;  London,  KS4."i. 

Woodland  (Cal.),  Xuw.s,  'I'olo  DcnioLiat. 

Wrauj^'fll  (Ferdinand  1'  1,  Tiio  Americans  of  Upper  California.  In  Telcskop, 
1S3.">,  Sketch  of  a  Journey  fi'oni  Sitka  to  St  l'etersl)niy.  St  IVternliiug, 
lS;iO;  Statistisclio  uml  Etlniogra|)lii.selio  naclirioliten  iilier  die  Jlussiselien 
Uesitzungen.  St  I'eter.shuij,',  \S',H);  N'oyago  to  tlio  uovtliern  shores  of 
Sil.eria,  etc.,  1>S-J()-1'4.     St  rctersl.urL;.  KS41. 

Wythe  (W.  T. ),  Cook's  Inlet.  In  Overland,  xiii.  (J4;  Kodiak  and  Soutlieru 
Alaska.     In  Id.,  viii.  o05. 


Yermolof  (M. ),  Extrait  d'une  note  sur  rAmoricpic  russe.     In  Xouv.  An.  Voy., 

cxi. 
Yozlieniesiechnaic    Sochinenie    [Monthly   Magazine].     St    I'etcrsburg,   17.jO 

et  acq. 
Yreka  (Cal.),  .loiinial.  Union. 
Yuba  City  (Cal.),  Sutter  ISanner,  Sutter  County  Sentinel. 

Zahriskio  (.Tames  C),  The  l'ul)lic  J^and  La«3  of  the  U.  S.  San  Francisco, 
KS70;  Su))p!enieiit.     San  J''ranei:  lo,  JS77. 

Zagoskin  (A.),  I'ieshekhodnaia  Opis  Cliasty  llusskikh  Vladeniy  v  Amerikii 
[I'eiU'strian  I'^xploi-atinn  (if  Parts  of  tiie  Iius:.iaii  Possessions  in  America, 
1.S4-2-4J.     St  I'etersourg,  IS47,  -J  vol.s. 

Zaikof  (Stepan),  Kr.-itkoio  olxizi'aniu  puteshestviy  ua  Ostrovakh,  etc.  [Sum- 
mary of  tiio  voyages  to  the  islands  situated  between  Asia  and  America.] 
In  Sobranie  Soch. 

Zapiski  Admiralti'istkago  Dep.aitamenta.  [.Journal  of  the  Adnnralty  Depart- 
ment.!    St  IVtersburi.'.  lS()7etse((. 

Zapisl;i  Jl yilro','raliclieska_o  Dcpartamenta.  [.Journal  of  Hydrograjihie  l)e- 
j)artmeiit.]     St  IVter.sburg,  JiS42etse(|, 

Zapiski  Ixiisskago  Ceogialiclieslcago  Olishestva.  [l'ulilicati(jns  of  the  Russian 
( Jeouraphical  Society.]     St  Petersburg.  IM.SS  et  seep 

Zapiski  mhenago  komiteta  moiskago  slital)a.  [.luurnal  of  Connnittee  on  In- 
struction of  Xaval  Staff.]     St  I'eteisburg,  IS'JS  et  Kei|. 

ZarendM)(l>ioiiis  F. ),  j'uteshestvie  iz  KinonshtadtadoSitkhi,  1S40-41.     [Voy- 


airo  from 


(itadt  to  Sitka,  lM()-4i.  |     In  Zapiski  lly.lr.  vii 


Zavalishin  (Uniitri  I.),  Dielo  o  Kolouiy  Ross  (Affairs  of  the  Ross  Colony). 


■ik 


S(i{). 


Zeleniy  (X.),  Correspondence.     In  Sitka  Archives,  MS.,  vols,  i.-vii. 
Zinirnal  dcpai'tamcnta  naro<lnago  prosvieshclienia.     [.Journal  of  tlie  Dcpa 
niout  of  Public  Instruction.]     St  I'etcrsburg,  1S2J  et  se(|. 


m 

1.    In  Loiiil, 

'IVi-iitdiy  cjf 

•*,. 

sliii.     riiris, 

* 

.     Pliila.kl- 

u,  1S4."). 

n  Tflcskoj), 

^^ 

IVtcrHlniig, 

'jBR 

JkU.s.si.sclieu 

11   shorcsi  of 

W 

111  Soutlieni 

■.  An.  Vuy., 

sburg,   ]7o[) 

<A,%  A.  B  W^Jk. 


L'tc.     [Siiin- 
1  AiiKiica.J 


Cvmpilril  hy 
I  VAX  l'ETH(»F,  \ 

Spffial  Uoent  Tenth  /'aishs. 


*i*  HllWtJI— HlWWW.ey>MB«t^'Wrr*^t-: 


^teM 


135 


B5 


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wo 


13J 


HISTORY  OF   ALASKA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

Russia's  Share  in  America — Pht^  "»i:.  Features  of  Alaska — Configura- 
tion AND  Climate— The  Southekn  Crescent— The  Tumbled  Moun- 
tains— Volcanoes  AND  Islands — Vegetation— California-Japan  Cur- 
rent—Arctic  Seaboard  and  the  Interior— Condition  and  Charac- 
ter of  the  Russians  in  the  Sixteenth  Century — Serfs,  Merchants, 
and  Nobles— The  Fur  Currency— Foi.£Ign  Commercial  Relations — 
England  in  the  White  and  Caspian  Seas— Eastern  Progress  of 
THE  Russian  Empire — The  North-east  Passage. 


i 


In  the  great  seizure  and  partition  of  America  by 
European  powers  there  was  no  reason  why  Russia 
should  not  have  a  share.  She  was  mistress  in  the 
east  and  north  as  wei  e  France  and  Spain  in  the  west 
and  south;  she  was  as  g-^asping  as  Portugal  and  as 
cold  and  cruel  as  England;  and  because  she  owned  so 
much  of  Europe  and  Asia  in  the  Arctic,  the  desire 
was  only  increased  thereby  to  extend  her  broad  belt 
quite  round  the  world.  It  was  but  a  step  across  from 
one  continent  to  the  other,  and  intercourse  between 
the  primitive  peoples  of  the  two  had  been  common 
from  time  immemorial.  It  was  but  natural,  I  say,  in 
the  i^ioantic  robbery  of  half  a  world,  that  Russia 
should  have  a  share;  and  had  she  been  quicker  about 
it,  the  belt  might  as  well  have  been  continued  to 
Greenland  and  Iceland. 

Geographically,  Alaska  is  the  northern  end  of  the 
long  corilillera  which  begins  at  Cape  Horn,  extends 

(1) 


2  INTRODUCTORY. 

through  the  two  Amcr'cas,  and  is  hero  joined  by  the 
Xevada-Cascadc  range;  the  Coast  Kange  from  Lower 
Cahfornia  brcakinij:  into  islands  before  reaching  this 
jx)int.  It  is  not  always  and  altogether  that  cold  and 
desolate  region  which  sometimes  has  been  pictured, 
and  which  from  its  position  wo  might  expect.  Its 
configuration  and  climate  are  cxceetlingly  v^aried. 
The  southern  seaboard  is  comparatively  mild  and 
habitable;  the  northern  frigid  and  inhospitable. 

Standing  at  Mount  St  Eliasas  the  middle  of  a  cres- 
cent,  we  sec  the  shore-line  stretching  out  in  either 
direction,  toward  the  south-east  and  the  south-west, 
eiuling  in  the  former  at  Dixon  Inlet,  and  in  the  latter 
sw(>eping  off  and  breaking  into  mountainous  islands  as 
it  continues  its  course  toward  Kan.,  hatha.  It  is  a 
most  exceedingly  rough  and  uncouth  country,  this 
part  of  it;  thri  shore-line  being  broken  into  fragments, 
with  small  and  sj^reat  islands  tjuardino-  the  labyrinth  of 
channels,  hoys,  soinids,  and  inlets  that  line  the  mam- 
land.  Back  of  these  rise  abruptly  vast  and  rugged 
mountains,  the  two  ijreat  continental  chains  coming 
together  here  as  if  in  iinal  struggle  for  the  mastery. 
The  coast  range  alonu:  the  Pacilic  shore  of  Alaska 
attains  an  elevation  in  ]>laces  of  eiL^ht  or  nine  thou- 
sand  feet,  lying  for  the  most  part  under  perpetual 
snow,  with  here  an/*  there  glistening  white  peaks  four- 
teen or  sixteen  thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  And  the 
ruggedness  of  this  Sitkan  or  southern  seaboard,  the 
thirty-miles  strip  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  with  the 
Alexander  archipelago,  continues  as  we  pass  on,  to 
the  Alaskan  Mountains  and  the  Aleutian  archipelago. 
It  is  in  the  Alaskan  Range  that  nature  assumes  the 
heroic,  that  the  last  battle  of  the  mountains  appears 
to  have  been  fought.  The  din  of  it  has  as  yet  hardly 
j)assed  away;  the  great  peaks  of  the  range  stand 
there  i)roudly  triumphant  but  still  angry;  grumbling, 
smoking,  and  spitting  tire,  they  gaze  upon  their  fallen 
f  )es  of  the  archipelago,  giants  like  themselves,  though 
now  submerged,  sunken   in  the   sea,   if  not   indeed 


^» 


% 


PHYSICAL  FEATURES. 


lunblinir, 


hurletl  thence  by  tlieir  victorious  rivals.  Tliese  sfrcat 
towerini,^  volcanic  peaks  and  the  quaking  islands  aro 
superb  beyond  description,  filling  the  breast  of  the 
beholder  with  awe.  And  the  ground  about,  though 
told  enough  upon  the  surface,  steams  and  sweats  in 
synipathy,  manifesting  its  internal  warmth  in  geysers 
an<l  hot  springs,  while  from  the  depths  of  the  sea 
sometimes  belches  forth  fire,  if  certain  navigators  may 
be  believed,  and  the  sky  blazes  in  northern  lights. 

All  ah)ng  this  sweep  of  southern  seaboard  Euro- 
peans may  dwell  in  comfort  if  so  inclined.  Even  in 
midwinter  the  cold  is  seldom  severe  or  of  long  dura- 
tion. An  average  temperature  is  42°,  though  ex- 
tremes have  been  named  for  certain  localities  of  from 
li)'  to  58  ,  and  again  from  58"^  below  zero  in  January, 
to  95^  in  summer.  Winter  is  stormv,  the  winds  at  Sitka 
at  this  season  being  usually  easterly,  those  from  the 
south  bringing  rain  and  snow.  When  the  wind  is  from 
the  north-west  the  sky  is  clear,  and  the  cold  nights 
are  often  lighted  by  the  display  of  the  aurora  borealis. 
Winter  breaks  u]>  in  March,  and  during  the  clear  cold 
days  of  April  the  boats  go  out  after  furs.  Yet,  for  a 
good  portion  of  the  year  there  is  an  universal  and  dis- 
mal dampness — fogs  interminable  and  drizzling  rain; 
clouds  thick  and  heaw  and  low-lyiuLj,  •'iviniif  a  water 
lull  of  six  or  eijxht  feet  in  thickness. 

]\[uch  of  the  soil  is  fertile,  though  in  jilaces  wet. 
IJehind  a  low  wooded  seaboard  often  ri.se  abruptly  icy 
steeps,  with  here  and  there  between  the  glacier  canons 
broad  patches  of  sphagnum  one  or  two  feet  thick,  and 
v.x'U  saturated  with  water.  The  perpetual  snow-lino 
of  the  Makushin  volcano  is  three  thousand  feet  above 
the  sea,  and  vegetation  ceases  at  an  altitude  of  twenty- 
five  hundred  feet.  Grain  does  not  ri|KMi,  but  grasses 
tiirive  almost  evervwhere  on  the  lowlands.  Berries 
are  plentiful,  particularly  cranberries,  though  the  sun- 
light is  scarcely  strong  enough  to  Havor  them  well. 
Immense  spruce  forests  tower  over  Prince  William 
^ound  and  about  Sitka.     Xadiak  is  a  good  grazing 


o 


INTRODUCTORY. 


't  ! 


country,  capable  of  sustaining  large  droves  of  cattle. 
On  the  Aleutian  Islands  trees  do  not  grow,  but  the 
grasses  are  luxuriant.  In  a  word,  here  in  the  far 
north  we  find  a  vegetation  rightly  belonging  to  a  much 
lower  latitude. 

The  warm  Japan  current  which  comes  up  along 
llie  coast  of  Asia,  bathing  the  islands  of  the  Aleutian 
archipelago  as  it  crosses  the  Pacific  and  washing  the 
shores  of  America  far  to  the  southward,  transforms 
the  whole  region  from  what  would  otherwise  be  inhos- 
pitable into  a  habitation  fit  for  man.  Arising  off  the 
inner  and  outer  shores  of  Lower  California, this  stream 
first  crosses  the  Pacific  as  the  great  northern  equa- 
torial current,  passing  south  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands 
and  on  to  the  coast  of  Asia,  deflecting  northward  as 
it  goes,  and  after  its  grand  and  life-compelling  sweep 
slowly  returns  to  its  starting-point.  It  is  this  that 
clothes  temperate  isles  in  tropical  vegetation,  makes 
the  silk-worm  flourish  far  north  of  its  rightful  home, 
and  sends  joy  to  the  heart  of  the  hyperborean,  even 
to  him  upon  the  strait  of  Bering,  and  almost  to  the 
Arctic  sea.  It  is  this  that  thickly  covers  the  steep 
mountain  sides  to  the  height  of  a  thousand  feet  and 
more  with  great  growths  of  spruce,  alder,  willow, 
hemlock,  and  yellow  cedar.  It  is  the  striking  of  this 
warm  current  of  air  and  water  against  the  cold  shores 
of  the  north  that  causes  nature  to  steam  up  in  thick 
fogs  and  dripping  moisture, and  compels  the  surcharged 
clouds  to  drop  their  torrents. 

Chief  among  the  fur-bearing  animals  is  the  sea- 
otter,  in  the  taking  of  whose  life  the  lives  of  thou- 
sands of  human  beings  have  been  laid  down.  Of  fish 
tliore  are  cod,  herring,  halibut,  and  salmon,  in  abun- 
dance.    The  whale  and  the  walrus  abound  in  places. 

Go  back  into  the  interior  if  you  can  get  there,  or 
round  by  the  Alaskan  shore  north  of  the  islands, 
along  Bering  sea  and  strait,  which  separate  Asia  and 
America  and  indent  the  eastern  border  with  great 
bays  into  whkh  flow  rivers,  one  of  them,  the  Yukon, 


t 


? 

.% 


'^ 


i 


3f  cattle. 

,  but  the 

the  far 

o  a  much 

up  along 
Aleutian 
hing  the 
ansforms 
be  inhos- 
g  off  the 
is  stream 
)rn  equa- 
Q  Islands 
hward  as 
iig  sweep 
this  that 
•n,  makes 
Pul  home, 
3an,  even 
st  to  the 
;he  steep 
feet  and 
willow, 
of  this 
d  shores 
in  thick 
rcharged 

;he  sea- 
of  thou- 
Of  lish 
in  abun- 
1  places, 
here,  or 
islands, 
^sia  and 
h  groat 
Yukon, 


RUSSIAN  CHARACTER.  f 

having  its  sources  far  back  in  British  Columbia;  ascend 
tjliis  stream,  or  traverse  the  country  between  it  and  tlie 
Arctic  Ocean,  and  you  will  find  quite  a  different  order 
of  things.  Clearer  skies  are  there,  and  drier,  colder 
airs,  and  ice  eternal.  Along  the  Arctic  shore  runs  a 
line  of  hills  in  marked  contrast  to  the  mountains  of 
tlie  southern  seaboard.  Between  these  ranges  flow 
the  Yukon  with  its  tributaries,  the  Kuskokvim,  Sela- 
wik,  and  other  streams. 

Mr  Petrof,  who  traversed  this  region  in  1880, 
says  of  it:  "  Here  is  an  immense  tract  reaching  from 
Bering  strait  in  a  succession  of  rolling  ice-bound 
moors  and  low  mountain  ranges,  for  seven  hundred 
miles  an  unbroken  waste,  to  the  boundary  line  between 
us  and  British  America.  Then,  again,  from  the  crests 
of  Cook's  Inlet  and  the  flanks  of  Mount  St  Elias 
northward  over  that  vast  area  of  rugged  mountain 
and  lonely  moor  to  the  east,  nearly  eight  hundred 
miles,  is  a  great  expanse  of  country ...  by  its  position 
barred  out  from  occupation  and  settlement  by  our 
own  people.  The  climatic  conditions  are  such  that 
its  immense  area  will  remain  undisturbed  in  the  pos- 
session of  its  savage  occupants,  man  and  beast." 

Before  speaking  of  the  European  discovery  and 
conquest  of  Alaska,  let  us  briefly  glance  at  the  con- 
dition and  character  of  those  about  to  assume  the 
mastery  here. 

It  was  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century  that 
the  Russians  under  Ivan  Vassilievich,  the  Terrible, 
tlirew  off  the  last  yoke  of  Tartar  Khans;  but  with  the 
independence  of  the  nation  thus  gained,  the  free  cities, 
principalities,  and  provinces  lost  all  trace  of  their 
former  liberties.  An  empire  had  been  wrung  from 
the  grasp  of  foreign  despots,  but  only  to  be  held  by  a 
despotism  more  cruel  than  ever  had  been  the  Tartar 
domination.  Ignorance,  superstition,  and  servitude 
were  the  normal  condition  of  the  lower  classes.  The 
nation  could  scarcely  be  placed  within  the  category 


I  ■       1 


6  INTRODUCTORY. 

of  civilization.  While  in  Spain  the  ruliiiiif  .spirit  v.'as 
fanaticism,  in  Russia  it  was  iluspotisni. 

Pro<jfross  was  chained;  it'  any  sought  to  inipro\o 
thoir  lot  they  dareil  not  show  their  gains  lest  their 
master  should  take  them.  And  the  j)eople  thus  long 
accustomed  to  abject  servility  and  concealment  ac- 
quired the  habit  of  dissimulation  to  a  remarkable 
degree.  There  was  no  recognition  of  the  rights  of 
man,  and  little  of  natural  morality.  It  was  a  preiis- 
tablished  and  fundamental  doctrine  that  the  weaker 
were  slaves  of  the  stronger.  In  feudal  times  the  main 
difference  between  the  lowest  class  in  Russia  and  in 
other  parts  of  Europe  was  that  the  former  were  not 
Ixnind  to  the  soil.  Their  condition  however  was  none 
the  less  abject,  their  slavery  if  possible  was  more  ct)m- 
plete.  And  what  is  not  a  little  singular  in  following 
the  progress  of  nations,  Russia,  about  the  beginning 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  introduced  this  custom  of 
binding  men  to  lands,  just  when  the  other  states  of 
Europe  were  abolishing  it.  Freemen  were  authorized 
by  law  to  sell  themselves.  Insolvent  debtors  became 
the  property  of  their  creditors.  And  howsoever  bound, 
men  could  obtain  their  liberty  only  by  purchase. 

Women,  even  of  the  better  class,  were  held  in  ori- 
ental seclusion,  and  treated  as  beasts;  husbands  and 
lathers  might  torture  and  kill  them,  and  sell  the  oli- 
spring,  but  if  a  wife  killed  her  husband  she  was  buried 
up  to  the  neck  and  left  to  starve. 

Pewter  was  unknown;  only  wooden  dishes  were  in 
use.  Each  man  carried  a  knife  and  wooden  spoon  tied  to 
the  belt  or  sash.  Bedding  was  scarcely  used  at  couit; 
among  rich  and  poor  alike  a  wooden  bench,  the  baio 
floor,  or  at  the  most  a  skin  .  ?  bear  or  wolf,  sufficed 
for  sleeping.  The  domestic  ties  were  loose;  since  the 
crimes  of  individuals  were  visited  upon  the  whole  kin- 
dred the  children  scattered  as  soon  as  they  were  able. 
The  lower  classes  had  but  a  single  name,  which  was 
conferred  in  baptism,  consequently  the  nearest  rela- 
tives soon  lost  sight  of  each  other  in  their  wandering 


;.'t 


.pirit  was 

iuiprovo 
lest  tluiir 
thus  louLj 
Imcnt  ac- 
jiiiarkaljlc 
riijlits  of 

a  j)reus- 
10  woakur 

the  iiiaiu 
ia  and  in 

wore  not 

was  none 

noro  coin- 

followin;j^ 

bctjinniii'^ 

custom  ot 

states  of 
LUthorized 
"s  became 

or  bound, 

ase. 

d  in  ori- 

ands  and 

1  the  olV- 

as  buried 

s  were  in 
l)ontied  to 
at  court; 
the  bare 
,  sufficed 
since  the 
hole  kjn- 

A'erc  able, 
hich  was 

rest  rela- 

r'anderiny; 


.^ 


CUSTOMS  OF  THE  RUSSIAXt.  7 

life.  Subse(jueiitly  the  serfs  were  nttached  to  the 
soil,  but  even  to  the  present  day  an  almost  irresistihle 
disposition  to  rove  is  noticeable  among  the  Ilussian 
jjoople. 

The  nobles,  reared  by  a  nation  of  slaves,  were  scarcely 
more  iiitelli<^eiit  than  they.  But  few  of  the  priests 
understood  Greek ;  and  reading  and  writing  even  among 
the  nobles  was  almost  unknown;  astronomy  and  anat- 
omy were  classed  among  the  diabolic  arts;  calculatit>ns 
were  made  by  means  of  a  string  of  balls,  and  skins  of 
animals  were  the  currency.  Punishments  were  as 
barbarous  as  manners.  The  peculator  was  publicly 
branded  with  a  hot  iron,  then  sent  back  to  his  place, 
thus  dishonoring  himself  and  degrading  his  office. 
When  a  person  was  punished  for  crime,  all  the  mem- 
bers of  ins  family  were  doomed  to  suffer  likewise. 
]Cvery  Kussian  who  strayed  beyond  the  frontier  be- 
came a  rebel  and  a  heathen. 

Nobles  alone  could  hold  land;  the  tillers  were  as 
slaves.  True,  a  middle  or  merchant  class  managed 
amidst  the  general  disruption  to  maintain  some  of 
their  ancient  privileges.  The  gosti,  or  wholesale  deal- 
ers, of  ^loscow,  Novgorod,  and  Pleskovo  might  sit  at 
table  with  princes,  and  go  on  embassies;  they  wore 
free  Irom  imposts  and  many  other  exactions.  Even  the 
small  traders  preser'ved  some  of  the  benefits  which  had 
originated  in  the  free  connnercial  cities.  The  priests, 
seeing  their  iniluence  at  court  declining,  cultivated  tlie 
n)erehants,  and  married  among  their  families. 

Thus  all  combined  to  streni»then  the  tradinsx  class 
as  compared  with  the  agricultural.  Taxi's  and  salariis 
were  paid  in  furs;  in  all  old  charters  and  other  docu- 
ments penalties  and  rewards  are  given  in  furs.  The 
very  names  of  the  early  coins  of  Novgorod  })oint  to 
tluir  origin;  we  see  there  the  g  rive  rnik  grivnu  I,  from 
tile  mane  or  long  hairs  along  the  back;  the  ous/iLii 
and  polnuslika,  ear  and  half-ear.  This  i'eature  in  tlie 
national  economy  explains  to  a  certain  extent  the 
slow  spread  of  civilization  over  the  tsar's  dominions. 


^1   ! 


I 


i  INTRODUCTORY. 

In  a  country  where  furs  arc  the  circulating  medium, 
aiicl  hence  the  great  desideratum,  the  people  must 
scatter  and  lead  a  savage  life. 

The  same  cause,  however,  which  impeded  social 
and  intellectual  development  furnished  a  stimulus  for 
tlie  future  aggrandizement  of  the  Muscovite  domain. 
For  more  than  two  and  a  half  centuries  the  Hanscatic 
League  had  monopolized  the  foreign  trade;  but  the 
decline  of  Novgorod,  the  growing  industry  of  the 
Livonian  cities,  and  the  appearance  of  the  ships  of 
other  countries  in  the  Baltic  were  already  threatening 
the  downfall  of  Hanscatic  commerce,  when  an  unex- 
pected discovery  made  the  English  acquainted  with  the 
White  Sea,  which  afforded  direct  intercourse  with  the 
inland  provinces  of  th o  Russian  empire.  The  Hanse, 
by  its  superiority  in  the  Baltic,  had  excluded  all  other 
maritime  nations  from  Russian  commerce,  but  it  was 
beyond  the  roach  of  their  power  to  prevent  the  English 
from  sailing  to  the  White  Sea.  In  1553,  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  Sebastian  Cabot,  England  sent  three  vessels 
under  Sir  Hugh  Willoughby  in  search  of  a  north-east 
jiassage  to  China.  Two  of  the  vessels  were  lost,  and 
the  third,  commanded  by  Richard  Chancellor,  entered 
the  White  Sea.  No  sooner  did  he  know  that  the 
shore  was  Russia  than  Chancellor  put  on  a  bold  face 
and  said  he  had  come  to  establish  commercial  rela- 
tions. The  tsar,  informed  of  the  arrival  of  the  stran- 
gers, ordered  them  to  Moscow.  The  insolent  behavior 
of  the  Hanse  League  had  excited  the  tsar's  displeas- 
ure, and  he  was  only  too  glad  of  other  intercourse 
with  civilized  nations.  Every  encouragement  was 
offered  by  the  Russian  monarch,  and  trade  finally 
opened  with  England,  and  special  privileges  were 
granted  to  the  so-called  Russia  Company  of  English 
merchants. 

The  English  commercial  expeditions  through  Rus- 
sia, down  the  Volga,  and  across  the  Caspian  to  Persia, 
were  not  financially  successful,  though  perhaps  valu- 
able as  a  hint  to  the  Portuguese  that  the  latter  did 


I 


i 


-:S 


RUSSIAN  FUR-TRADE. 


mecHum, 
pic  must 

jd  social 
[lulus  for 
domain, 
[anscatic 
but  the 
{  of  the 
ships  of 
'catening 
an  uncx- 
with  tlie 
with  the 
e  Hanse, 
all  other 
ut  it  was 
D  English 
;  the  sug- 
pe  vessels 
orth-east 
lost,  and 
',  entered 
that  the 
jold  face 
ial  rcla- 
he  stran- 
behavior 
displeas- 
ercourso 
ent  was 
e  finally 
cs   were 
English 

|gh  Rus- 

Persia, 
ips  valu- 
itter  did 


not  hold  the  onl}'  road  to  India.  To  Russia,  also, 
this  trafHc  proved  by  no  means  an  unalloyed  blessing. 
The  wealthy  merchants  of  Dantzic  and  other  Ilanso 
towns  along  the  Raltic,  who  had  enjoyed  a  mono})oly 
of  Russian  commerce,  looked  on  with  jealous}-,  and  it 
was  doubtless  owing  to  enmity  in  this  iniluential 
quarter  that  Ivan  failed  in  all  his  attempts  to  secure 
Esthonia  and  Livonia,  and  gain  access  to  the  Baltic 
seaports.  On  the  other  hand,  English  enterjniso 
brought  about  commerce  with  different  nations,  and 
introduced  the  products  of  north-western  Europe  into 
the  tsar's  dominions.  Further  than  this,  the  ^lusco- 
vites  copied  English  craft,  and  became  more  proficient 
in  maritime  affairs.  An  incident  connected  with  this 
traffic  may  be  considered  the  first  link  of  a  long  chain 
of  events  which  finally  resulted  in  Russia's  stiide 
across  the  Ural  Mountains,  and  the  formation  of  a 
second  or  reserve  empire,  without  which  the  original 
or  European  structure  might  long  since  have  lUllen. 
On  the  return  of  an  English  expedition  from  Persia 
across  the  Caspian,  in  1573,  the  ship  was  attacked  by 
Cossacks,  who  gained  possession  of  vessel  and  cargo, 
setting  the  crew  adrift  in  a  boat  furnished  with  some 
provisions.  The  Englishmen  made  their  way  to  Astra- 
khan, and  on  their  report  of  what  had  befallen  them 
two  armed  vessels  were  sent  out.  The  pirates  were 
captured  and  put  to  death,  while  the  cargo,  worth 
between  30,000  and  40,000  pounds  sterling,  was  safely 
landed  at  Astrakhan.  The  tsar  then  despatched  a 
numerous  land  force  to  destroy  the  nest  of  robbers 
infesting  the  Lower  Volga  and  the  Caspian.  His 
army  spread  dismay.  The  Cossacks  saw  that  sub- 
mission was  death,  and  many  leaped  from  the  blood- 
stained deck  of  their  rude  barks  to  the  saddle,  being 
equally  familiar  with  both.  Then  they  banded  under 
determined  leaders  aiid  set  out  for  countries  beyond 
the  reach  of  Russia's  long  arm.  Yermak  Timofeief 
headed  one  of  these  bands,  and  thus  the  advance  of 
the  Slav  race  toward  the  Pacific  began.     Rude  and 


?  ;i 


'  I 


10 


INTRODUCTORY. 


spasmodic  as  it  was,  tlie  traffic  of  the  English  laid 
the  foundation  of  liussian  connnerce  on  the  Cas})ian. 
Previous  to  the  appearance  of  the  English  the  Rus- 
sians had  carried  on  their  trade  with  Bokhara  and 
Persia  entirely  by  land;  but  from  that  time  they 
began  to  construct  transport  shi[)s  on  the  Volga  and 
to  sail  coastwise  to  the  circumjacent  harbors  of  the 
Caspian, 

Before  following  the  tide  of  conquest  across  the 
Ural  ]Mountains,  it  may  be  well  to  cast  a  brief  glance 
over  the  contemporaneous  efforts  of  English  and  Dutch 
navigators  to  advance  in  the  same  easterly  direction 
by  water,  or  rather  to  thread  their  way  between  the 
masses  of  floating  and  solid  ice  besetting  the  navigable 
channels  of  the  Arctic,  demonstrating  as  they  do  the 
general  impression  prevalent  among  European  nations 
at  the  time,  that  the  route  pursued  by  Columbus  and 
his  successors  was  not  the  only  one  leading  to  the  in- 
exhaustible treasures  of  the  Indies,and  to  that  Cathay 
which  the  Latin  maritime  powers  were  making  stren- 
uous eftbrts  to  monopolize. 

The  last  English  expedition  in  search  of  the  north- 
cast  passage,  undertaken  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
consisted  of  two  barks  which  sailed  from  England  early 
in  1580,  and  were  fortunate  enough  to  pass  beyond  the 
straits  of  Vaigatz,  but  made  no  new  discoveries  and 
brought  but  a  moderate  return  to  their  owners.  The 
Rust'ians  njoanwhih^  kept  up  a  vigorous  coasting- 
trade,  their  ill-shaj)ed  and  ill-appointed  craft  generally 
being  I'ound  far  in  advance  of  their  more  jjretentious 
competitors. 

In  ir)i)4  the  states-general  of  Holland  offered  a 
premium  of  twenty-five  thousand  fiorins  to  the  lucky 
navigator  who  should  open  the  much  desired  high- 
way. A  squadron  of  four  small  vessels  connnantled 
by  Corni'lis  Nay  was  the  first  to  enter  for  the  prize. 
A  merchant  njuned  Linschoten,  possessed  of  con- 
siderable scientific  attainments,  accompanied  the  ex- 


THE  NORTHEAST  PASSAGE. 


n 


podition  as  commercial  agent,  and  AVillem  Barentrc, 
who  commanded  one  of  the  vessels  acted  as  pilot. 
They  sailed  from  Holland  on  the  15th  of  June  151)4, 
and  arrived  safely  at  the  bay  of  Kilduyn,  on  the 
coast  of  Lai)land.  Here  they  separated.  Nay  heading 
for  Vaigatz  Straits  and  Barcntz  choosing  a  more 
northerly  route.  The  latter  discovered  and  named 
Ys  Hoek,  or  Ice  Cape,  tho  northern  extremity  of 
Novaia  Zendia,  while  the  other  vessels  passed  througlv 
the  straits,  where  they  met  witli  numerous  Russian 
hxl/cas,  or  small  craft.  This  southern  division  entered 
the  sea  of  Kara,  called  by  Linschoten  the  sea  of  Tar- 
tary,  on  the  1st  of  August.  Wooden  crosses  were 
observed  at  various  points  of  the  coast,  and  the  inhab- 
itants bore  evidence  of  intercourse  with  the  Russians 
by  their  manner  of  salutation.  The  Samoiedes  had 
come  in  contact  with  the  advancing  Muscovites  in  the 
interior  as  well  as  on  the  coast. 

On  the  11th  of  August,  when  their  astronomical 
observations  placed  the  vessels  fifty  leagues  to  the 
eastward  of  the  straits,  with  land  still  in  sight  toward 
the  east,  this  part  of  the  expedition  turned  back,  evi- 
dently apprehensive  of  sharing  the  fate  of  their  Eng- 
hsh  predecessors,  who  had  been  unfortunate  in  those 
latitudes.  The  two  divisions  fell  in  with  each  other 
on  the  homeward  voyage,  and  arrived  at  Amsterdam 
on  the  25th  of  September  of  the  same  year. 

A  second  expedition  sailed  from  Amsterdam  on  tlie 
same  errand  in  1505.  It  consisted  of  not  less  than 
.^even  vessels.  Willem  Barentz  was  chief  in  c>)m- 
niand,  assisted  by  Heemskerk,  Linschoten,  and  Cor- 
nells Rijp.  The  departure  of  this  squadi-on  was  for 
some  reason  delaved  until  Julv,  and  after  weather- 
mg  the  North  Cape  a  few  of  the  vessels  staled  di- 
rectly for  the  White  Sea  to  trade,  while  the  others 
l>i'oceeded  through  the  straits  of  Vaipitz.  Tlu'y  met, 
as  usual,  with  Russian  lodkas,  and  fo»'  the  first  time 
definite  information  was  obtained  of  the  o-reat  liver 

enisiiii,  which   the   Russians  had  already  reached 


flS 


!|^ 


'i  ( 


'<    I 


'!i 


^\ 


i'; 


'      Ul 


19 


INTRODUCTORY. 


by  land.  After  prolonged  battling  against  ice  and 
contrary  winds  and  currents,  the  expedition  turned 
back  on  the  15th  of  September  and  made  sail  for 
Amsterdam. 

After  this  second  failure  the  states-general  washed 
their  hands  of  further  enterprise  in  that  direction, 
but  the  city  of  Amsterdam  still  showed  some  faith  in 
ultimate  success  by  fitting  out  two  ships  and  intrust- 
ing them  respectively  to  Barentz  and  Rijp.  This 
expedition  made  an  early  start,  sailing  on  the  2 2d  of 
May  159G.  Their  course  was  shaped  in  accordance 
with  Barentz'  theory  that  more  to  the  north  there 
was  a  better  chance  of  finding  an  open  sea.  On  the 
9th  of  June  they  discovered  Bear  Island  in  latitude 
74°  30'.  Still  keeping  on  their  first  course  they  again 
encountered  land  in  latitude  79°  30',  Spitzbergen,  and 
in  July  the  two  vessels  separated  in  search  of  a  clear 
channel  to  the  east.  On  the  2Gth  of  August  Barentz 
was  forced  by  a  gale  into  a  bay  on  the  east  coast  of 
Novaia  Zemlia,  on  which  occasion  the  ice  seriously 
damaged  his  vessel.  Here  the  venturesome  Hol- 
landers constructed  a  house  and  passed  a  winter  full 
of  misery,  a  continued  struggle  with  fatnishing  bears 
and  the  deadly  cold.  Toward  spring  the  castaways 
constructed  two  open  boats  out  of  remnants  of  the 
wreck,  fitted  them  out  as  well  as  they  could,  and  put 
to  sea  on  the  14th  of  June  1597.  Six  days  later 
Barentz  died.  In  July  the  unfortunates  fell  in  witli 
some  Russian  lodkas  and  obtained  provisions.  They 
finally  reached  Kilduyn  Bay  in  Lajjland,  one  of  the 
rendezvous  of  White  Sea  traders.  Several  Dutch 
vessels  were  anchored  there,  and  one  of  them  was 
commanded  by  Rijp,  who  had  returned  to  Amster- 
dam and  sailed  again  on  a  private  enterprise.  He 
extended  all  possible  aid  to  his  former  companions  and 
obtained  passage  for  them  on  several  vessels.  This 
j)ut  an  end  in  Holland  to  explorations  in  search  of  a 
northern  route  to  India,  until  the  attempts  of  Hudson 
in   1G08-9.     The    problem  was   partially  solved   by 


:!        i 


THE  FEAT  ACCOMPLISHED.  13 

Deshnefs  obscure  voyage  in  1648,  and  after  another 
failure  by  Wood  in  1676,  Russia  made  the  attempt, 
Vitus  Bering  starting  from  Kamchatka;  afterward 
were  the  efforts  of  Shalaurof  and  of  Bilhngs.  Finally 
a  Swedish  expedition  under  Nordenskjold  accom- 
plished the  feat  in  1879,  after  wintering  on  the  Arc- 
tic coast. 


a 


?   ;! 


CHAPTER  II. 


I .   I 


u  ■       1 


THE  CENTURY- MARCH  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 
1578-1724. 

SiBF.KIA   THE  RCSSIA.V   C.VNAAX — FrOM  THE  BlACK  AND   CASPIAN  SeAS  OVER 

THE  Ural  Mointai.vs— .Stroganok,  the  Salt-miner — Visit  ov  Ykr- 

MAK — OccrPATION    OF    THE    Ob   BY  THE  CoSSACKH— CHARACTER   OF  THE 

CoNQiERoRs — Their  Ostroo  on  the  Tobol — The  Strakjiit  Line  of 
March  thence  to  Okhotsk  on  the  Pacific— The  rROMYsiiLEMKi — 
Lena  River  Reacued— Ten  Cossacks  against  Ten  Thcisanu — Va- 
KUTSKi  OsTROG— Exploration  of  the  Amoou — Discoveries  on  the 
Arctic  Seaboard — Ivory  versus  Skins — The  Land  of  the  CiirKciii 
Invaiii;!)— Okhotsk  Established— Kamchatka  Occupied — Rumors  of 
Realms  Beyond. 

While  tlic  maritime  nations  of  north-western  Eu- 
i-opo  wore  tliiis  wemliiijif  «hip  after  ship  into  the  Arctic 
ice-Helds  in  the  hope  of  finding  a  nortli- eastern  passage 
to  India,  the  Russians  were  slowly  but  surely  forcing 
their  way  over  Siberian  rivers  and  steppes,  and  oven 
along  the  Arctic  coast  from  river-mouth  to  river- 
mouth,  and  that  not  in  search  of  any  India,  or  other 
grand  attainment,  but  oidy  after  skins,  and  to  get  i'ar- 
ther  and  farther  from  parental  despotism.  Their  an- 
cient hoiues  had  not  been  abodes  of  peace,  and  no 
tender  reminiscences  or  j)atriotio  ties  bound  them  to 
the  soil  of  Russia.  It  was  rather  a  yearning  for  per- 
sonal freedom,  next  after  the  consideration  <jf  the 
Siiho/,  that  drew  the  poor  Slav  farther  and  farther 
through  forests  and  swainj)s  away  from  his  place  of 
birth;  he  did  not  care  to  band  for  general  indepen- 
dence. Rulers  were  of  God,  the  church  said,  anil  he 
would  not  oppose  them,  but  he  would  if  jiossible  es 
cape.     In  view  of  these  pecuhar  tendencies  the  open- 


:t 


I   I 


A  CENTURY  SABLEHUXT. 


15 


:s. 


[.\>f  Seas  over 
I'lSIT  OK  Yeh- 
ACTER  OF  the 

iiiiiT  Line  op 

MYSHLENIKl — 
IICUSAM) — Va- 
ERIES  ON'  THE 
THE  ClUKCHI 
U — llUMOlW  OF 


tern  Eu- 

le  Arctic 

•n  passage 

y  lorcing 

aiKi  even 

to  river- 

or  other 

)  get  I'ar- 

Tlieir  an- 

ancl  no 

them  to 

r  for  [)er- 

ot'  tlie 

I   farther 

place  of 

indepcn- 

l,  and  lie 

ssil)le  OS 

the  open- 
Ill 


•n 


ing  of  the  boundless  expanse  toward  the  cast  was  a 
blessing  not  only  to  the  oppressed  but  to  the  oppress- 
ors. The  turbulent  spirits,  who  might  have  caused 
trouble  at  home,  in  early  times  found  their  way  to 
Siberia  voluntarily,  while  later  the  *  paternal '  govern- 
ment gathered  strength  enough  to  send  them  there. 

A  century  sable-hunt  half  round  the  world  this  re- 
markable movement  might  be  called.  It  was  at  once 
a  discc)very  and  a  conquest,  which  was  to  carry  Cos- 
sack and  Kussian  across  t)»e  vast  continent,  and  across 
the  narrowed  Pacific  to  the  fire-brcathin<i:  islands, 
and  the  glistening  mountains  and  majestic  Ibrests  of 
Alaska.  The  shores  of  the  Black  and  Caspian  seas 
was  the  starting-[)oint.  Russia's  eastern  bound  was 
then  the  Ural  Mountains.  Anika  Stroganof  set  up 
salt-works  there,  and  the  people  at  the  east  brought 
him  furs  to  trade.  Thcj'-  were  pretty  little  skins,  and 
yielded  the  salt-miner  a  large  profit;  so  he  sent  his 
traders  as  far  as  the  great  river  Ob  for  them.  And 
the  autocrat  of  the  empire  smiled  on  these  proceed- 
ings, and  gave  the  salt-merchant  lands,  and  allowed 
his  descendants  to  become  a  power  and  call  them- 
selves counts. 

In  1578  the  grandson  of  the  first  Stroganof  received 
a  visit  from  a  Cossack  chieftain  or  (ttanidn,  niMneil 
Verniak  Timofeief,  who  with  his  followers  had  in 
Cossack  fashion  led  a  life  of  war  and  ]>lunder,  and 
was  then  Hying  from  justice  as  administered  by  Ivan 
A'assilievich  II. 

Yermak's  mounted  followers  numbered  a  thousand, 
nnd  Stroganf)f  was  anxious  they  should  movi'  oii;  so 
111'  iold  them  of  places  toward  the  east,  line  spots  for 
inliiiiT-knights  to  seize  and  settle  on,  and  lie  sent 
i;ieii  to  guide  theni  thither.  This  was  in  ir)78.  At 
the  river  Ob  the  Cossacks  found  a  little  Tartar  sov«'r- 
eigiity,  a  fragment  of  the  great  monarchy  v)f  Cenghis 
Kliiui.  The  warlike  spirit  with  which  Tamei-lane  had 
once  inspired  the  Tartars  had  long  since  Hed.  Their 
little  kingdom,  in  which  cattle-herding,  the  chase,  and 


»  I- 


F 


le 


THE  CENTURY-MARCH  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 


traffic  were  the  only  pursuits,  now  remained  only 
because  none  had  come  to  conquer  them.  The  Cos- 
sacks were  in  the  full  flush  of  national  development. 
They  had  ever  been  apt  learners  from  the  Tartars, 
against  whom  they  had  often  served  the  Muscovites 
as  advance  guard.  Now  Yermak  was  in  a  strait. 
Behind  him  was  the  wrathful  tsar,  to  fall  into  whoso 
hands  was  certain  death.  Though  his  numbers  were 
small,  he  must  fight  for  it.  Attacking  the  Tartars, 
in  due  time  he  became  master  of  their  capital  city, 
though  at  the  cost  of  half  his  little  army.  And  now 
he  must  have  more  men.  Perhaps  he  might  buy 
friendship  of  the  tsar.  A  rich  gift  of  sables,  with  in- 
formation that  he  had  conquered  for  him  the  kingdom 
of  Kutchum  Khan,  accomplished  the  purpose.  Re- 
enforcements  and  confirmation  of  rulership  were  the 
response.  Thus  was  begun  the  long  journey  of  the 
Russians  across  the  contment. 


1  :; 

II 


tr 


'      ! 


■I  '      ■ 


Vast  as  is  the  area  of  Siberia  its  several  parts  are 
remarkably  similar.  Plants,  animals,  and  men;  cli- 
mate, conditions,  and  customs,  are  more  alike  than  on 
the  otiier  side  of  the  strait  of  Bering.  The  country 
and  its  contents  are  upon  a  dead  level.  A  net-work  of 
navigation  is  formed  by  the  upper  branches  of  rivers 
flowing  into  the  frozen  sea  through  the  tundras,  or 
icc-morass,  of  the  north,  so  that  the  same  kind  of  boats 
and  sledges  carry  the  traveller  across  the  whole  coun- 
try. The  fierce  and  cunning  Cossacks  of  Russia  were 
in  marked  contrast  to  the  disunited  semi-nomads  of 
Sil)oria,  busy  as  they  were  taming  the  reindeer,  hunt- 
in<x  with  doffs,  or  fiffhtinjj  with  the  bow  and  arrow  and 
lanco;  and  if  they  could  conquer  the  Tartars  of  the 
Ob  tlicro  was  no  reason  why  they  could  not  march 
on  to  the  Pacific. 

They  were  a  singular  people,  brave  as  Spaniards 
and  tougli  as  gypsies.  Their  weapons,  the  later  Eu- 
ropean kind,  of  iron  and  gunpowder,  gave  them  a  vast 
superiority  over  the  tribes  of  Siberia,  and  their  boats 


THE  SIBERIAN  LINE  OF  OSTROGS. 


w 


inecl  only 
The  Cos- 
elopment. 
B  Tartars, 
[uscovites 

a  strait, 
iito  whoso 
bers  were 
B  Tartars, 
pital  city. 

And  now 
[light  buy 
s,  with  in- 
e  kingdom 
pose.  Rc- 
)  were  the 
ney  of  the 

I  parts  are 
men;  di- 
ce than  on 
le  country 
et-work  of 
3  of  rivers 
undras,  or 
id  of  boats 
hole  coun- 
ussia  were 
lomads  of 
leer,  liunt- 
I arrow  and 
irs  of  the 
lot  march 

Spaniards 
1  later  Eu- 
lem  a  vast 
Iheir  boats 


and  liorses  seem  to  liavo  been  made  for  the  purpose. 
The  l;itt«T  were  small  and  enduring,  adequate  to  the 
long  (lav's  march,  and  like  their  masters  accustomed 
to  cold,  hunger,  thirst,  and  continuous  fatigue.  Like 
the  chamois^  and  reindeer  they  would  scrape  off  the 
SHOW  from  their  scanty  nourislunent,  or  if  grass  was 
wanting  they  were  glad  to  get  i'rozen  fish  to  eat. 

The  invaders  found  it  well  to  divide  their  forces, 
and  advance  in  small  scattered  bodies,  a  dozen  war- 
riors sometimes  subjugating  a  tribe;  then  again  some 
lumdreds  were  rerpiired  for  the  occu})ation  of  a  river- 
tenitory  or  a  kingdom.  There  was  no  need  of  a  laige 
united  army,  or  of  any  great  discipline.  This  also 
suited  C'ossaek  ideas  and  habits,  as  they  were  repub- 
liean  in  their  way.  ]>orn  eipial,  they  everywhere  met 
on  a  common  footing.  They  chose  their  atamans  and 
f<i>f)iiL-s,()r  centurions,  who,  if  they  ilid  not  rule  to  suit, 
were  (piickly  deposed  and  others  elected.  The  liighest 
position  was  ojten  to  the  humblest  aspirant. 

It  was  on  the  Tobol  that  the  Cossacks  and  Hus- 
^ians  built  theii-  liist  ostrofj,  or  fort,  which  later  became 
'^fobnlsk,  the  head-(juarters  of  their  oiganized  govern- 
ment, and  the  starting-point  of  their  expeditions, 
'ilienee  their  con(|uerin<'"  march  was  strain'ht  throut>:h 
the  middle  of  Siberia,  the  line  being  erpiidistant  I'rom 
the  m()untains  of  the  south  and  the  morasses  of  the 
noith,  and  it  later  became  the  principal  line  of  traffic. 
On  this  line,  cutting  through  the  vari()us  river  re- 
giims,  the  chief  colonies  of  the  country  were  founded. 
I'^astward  from  Tobolsk,  in  the  territory  of  the  river 
Ol),  the  city  (jf  Tomsk;  eastward  i'rom  this,  on  the 
\enissci,  the  city  of  Yenisseisk;  then  Irkutsk  and 
Yakutsk  in  the  Lena  district,  and  finally,  on  the 
slioics  of  the  l*acitic,  Okhotsk,  which  stands  u|)on 
about  the  same  })arallel  as  that  of  the  starting-})oint. 
Tlu'se  cities  grew  successively  one  out  of  the  other, 
and  ibr  every  new  river  province  the  last  served  as 
a  jKHHf  ihijipni  ibr  the  various  enterprises,  military 

UUT.  ALASKA,     'i 


^ 


IS 


TnE  CKNTURY-MARCII  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 


or  coimiiercial.  At  every  important  river  a  luilt  was 
made,  diiriiiL;'  whieli  they  settled  themselves  more 
finnlv,  and  organized  their  new  territory.  Thev  built 
bouts,  explored  up  the  rivers,  and  down  them  even 
to  the  Irozen  oeean,  where  they  tbimded  little  settle- 
ments. 

The  Cossacks  themselves  were  a  light  troo|),  but 
they  were  pieeeded  by  a  still  lij^hter,  a  Hyinjj;-  advance 
<^;nai'd,  called  the  promijshlciii/ci,  a  kind  of  Ivussiaii 
ciinn'iirs  dcs  hois.  They  were  freebooters  who  hunted 
oil  their  owr^  account  and  at  their  own  risk.  Xo  one 
could  control  them.  They  ilittcd  everywhere  in  the; 
v.'oofls  and  morasses,  com})anions  of  wild  beasts.  They 
made  the  several  first  discoveries  in  Siberia,  and 
broui-ht  home  the  earliest  information  of  hitherto 
unknown  parts. 

In  the  spriuij^  of  1G28  the  Cossacks  reached  Lena 
I^ivei".  Tile  party  consisted  often  men  under  Vassili 
IJngor,  who  had  crossed  over  from  the  Yenissei  on 
snow-shoes.  Arrixed  at  the  Lena,  tlu^  great  central 
stream,  lyinn'  midwav  between  the  beiiiiminij  and  end 
of  their  century-march,  they  built  a  boat  and  went 
down  and  up  the  river  foi"  some  distance,  spreading 
<iisniav  and  colK'ctin'>'  their  tribute  of  sable-skins. 
Ten  Cossacks  au'ainst  the  iidiabitaiits  of  that  jjfreat 
valley!  1  know  of  nothing  in  Ameiican  history  that 
e(|uals  it.  After  making  the  ])oople  swear  submission, 
])Ugor  })osted  two  of  his  nun  at  the  middle  point  on 
the  i-iver,  and  t\\'o  eadi  at  i)oints  two  hundred  miles 
above  and  two  hundred  miles  below.  After  three 
years  of  bluster  and  tratiic  l^ugor  returned  to  the 
^'enisst  i.  ]n  KI.'l'J  a  Cossack  chii'i'tain  named  Beke- 
tof  sailed  far  down  the  J^ena  and  built  the  tirst  ostroj'- 
on  this  I'ivt'r,  an:ong  tlu^  Yakut  nation.  This  was 
the  Yalad>.ki  Ostrog,  out  of  which  rose  later  the  city 
of  Yakutsk,  the  capital  of  eastern  Sil)eria,  and  which 
tinally  scr\i'd  as  head-quarters  for  e\j)editions  to  the 
Arctic  and  to  the  Pacific.     From  the  Lena,  Siberia 


1 


■I 


FROM  UIVER  TO  KIVER. 


10 


L  halt  was 
ves  more 
riioy  built 

lu'lll    C'Vt'll 

ttlo  scttlc- 

ti'f)0[),  but 
io-  jidvanci' 
t'  Ivussiaii 
ho  hunted 

Xo  OIH' 

[VVG  ill  tht! 
sts.  T\wy 
hoi'ia,  and 
if  hithcrU) 


c-hod  Lena 
idci- A^'issih 
fcuissci   on 
at  fcnti-id 
f  and  end 
and  wtnit 
spreadini,^ 
ilde-skins. 
tliat  great 
dory  that 
ubniission, 
e  point  on 
h'etl  n)iles 
fter   three 
ed   to  the 
ned  Beke- 
irst  ostroi;' 
Tliis  was 
_'r  the  city 
uid  whieh 


Ions 


le 


to  tl 

Sibtnia 


extends,  gradually  narrowing,  abiAit  five  or  six  hun- 
dred lea-^iies  iurther  to  the  east.  The  length  of  the 
riviTs  decreases  with  the  breadth  of  the  land,  and  the 
niightv  Lena  is  followed  by  the  smaller  Yana,  Indi- 
giika,'K(»niiia,  and  at  last,  in  the  farthest  corner  by 
the  Anadir  which  en^jties  into  the  Tacilic.     The  dis- 


r- . ... 


*>       Itnui.-.A  i:ui. 


■■■      J,  T        /I/',./..,./ 


^-  J^       NliU-k:liM,l.lti 


C  Ll.li^A 


EasTI.UN    SlIiKUIA. 

covcM'v  of  these  more  distnnt  rivers  of  Silu'i-in  brgnu 
in  Ki.'lS.  Some  Cossacks,  under  the  leadershi]>  of  a 
certain  Ihisa,  reached  the  Yana  by  water  fi-oiii  the 
nioiUli  of  (ho  Lena,  while  others,  inider  the  sotnik 
Ivanof,  jjenet rated  t>n  horseback  to  ita  auurces  from, 


20 


THE  CRXTURY-MARCII  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 


Yakutsk.    ][ore  tlifv  lioanl  of  the  IiuliLjiika,  and  the 
year  lollowiny:  thev  trotted  on  to  the  river. 

Tn  IGHO  tlic  ru!!^i^ed  inountaiiis  on  tlie  eastern  bor- 
der of  Sihc'i'ia  weie  crossed  on  horsehark  and  on 
snow-shoes,  and  an  ostroj^  was  built  on  the  sea-shore 
to  whicli  the  nanii*  of  Okhotsk  \vas  given.  Thus  the 
I'aeifie  Oeean  Wiis  first  readied  by  tlie  ]^ussians  on 
the  shore  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea,  a  plaee  destined  to  ])lay 
an  inijxtrtatit  part  in  the  advance  toward  Aniei"ica. 
'Die  discovery  was  achieved  by  Aiuhe'i  Kopilof,  a 
Cossack  leader,  who  made  his  way  thither  from  the 
JjCUH  at  the  head  of  a  small  pai'ty,  thus  conipletiiiLi;- 
the  march  across  the  continent  of  Asia,  in  its  broadi'st 
jKirt,  in  about  sixty  years  from  the  time  of  Yermak's 
visit  to  Strogan(»f. 

The  ascent  of  the  Lena  brouujht  the  Russians  to 
Ijake  Baikal,  and  showed  them  another  route  to  the 
l*acilic,  through  China  by  way  of  the  Amoor.  The 
lich  silver  deposits  in  that  rpiarter  dr(>w  population 
iVom  the  north-western  ostroys,  something  after  the 
manner  of  a  California  mining  rush.  The  ^lantchoo 
Tartars  were  most  of  them  ahsent  Irom  lu^me  at  the 
time,  completing  their  concpUist  of  the  celestial  empire, 
Mhich  left  the  Amoor  I'cirion  conn)arativelv  defence- 
less.  On  the  return  of  the  Tartai's  the  llussians  were 
obliged  to  relin(piish  some  of  their  pretensions,  though 
thev  retained  their  hold  on  the  mines,  and  continued 
trade  witii  China.  In  1  <")4:)  ^^assili  Posharkof  set  (»ut 
irom  Yakutsk  with  oni'  bundled  and  thirty-two  men, 
and  following  the  course  of  the  Amoor  to  its  mouth, 
and  thence  j)roceeding  north  and  westward  some  dis- 
tance along  the  coast,  returned  to  Yakutsk  in  1G4(! 
b}'  a  different  route,  and  one  direct  from  the  Okhotsk 
Sea. 

Sixteen  Cossacks  on  the  Indigirka  took  captive  Uu: 
ruling  prince  <jf  the  country.     On  their  neighing  steeds 


EASTERN  SIBERIAN  SEABOARD. 


21 


11,  and  the 


stern  bor- 
ic  and   on 

soa-sliori! 

Thus  the 
ussians  on 
10(1  to  ]>lay 

Anici'ica. 
K()[»ilor,  a 
•  from  the 
'onipletinn' 
s  hroadest 

Yeruialv's 


Uissians  to 
ute  to  the 
loor.  The 
popuhition 
;  after  the 
Mantchoo 
Mne  at  the 
ial  empire, 
y  defence- 
■(sians  were 
lis,  tlionyh 

continued 

kof  set  out 

r-t\vo  men, 

its  mouth, 

some  dis- 
-;k  in  1G4(» 
le  Okhotsk 


captive  the 
hing  steeds 


^' 


tliev  ('harijed  ]iis  forces,  armed  witli  only  h<nvs  an<l 
arrows,  and  vniKpiislicd  them  witli  ^ivat  shuij;hter. 
J II  I  fUO  thev  liad  eomi)leted  the  conquest  of  the  wliole 
river,  ciyht  lunuh'ed  miles  Ion*,'.  Forthwith  they  aj^^ain 
hcuan  to  listen  to  tales  of  new  streams  in  the  east,  of 
tlie  Aliseia  and  the  Kolima.  Streiiijfthened  hy  addi- 
tional troo[)s  they  proceeded  in  l(!4(!  to  suhdiie  this 
region.  East  of  the  Kolima,  where  Siheria  approaches 
its  termination,  dwelt  the  warlike  Chukchi, the Tsehuk- 
tschi  of  (Jernian  writers.  Their  land  did  not  allure 
witli  sahles  or  silver-mines,  hut  a  lU'W  attraction  was 
found  for  the  J'^uro))ean.  Datiiii;'  existence  from  [)ri- 
iiieval  revulsions,  were  found  on  the  sliores  and  aloiijj^ 
tlie  hanks  of  I'ivers  vast  de|)osits  of  i'ossil  ivory,  the 
tusks  of  the  ancient  mammoth  elephant.  Similar  de- 
])osits  had  heen  i'ound  before  in  other  [)arts  of  Sibi'ria, 
but  the  largest  were  in  the  far  north-east  aloiiL^  the 
shores  of  the  land  of  the  Chukchi,  '^fhis  substance, 
which  was  called  precious  and  a  staj)le,  exercised  a 
powerful  iiillueiice  in  the  con([Uest  of  Siberia  and  in 
attract injjf  emigrants  to  the  noi'tli.  l^veii  at  tlu'  pi'es- 
eiit  day  it  j)lays  an  inijtortant  |)art  in  Siberian  tratlic, 
and  is  also  found  in  the  northern  i-e^ioiis  of  America. 

Is.ii  l^•llatief,  with  a  company  of  ])roniyslileniki, 
si't  out  in  search  of  mammoth  tusks  toward  the  Chuk- 
chi country.  l''rom  tlie  mouth  <)1'  the  Kolima  hu 
jiroceeded  a  short  distance  aloii:^  the  Ar<'tic  seaboard 
ill  hoats.  "^riie  natives  were  shv  at  lirst,  but  aftiT 
some  liaihc  they  told  the  I'ussians  of  a  larme  moun- 
tainous land  which  lay  westward  and  toward  the  north 
j'olc,  and  the  outliiu>  of  whose  c(.asts  could  be  seen 
iVoiii  time  to  time  from  the  Siberian  shore.  This  land, 
tlu'y  said,  was  rich  in  ivory,  and  there  were  the  most 
beaiitiriil  tusks  heajied  up  theiu^  in  \\\v^v  hanks  and 
mounds.  ^lany  bcdieved  that  it  was  peopled  and 
connected  with  Novaia  Zenilia  in  the  west  and  with 
America  in  the  east. 

With  a  dariiijLif  \\hich  the  well  preiiared  Arctic  ex- 
plorer of  our  time  can  searcelv  understand,  the  Kus- 


r 


i      ! 


-I 


^ 


22  THE  CnXTURY-MAnCII  OF  TTTH  COSSACKS. 

!-iaiis  r'()iiH!iitti'<l  tlunisclvcs  t<>  tlii-if  fniiu^ilc  hid/:/',  f)r 
•  •[)rn  sail-lMtats,  ot'  )'()Iil;1i  ])laiiks  tird  foMft her  with 
thnii'ns,  ;tii'.l  stnif'lv  or.t  t'di-  that  land  of  ivoiy  toward 
tlif  IK  111  h  jiolc.  They  sailed  without  coiiiiyass  out 
into  that  sea;  Ihoy  hattlcd  with  tho  ioo  found  there; 
their  harhs  were  shattercMl:  they  were  frozen  in  at  si  a 
liundicds  of  \(fsts  iVoin  land.  Tluy  even  wintered 
lh(re  that  they  niit^ht  advanee  a  little  i'arther  the  fol- 
low in;^^  summer.  AVhat  can  science  oi-  modern  adven- 
ture show  as  a  paralk'H  fjost  on  a  wild<'i-ness  of  ice, 
all  warmth  di-parted,  hun<j;!y,  ill-clothed,  with  scarcely 
any  shelter,  y»'t  still  deterniim'd  to  achieve  the  land  of 
ivory.  l*erha[)s  some  of  them  <lid  reach  it ;  let  us  hoj>e 
so,  and  that  they  ohtained  their  till  of  ivoiy.  Nearly 
two  centuri(\s  later  the  tlrst  lii^ht  eoncei-niiiL''  this  land 
came  throuL^h  the  travels  of  JJarttn  \Vi'ant,all,  when  it 
v/as  reco'.;'nize(l  as  a  j_;'rou|>  of  islands  and  named  New 
hiiheria. 

T^'Patief  could  hardly  Ix'  said  to  have  made  the 
ac(|uaintance  of  the  ('hukchi,  so  ea^  'r  had  he  heeii 
after  ivorv.  Jint  hetrer  success  attended  the  etl'orts 
of  (he  llussians  a  litdc  later.  ]>y  order  of  th(»  tsar 
.\le.\is.  seven  hotcln-s,  a  small  decked  craft,  were  sent 
alonn'  the  shore  in  search  of  the  uiouth  of  tlu'  river 
Anadir,  whose  head-waters  had  heen  sighted  hy  the 
veutui'esome  jiromyshleiiiki.  The  expedition  set  out 
from  the  mouth  of  (he  Kolima  .lune  "JO,  1(;48.  Of 
four  of  these  vessels  nothiui^'  further  is  mentiont'd;  hut 
Ave  know  that  the  vemainiuL,'"  thi'ee  were  connnand(-d 
respectively  hy  Simeon  1  )eshnef  and  ( ierassim  Anku- 
diiiof,  ( 'ossack  chiels.  and  l"\'dot  Alexeief,  /tt'rrilorc/iik, 
that  is  to  say,  K-ader  of  jiromyshleiiiki.  ])eshnef,  who 
i'orwarded  a  (K-tailed  account  of  his  advi'iitures  to 
Yaluitsk,  s])eaks  hut  incidentally  of  what  hapi)une;l  lu^- 
foi'e  reaching-  Cape  Chuketsk.  Then  he  says:  "This 
isthmus,  is  (juite  dili'ei'ent  iVom  that  which  is  hoiuid  hy 
the  Hiver  Tsehukotschia  west  of  the  llivin*  Kolima. 
It  lies  hetween  the  north,  and  north-east,  and  turnsi 


rnsiixr.F's  voyace. 


r  /(*(//./,  or 
thur  with 
u y  towtml 
iipass   (Hit 
iind  tluTc; 
II  in  iit  sc-;i 
I  wintered 
ler  the  tol- 
ern  julven- 
ncss  of  ice, 
til  scarcely 
tlic  land  of 
let  us  lidjic 
y.      Nearly 
vr  this  land 
rll,  when  it 
lanied  Xew 


made  the 

id   he  hi'eli 

the  ('fl'orts 

oi"  the  tsar 

,  were  sent 

r  tlu'  river 

ted  1)V  the 

ion  set  out 

KMS.      Of 

itioni  (1;  Init 

(i\nniande<l 

ssini  Ankn- 

itrcdovc/nk', 

eshiK'f,  who 

ventures    to 

;i])j)(;ned  he- 

;ays:   "This 

is  hound  hv 

:oi'  Kolinia. 

t,  and  turns 


cii'iular  towai-ds  tlie  livcr  Anadir.  0\\  the  ]»nssian, 
that  is.  t!i'.(  west  sitle  of  it,  t'aere  falls  a  hrook  into 
the  sra,  hy  which  the  Tst-huktschi  have  erected  a 
scallMtl  like  a  tower  of  the  hones  of  whales.  (  )v»'l'- 
a'^'ainst  t!ie  isthmus  (it  is  not  ment.Kned  on  which 
side)  tlicrc  ai-e  two  i-laiids  in  the  sea,  upon  which 
wi're  seen  j'cojilc  of  th(;  Tschuktsehi  nation,  thr;)' 
whose  li|!s  were  nm  ]ti<'ccs  of  the  teetli  of  tlu^  sea- 
liDi-se.  ( )nc  mi,i;ht.  s.-iil  from  the  isthnnis  to  th.e  river 
Anadir,  with  a  fair  v.iinL  in  three  days  and  nights, 
and  it  mi'^ht,  he  ti'avelled  hy  land  within  tlx!  same 
time."  The  kotche  eonunanded  hy  ^Vnkuchnof  was 
wrecked  at  the  eapi',  but  the  inmates  wei'e  sa\'ed  hy 
lh-  other  vesst'ls.  On  the  L'Oth  of  Septend^'r  J)esh- 
m  f  and  Alexeief  made'  a  landin>^^  and  had  an  enj4ai;e- 
ment  with  the  Chuken!,  (hiriuL;"  which  Alexeief  was 
woniided.  After  this  the  two  kotehes  lost  si^ht  of 
e.M  h  oihei-jind  did  not  meet  a'^ain.  Deshm  f  «hift<'d 
al)ont  until  (Jctohi'r,  an<l  at  last  lu;  was  also  wi'eelved, 
as  itapjiears,  some  (hstanco  to  the  south  of  the  Ana- 
dir, in  the  vicinity  of  the  I'iver  Olutoi.sk.  He  had 
onl;.  \venty-li\t>  men  lefl^,  and  with  these  ln' set  out 
I)  ■  I:ii  1  in  search  olthe  .VnacMr;  hut  having-  no  i;uide, 
he  w;mdere(l  ahout  for  ten  wetks  ;ind  at  last  reached 
its  h;nd;s  not  far  from  the  mouth.  ( )ne  half  of  his 
connnand  started  u|>  the  i-ivt-r,  hut  hunLfcr  compelled 
theiii  lo  retiu'U.  Tlu^  iollowiuL,^  sunnner  J)eshnef  as- 
cended the  Anadir  in  hoats.  ]Ie  met  with  a  trihe 
called  th<'  Anaidi,  made  thetn  trihutai'v  aft<'r  con- 
s'.derahle  I'esistanct',  and  I'oimded  tlu;  settlement  ol' 
cstroi;-  Ai;a(hrsk.  Here  he  reinaine<|  till  lOaO,  when 
he  was  joined  on  the  2:U\  of  Api'il  hy  the  Cossack 
^I<»tera  with  a  volimteei"  espedition  Irom  Ivolimslv. 
Another  expedition  imdei-  Mikhad  Stadukhin  followed 
inniiediately  after:  hut  the  latter,  jealous  of  the  suc- 
cusses  .dready  achieved  hy  tlu^  others,  went  more  to 
the  southward  for  furthei-  discoveries  and  was  never 
heard  of  a;4ain.  ])eshnef  sid)se(iuently  encoimtered  a 
Yakut   woman   who   had   heeii   with   Fcdot   Alexeief 


94 


TIIK  CKNTURYMARCH  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 


and  was  told  l)y  lior  that  Fodot  and  Ankudinof  liad 
boon  wiv<'k(.'d  and  tiiat  both  had  died  of  scurvy  anion<^ 
th(i  Koi'iaks.*  No  mention  is  made  by  any  of  this 
party  of  havinij^  soon  the  Aniciican  continent, thou<j^h 
it  is  not  impossible  that  some  of  them  did  sec  it. 
Thov  were  obliij-od  to  huij  the  Asiatic  shore,  and  the 
oj)jiosite  coast  can  be  seen  from  there  oidy  on  a  clear 
day. 

Another  account  of  Deshnofs  voyage  places  it  at 
a  still  earlier  dati',  between  1580  and  laDO,  but  the 
inaccuracy  of  this  is  cvident.- 

Last  of  all  this  rejjfion  to  l)c  unvi'ilod  was  that 
narrow  south-t>astorn  strip  of  Siberia,  the  Kamchatka 
pt-ninsula,  which,  about  the  size  and  shape  of  Italy, 
projt'ctssix  hundred  ]L^eot;raphical  miles  j'rom  the  con- 
tinent into  IJeiint^  and  (>khotsk  seas.  The  Cossack 
Lnka  ^Forosko  startt-d  tVoni  Anadirsk  in  ]('(][)  with 
a  rovinijf  biuid  and  ponotratod  far  to  tho  southward, 
but  what  ho  saw  was  not  known  until  some  tinu'  aftor- 
wai'd.  Tho  name  Kamchatka  was  known  in  \'akutsk 
by  report  from  1(>1)0.  Some  years  later  tlu'  lirst  party 
of  riders  set  out  thither  under  tho  leadership  of  the 
C»)ssack  colonel,  Atlassof,  who  passes  for  the  actual 

'  Tin-  v<)y!ij,'c  i)f  iK'sliiU'f  was  almost  for^'otti'ii  wlu-n  MmIIit  foninl  a 
ri'fonl  of  it  ill  Koiinisk.  MorsLni  Slmriiik,  l^'i't,  ;{7~4!l;  J'ff' rys'  MiiIIci-'h 
r<)(/.,  v.-  ix. 

-All  aiio'iviiions  iirtitl(!  in  a  litiTary  inoiitiily  pulilislii'il  in  St  I'l'tcislnir;^ 
in  17<>I>  ciiiitiiKis  till'  followin;;:   '  Tlif  liiinnr  of  liaviii),'  taUfii  tlic  lirst  stf'|:s 


n  IIJII   'II    llir«   r^i  ill   null   mil  i:i-np*oi  ,    I  mil     I  i-iivii  I ..,   ^...^    ...-    

of  tin'  t'sisti'iuf  of  tho  Polar  Sea  on  tlio  nortJH'rn  sliori  of  Sihi-rin,  anil  nnothi-r 
vast  (H'i'an  in  tin  rnst.  In  sonu- of  the  olil  SiU'vian  archivi'.i  il(K'uiiu'nta  have 
I i:. .....I  ..'i,:..i.  ..........  »i,..f  ti... ., I,. .-...,  ...,..,<: i  .,v.,.,.iu: .».i..  ......... 


of  tho  usiir|i(>r  iSoris  '. •ouunot,  ami  of  the  I'ulso  Pniitn  alter  liiiii,  niinle  it 
inipusbihlo  to  ti'liiK  of  fiirtlicr  cxitloratioiiR  of  the  Kanicliiitka  (.'oiuitry,  ami 
i'V(  n  tin-  iiaiiif  was  ahiiost  foivottni  after  the  liipHu  uf  u  few  jcuch.'  Yithe- 
'"•"--irhiinia  Sochhu'iiin,  Murtlt,  170[t,  .'l;lG-7. 


vitaxiiitc 


f-"f~. 


:s. 


THE  RUSSIANS  ON  THE  PACIFIC. 


88 


idiiiof  had 
rvv  anioiiuf 
ny  of  this 
lit,  thou  <j^h 
lid  see  it. 
'c,  and  tlio 
on  a  clear 


was  that 
Kamchatka 
o  of  Italy, 
m  tlio  i-ini- 
lo  Cossack 
UWH)  with 
loudiward, 
^iuK'  aftrr- 
i  \'akutsk 
irst  party 
lip  of  tiio 
the  actual 

illor   fimiitl   ft 

T<  /•//.<"    MuIIii-'h 

St  I'l'tt'tsliiir}? 

till'  lirst   Ht('|;s 

"  tlicii'  iiiiiiiImt 
I  N'assili''-,  it'll 
I  to  kiiuw  its 
4r-oir  rcjiidiis. 
'il  (liiriii);  till! 
tilt'  lii-st  news 
I),  and  nnotlicr 
K'uiiii'iitH  liavu 

I'll  lli;iilr  KiiliK' 

its  hIiui'i'm  to 

'vti'i'iiif  pKiiit, 

'I'lii!  tritiiliK'il 

lilwIcHM  rri^'IIH 

liiiii,  iiiiiili!  it 

fiiiiiitry,  anil 

yc'iii-H. '   )'<iiAe- 


discovorf)r  and  conqueror  of  Kamchatka.  The  Rus- 
sian,^ found  in  Kamchatka  Japanese  writ inj^s  and  oven 
some  Japanese  sailors  cast  ashore  there  hy  shipwreck. 
From  the  latter  they  learned  that  the  land  stretched 
far  away  to  the  south,  and  were  at  first  induced  to 
hclicve  that  Kamchatka  nvu'hed  as  far  as  Ja[)an,  as 
iiitk'cd  it  is  laid  down  on  the  oldest  maps. 

Like  the  Spaniards  in  Mexico,  the  first  Russians  in 
Kamchatka  were  highly  honoi'cil,  almost  d(>ified,  hy 
till'  natives.  That  the  ah.U'ij^inal  Americans  should 
have  asciihed  divinity  to  the  first  Spaniards  is  not 
stniii'^c.  They  came  to  them  from  off  the  limitless 
and  mysterious  water  in  huge  wh'.te-winged  canoes, 
in  martial  array,  with  gaudy  wrappings  and  glittering 
armor;  the}' landed  with  im|)osing  ceremonies;  their 
hadei-s  were  men  of  digiiilied  bearing  and  suwe  man- 
ners, and  held  their  followers  in  control.  The  first 
apjtearance  of  the  Russians  in  Kamchatka,  however, 
l»r(sents  an  e  itirely  dilferent  aspect;  sui  ly  the  Kam- 
chatkans   of  that   day  were   satislied    with   ungaiiily 


gods 


riic  Cossacks  who  came  with  Atlassof  were  rough- 
Inoking  fellows,  ol"  small  size,  clad  in  furs  like  the 
Kauuliatkaiis,  most  of  them  the  oflspi-ing  of  unions 
hetween  half  Tartars  and  women  from  tin,'  native 
trills  of  Si!)eria.  j'hev  were  filthv  in  their  habits, 
and  had  ju.-t  completed  a  wearv  ride  of  manv  months 
l!ii'ough  the  wiklerness.  Tlu>v  wei'e  naturally  cruel 
and  j)lace(I  no  restraint  on  their  beastly  propen- 
sities; nevertlu'less  thev  wi're  called  ix*'ds  by  bein<js 
ot  a  lower  order  than  themselves,  and  it  were  wi'll 
to  propitiate  them.  Indeetl,  they  did  jiossess  one 
attiihute  of  the  deity:  they  could  kill.  A  fe.v  rusty 
firelocks,  a  few  jumnd.s  of  powder,  and  they  were 
onniijiotenf.  (iods  are  prone  to  (piarrel  as  well  as 
men,  but  can  Hieydii'?  The  Kamchatkans  thought 
not;  so  when  tlu'y  saw  one  of  Atlassofs  men  struck 
down  by  another,  sawthe  warm  red  blotni  <>ush  from 

'  1  I  •  •  • 

u  mortal  wound  to  .stain  the  virgin  snow,  the  spell 


20 


THE  CFA'TURY-MARCH  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 


Ava«  broken.  Tlieso  were  no  lUfods;  and  thenceforth 
the  RussiiUis  liiul  io  fiyht  for  the  su[)reniacy.  After 
many  exjieditions  and  many  hattles,  for  the.se  people 
were  in  truth  ln-avc  and  lovens  of  lil)erty,  the  Rus- 
nians,  in  ITOO,  ivaclied  the  sontliei-n  extremity  of 
thi'  Kamihatka  penin.sula,  whi'n;  they  saw  th(!  nortli- 
t'l'mno.st  i.slands  of  the  Kurile  ehain  which  points  to 
Jijtan. 

Thus  did  tlie  Russians,  after  tlie  lapse  of  a  rentury 
full  of  toil  and  ravages,  reach  the  I'xtreme  end  of  the 
Old  World.  .\t  th(;  bei^inning  of  tlu!  eighteenth 
century  they  f«>und  themselves  on  a  separate  strip  of 
coast,  twelve  hundred  miles  lonjjf,  laciiiL,^  another 
twelve  hundred  miles'  stilp,  the  north-west  end  of 
Amerii-a.  It  was  hardly  to  he  expectt.'d  that  they 
would  rest  contented  where  tlu'V  were. 

The  natives  of  Kamchatka  did  not  appear  to  have 
any  knowledge  of  America,  so  that  the  Jvussians  were 
left  to  learn  of  the  Jtolshdin  z<'m(i<f,  (»r  'j^reat  land' 
toward  the  (>ast,  slowlv  and  as  thev  were  aole.  Ti\]\ 
trunlvs  of  iir  and  other  tri'cs  whicli  did  not  grow  in 
Kamchatka  were  thrown  from  time  to  time  l»y  cur- 
rents U])on  the  shores  along  the  east  side  of  that 
country.     J^aige  ilocks  of  land-l)irds  came  to  the  coast 


•  (ccasio.ially  from  the  east  iind  disap[)earetl  again  in 
tiie  sami'  diiH^ction.  W'h.iles  came  fr<»m  the  east  with 
sj)ear-heads  in  their  l)acks  dilleient  iVoni  any  used  in 
Kamciiatka;  and  now  and  t!ien  foreign-huilt  hoats 
and  otlier  uausual  ohjects  w<-re  wasiuMl  uj)on  the 
easti'rn  coast.  ICven  the  waves  carryiriijf  these  tokens 
did  not  have  as  long  a  swtll  as  those  to  the  south. 
Jlence  tiiey  said  this  land  nnist  front  a  sea  wholly 


or  i)ai 


•tiall 


y  enclosed,  and  tliat  toward  the  north  the 


sides  must  bo  nearest  together.  Surely  the  Chukchi 
should  know  souK^thing  about  it.  Indeed,  often  in 
their  lights  with  these  peopl*'  the  Russians  had  taken 
(•aptives  with  j)ieces  of  v.ah-us  ivory  thrust  through 
their  lips  and  cheeks,  and  speaking  a  langUi'ge  dilfei- 
ent  from  thut  of  the  Chukchi.     And  the  stor}'  was 


Tli:.    CHKAT  LAND'  TO  THK  EAST. 


27 


)ar  to  liavo 


tliat  til*'  '^Yvat  laiul  was  no  island,  hut  liad  rivers  and 
cliains  of*  niountaiiis  v.itlioul  iiul.'' 

AI>out  this  time  t\\v  stn/i,ik  L-iiias,  Vassih  Tvanovidi 
(Ja^arin,  was  |)ivsc'nt  at  Yaluitsk,  sent  thither  hy  his 
mult',  tlieu^overnor,  Prince  ^latvci  Petrovich  Ciagarin, 
to  DKike  (hscovcries.  ]lv  issued  several  oi'ders  to  the 
rtiirnd,  or  nol)leni;n\,  Trauei-nicht,  who  coininanded  in 
tJKit  seetion,  one  of  lluni  heiiii^  that  he  should  "  niaki> 
diliu'eiit  iiKiuiry  ahout  the  inlands  situated  o|)|)osit(>  the 
iii'iiith  oi  .:ie  river  IColima,  and  the  land  oC  Kain- 
rlialka;  wliat  people  inhahited  them;  under  whose 
jiulsuielion  they  were;   what  was  their  eniploynient; 

•"•  Miitvf'i  Strrhykliin,  coniniiindor  of  tlicostro-^  of  Anadirsk,  was  instruotcd 
in  1711  to  colli  ft  iiifoniiJitioii  <'oiucniing  tlic  (  liiilvt'lii  ;m(l  an  island  or  conti- 
lu'iit  Ijiiij,'  to  tlic  i'ast\v;inl  ot  tliiir  louiitry.  CiU'  ot  tlif  ivsulti  of  tliis  invea- 
ti;,':itio:i  was  a  ilcpositioii  inadc  iiiid  swoi-n  to  l>y  tlic  N'akout  ('ossatk  Tettr 
I'.lianox  iili  l'o|ioi',  ilu'  ])n)iiiysld('tiik  Yc^or  Vassilu  viili  'I'oiiliii,  aiid  the  newly 
I  ■II1V4I  till  Vuka^'ir  ]\an  Xassilirvii'li  TiTi'shkin,  and  dilid  Anadii:-k,  Scjit. 
•_'.  1711.  It  was  to  the  itl'irt  lliat  on  tlio  i;ith  of  .January  1711  I'ojiof  and 
tlic  two  otliiTS,  who  .stTVi'il  as  inti  rini'tt'is,  wcii:  sent  opt  l>y  ( lovt'iiior  I'Vdor 
Kotov.-koi  to  visit  tin'  v;dli'y  of  tin-  Anadir  and  nffi\  o  trilmtc  Ironi  .loiiio  i.f 
ll'c  Cimkchi  trilii's.  This  doiii-  fliry  witc  to  proi'i'cil  to  tin'  capo,  (.'h.'.ikotskoi 
.\c).-4s,  in  order  to  ])ir.siiailc  th'-  <  luikchi  living  there  to  hecoine  tlilmtary  t  > 
l;;!:-sia.  INijiof  nut  everywhere  with  a  ]>ereiii]itory  refusal  to  pay  tiiliiite. 
'1  he  ('iiukehi  said  that  foiiiieily  the  llil.xsiaiis  had  come  to  their  country  in 
^  Iiip.H,  and  tiiev  paid  no  trilmte  tlicii,and  tlierefore  they  would  not  do  it  now, 
.Mid  I'opof  nni^t  expect  no  hostages  froni  tlieiii.  'J"he  (liiikihi  w  lio  dwell 
mar  the  cape  keep  tame  reindeer,  and  in  order  to  tlnd  pasture  for  their  animals 
liny  fieipicntly  ihaiiue  tluir  lialiitalion.  (>pi>osite  the  caiic  on  either  side, 
ill  the  sea  of  Kolima  as  well  as  in  tliat  of  .\ii;iilir,  islands  have  liccn  seen, 
which  till'  Chukchi  call  ii  lai-ge  country,  iiiiil  tiny  say  that  the  juiiiilu  living 
t.'i  re  have  large  teeth  in  their  mouths,  piiijectin;,'  llinnigh  the  clici'ks.  i'opi  f 
f  lund  ten  of  tliese  men,  prisoners  aiiinng  the  Chukchi,  with  their  cheeks  still 
ilistignred  liy  the  jirojectiiig  ivory.  Jn  sinnnier  time  they  sail  across  to  tho 
tin  at  Land  in  one  day,  and  in  the  winter, a  swift  n  iudeer  team  can  make  it 
ill  one  day  over  the  ice.  in  the  otlu'rlainl  there  are  saldes,  wolves,  and  hears. 
Tlie  people  are,  like  the  Chukchi,  without  any  government.  I'luy  liavi'  the 
\,u<m|  iif  1  idar,  larch,  and  l!r  trees,  which  the  (  liiikchi  sometimes  olitain  for 
till  ir  liidar.s,  weapons,  and  huts.  Alioiit  'J, (KM)  people  live  at  and  near  tlui 
cape,  Imt  the  iiilialiitanls  of  the  other  coiinlry  aie  s:iid  to  he  three  tiine-i 
that  nnniher.  which  is  conliiiiied  not  only  Ly  )irisMiiers  Imt  also  liy  oin'  of  tho 
(  hukclii,  who  li.'is  often  heeli  there.  Another  statement  was  essentially  as 
toiluu.<:  Opjiusite  the  cape  lies  an   i.sland,  within  .-i-lit,  of  no  great  extent, 

devoid  (,t  timlier.  and  inhiihited  by  | |ile  reseinhliiig  the  Cliukcld,  though 

till  y  speak  tluir  own  kingua^'c.  Jt  is  half  a  day's  voyjigo  to  the  island  from 
the  cape,  ll'youdtlie  island  there  is  a  large  eontin«  lit,  scarcely  to  he  seen 
Irom  it,  and  that  only  on  very  clear  days.  In  ealni  ..  .itlicr  one  may  row 
over  the  sea  to  the  continent,  which  is  iniialiited.  'I'liere  are  large  forests, 
and  .L'fcat  rivers  fall  into  the  sea.  The  inhaliiiants  have  fortiliid  dwclliii'.'s 
with  ramparts  of  earth.  'I'lieir  clothes  are  the  -kins  of  sahle  iind  fox.  'I'iit! 
Chnkchi  ,ir<'  often  at  war  with  them.  )'tH/iei;i!a.imtrhiiitia  Suchiiieiiid,  HSii, 
i:.J-(i;  .l/i,7(r'«  Voj.,  24-0. 


28 


THE  CENTURY-MARCII  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 


!     ', 


how  large  the  islands  were  and  how  distant  from  the 
continent."  Tlie  coinrnandcrs  and  Cossaeks  ordered 
to  those  regions  were  all  commissioned  with  such  in- 
quiries, with  the  promise  of  s[)eeial  rewards  for  such 
service  from  the  emperor,  who  should  be  inft)rmed  of 
any  discoveries  by  express  as  soon  as  any  authentic 
rej)ort  was  forwarded  to  Yakutsk. 

Orders  had  been  issued  as  early  as  1710  to  the 
commanders  of  Ust-Yana  and  Kolima  to  give  these 
discoveries  their  special  att(!ntion.  In  answer,  a  dep- 
osition was  sent  in  by  the  Cossack  Yakov  Pcrmakof 
of  Ust-Yana,  stating  that  he  once  sailed  from  the 
Lena  to  the  l?iver  Kolima,  and  tliat  on  the  east  side 
of  Sviatoi  Noss  he  had  sighted  an  island  in  the  sea, 
but  was  unable  to  ascertain  if  it  was  inhabited.  Tlieie 
was  also  an  island  situated  directly  opposite  the  river 
Kolima,  an  island  that  mi<;ht  be  seen  from  the  conti- 
nent.  Mountains  could  be  seen  upon  it,  but  it  wii.i 
uncertain  whether  it  was  iidiabited. 

The  voivod  Tniernicht  was  further  one  )uragi'(l,* 
and  prepared  two  expeditions,  one  from  the  mouth  of 
the  river  Yana  and  one  from  the  Kolima,  simultane- 
ously to  search  for  the  supposed  islanil;  for  which 
purpose  the  men  were  either  to  go  in  boats  or  ti'avel 
on  the  ice  till  it  could  l)e  definitely  ascertained  if  such 
an  island  existed.  Concerning  the  first-named  expedi- 
tion, which  was  begun  by  Merkuri  A'^agin,  a  Cossack, 
^Iiiller  fouM<l  several  reports  at  Yakutsk,  but  in  hii 
opinion  the  documents  did  not  deserve  mu(di  consiil- 
cration. 

A^-igin  de[)artod  from  Yakutsk  during  the  autiunn 
of  1711,   with   eleven   other   Cossacks,   and   in   ^lay 


*Knia8  Matvc'V  Oiifiarin  wroto  to  the  voivod,  under  ddti- of  .Tiinunry 'Js, 
1711,  iix  follows;  '1  liiivo  heard  hy  Cohsiich  and  Oworaucs  from  .Jiikut/I; 
tliJit  yon  intend  to  neii(l  a  party  of  Coshjk's  and  soliinteerw  to  the  new  o'lmi- 
try  or  island  oiii)OHito  tlie  month  of  tiie  river  Kolima,  Imt  tliat  you  hesitateil 
aliout  doing  it  without  orders;  therefore  I  have  found  it  ncce.ssary  to  tell  you 
th:it  you  kIiouIiI  liy  no  nienns  ne;^'Ieet  to  do  it;  and  if  oilier  iiilaiids  m„y  \f 
discovered,  you  will  he  jileiiHed  to  do  the  saUK!  with  respect  to  them.  Uut 
altove  all  tliingH  the  expedition  is  to  he  nuide  tills  presiint  year,  1711.  This 
I  write  to  you  by  order  of  his  Czuriuh  .Majesty.'  Mitller'n  Toy.,  Intr.,  xv.  -xvi. 


s. 

b  from  tho 
vs  ordered 
,h  such  ill- 
Is  for  suoU 
iforiiicd  of 
authentic 

'10  to  tlio 

give  these 

vver,  a  dcp- 

Perinukof 

I  from  tho 
e  east  side 

in  the  sea, 
ted.  There 
te  the  river 
1  the  coiiti- 

but  it  \va;i 

nouraged,* 
o  moutli  of 
,  simultane- 
;  for  which 
ts  or  travel 
ned  if  such 
lied  expedi- 

a  CossacK, 
,  hut  in  iTn 

ueh  consid- 

Lhe  autumn 
hd   in   May 


ii"  of  .Tiinunry  2S, 

Is  fnmi  Jiikiitzli 

)  the  iit'W  O'lUii- 

\t  yiin  liosttiitfil 

srtiiry  to  tell  yi'ii 

irtliiiKls  iii-y  '"' 

\ii  to  tlllMl.        lill! 

ir,  1711.     Tl'i/ 
liitr.,  xv.-xvi. 


EASTERN  EXPLORATIONS,  SO 

\7\'2  lie  made  a  voyage  from  Ust-Yanskoie  Simovie 
to  the  frozen  sea.  On  tliis  occasion  the  Yakov  Per- 
makof,  jxeviously  mentioned,  served  as  his  guide. 
The  i>a)ty  used  sledges  ih-awn  \>y  dogs,  and  al'ter  fol- 
lowing the  coast  to  Sviatoi  Xoss,  they  emerged  ujkui 
the  frozen  ocean  and  travelled  directly  north.  They 
cai'ie  to  a  desert  ishmd,  without  wood,  which  Vagin 
estimated  to  he  from  nine  to  twelve  days'  ti-avel  in 
circiimi'erence.  From  this  island  they  saw,  farther  to 
the  north,  another  island  or  land,  hut  as  the  s})riiig 
was  already  too  far  advanced,  Vagin  dared  not  pro- 
ceed, and  his  provisions  running  short  the  whole  party 
returned  to  the  continent,  to  [n-ovide  themselves  with 
a  sutllcient  supply  of  fish  during  tho  summer.  Tho 
])oint  wlu're  he  reached  the  coast  was  hetweeii  Sviatoi 
Xo.ss  and  the  river  Khroma.  A  C'osstick  had  I'ornierly 
erected  a  cross  there,  and  after  him  it  was  named  Ka- 
taief  Krest.  Being  out  of  provisions,  they  failed  in 
an  attempt  to  reach  the  Khroma,  and  were  com[>elled 
to  eke  out  an  existence  on  the  sea-coast,  devcuiring 
I'vcn  the  sl(,'dg(,'-dogs.  Vagin,  however,  still  intended 
111  j)rosecute  his  i'X|»lorations;  hut  his  Cossacks,  renieni- 
Ixiiiig  thcii-  sufferings,  t<»  prevent  a  repetition,  rose 
against  their  leader  and  murdered  him,  his  son,  tho 
guide  l*ermakof,  and  on<^  ])romyshli'ni!<.  Tho  crime 
w  .s  revealed  hy  one  of  the  accompli«'es  and  the  of- 
ciidi  IS  were  hroui»ht  to  iustice.  During  the  trial  it 
ap|M;n-ed  that  the  guid<.'  Vakov  I'ernuiUof  did  not 
helieve  the  supposed  large  island  to  \)v  ivally  an  island, 
hut  only  vaj)or. 

The  other  expedition,  that  from  the  Kolima,  met 
A\ith  no  hitter  success.  It  consisted  of  a  single  vessel 
coiiiittaiided  hy  the  Cossack  A'assili  Stadnkhin,  with 
twenty-two  men.  If((  merely  ohserve*!  a  single  jiioni- 
'•ntoiy,  extending  into  tl'e  sea  to  th«^  east  of  Kolima, 
surr(iuiide<l  hy  ice,  ini[)enetra,l)le  hy  their  vi'ssels.'' 

•'' 'I'liiv  nsoil  -hHil:!,  orlMUits,  tlu  ]>liil\U.s  of  wliicli  were  fnxtoiicd  tojrctlicr 
M-ilii  liiwliidi'  striijitt  iiiul  tlioiins.  'I'licy  iiuiusunil  al>o>it,  ;i()  tVet  in  lcn;;tli  iiiul 
I'J  In  t  Ininl,  viihu  lint  lK)tl()iii,culktil  with  inoM.    1 L  j  siiiis  coiisisti  il  ot  soft, 


t 


I        I 


80 


THE  CENTLTA'-MAKCn  OF  TITE  COSSACKS. 


I        I 


AnotluT  expedition  was  undertaken  by  'i  Coswiick 
named  AniossoK  Ho  started  in  \72'.i  with  a  parly 
to  search  for  an  island  reported  to  extend  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Yana  heyond  the  mouth  of  the  Tndiuirka. 
He  proceeded  to  the  Kolima,  and  was  jirepared  to 
sail  in  July  1724.  Accordint^  to  his  account  ho  found 
such  shoals  of  ice  before  liini  that  lie  chanjj^ed  his 
coursti  and  sailed  aloni^  the  coast  eastward  to  the  so- 
calle<l  habitation  of  Kopai,  which  he  reached  on  tlu! 
7th  of  Au*4"ust.  Hereai^ain  ice  drove  him  back,  and  he 
returned  to  the  Kolima.  The  dwellinLj  of  Kopai  was 
about  two  hundnd  versts  east  of  that  river.  Aniossof 
al.>o  mentioneil  a  small  i-^land  situated  near  the  conti- 
nent, anil  durinuf  th<i  followiuLT  winter  ho  made  another 
joui'ney,  with  sled^'es,  of  which  he  sent  an  account  lo 
the  chancellery  of  Yaksitsk.  The  rejjort  was  to  the 
ellect  that  on  the  "A  of  Xovendier  1724  he  set  out 
from  ^^lshnoie  Kolimskoio  Simovie,  and  met  with 
land  in  the  frozen  sea,  returniui;  to  Kolima  on  th(^2;i(l 
of  the  same  montii.  Upon  this  land  he  saw  nothini;- 
but  old  huts  covered  with  eaith;  it  was  unknown 
to  what  people  tliey  IxlunLjed,  and  what  had  be- 
come of  them.  Want  of  provisions,  and  especially 
of  dog-food,  had  obli<jfe<l  him  to  turn  back  without 
ujakinj^  any  fui'iher  discovei-ies.  This  journey  was 
also  imi)i'ded  by  lidges  of  ice  ])iled  to  a  g'lvat  height, 
\\hich  had  to  be  crossed  with  the  sledges.  The  j)lace 
where  Amossof  left  the  continent  to  go  over  to  the 
island  is  betwet-n  the  Chukotcha  and  the  Alisein, 
rivers.  It  was  an  island,  iii  cii'cunderenci!  about  a 
day's  travel  with  dogs,  and  about  the  samct  distanc( 
from  the  continent,  Vvln-nce  its  high  UKtuntains  can 
easily  1m)  seen.  To  the  north  were  two  other  islands, 
likewise  mountainous  an«i  sejiarated  by  nai'row  straits. 
Those  ho  had  not  visited  and  did  not  know  thi^ir  ex 
tent.    The  first  was  without  trees;  no  tracks  of  animals 


•Irc'ssed  vcindtier-skin,  ami  in  lAucc  i)f  ropt'u.  Btnipn  of  t'lU-nkiii  were  used.  Tli 
fliii'liiit'M  Writ!  jiiruM  of  wood,  to  \\ liicli  lioivv  Htoiii'8  wvvv  fiisti'iicd.  MuUi r' 
I'vi/.,  liitrotl.,  xviii. 


ILVMCIIATKA  REACIirD  BY  SEA. 


81 


n  C(>sy;ick 
tU  a  iKU'ty 
(1  from  tlic 

pn'pan'fl  to 
lilt  ho  I'ound 
•haiij^cd   I'.i^-i 
(I  to  tlic  so- 
chcd  oil  tlio 
l);ick,!Ui(llie 
t'  Kojiai  Nvas 
?r.    Aniossot' 
:ar  the  coiiti- 
iiiulc  aiiothor 
111  account  to 
t  was  to  the 
jl  ho  sot  out 
u(l  met  Nvith 
lui  on  tht!2;')d 
.  saw  nothiii;,;' 
vas  unknown 
lilt    ha(l_  he- 
ld (spocially 
ack  without 
jouvnoy  was 
'.•i-cat  hoij;ht, 
Tho  place 
)  over  to  the 
the   Alisei;i 
'ucc'  ahout  !i 
aine  distance 
lounlains  can 
othei-  iskmds, 
larrow  straits, 
now  their  ex- 
iks of  animal;^ 

(kin  wore  uscil.    Tli" 
fasU-ued.  MuU<r< 


were  seen  hut  those  of  reindeer,  whicli  live  on  niosr,. 
Tlie  olil  huts  had  heen  constructed  of  drift-wood  and 
covered  wi'Ji  eaith.  It  is  prohahle  that  they  had 
heen  made  hy  Vukagirs  or  Chukchi,  who  liad  lied 
hefore  the  iirst  advaiu-e  of  the  Iiussians,  and  suhse- 
(juently  ri'iuiiu-d  to  the  continent." 

Ivopai,  meiitioiiod  in  Amossof's  narrative,  Mas  a 
chief  amoiiLC  the  Shelaj^es,  liviii;^  at  the  mouths  of  the 
IColima  and  Ali.seia  rivers,  lie  iirst  ])aid  trihuto  to 
Jiussia  at  the  retjuest  of  A'^ilegin,  a  ])roniyshlenik,  and 
in  17:^4  he  paid  tiihutu  to  Amoss(j|'.  Suhseciueiitly, 
however,  he  liroke  his  allegiance  and  killed  some  of 
Amossof's  party. 

Tlie  fii'st  jiassai^c  hy  sea  from  OklK)tsk  to  Kam- 
chatka took  place  in  171G.  One  of  the  sailors,  a 
native  of  lloorn  in  Holland,  named  Bush,  was  alivo 
vv  hen  MiilKr  visited  Yakutsk  in  173G,  and  he  related 
to  him  the  circumstaiici's.  On  the  2'.U[  of  May  17I4 
a  ]>.'nty  of  twenty  Cossacks  and  sailors  arrived  at  Ok- 
hotsk under  command  of  Kosiiia  Sokolol".  These  were 
lollowed  in  July  hy  some  c;ir|)enters  aiul  shipwri<,dits. 
T\h)  carpenters  Ijuilt  a  vessel  lor  soa-servico,  resem- 
hhni^  the  Ilussian  lodkas  in  use  hi-tween  Arkhangel, 
]'ustozersk,  an<l  \ovaia  Zemlia.  Tiie  vessel  was  (hi- 
lahle — lirty-oiu;  fi'et  loU'LJC,  with  eighteen  feet  heam,  and 
drew  when  laden  only  thiT'o  and  a  half  feet  of  water. 
]aiiharkinLj  in  .lune  17I(),  they  i'ollowud  the  coast 
uoith-easterlv  till  thev  camo  to  the  mouth  of  t!ie  river 
( 'la,  where  a  contrary  wind  drove  tluMn  aci'oss  (he  .sea 
to  Kamchatka.  The  land  first  sighted  was  a  j)romon- 
|t  liy  north  of  the  river  'i'ii^il,  where  they  cast  anchor, 
{^"iiie  w«'iit  ashore,  hut  found  only  empty  huts.  The 
il\;imchatkans  had  watched  the  ap[>roach  of  the  vessel 
find  tied  to  tlu^  mountains.  Tlie  navij^ators  a^'aiii 
Bet  sail.  j)assed  the  Ti'gil,  and  arrived  in  one  day  at 

"  Mfi!li  r  iliK'S  not  Kit-ni  to  liiiv<»  j)l;ircil  nnuli  fiiitli  in  Ainossofn  n|iiirt. 
II'' t:\|ii(  s;(  s  til)' (i]iiiiii)n  tliat  it  «a»  Iraincd  to  hrr\r  juivutc  imiiium's  uml 
•iil)si'miintly  altciuil  tusuit  ciiLunistanci'N.    If//.,  lutioil.,  xx. 


If 


1 

,1 

'I 

(J; 

!    1 

t,  ■ 

I  i 

I  i 


i     s 


83 


THE  CENTURY-MARCII  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 


tlic  mouth  of  tlio  little  river  Khariiizobka,  in  the 
vieinity  of  two  small  islantls,  Fiom  Kliarinzobka 
they  went  the  following  day  to  the  river  Itcha,  keep- 
in<;  tin;  sea  at  niiiht  and  making  ft»r  the  land  in  the 
morning,  llei-e,  again,  some  men  were  put  ashore, 
luit  they  could  iind  neither  inhabitants  nor  houses. 
They  soon  returned  and  the  vessel  sailed  (l(»wn  the 
coast  till  they  came  to  the  river  Krutogorova.  They 
inten<led  to  make  this  river,  but  missed  its  mouth, 
ami  linding  a  convenient  bay  a  little  to  the  south 
tliev  anchored.  On  searching  the  countrv,  they  met 
witli  a  girl  who  was  gathering  edible  roots  in  the 
iield,  and  she  showed  them  some  huts,  inhabited  by 
twelve  Kamchatka  Cossacks,  stationed  tiiere  to  receive 
tribute.  The  Cossacks  were  sent  foi",  and  servetl  as 
guiiles  am.!  inter] ire ters.  The  vessel  was  then  brought 
to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Kompakova,  and  it  was 
resolved  to  winter  there.^ 

Earl}-  in  ^Tay  1717  they  put  to  sea,  and  on  the 
fourth  day  became  lodged  between  fields  of  ice,  an<l 
■were  held  theie  for  over  five  weeks.  At  last  they 
re'jfained  the  coast  of  (Mihotsk  between  the  river  Ola 
and  Tanisky  ostrog,  where  they  stayed  several  days, 
and  then  retuined  to  Okhotsk  al)out  the  middle  of 
July.  From  that  tinu;  there  was  constant  ni'vigation 
between  (Jkhotsk  and  Kamchatka. 

In  171i)  the  Ivussian  government  sent  two  naviga- 
tors or  surveyors,  Ivan  V'evreinof  and  Fcdor  Lushin, 
to  make  geogi'aphical  observations,  and  specially  to 
fiiKJ,  if  possible,  among  the  Kurile  Islands  the  one 
fiom  which  the  Japanese  were  said  to  obtain  gold  and 
silver.  They  arrived  at  Yakutsk  in  May  1720,  crossed 
over  to  Kamchatka  the  same  summer,  and  leturned 
to  Yakutsk  in  1721.*     Y^evreinof  left  Lushin  in  Sibc- 

'  During  the  stay  of  Sokolof  nntl  liush  on  tlie  Kompakova,  a  wliale  vm3 
onHt  ashore,  \vhic'li  had  in  itH  Itoily  a  harpoon  of  Europuaa  niaku,  niarketl  with 
KuMiaa  k'ttfi-s.   Mitllir's  I'nj/.,  liilrod.,  xlii. 

•■'J'he  itKultH  weiT  kept  m'cri't  an<l  ^Uilll'^  ooiihl  not  ^vt  aocess  to  tlii'if  in- 
struetions.  so  that  nothing  more  i»  known  about  thia  voyage.  JJtttli  r^s  f  "//•) 
Iutro<l.,  xliii. 


f 

t 
t 


THE  AMERICAN  SIBERIA. 


88 


ria  and  proceeded  to  Russia  to  report  to  the  tsar,  tak- 
in<«-  with  hiiu  a  map  of  the  Kurile  Islands  as  tb.r  as  he 
had  exj)l<)red  them.  For  the  next  tiirey  years,  that  is 
to  sav  to  17-4,  rumors  and  ideas  concerning  the  east 
assumed  more  and  more  detiniteness  in  Kamcliatka, 
and  at  Okhotsk,  Yakutsk,  and  otlier  Russian  settle- 
ments, at  last  reachinjjf  Moscow  and  St  Petersburg, 
there  to  find  attentive  listeners." 

Ol)viouslj  the  Great  Land  opposite,  if  any  such 
there  was,  would  present  aspects  quite  different  to  the 
tough  C(jssacks  and  to  the  more  susceptible  Europeans 
from  the  south.  The  American  Siberia,  this  farther- 
most north-west  was  once  called,  and  if  to  the  Amer- 
ican it  was  Siberia,  to  the  Siberian  it  was  America. 
The  eastern  end  of  Asia  is  lashed  by  the  keen  east- 
ci-n  tempests  and  stands  bleak  and  bare,  without 
vegetation,  and  the  greater  j)art  of  the  year  wrapped 
in  ice  and  snow.  Tlie  western  shores  of  America, 
tiiough  des(»latc  and  barren  enough  within  the  limits 
of  Bering  sea,  arc  wonderfully  dilferont  where  they 
are  washed  by  the  Pacific  and  protected  from  the  east 
bv  high  <'hains  of  mountains.  Here  they  are  o})en  to 
tiii3  mild  westerly  winds  and  warm  ocean  currents; 
tliev  have  a  damper  climate,  and,  in  consequence,  a 
more  vi"'orous  jxrowth  of  trees  and  i)lants.  In  com- 
])aratively  high  latitudes  they  are  eovered  with  tine 
I'orests  down  to  the  sea-shore.  This  is  a  contrast 
which  rej)eats  itself  in  all  northern  countries.  The 
ludtr  Sweden  in  the  east  contrasts  in  a  like  manner 
MJlh  the  milder  Norway  in   the   west;    the  desolate 


"  Miillcr  relates  '  that  in  the  year  1715  tin  re  lived  ;it  Kamchatka  a  in;in  of 
a  foiiiu'ii  nation,  wlio,  upon  account  of  tlie  Iviinicliiitliaii  ocilariiuta  ami  tliu 
Inw  t-ldiilis  on  whii^h  they  glow,  saiil  that  he  laniu  from  a  cinuitry  to  the  cast 
V  hero  ihcic  were  large  cciL'  ■>  which  bore  lii;;;,'er  nuts  than  tlio.'sc  of  Kam- 
cliatka ;  til  It  hi.s  country  was  L-tuatcil  to  the  caat  of  Kamchatka  ;  that  there 
Avero  foiMul  in  it  jjreat  rivers  where  ho  livid  whiili  <lischar,'i'(l  tiiem.sehe.s 
wesiward  into  the  Kaiiicluitkan  sea;  tiiat  the  inliahitJints  callcil  tliemHclvei 
'I'ontoli:  they  reseinl)!eil  in  their  manner  of  livin;,' the  jieople  (;f  Kameliali»a 
and  made  use  of  fikiii  l)oat.s  or  Ixtlilarr-i  like  those  of  the  Kanuhadales.  That 
m.iny  years  ii.;i>  he  went  over  with  some  more  of  las  eounlr\;ucn  to  Kara:;- 
iiiskoi  osticiw  ulnre  hi.s  coinitanionn  weie  slain  liy  ih''  inhahiiunt.s  and  ho 
uloiio  made  Ium  escape  to  Kuiiiciiutku.'  I'oy.,  iutrud.,  xxviii. 
Uisr.  AukHKA.    a 


r    I, 


34 


THE  CENTURY-MARCH  OF  THE  COSSACKS. 


eastern  coast  of  Greenland  buried  in  polar  ice,  with 
its  western  coast  inhabited,  and  at  times  gay  with 
flowers  and  verdure.  Thus  the  great  eastern  coun- 
try, the  hohhaia  zemlin,  rich  in  harbors,  shelter, 
woods,  and  sea  and  land  animals,  might  well  become 
l)y  report  among  the  north-eastern  Asiatics  a  garden 
of  paradise. 


'I  f 


i    f 


« 


CHAPTER   III. 


THE  KAMCHATKA  EXPEDITIONS. 

1725-1740. 

PrnrosEs  or  Petek  the  GnEAT  -An   Expedition  Oroanized— Sets  orr 
FKoM  St  PETEusiirud— Death  ok  thk  Tsau— His  Effokts  Seconded 

BY  CaTIIEKINK   ASU    Ki.IZAIIETH  — IJEKINd  AXI)   ChIKIKOF   AT  KAMCHAT- 
KA— They  Coast  Xokthwakd  thkoi  (;h  JSKKisci  Stkait  and    PiiovK 

A.HIA  TO   HE   SeI'AKATEI)  Fllo.M  AmeIUCA — AUVENTIKES  OF  SlIE.STAKOK— 

Expedition  of  Hens,  Fkhohof,  anp  (Jvozdef — America  Siohteu-Ok- 

OANIZATION    OF    THK    SECOND    (iKNEKAI.    Exi'KDITION-  15l  UI.IciOHAI'HV— 

pEiisoNNEi-oF  THK  Expedition — IJKitrMi.CiiiiiiKoF,  Spaniikk(i,\\  ai.ton, 

CUOVEKE,  STELLEK,  Mi  LLEIl,  FiSHEK,  AND  UTIIEKS— lllSSIAN  IvKLKlION    - 

Easy  Mouai.ity  —Model Missionaries — The  Lonh  \\'KAiiY  Way  Aciio.^s 

SlDEKIA— ClIAKCilW  AliAINST    BeKI.NO — AUKIVAL  OF  THE   EXPEDITION  AT 

Okhotsk. 

Thp:  excessive  niriosity  of  Peter  the  Great  extended 
further  than  to  iship-builcHuir,  astrouoiny,  and  <;eiieral 
<(e()gra[)liy.  Vast  as  was  the  addition  of  Siberia  to 
the  Russian  cin[)ire  tliere  kiy  soniethinj^  more  beyond, 
still  indistinct  and  shadowy  in  the  world's  mind,  and 
tht!  astute  Peter  determined  to  know  what  it  was. 
The  sea  of  Okhotsk  had  l)een  found,  and  it  was  iti  the 
same  latitude  as  the  l^altie;  the  ostroj,^  of  Okhotsk 
luul  been  built,  and  it  stood  upon  almost  exactly  the 
s.iini'  i)arallel  as  St  PetersburLf.  Mii^ht  not  there  bo 
I'T  hnn  an  American  Russia,  as  already  there  was  a 
European  and  an  Asiatic  Russia?  And  might  not 
this  new  Russia,  occupying  the  same  relative  position 
to  America  that  the  old  Russia  did  to  Europe,  be 
worth  more  to  him  than  a  dozen  Siberias?  He  would 
see.  And  he  would  know,  too,  and  that  at  onct>, 
whether  the  continents  of  Asia  and  America  joined. 


l! 


% 


■li: 


!       I 


30 


TIIK  KAMCHATKA  i:XJ'i:i)iTIONS. 


Tills  would  1)0  fi  ufood  f»j>|t()rtuiiity  likcv.iso  to  try  liis 
iM'W  ships,  liis  ijcNV  (liscijdiiio,  ami  see  what  tlio  skilkd 
j^iiivN'iiK'ii  whom  Ik'  had  invited  iVom  Austria,  and 
Prussia,  and  Holland  could  do  lor  him.  ^J'hcro  were 
many  around  him  whom  his  eiithusiasn)  had  inspired, 
!;nd  who  wished  to  try  their  mettle  in  strange  ad- 
Acnture. 

Such  were  tlie  thoULjhts  arlsin«^  in  the  fertile  hrain 
of  the  great  I*eter  which  led  to  what  may  Ix-  called 
the  two  Kamchatka,  expeditions;  that  is,  two  prin- 
cipal expeditions  IVom  Kamchatka,  with  sc\cral  sub- 
ordinate and  collateral  voyages,  the  lirst  of  which 
was  to  asci'rtahi  whether  Asia  and  Aujcrica  joined  or 
were  8ej)arate,  and  the  second  to  thoroughly  explore 
I'astern  Siberia,  to  discover  and  examine  the  American 
coast  opp(»site,  and  to  learn  sonuithing  morc^  ot"  the 
]vuriU;  Islands  and  Japan.  iJoth  exploiations  wei'e 
undir  the  eonunand  of  Vitus  JJering,  a  J)anish  caj»- 
tain  in  the  Ilussian  service,  who  was  engaged  on  the 
iii-.^t  about  live  yeai's,  the  second  series  occupying 
some  sixteen  years,  not  wholly,  however,  under  this 
conunander. 

l\)r  the  guidance  of  his  admiral.  Count  Apraxin, 
the  tsar  drew  U[)  instructions  with  his  own  hand. 
Two  decked  boats  were  to  be  built  at  Kamchatka, 
and,  to  assist  leering  in  the  commaJid,  ruiutenants  Mar- 
tin S[)anbirg  and  Alexei  Chirikof  were  ajiixjinted. 
Other  otlicers  as  well  as  ship-builders  and  seamen 
were  chosen,  and  on  Februai-y  a,  17"jr),the  expedition 
set  out  ovi'iland  through  Siberia.  Thi-ee  days  there- 
alter  the  monarch  died;  but  his  instructions  we're 
i'aithf'ully  carried  out  by  his  succes.sors,  Catherine  the 
wile  and  Elizabeth  the  daughter. 

^luch  ti'ouble  was  experienced  in  crossing  the  con- 
tinent, in  obtaining  provisions,  and  in  making  ready 
the  ships;  so  that  it  was  not  until  the  *21st  of  August 
1  7'J7  that  jeering  with  Chirikof  set  sail  in  the  Furtiniti. 
tV<»m  Okhotsk,  for  the  southern  t^nd  of  the  Kamchut 
han  peninsula,  where  by  July  of  the  following  year 


r.nrjxo's  iin.-^.T  V(yv.\<;n. 


.17 


tlu'V  Im'l  rc'idv  auotlicr  vi'ssci,  the  (Inrril,  or  Calnlol. 
Lcjiviiij,'  till-  liver  KMimliatka  tlio  L'Oth  of  July,  tlu-y 
coasted  the  eastern  sliui-eof  the  |)eiiiiisula  iiortliwani, 
lill  oil  the  Stll  of  AuL,'Ust  tliey  r<)UII(l  tlielMSclves  ill 
latitude  CI'  .".o',  at  the  I'iver  Anadir.  The  Chukehi 
there  told  tlxiM  that  after  roundiuLj  I'jist  (^api^  tin? 
<'oast  turned  toward  tlie  west.  ContiMuinij,  <li<y 
jiasscd  and  named  St  Fiawrenee  Island,  and  the 
h'lfh  til'  Au'j^ir-t  tluy  wt-re  in  latitude  (17  is',  haviii;^ 
|iassed  the  east rmniost  jtoint  of  Asia,  and  throii^di  the 
strait  of  IJerinLi^.  There  the  coast  turned  al)ru|>tly 
westward,  as  they  had  heeii  told.  11'  it  continued  in 
that  direction,  as  was  more  than  pi-ohahlc!,  Asia  an<l 
Aiaeiiea  weiv  not  united.*  IJerin^'s  mission  was  ae- 
complislied,  and  he  therefore  returned,  reach iuLj  Ivam- 
chatka  in  Septemher. 

]n  c«»unection  with  this  first  voyaLj*'  of  Heriu'nc,  two 
expeditions  wire  undd-taken  in  the  sanu;  dire<-tiou 
under  the  au.-jiiees  of  Afanassiy  Shestakof,  a  chief  of 
the  \'akutsk  Cossacks.  This  hold  man,  whose  energy 
was  of  that  I'eckless,  olistinate  typ*'  that  knows  no 
<lcteat,  Weill  to  St  I V'teishiir^- and  made  .several  ]>ro- 
]»osals  to  the  senate  I'orthesuhjectiouof  the  inde[:endent 
("hukclii  and  Koriaks  and  the  unruly  Kauichatkaiis. 
The  elo(pienc(!  with  whirji  he  advanced  his  scheiiK! 
jiiocured  him  apj)lausc  and  siu'cess.  I  le  was  a])poiiited 
chief  of  an  ex[)e(lition  in  which  toaccoiii|»lish  his  heart's 
desire. 

The  admiralty  aj)pointed  a  Hollander,  Jacoh  Hens, 
jiilot;  Ivan  l'\'doi'of, .second  incomm.uid.  .Nf ikhaYl  (Jvo/- 
def,  "  t;(M)desist,"  or  surveyor;  I  lerdchal,  searcher  of 
oics,  and  ten  sailors.  He  was  t<»  proceiul  hotli  l>y 
land  and  hy  sea.  I*'rom  the  arsenal  at  ( 'atherinel)urL% 
Sihciia,  he  was  to  \)o  provided  w  itii  small  cannons  and 
mortars,  and  ammunition,  and  a  <'aptain  of  the  Siheiiau 
rej^Miiicnt  of  dragoons  at  Tobolsk,  J)uiitri  ravlul/ki, 

'  Miillir,  Voy.  4,  is  in  i-rmr  wIumi  lie  nays  tliat  'tlic  ciicumstanccs  on  \\ Iii(  U 
Uic  caiitiiiii  ftuiiiili'il  his  ju(l„'iiifiit  wore  false,  hi-  luiut;  ll'i'"  i"  »•  ''a.V  "liuli, 
altln)ii>,'li  u\w.  shoiu  <liil  tifinl  to  the  west,  the  opposite  .slii.re  ran  aj^aiu  tti  tlio 
t;ast.'    Ikiiiiy'a  HupiKjsitioiwi  Were  contjct  iu  every  iMurtieiilur. 


m 


>    h 


:|l 


i 

1 


ss 


TIIK  KAMCHATKA  KXrHDITION'S. 


^v.•;.s  (l^^'n■ll  to  jui'-,  liim,  cadi  rocfiviiiL,''  CDiiinianfl 
<:\(  r  WfAV  Iiiiiulrcd  Cossicks,  wliilc  at,  the  same  tiiiir 
all  lilt'  Cossacks  stallomd  in  osti'o'^s  and  siuiorirs,  of 
Y.iiitcr-(|iiarti'rs,  in  tlio  CliuUclii  district,  wrw  |tlac»'i| 
at  their  disposal.  Witii  these  iiistruet ions  Sht.'stakol* 
roiurned  to  Siberia  in  .luiie  I7"J7.  At  Tobolsk  he  re- 
mained till  late  in  Xoveinher,  wiutcicd  on  the  U|i]ier 
li  iia,and  arrived  at  \'ak".tsk  the  next  sum  niei-.  'I'here 
a  dispute  ai'ose  hetwei'U  She^takol'  and  l';ivhit/ki. 
v.Jiifh  caused  theii-  se])aration.  In  1 7"J'.)  Shestaliol" 
Mr'iit  to  Okhotsk  and  there  took  jiossessioii,  jbr  the 
]>ur|ioses  of  his  exjx'dilion,  of  the  vesst  Is  with  wliicli 
JJiiinn"  ''•"'  lately  retuiMied  iVoni  Ixamdiatka.  On  the 
1st  of  Septt  inlK'l-  he  des]iatche(l  his  cousin,  the  s>/,i- 
hnt/<irs/,''\in-  hastai'd  nolilc,  I  van  Shestakot",  in  the  ( liinil 
to  the  l»i\«  !•  I'd,  whence'  he  was  t<»  |»roceed  to  Ivain- 
oluitka  anti  hei^in  exploi-ations,  while  he  himseir  sailed 
iii  ill"-  /•'./■/////(/.  This  \rssel  was  wi'ecke(l  near  Tauiski 
ostioM-,  and  nearly  all  on  hoard  ]ierished,  Shestakoi 
harely  saxiuL,'  his  life  in  a  canoe.  With  a.  small  rem- 
nant of  his  men  and  some  iViendly  Tuii'^iises  and  Kor- 
i.Ml.s  he  set  out,  for  Iviuiehatka  on  foot,  i)Ut  on  the 
I  nil  of  March  I7.">()  he  was  over] towered  ne;ir  the 
_L;iiir  of  j'cnshinsk  I»y  a  numeidus  hody  of  Chukchi 
}':id  recilvcd  a  mortal  wound.  ( )nly  three  days  helbri' 
this  Shestakoi'  lind  sent  oi'dei's  to  Tmiiski  osti'oLC  th.it 
the  ( 'ossack  'I'ryl'on  Ivru'iiscln T  should  enihark  t'oi- 
]Jol.sherit>k  in  a  scM-^oiu^'  \cssel,  thence  make  his 
way  rouml  the  southern  point,  of  t!ie  j»eninsuln,  tou<'h 
at  Nishekainchiitsk,  and  jiidcccd  to  the  ii\-er  Ana- 
(!ii-.  Tlu!  inliahilaiits  of  the  "  lar^c  c(»unti'y  lyin^ 
opposite  to  this  liver"  he  must  ask  to  pay  trihutu  to 
llu^-sia.  (iso/d.l'.  till'  na\  i^'ator.  was  to  l»e  take)i  on 
IxKiid  it  he  ilesii'tid,  and  shown  «'Very  lespect. 

Al'ter  hattlin'4  with  advers»>  winds  and  misl'ortuiK^s 
j'or  ahout  two  years,  the  e\|iIoi'ers  passed  northward 
alon'4'  the  Asiatic  slioi-e.  hy  the  <j^uir  of  Anadir,  noting 
till'  I  )iomede  Islands,  and  piihaps  catchiii!^^  a  j.;linipse 
oi'tlie  Ami  lican  shore.     The  K  adi.'1's  were  (]iiarrt.-llinL; 


WHAT  MIKHAIL  (JVOZIMCF  SAW. 


80 


1  coinniand 
Hjuuc  tiuK; 
sniioi'ics,  or 
vri'c  |»l;ic('(| 
i  Slicstakol" 
)i»lsk  lie  rv- 
\   (lie   Up]icl- 

IK  r.    Tlit-rc 

l';tvliit/ki. 

SIicstal\(»r 
iiiii,  I'lii"  the 
with  wliirli 
ka.  Oil  the 
in,  tlir  .s'////- 
1  ( 111'  ( Id rril 
■<l  to  Kani- 
liiscir  sailed 
lear  Taiiisl^i 
,  Shfstukol 

small  iH'ih- 
■s  aii<l  Koi- 
iait;  oil  the 
tl  iM;ir  the 
of  Chukchi 
(lays  het'ori' 
ostroLj  that 
eiiihark  lor 
1-  liKike  his 
islll.j,  touch 

ii\'cr  Aiia- 
.iniry  lyiuL; 
y  trilmtu  to 
he  takc)i  oil 
eet. 

lllisloi'tuiies 
!  northward 
a»lir,  Motiii;4 

I'^r   ;i    MliuijtSl' 

(]UaiTelUiiy 


: 


yy-. 


li 


A ' 


'./\.-. 


1^1 


\   ■  I. 

I  .' 


. 


r 
til 


o 

I 


c 
;» 

o 


o 

I 


z 


/ 


/-sit  %  / 


) 


^.^^'Jv    « 


rK  y& 


c^ 


:r. 


'Ji 


P9 


N.  2 :  iP  i 


«  ! 


K 


m 


^ 


40 


TIIK  KAMCHATKA  EXrKDITIOXS. 


!-l| 


J  i 
] 


ft. 


if 


rontiiiujilly,  mikI  l'^e(l<»n)f,  the  ii;ivin-;it<>i'  in  cDinuiand, 
was  lame  and  couliiu'd   t(»  his  ln-d  diiriiin"  in-arlv  all 
tlu;  voyajj^t'.     (  Mi  tlicir  rctiuii  (<»  Kaiiicliatka  tlicy  iiiadi 
tli(>  most  coiitradictorv  statements  lieloi-e  I  lie  autlim 
ifies.    From  (l\(>zdel's  re|K»i-t  we  are  told  that  at  sonn 
time  durinLf  tlie  year  17:!()  he  lonnd  himselC  hetween 
hititude  (I.")"  and   iU>  ,  "on  a   strange   coast,   sitnadd 
opposite,  at  a,  small  distance  IVoni  the  conntry  ol"  th 
( 'hnkchi,  and   that  he  I'ound  people  there,  hut  could 
not  speak  witli  them  (of  want  ol'an  interpreter.'"-' 

'i'lie  land  e.Npedition  was  more  successl'id.  in  S(|i- 
temher  I7e()  .lacoh  liens,  the  pilot,  ri-cdved  inlelli 
«;ence  from  Pavlntx.ki.  dated  at  Xislmekolimsk,  to 
thi^  oirect  that  Shestakol's  death  wouM  nt»t  delay  the 
expedition,  liens  was  to  i^o  with  one  of  the  \es 
seis  lel't  at;  Okhotsk  l»y  llerin-^-,  to  tlu'  river  Anadir, 
t(»  tlu!  head-waters  of  which  l'a\lut/ki  was  sjiortly  ti> 
march.  Wheri'Upon  I  lens  pii iceedcd  in  i\\c  ( I'lirri/  \i> 
the  mouth  of  the  Kamchatka,  where  he  ariixcd  in 
July  I7.'M,  and  was  told  that  a  rehellious  Iwuid  of 
Kam<'hatkans  had  conie  to  Nishnek;imchatsk  ostricj. 
Killed  most  of  the  L'ussi.nis  there,  and  set  lire  to  the 
lioiise.s.  The  few  remainini^  iJussiaiis  took  shelter  la 
the  vessel,  and  liens  sent  men  and  reduced  the  Ivam 
<-h;itkans  to  ohrdience.  This,  however,  |ire\(nted  his 
j^(»in;4  to  the  ^Xnadir  lii\i  r. 

'MhIIii-'h  I'kii'KJi  1,  S  11.  Of  tll<'  r(illilM!lll(lif  (if  tlli:*  rXlU'(lilii)Il,  Iv.lll 
l''i'i|(il'iif,  \\v  liavc  lillt  liltlc  infot'lllllliiill  li<\ili<l  tlir  t'lU't  tli.ll  lie  iliril  III 
l''rlii  iiiii'V  IT'I-I.  iiml  tlitit  lie  hail  licii  uitli  .^li<'staki>t's  ('\|ir(lili(iii  in  IT'JT: 
til, It  III'  liail  liri  II  niiliii'il  III  jiiiii  liiiii  lii;:('tli<r  \\h\\  till'  inati'  ilrliM,  .'i:i>l 
tlic  hiii'vi  V(ir  (i\ii/i|i  I'.  Jlis  ri>iii|>aiih>ii  ainl  a—iiHl.-mt,  ami  liiially  Miii't'SN^i' 
iti  riiliiliiaiitl,  .Mikhail  S|>ji  hl>>li<i\  irli  I  n'o/ilil',  li(';.'aii  Ills  ciliicat  inn  ill  ITHt.  at 
till'  s<li<iii|  iiC  iiavii.':itii>ii,  mill  in  ITIil  atti  ihIhI  tlic  St  I'di  islun;,'  Nav.il 
Aiadt'iiiv,  Ixiii;:  in  tlir  .•*iir\«>  iiii;  rlasn.  In  IT'.!!  lu'  wn'<  ^t'lit  mi  (^ovfi'iinuii' 
duty  til  Niimi;^'1|imI,  wlifif  In-  ii'MiaiiK'il  'ill  ITJ'V  In  ITJ7  In' ^'i!n'ii:ito>l  a  < 
biiiM'.Vor,  ami  was  unit  In  Silirria  to  juin  SImmI.iI.  >\.  Alu  r  lii  <  I'Niilur.itiiiii  in 
!'•'  I  iii>;  Mr.iit.  lit'  was  arrcstril  in  I7;t.'<  liy  iIk'  u'i'^i'II'T  ol  Sihci  ii  at  'rulml  i>, 
1l;i(ill  nil  ri  rolicoim  iii'i'ilHalliiii,  ainI  Sfiit  l>a('k  tn  OiJiiit>k  ill  ITilli.  In  ITU 
III'  r\|il<ii'i'il  a  I  III  Hiirxi'Vi'ii  till'  t  Ikliot.'tiv  i'i>a>t  lor  '.'IK  I  \i'rr<ts  Miiitliwanl,  iiinl  i!i 
171-  li<'  ari'oiiipaiiicil  iiiiili»lii|>iijiiii  Sriii'ltiii';  to  tlic  Miaiitar  JNlttiiil-i,  at  lli'' 
iiioiitli  of  till'  AiiiiMii'.  Allii'  till'  <li)il>a!iiliiirnt  of  tin  I'ianu'liatka  <'\|>i'iliti<'K 
III'  rem.'. mill  in  Siliiiia  till  I7'>-I.  mIk'ii  hr  wa.i  a|i|>olnU'i|  triii'ln  r  in  tiir  nav-l 
4oi|iHof  I'aik'iM.      Till'  ilali'  of   liin  tli^itli   Is    iml    klloWli.    /.'(//"'•■'^ <',  ////'//•"(/cni  • 

4'li' slvijo  l>i /iiirtiiiiii  iiiii,  ix.  7>  •"<7. 

Jt  in  jio.'i.iilili'  t!iat  (iviiiiiit't'it  viiy*),'!.'  wiut  of  {,iratLr  iiiiiHutaiii'i  tliun  th'^ 


poininiuid, 
■  iicaily  nil 

.  (lirV  llKldr 

lit'  autli<»r- 

lilt   Jlt    S<»lll<' 

•ir  hctwiiii 
^t,  situ:iti',l 
IltiA   ol"  til  • 

'.   l)llt,    coilll 

iri'ttT."" 
I.      ill  Siji- 
iv»'<l  iiilcHi 
l;i)!imsk,   1" 
)t  (I. -lay  tlir 

..r  till'  \<'s- 

V(  r  Aiiadii', 
IK  slmrtlv  li' 
lu*  (I'lirnl  ti> 
.!  aiiivi-d  in 
|ius  liainl  til 
si;  ( tstr<  »'-!.'• 

lil'f    to    <lli' 

.  s!u'l(<T  ill 

(lie  lv;iiii 

•viiitoJ  liis 


•\)M(Hlii)ii.    Iv.iti 

l':al    lir   tlifil    i;i 

^K.litiiiii  in  I7-T-. 

'lliair    ll«Il^^,   aiiil 
lllially    hlUM'OHKiil' 

ciilitin  ill  I7l<t>  i'' 
'fi.  i^lmi;;   Niiv.il 
it  I, II  (;()\(i'iiiii'  ■■  ' 
hi'  ^'riiihiati'<l   1* 
\.^  iv\pliilatioli  \'i 
ilM'iii  at  'I'lilml   K. 
ill  I7:H'>.      li>  IT  1 1 
untii^Miril,  mill  I  > 
II    IsIiiimI'*,  lit  til' 
■halUil  rXlH'iliti'  i; 
II  Iw  r  ill  till-  nii^'l 

jiidi,  Itililiiiilf;    ■ 

j,..ili.ii<>  tliaii  ti  ' 


m 


ii::x.s  AM)  PAVi/JT.-^icr. 


«l 


?J.;inv  hilc  r;ivlut/l<I  Ii.id  :r.'i'iv<"<l  a(  A iiadiislcoi 
()^,t^(l■4•  ill  Sc|»l«'iiil)ri-  rr:'.<>,  ail. I  t!ic  rullDwiii;^' year  Ik; 
iiii(L'i1i»<'iv  .'I  caiiipiii.'^ii  ai^aiiist  tin-  (il)Ntiiiai('  ('IiiiU- 
rlii.  Oil  thr  l-tli  <>!■  March  I7;!l  lu-  jmt  in  motion 
Ills  cdIiiiiiii,  coiiiixisctl  iA'  'J! .")  IJiissiaiis,  h'lO  Koriaks, 
and  '■'(>  N'uka'^irs,  nioxiii'^  al(>ii<^'  the  head-watt  is  nl* 
s  line  <il"  the  iiDi-thfni  t rihiit.iiics  of  tlio  Aiiadij-,  aiiil 
ill. 11  tiiniiii!^  northward  to  the  coast  of  the  Arctic 
Alter  iiiar.liiii'4'  two  nioiiths  at.  the  I'ato  ol'  nhotit, 
1(11  vci'sts  a  day,  stopiHULC  l"r('(|iiciitly  to  rest,  J*a\- 
liit/ki  arris rd  at  tlu'  fVo/,(Mi  sea,  near  the  iiio'itli 
.ifa  i-ivcr.  l'"or  t\\.»  weeks  he  tra\'elie  I  eastward  ajoii'^ 
ill.' roast,  mostly  upon  the  ire  and  liar  iVoiii  the  shore. 
This  was  done,  jtrohahly.  lor  the  pur|)ose  nl"  ;i\  oidiniij 
;"!i  eiicMimter  with  tin-  iiativ.'s,  hiit  ;it  last,  on  tli.-  7t!i 
<  I  .lime,  a  iai'^e  hudy  of  (  jinkchi  \\;is  seen  advanein;^', 

uiitcrndf  that  iktIimI  iisciilicil  tn  it.      lu  t!ii'  ymr  17  l"t  • 'I'lit-iiii  S|iiiiil><'i;:;  .>f 
riiiii;;'.*  .■\|i<'ili,ii)ii  was  I'liiiiliiissiciiicil  liy  tlic  iiiiiuiial  j^om'i  iiiiifiit  ti  illVi  r.- 
!;raU!  t!ic  |•l■^llll.^  uf  tliist  Viiya;;c.      In  rase  nf  a  tailiiri' ti>  ulitaiii  hali.-ilai'lin'y 
riliMiiiatiiiii,  Sjiaii'ifi;;  was  t.t  lakt?  ,'ciiiiiiiaii(l  ut'  aimtln  f  I'Xiniii.icMi  l')iv\ii'\v 
jMiil  oc'ii    '.  tlu'  wiirU  iif  <lv(i/i|i  r  ami   l''i'ili)ii)t'.     S|iaiili<'f;,'  r\iili  iilly  .'iitiTcil 
1  p  lU  I  ..i    ■!    ly  w  iili  lii:i  u-iiai  « in  r /y,  iiinl  as  ii|hi;i  liis  n|iiirt  tlio  iinln- 1  ir  ;i 
iiiw  I'   '.•   'ion   «as  «(piiiiti  rniaiiil' il  finin   St    I'lliT  Iiiii,;,  \\i'  iii:;y  «!iiii»«^it 
tiiiil  S|itiiib('r;;  lit  least  Was  sat  I  si  i.  1 1  tliiit  tlii^  iiifiiriiiatioii  ulitailiol  l>y  4  IVw.:.).  f 
..inl  IVil(ili>f  «as  wlli^l.u•tllIy.     Slialllicl;,' tuillnl  in  iiiMltliiii  til  two  (ii'IiosiliiintJ 
liiaili' t  I  (Ivii/dcf  nil  (111-  Mllij.M'l   an  nii'.iii.il  jouiiial  LcmI   liy  i'lclniiit'  iilnlii', 
I  'I'  III  1  own  lu'i  -"oiial  I'fiiiciiilii'aiii'''.'    \\  itii  tlii'  lit'l|nil'  tliisi'Mriinictit  ii  iliaiu 
\- .i<  1  oiii|iiic.l  liy  Spalili'i  ,'  undi'i'  ( ivo.'.lt  I'.s  Nii|irmniiiii.  iil'.isJraiivi;  <'f  lliii 
\<iviiL'<!  ill  .|ii.'slii>n.      'I'iic   flialt  was   liiially   liaiispiilt.'il    to    lli.i  nilliiival'y 
1   '111'  !!■.  wluTi'  ciiiiii  .s  were  «'\c('iit«'il,  lull  llu'  .iiiLJMal  f.iii  lin  luii'.'i  r  li.'  t'.tiinii. 
I.'i  lil<  jiiiii'iial  wi'  liiiil,  iit'dr  a  <li'taili'<l  a>'.  nratu  <l.'M'i'ijili<in  iif  t!ii'  iMoiiiiilo 
I  iaiiils,  li'a\  iiii;  iiii  nii'm  f,ir  ilmilit  rs  to  (ln'ir  iilnility,  ,iii  ciiliy  to  tlic  i  tiivt 
tliat  afiri'  laiiiii'j  I  nan  the  iiioulli  cf  tii.'  Anadir  llivt  i'  tluy  t-tt.'n  il  in  an  <  a:it- 
1  vly  diivi'lioii,  ,111(1  allrr  ^allill;;  li\c  days  Willi  f.iviiialilr  wind,  tlu  y  Haw  land 
c'l  ili.'T  U'it  xiilc  (imrtlicily  sill. 'I,  iind  Iio|h'(I  to  liiid  it  nil  i  land.     'I'lu'y  ni.vilo 
•  iiiniiy  inr  this  laihl,  imt  wlicii  tlicy  lind  iipiiroailnd  witliin  \\:M  a  Mist, 
I'l' ;.  saw  tliat  it  was  not  an  i.ilaiid,  Imt  a  <'on;iiiciil.     Tin;  coasl  was  mnd  r.iiil 
I  Iif!  ('  W.M'.'  dW(lllli'.;s  oil  til.'  xlioii',  anil  II  IlllMllMr  of  ]icoJili',      'riicn?  W;rt  u'::'» 
iiinlii'i'  tiM  this  laiul,  spriifr  and  lairli.    Tiny  coasUil  aloii^  this  land,  l..s  ;ii:i;( 
il  I'll  ihi!  U'M  side  till-  livr  da\s,  and   tlion,  hot   si-cjiil,'  Hi.'  .  nd  of  it,  llliy  .lid 
not  dare  to  j;o  iiny  tiirtliiT  in  that  dii'i'cti.m  lii'i'aiis.'   tli.'  wa'.T  Ihim'iih  t<r» 
^ll.l!l"vv  lof  tli.ii"  Mnall  .rait.     Tin'   s.iiii.'  Htatiiiii'iit   was  roiiliniu  il  in   th<i 
'!<  |io«itioii  of  .Sliiiiilihiii,  IX  nii'inlirr  of  tin-  .-spcditioii,  also  f\iiniin.  d  liy  Span- 
l"iV'.     <;\i)/.|«f,    I'ldorof,  ami    Sluiiikhin  a^'iri'   iti  tlui  htjin'im  iit   tli  t   t'lO 
naiivis.f  till'  'I'.tntiiH'iit'  11.^. si  ulun  hoats  r.iM'icd  on   lop  or  t'ln  l^il.iimt'd 
kiak,  whi.'ii  is  fonml  only  on  tin-  Anuriraii  sidf  of  Hi.-  Mtiait.     Th.-  <1«  swi  >- 
ti'Mioi   tin;  land  would   lit  will  tlio  I'oiiiitry  ahoiit  Noiloii  Sound,  tlin  «i:ii,' 
point  on  all  lliiit  I'Misl  wh.'ii'  the  tiinln  r  aiymurhi's  lli<'  .'lioif,     Tho  .•.lia'.liiv.' 
w.ilir  loiiii  1  piini;  to  lh<   h..uihwaii|,  w..nlc|  al-o  iinliiuto  thai,  tin  y  approa>  !u.il 
tin-   rt'iimikiihlr  hli..als  lyiii ,'  <  11    ih.-   iiioutli.,   ol   th.'   Yukon    l.iMr.   .V../ii«i';/', 
ialin-Hl,    Mm  •km  SJi'jfiiik,  |iuaallil. 


■^ 


42 


THE  KAMCHATKA  EXPEDITIONS. 


II 

I 

P 
fi 
•I 
|n    j 


1^ 


and  as  tlicy  would  not  listen  to  ]^lvlutzki'.s  KUinnioii> 
to  oliodicnci',  \h'  uttuckctl  and  put  them  to  iliglit. 
Altout  the  last  of  .June  an(»tlier  battle  was  I'oUijKi 
junl  with  the  same  result.  After  a  rest  of  three  davs 
the  march  toward  Chukotskoi  Noss  was  resumed,  hut 
another  laii,'er  hody  of  natives  was  met  with  there  ainl 
a  third  haltk,'  ensued,  duriuLj  whieii  some  articles  weir 
iccoveied  which  had  \)vv\i  in  possession  of  Sheslakol". 
]*avlutzki  claimed  this  en:L;aL,a'ment,  also,  as  a  victoiy 
and  declai'ed  his  total  loss  in  the  three  battles  to  ha\(' 
])een  but  three  liussians,  one  Yukaii^ir,  and  five  Ku- 
riaks  killed.  J  Jut  the  ('Iiukchi  ^^vv^)  by  no  niean^ 
subdued.  After  I'eaehiiii^f  the  capt^  the  exjieditioii  i(  - 
turned  ao'oss  the  countrv  in  a  south-easterly  diiectinn 
and  in  October  reached  ostren'  Anachi'skoi.''  I'a\- 
liit/.ki  fuially  died  at  Yakutsk  with  tlu'  I'aidv  of  voi\(i  1. 
]iis  exploiations  were  cai'iied  on  with  indomitab! 
eourai;('  and  rai'e  aliilitv,  an<l  altoL^etiiei-  his  acliic\i 
meiits  furnish  a  worthy  prehuK'  to  thosi-  <»f  inriii.; 
and  ( 'hirikof  a  few  years  latci-.  The  feat  of  marchin.' 
across  the  countiy  of  tlu)  warliki;  Chuki'lii  was  n.  t 
repeated  tii-l  half  a  century  later,  when  a  jiarty  und  i 
r.iHin'_;s,  not  as  an  army  defying;'  interfei'enct',  but  ;i- 
an  hiunble  e\|K'dition,  wei-e  sulfei'ed  to  [lass  by  t!i 
iijsdlcnt  natives,  who  robbed  them  at  every  Hte[)  willi 
jnipimity. 

The    second     Kamchatka    expedition,    under    t' 
auspices   of  t!ie   emj)ress    J']li;';alKth,    was    tlu^    ni<'-' 
l)i'illiant  ellbrt  towai'd  scic-ntilic  diseovt-ry  which  \\\ 
to  this  time  bad  birn  madi!  I»y  any  government.''     I 

'  ,l/i///( /•'•'  ]'i'ii.,   II    IT);  Coxr'n  /'iiK^irin  DhcovfrirM,  2;i7;  Ihirnry'H  (Vi  <■' 
Jilt..  I'JS  ;!7,  ilM*  <t  m'i|, 

'  riir  soiiiiis  (if  iiitiiriimtiiiii  I'liiii'ii'iiiiij^  tins  fXjKKlition  nrc  luimproiis,  '■  ■ 
iiut  iiiti'i,'!  tlu  r  satisl'actiirv.     'J'ln^  lii«t  mcnuiit,  liiicf  and  ulidlly  iiiiii  li.i 
V;i.-i  |iiilili>li(  cl  liy  till!   I'aii>i,'ili  ^'I'u^'iiiiilifl'  l)u  I, "Isle,  iu  IT.VJ,  in  ii  |iiiiji| 
ciititli'il  l,.i  /i/iitilidii  ill'  III  Ciiilr  ilfii  \iiiirillis  I  til  iiiiri  villi  nii  .Xor/I  (/<■  li    '■' 
(//(  Siiil.     Ill  I7."i;t  tlicTc  was  jirinti'il  at    iii'ilin,  nlsti  in   {"icmli,  jind  iiiim 
at«'ly  traiislatol  into  l'ji^'li>li  ami  ( li  rniaii,  tliuiiuii  ncvir  pulilislHcl  m  Uii 
II  I. I'll  I-  (i/ (I  Hii.-siiiii  .\itiiil  iiilinr,  wliiiji  was  ai'i'iilntl  («>  Miiller,  wlm 
trailh'tcti  till'  Ntati'iiit  iits  of  ])(•  J/l.--lc,  anil  finw  liis  own  vcrsicm.     l-My 
Ilia  Uio'jnuiltinvhi   uiid  Krit'ische  Smhr'nliti  n,  ii.  i4,  47,  ihikuvurs  to  j 


la 

no 


Hi, 


AIICTIC  fiEOGP.APHY. 


48 


s  sunnu(>i;< 

.vus  Iwu-l.t 
•ilirci;  ilavs 
L'SUllU'J,  l>»it 

as  a  victory 
ttles  to  liiivi; 
ii\(l  liviJ  K"- 
,y  no  nu'iiii- 
■  xiiedition  V'  - 
(ily  (lii-ucli"" 

rskoi.'     )**'^- 
uik  oi"  v«>iv«"l' 

V  iiuloinil:i'> ' 

Y  his  Mchiryr- 
,,se"  (.f  IWriiiu 
it  of  n»:uvl>iii: 
ukclii  was  M'  I 

I  |)iuiy  vind'i 

\.irnci".  but  a- 

.  J. ass  Ity  th 

vrrv  stLL  will 


xvas    tlif    IH'-' 
.i-i-y   \vl\i<l>  I'.; 

iVi'VMIlKMlt.''       I 

j;;7;    lliiriif'/x  '''' 

ion  nvc  Humorous.  !■ 
aiil  uh..lly  univlu 

rnii.li.  im.l  1111111 
,,ul.li^li''l '" ''"      ■ 
,1  t>.  Mull^'i'.  wli" 


wii  vt  rsinn. 


Kii'.'' 


17,  ludcuvoia  l"  I 


liii!>t  lir  111. nil.'  ill   iiiiiid  that    Sih^-ria,  discovi-n  d  and 

iiahhd    hv    the   C'ossacks    ill    the   sixti'ciith   (Tiitiirv. 

Sv.is  ill  tin-  carhn-  jiait  oi"  the  rii;htct'iith   hut    httlc 

Ivii'iwii   to   J'^uropean   liussia,  and  the   rej^iou    round 

vMiiIKr  ti>  111'  till'  iiiitlior  i.f  till'  Ii'ttiT.     Tu  1T.")S  MiilliT  piililislicd  .-i  v.iliiini' 
Jeii'i'liil   i  iniKiJn  I'li'l  Jlis'ortrii  i  <■/  llir   Jt'iissimis  in  the  Arrtir  Snt,   iii.il  Ilif 
■  rii  <  I.f  III,  in  l"'tli  111  riuiiii  iiml  Kil.--si;iii.  wlii.li  was  Iraiisliitt'il  into  liii;;- 
,i.-!i  III  1771.  !i:i(l  iiitii  l'"iriu!i  in  I77(>.     'I'lu-  vnliiini'  is  in-(iim|iiiiiii  «l  liy  iiiii|is, 
lit. I  .  •'\  lis  till'  entire  f,'ininiil,  witlmiit,  liiiwever,  j,'iiin_'  into  niinur  iletails,  i  nil 
iiliM.iit  iliiilii.'  jtisliL'e  til  the  \a«t  w.nU  |ieif..iine.l  liy  (lie  iittimlalit  siieiit  ists. 
-  w.is  tlieeiiii  1  ailtllDiitV  unlil  Sukulcf   tm.k  n|i  the  sillij.et   ill  II    lelii^tliy 

jiniiiiiiiiiatiiiii  t.>  the  Zapi.ski  ily  lriii:ia(i(hiskaj,">  I  iiiiartaiiienta  in  l>>."il. 
Ill    I  •>.'(>  aiiiither   lui.l   des   riiitinn    i.f    the   e\|.e,|iti.pn    was   tiillii-.iieil    liy 
\.hel',  miller   the    title   iif   Viiiliojn  of  Itutain d  .S'liiiil   M//V,-, /•.<   (';/    ///r   .l;'<7(V' 

.  h-i'iii  !',--'fl'i  l^ '/,.',  luiiiteil  in  viil.  iv.  nf  the  |iiililieatiiiii.s  of  the  Klls^iall 
i.iity  cle|iaitliirnt.      In  tiie  mean  time  other  ]iiililii;ilions  eo'iiieeleil  willi 

tCi'  ' '    iiitiiii,'  ti"iii  tile  e\]irilition,  tlioiiu:h  not.  tieiiiiiiy:  of  it,  a]i|ieari  il  .'it  \ari- 

<©ii  ii'iiis,  surli  as  tliu  /''li.ni  Silii  rifii,  liy  t  iiiielin,  |iiiMishiil  seiially  lietvvo'ii 
J7l''  ainl  I7'''.l;  -I  I '),'/';/''  fliriiii'ih  Silii  ri'i,  n].iit  iiy  (Imeii'i,  in  IT.i-;  A  liis- 
toi  ■  "I  Silieiia,  llinlei'  the  title  of  •S'liiiiiihiii'l  riii.^iii'/n  r  .ji srhirliti  ,i,  liy  Miiiler, 
ill  i,.ij  li;  !'( «rijili"ii  I  j'  I  III'  KiiiiKlidikii  i 'miii/ri/,  liy  Kiaslu  iinikof,  it;  IT.'i."; 
J/  ■  1-1/  !•/  Sihiri'i,  l.y  rislier,  in  17l>H  (this  was  in  (Jeiinan,  the  Jtiissiau 
tr.i'  lation  iiii|ieai'iii;,'  <iiily  in  1774);  Ih'siiiiit'iiin  n/ ihi'  Kumihuih'i  <'iiinil'-ii, 
\>\  "  >  n.  r.  ill  1771;  Ji'iiriiiil  if  n  i  Di/tuji'  irom  Knnuli'i'kii  In  .  I  »/(■/■/''.  i,  also  liy 
6i'  '■  r.  piililislieil  in  17!l.t,  in  /'nl/n-i,  S'(  m  .\i<ci/.  liiiir.;  .1  /iiini/nl  Ihiiriji- 
ti'      ifihr  Viiii'iijiH  friim  l/ii'  \\/iilv  Sen  Ui  i/if  tliilf  if  > il,i  apjH'areil  in  tlio 

,Ji,  ■  VkiihiJh  if  J.iill,!,  in  lS-_'();  in  1S41  Wiiinuell  jiilliiisheil  il  l'i:iiti;if  In 
'Ib''"''''   "'^'i  fri'Miii'iit  1 'lusioiis  to  tilt!   seeoml   Kam.liatka   exp.'ilitieii.      A 

Tfe«  .1  tii'le.s  on  the  results  of  till'  ex^ieilition  in  the  lieMs  of  n;itural  liistofy, 
■et  ij'. my,  anil  history  apiii  ateil  in  papers  of  the  linpeiial  Aeaileinv  of  Sei- 
^1'       ,iiiil  tliiMloennieiit.s  eoliei'teil   hy  M  iiller  fi'olil  t  lie  SilMji.i :.  ;irehi  Ves  for 

S,-  '  lory  of  Silieria  liavi!  lieeii  piililisheil  from  time  to  time  in  the  proeie.l- 
J.'  ■!  t!ie  iiMjH'iial  liii.ssiaii  liistorie.'il  ami  arcliM'ol'wical  .•oiiimis-ioii.  'I  lie 
II-  I.  i;ilile  Noiiree  of  iiilormalion  ii]ion  this  siiliji  i  t  has  lieeii  toiiiiil  in  tin; 
tkt'<  lis  of  the  Unssian  naval  ilepai  tiinnt.  'I'lie  iloeiimeiits  eonei  ruin;,'  the 
dpi)     ^  of   the  lleiiiiL,'  expedition  comprise  '2't  laru'i!  hiindles  of  over  Hi>,(>(l(» 

fH;  '    ;  these  iloiiimeiits  extend  over  a  perioil  of   17   yeais.  Iietween  I7'll)  and 
7l7      'J'lie  airhi\is  of  the  liydroL;rjpliie  deparliiient  of  the  Unssian  navy 
Milt  I  in  the  journals  of  naviL'.'itiun  of  nearly  all  tin'  mss-Is  eni'i^'ed.  all  in 
ai|ii    ■  only.     The  ori'.'inal  journals  and  maps  were  ,«eiit   in  I7."i4  to  Irkutsk 
'll  pl.Hi  d   in  the  liiinds  of   Miallef,  j.'(ivi  rimr  of  Silieria,  witii  ii  view  to  a. 
|U'    ptioii   of  llii'   l.iliors  of   the  expedition;    theliee   the   piipi'is   Were   traiis- 
J-i'!  11  l7.V.t  to  ( ioveriior  Saiiiiiiiiof  at  'I'oli.ilsk,  and  tiny  were  tiiially  j'ivni 
l..|,  alio\e  meiitioni  d,  l>y  N.  \.  Mnravi.  f,  ;/o\.  inor  jri  iieral  of  easti  rn 
L'ii;i,  for  the  piirfio>e  of  wriiiiiifan  aiH'oiiiit  of  the  expeilition.    The  I'reiitiT 
oi   these  iliH'imeiif.s  Were  copies  made   liy  pupils  of  the  naval  c.rps  of 
Bts  iiiid  of  the  nautical  iic'idemy,  and  tlioii;4li  written  dearly  and  care- 

tiny  liri;    fui!    of    e;.'re;.'ions    errors.       The   lollection    comprises   over  I'll) 

|\ls.  iipt   x.iliiines.      The   cipies  ot    the    ori'.'inal    llia|is  aceoinpaMyili;,'   the 

'   Were   also   carelessly  mad".      In   tlii>   iircliives   and    lilnary  of   the 

in.d  ac, demy  there  exist.s  tin;  no-called  '.Midler   I'ortl'olio,' contaiiiiiii,'  ii 

iiumlicr  of  reports,  letterN,  and   juirnals  of  meniliers  of  the  acadciiiy 

mpoiN  mi,' the  expedition,  written  in  Itiissian,  I^'reneh,  t  iernian,  mil  l,.itiii. 

jinils  iKival  jimi'iial  tound  in  this  collection  w.is  k«  nl   liy  .M.isfer  Kliiii'of, 

i<  the  most  valiialile  tiling  in  the  portfolio.     Sokoloi's  iieeoiint  of  the 

llld    Kaiacli.itka   e'^jiedilion   lie;;ili.;  with   '.he   f.illow  i;i'.'   dciicati'ii   .f    hi 

'   IVicr  tliu  (iiual;  'To  lliue  1   ikdiculc  li.id  Wuik,   to  tlm-  williout 


T 


«4 


TIi::  KAMCHATKA  KXI'KDITIOX^!. 


ii 


JvaiiH'TiMllcu  scarcely  ;\t  all.  The  maps  of  Ili(>  <l.iv 
Avc'iv  problematical,  'i'lic  .><'iMi-;^cnLjia|)liic;il  mission 
of  tlic  surveyors  Lu-liiii  and  Vrxrciiiof"  to  llic  Kuiilc 
l.-ilaiids  i;i  171 1»  lM  had  Ih-.m  harrtii  of  i-csiilts.  'i'lu- 
lij'st  ('Xi>((liliiin  ol'  IJcriiiLj  iVnm  \7'2')  to  I?;)')  had 
advanced  aloOL,^  the  river  routes  to  Okhotsk,  theiKi; 
l»y  sea  to  ]\.;iiii<'li;itka,  atid  iiortiiward  to  the  straits 
sul>si(|uciitly  iiaiiitd  al'ter  him,  l)Ut  made  lew  <lisc(»\- 
e)'ies  of  i!M[iei't;iIice,  (leteriiiiliili;^  the  astroMomicil 
|t(»sitioiis  of  ](oiiits  and  j>l;ices  only  hy  lat  itude  without 
JouLjitude,  hut  revealiiiL,'  the  trend  of  tile  Kamchatka 
coast  to  the  Morthwjird.  Tin- expedition  of  SIiestak«4' 
IVom  17'J7  to  I7:'._'  was  more  of  a  miht;irv  nature, 
and  resulted  in  little  seimtilie  informat ion.  The;  cn- 
ploration  ol"  liens,  i''edoi-of.  and  (ivozdef,  made  ahoi:t 
the  same  time,  was  scarcely  nioro  satisfactory  in  in 
I'esulfs,  thouLdi  it  seiA'ed  to  coiijirm  some  tilings  I'e- 
jioit((l  hy  JJeiiU'^f  durin'4  his  first  vovai^'e. 

Jiiissia  wislied  to  know  nioi-c  (if  tiiis  vast  uncovend 
n^L^io!),  wish<'d  to  map  its  hoiiudarics,  and  mark  ell' 
her  ^iaim.  'I'iie  ( 'aliiornia  eoa-t  liad  l>ren  explored 
as  far  as  ('ape  Meji(ioeino,  l»ut  over  tlie  l»ri>ad  ai(  i 
tilelice  to  tile  .\rclie  lilele  .stiii  \i\U\'^  tlie  i^feat  Xortli- 
<'rn  Mystery,'"  wit Ii  its  Aidan  Strait,  and  silver  moun- 
tains, and  diveiN  otlier  fahuloiis  tales.  Tlie  noillieru 
jtrovinces  of  .lapan  were  likewise  uid^nown  to  tli' 
eiili^^iilciird  World;  and  now  the  Muscovite,  who  iial 
sat  so  ion;_j  in  d.t  p  darkness,  would  ttiuli  e\nn  tin; 
t'i'lt  and  ."-^aNon  a  I  liiiiLT  or  two. 

Soon  after  tlif  rituiii  of  iJii-inLr  from  ids  first  cxp'- 
dilion,  namely,  on  ilic  ;;(uh  of  April  I7.*)(),  tlio  com- 
mander presi'ilted  to  till-  empres.s  two  letters  call'  I 
I13'    Idm,    ".Proposals    f-r    tin-    ( )r^,^anizatioll    of    t!:  ■ 

vliiim  it  wmild  not  cxi8t,  piiioo  tlio  tliMjoveri*-*  «li'i«crilic(l  in  tlio  snino  im  V>i' 

IViiit  lit  I  lie  ^rcat  idi^im  <  (nuffiviil  l>y  tint',  tiie  Iiomiartiir,  f;if  In  r,  mid  rii'>,Miii  •  r 
iif  (Ills  Mi.st  I'ln;'  !■;  to  tln'r  an;  thy  ftnl>jicfH  iiiiUlitt'cl  f.n-  law,  (.mhmI  diilc  •,  ii.  I 
iiilhu'iiii'  williiii  and  uiilpiilt,  ii*  \\v\\  n-*  U>r  iiiorality.  kn<p«  li'i|;;c,  and  c  v(  i  • 
tliin:.'  <'!hi'  tliat  niakrs  n  iiatinii  I'urtiiii.tU'anil  iiM|Mii'tant.'  /i>ijii.-</.i  I/yili'iij)'  ■ 
ilii.flti;/!!  I  'I  /'iirliiiiii  iiiti,  i\.  Ili'.l. 

*l'iiia  full  <\|><>Kiln)uol'  whwUave  //isf.  Xorthicctl  t'ou»l,i. ,iiiH\  /Hat,  Cu., 
i.,  |>MMi«iin,  lliU  tti'i'iuit. 


SCIKNTISTS  IN  SIBEIIIA, 


45 


'  <>r  <ii(>  <],iv 

liical  iiiissiuii 
to  <1mj  Kiiiilc 
•.suits.  The 
in  I7;50  li.i.I 
K'tslc,  llic'lici; 
i»  tilt!  sfci-ait.s 
0  W'W  <lis('()\- 

ilst|-()Iinliiic,il 
tlldi'  \\itli(»iit 
■  Kainrliatk;i 
of  Slit's takot' 
itaiy  iialinv, 

>M.        T\U'  CN- 

,  inado  alioKt. 
;u't'»ry  ill  its 
o  tllin^^s  re- 
st UMoovori  d 
inl  mark  ell" 

■rll    ('.\|il(HV(| 

'  Itroad  ail  i 
:i'('at  Xortli- 
■iiKiT  luoiiii- 

IlC    ll()|-tll('lll 

own  to  til' 
tc,  wlio  li.il 
II   L'Vrll    til  ■ 

s  (irst  oxj).- 
(*,  tlic  coni- 
tt.Ts  call.  1 
loll    (if    t!.' 

fill'  Miiinc  nv(  { '"• 
ir,  mill  orn.'iiii  '  r 

pioil  ((idrv,  ii;i<l 

t'ilt;i',  mill  rvi'i  .• 

'ii,il,i  I/i/ilf'MJii'- 


.,aiul  l/iMl,  O 


Oklmlsk  and  Kaiiicliatka  oomdrv,"  and  advised  an 
iniun  diati'  <l:-i-<Arry  ol"  routes  to  Anierica  and  Japan 
\'nv  tin;  |»ur[»o.>.e  «>r  c'staMisliiiiLi;  ( Dinnien  ial  relations 
with  these  coiuitries.  Jlealso  n-coiiiuieiideil  that  the 
ni'lthein  roast  of  the  enij»il'e  hetweell  the  ii\eis  Oh 
and  Lena  l>e  thorou'^ddy  exjiioied.'^  'I'he  oinani/.ation 
of  the  C'o'intrv  already  known,  eoninianded  iIkj  lirsl 
nttention  of  the  enil»re.>s,  to  whieh  end  siie  issued,  (til 
ilie  lOtii  of  Mav  IT'M,  an  ouka/  ordiriii'-'  the  f)i-iner 
<]iii  f  jtrohn'nr,  (»r  sir'^eaiit-at-arnis  of  the  senate, 
Skoi'iiiakof  l*i>iaref,  then  in  uxiie,  to  assume  control  of 
the  extreme  eastern  eouiiti-y,  and  he  fnrnish(-'d  with 
tlu'  lu'cessary  means  to  ad\anee  its  intirests.  The 
j'esidence  of  the  new  olHeial  was  to  he  ()khotsk,  to 
whieji  point  laborers  and  settlers  were  to  he  sent  from 
Yakutsk,  to;^etlier  with  a  l>oat-huilder,  three  mates, 
and  a  few  meehanies/  The  exile-noNcnior  did  not 
howi.ver  lonv^  hold  Ids  pthsltioii.  Se;ireely  had  he 
a-snnied  oliiei-  when  the  second  Jvaniehatka  expedi- 
tion was  decided  njtoii  and  \'itus  Heriiii^  reeeivi'd  the 
supreme  command  of  all  the  tc-rritory  ineludeil  in  his 
eNjiloi-ations. 

.\t  that  tinu'  several  circumstances  comhined  to 
carry  forwartl  the  pla  is  of  JJeiiiii;'  to  theii-  hiohest 
consummation.  The  eiUj»ire  was  at  peact;  and.  the 
imperial  caltiuet  was  pie  itetl  over  hy  Count  Oster- 
iiiami,  who  had  t'orniei  ly  heeii  seeretiuy  of  Admiral 
( 'iiice,and  1 1.1(1  lie  Voted  coiisiderahle  attention  to  nasal 
afi'airs.  In  tlu^  senate  the  expeilition  was  <'arnestly 
siip|iorted  l)y  the  chief  seert;tarv  Jxiiihif;  in  tlu'  ad- 
iiiiialty  college  Count  Col(»\in  pie->id( d  as  the  ruliiiLj 

"Ajiliciiilix  to  .Si.koluf'g  Secoiul  ExiK'dition.  Jin/ii.ski  llittlrii<irnliihmkuijo 
l'i]«ir''iii,i  1,'n.  ix.  A'.W. 

'liiii,'!)!-  Slinituakiif  Pi-anf  wiis  !i]i|"iiiitril  tn  oi'iiiiii  nul  Olvlint.-u;  »>■  nil  iii- 
i!'l»iiikiit  ilotiii  t.  Win,  iiiiiiiiil  Nilaiy  w.im  tixiil  at  WW)  riil.lc.-i,  1(1,1  hii.sliil.s  nf 
r.yi'  iiical,  mil  1(M»  lnukcta  nf  liramly.  'i'liis  imlis  iilnal  hail  ii  clii-rUirol 
I'iirn  I'.  Ill  I71,"i  ill'  wa.-i  n  i-aiitam  in  tli.'  i'lrnhrasli.  ii.'ki  lifr-uanis,  miij 
altai  livil  (•(  the  ncaiU-niy  of  iia\al  aitilliiy:  in  17I!*,  1."  \\a.<  iiuulr  cuiiiii  an- 
ill  r  I  I  llii;  naval  acmU'iny ;  in  IT-H  lif  imlilioluil  u  liuul.,  J'nirt!,  a'  Miiinini  >j 
S"iliy«:t  (t,  il  M,rti<iii''-s;  in  17--  III'  was  iiii.ilc  'rlil"  f  | Kikunir'  nf  till'  ).  iiati'; 
in  IT'J.'I  111'  «a.i  iiliiviii  from  tin-  iiraiUiny  liy  Caiitain  Naiislikiii;  in  IT'-T.  liii 
M  IS  imiu'lii.l  with  th-  kiiKiil  aii<l  Mint  to  Siliiiia  iia  an  t  \ili'.  MoisL.i  Suui- 
»«i,  1.  II,  17. 


48 


TIIK  KAMCHATKA  EXrKDITIOXS. 


pirii,  while  the  piolcuror  mms  Saiinonot',  the  rival  of 
^virilol'.  Tlic  loiri'-ii  iiu'ml)ors  of  the  Acudeiiiy  (»f 
SeicDcc'S,  ill  ordir  to  pivsei'vc  tlu-ir  j)r(-'stij;(',  woio 
lookiiiif  al)out  lor  fields  of  activitv,  anxious  to  servo 
their  new  I'atherlaiid.  "^rhe  spii'it  of  Pett-r  tlie  (Jre.it 
^vas  yet  alive  aiaoiiL;'  the  leadiiit;'  suhjects  of  tho 
t'liipire;  his  ])htiis  were  still  fiesh  in  the  memory  of 
men,  and  all  wei'e  i^a^er  to  execute  his  pro^Ljjressivc 
|)ni-|)oses.  And  soon  all  Siheria  was  ilooded  with  nnii 
of  seien('(^  searchiiiL,'  <»ut  things  hoth  lari^n-r  and  smallif 
than  sal)li\s,  and  tlirowiiiL"-  Cossack  and  promyshlenilc 
fompletely  into  the  shade.  l>y  toilsonu;  processes 
the  necessary  means  of  suhsistence  and  matei'ials 
were  collect I'd  at  (he  centi'al  stations  thr(»UL;hout 
Siheiia,  and  aloiiL(  t  he  thirteen  hundred  lea;^ues  of  Arc- 
tic sea-coast  Were  |»laci'd  at  \aiious  jtoints  maLii^a/Zmcs 
of  Hn[)plies  for  exploi'crs.  Fmni  six  to  seven  months 
were  sometimes  occupied  in  transjiortiii'n'  from  the 
forest  to  the  seaports  trees  lor  shipd)uil(linL(.  And 
many  and  wide-s])i-eail  as  were  the  |)urposes,  evciy 
man  had  his  jtlace.  To  every  scientist  was  L,'iven  hi^ 
wt»rlv  and  his  held,  to  every  ca[)tain  the  river  lie  was  to 
reconnoitre,  or  the!  ('oast  he  was  to  explon*.  i\nd  when 
tho  apjiointed  tinu;  came  theie  set  foi'th  simultane- 
ously, from  all  the  chief  river-mouths  in  Siheria,  liko 
hirds  of  jiassa'^e,  little  exploi'iiiL;'  expiMlitions,  to  hen'iii 
their  battle  with  the  ice  and  the  moriiss.  Some  brought 
their  work  t(»  a  ipiick  and  .successfid  issue;  otheivs 
encountered  the  sternest  diiliculties. 

Ihit  the  ad\enturi's  which  <-hii'lly  concei'ii  us  aro 
those  pointing"  toward  (he  Anieiii-an  continent,  wiiich 
were  indm^d  the  central  idea  of  all  these  undertaking'^, 
and  by  fai-  the  most  important  outcome  from  this 
Siberian  invasion  by  the  scientists,  lieforcs  embark- 
inu  on  the  first  <'-r(.'at  (.lawtern  vova'jfe  of  discovery,  k  t 
us  elance  at  the  pci'soiuiel  of  tlu;  expedition. 

( 'a|itain-commander  l\an  I\ano\ich  l>i'rin<.,^  so  t'.' 
liussians  calli'd   him,  notwithstanding"  Ids  bapti^•1'l:'l 


name  u 


f  \'i(i 


U-,  Vtas  a  I  )ane  l»v  Imili.a; 


II 


lave  sail 


l,\\l. 


rr.TrcR's  ixstiu'ctioxs. 


47 


tlio  rival  of 
Vcadi'iiiy  (if 

)iis  to  servo 
;r  the  ( I  re -at 
ji'cts  of  tlio 
;  iiieiuory  of 
|>roj^j-rssi\(! 
c'd  with  iiH'u 
'  and  sinallrr 
roiMyslileiiik 

K!    lirocrsscs 

id    mat  I  rials 

throughout 

i!i;iic8ot' All- 

ts  iiiau^a//mcs 

uvt'ii  months 

i!jf   from    tho 

IcHiiLj.      And 

poses,   cvt'iy 

■as  t,'i\('n  his 

or  Ik;  was  to 

And  when 

simuhaiit- 

Siheria,  Hko 

lis,  to  l)('i,'iii 

nu!  l)roiii;iit 

siiu;    others 

icern  us  aio 
nent,  wiiieh 
iiiK'itakin'4--, 
e  from  tills 
»!•(!  eml)arK- 
iseovery,  K  t 
ion. 

■1  itiL;',  Ko  t';i' 
s   l)a|iti>'.iu:  1 

\  r  Slill,  W  h  • 


4. 


lind  heeii  in  the  Kiissiaii  naval  service  ahout  thirty 
vcai-s.advaneiiP^Ui'a<inallyfrom  the  rank  of  sul)-heu  ten- 
ant sineo  I70t.  lie  was  strong  in  hody  and  clear  of 
mind  even  wlieii  nearly  sixty;  an  ackiiowhulncd  man 
of  iiitelh'^-ence,  honesty,  and  irre|troachaliIe  conduct, 
ihoii'di  in  his  later  years  he  disnlaved  excessive  care- 
fuliiess  and  indecision  of  chai'acter,  governe(l  too  much 
l'\  temper  and  caprice,  and  suhmittiiiL;"  too  easily  to  tlio 
iiitliiencoofsuhordinates.  '^rhisniayha\'el»een  the  effect 
of  a^cc,  or  of  disease;  hut  what(;ver  the  cause,  he  Avan 
niidei'ed  tliertliy  less  tit  to  command,  especially  so  im- 
portant and  hazardous  an  adventure  in  so  inhospital)lo 
a  region  as  Siheria  at  the  he^-inning  of  the  eighteenth 
c.  lit  my.  lie  had  heeii  selectt'd  hy  IVter  the  (jreat 
to  command  the  first  exj)edition  ujion  the  ri'[)re.senta- 
tioiis  of  admi.als  Seiiiavin  and  Sievers,  hecause  "ho 
had  heoii  to  linliaaiid  kiKnv  all  the  ap[ir(taclu's  to  that 
coiintrv."'*     Alter  his  return  ho  had  ailvanced  oradu- 

"  In  tli(!  nreliivcs  of  tlio  ailniiralty  eomuil  in  St  I'otcrsbnrff  tlicrc  i.s  .ttill 
jirusfrvt'ij  I  niiiiiiiM'i  i])t  I'dpy  ul'  tlic  (iiiL'iiial  iiiMiiiirtii)iis  iiiditcil  liy  I'cU  r  tlio 
<  iiciit  fur  tlic  lirst  r.i  tiiiL,'  iNiHililiiin.  'I'lic  iiistnu  iii)ii.<  mcio  liii:iily  pioiiiul- 
(.Mtcil  liy  tin'  fiiliuirjilty  r<illcL,'i',  tir  ])('iiiii|is  liy  Coimt  .\iirii\in,  ami  lutil  hi'iii 
uiimi'tfcl  in  till."  (.'icat  t.sar'.s  <i\vn  liiimlwi  itiiiL',  to  nail  as  IoIIuwm: 

'I.  'I'll  sfli'i't  Kiuli  HiirvcyiiiM  as  liaxi:  hccu  in  Silnii^i  iiml  iiavo  iTtni'n(.Ml 
tiii'licc;  njinn  wliiili,  at  rciiiii'st  uf  tlio  hcnati',  tin'  full"\vin'j;  htirvcyors  wuio 
(iiili'icd  to  tliu  iiniviiift'  iii  SiliLiia:  Ivan  Kvniiicil'  (lUcili,  I'V'Dilur  J.ns.Iiin, 
I'ltti-  SKnliclt/in.  Ivan  SvoHlunof,  Dmitri  Ikinkaktif,  Viuisili  .Slietilof,  and 
(liiui)i'  I'litilof. 

"J.  'J'i>  sclcit  I'riiiii  naval  licutunnnt.H  or  second  lieutenants,  Hitelia.saro  lit  to 
l)e  sent  to  Si!)ei  i,i  iiiid  K.iinehatka.  In  the  opinion  ol  \'iee-iidiiiir;il  Sii'vers  ,:nil 
C  Miitreadiniral  Seniavin,  the  most  tKsiralile  iiidivitiualsof  that  i'la.s:Mvere  li.  u- 
!■  ni'Mts  StMijIii  r;,'  (Sjianl.oi-;;?!,  Zx'eief  or  Ke.s-eii;>ot',  and  the  suhdieiitenant^j 
(  li'.rikof  aiicl  l.ii|iti(  f.      It  won  hi  not  l)e  had  to  ]il:iie  over  lie  .-e  a  <  eon  una  in  hr 

I  itlier  < '.ijitain  lierii.;.'  or  \dn  \'erd;  lierin;,'  ha.s  lieiii  to  I'last  Itidiaand  knows 
llie  routes,  iiMiI  \'on  \'<  nl  was  his  mate. 

'It.  To  seieet  from  the  niasfer-meeliaiiios  or  apjirentiees  sneh  aNni'eahle  to 
hiiiidii  decked  lioataecordiiif,' to  our  model  used  wilh  lii^shiiis;  and  for  thesamo 
]'Uipo>e  to  select  four  carpenters  witii  their  instniinents,  as  yoiinj,'  as  possiMc, 
and  one  ipiarteniiastei- and  eiirht  sailors.  The  hoat  Imihlei- iippleiitici',  Vvo- 
tier  Ko/lof,  hiis  all  the  rei|uirecl  i|Ualilii'ations,  liein;;  alile  to  drau^dit  plans  of 
di.  ked  lioats  and  to  Imild  them.     (In   I'eter  the  Cleat's  own  liandNoitiii;;: 

II  is  ahsolutely  nccussiiry  ti>  have  some  mate  or  necontl  niato  who  Iiu8  been  to 
Mordi  .\inerica.) 

'4.  'J'he  usual  coinpleineiit  of  sails.  Mocks,  ropes  etc.,  niul  four  falconets, 
vith  the  necessary  aininunition,  siiould  lie  increaseil  by  luilf— doubled,  iu 
I'ctc  I's  own  haudwiitiii;:. 

' .').  I  f  Slid.  II  mate  cannot  l)c  found  in  tliu  fleet  it  h  nocossary  to  write  ini- 
inediiitely  to  Holland  for  two  men,  expeiieneed  iiavi^rators  in  the  Northern  or 
Japan  Kcas,  and  to  forv>ard  them  at  once  by  way  of  Auaduak.     N'loe-ududral 


48  TIIK  KAMCHATKA  KXl'liniTIOXS. 

jillv  !••  Iln'  lank  nf  ••.•qitaiii-coiMiiiiUKlfi',  iiiul  lia<l  i( - 
ni\(.|  ii  ca.sli  icwai'd  of  a  tlioiisatiil  rul)l(>s,  all  aiiioiliil 
cniiiiiioiily  ^^raiitfd  at  ihat  tiim-  to  tii\<»vs  ittuiiiiiii;' 
iVdiii  ilistaiit  coinitrirs.  lie  was  now  anxious  to  oh 
tain  tlif  rank  of  (•(Hitic-adniiral  lor  Iiis  loii;^  s«  rvicc  > 
and  »lisfo\«i'ics.  'i'lic  adiiiiiallv  tollct;»'  mad*;  it'|trt  - 
m-ntatioiis  to  that  tHri-t  to  thr  iniiifrial  ruhiiict,  but  iii 
l-f|tly  was  icftlscd.'* 


r.KHiNc  A\n  Ills  oi-i'K  i:r.s. 


■10 


ml  liiid  !•( - 
ail  iiiMoiiiit, 
s  riUiniiii.; 
ioUM  to  oil- 
)ii!^  servifcs 
iiiitif  ri'|H't - 
iiul,  I»ul  ii'» 

v^,  and  wlio 
('<litioii,  ami 
,  ^\\\^'  of  tin 

nt'tlu-  lilt  t. 

iiuliiii'tl    l>i 

run  l>i-  fiMinil  III 

VI  uili::    'III''    I  ' 

!:;ti  III  lit I'l lull  I , 

•Vtlal    <1"«  llllll'l:'^ 

ly,  \\  1  i>  h  liiiiV  I 
l.irt  \^  lie  iinil  t'liil 
i\f  ill  tin-  lity  '1 

'llii'  \s  111-,  Aiiiii 
not  wiilioiit  inll' 
V.  II  tliiit  ill  ((111  1 

|il(  iiiIki'  M'M  I  > 
M  licr  way  l'i"'ii 

to   I'l  tlllll,  III    I 

1*  jiiMxcil  to  !■ 
\\  (^iiricil  ill  li'  > 

|iii\M  \t  I',  (III   ll' 
|i|(M'llt.S    til    ti 

lIullliCll    tin-    I 

liiiii,'.  Ill  '7  ' ' 
III  lialid'H  Mil.i' 
I  \',.>\i,  «  111  II  ^   ' 

lliit    nil     Ulll'll 

i    luiliil,   Siijo  1   I 
||.>:it    tliiit   tun   . 

IJlul.siv.    I'ImII'  I 

if  is,'  lie  wril' 
I  IS  \\:iy  ill  iii('  ' 

1,1  M  It  ^.lUirwIi    I 

\i  ni|it  IkiIii  I'l' 

liilcl',  >"11  ^*"'  I 
iiiilir  \N  lint  >*'  • 
I'ciiiciiilit'r  I  ■  ' 
Mll'C  licid.  N 
as  liii'  liii|>|ii  I'  I 
(■.ill(;<f,  I. lit  I 
liioU  .'ll  Sliiilii  . 
ur  lalc-l  111'' 

I'lll    L'Oll.SdlalK   I 


liiM'-iiilV  till'  Iniilts  of  Ufi-iiiLf  till-  Dam-  as  well  as  the 
:iii  lits  nl"  ( 'liirikol"  the  Jiiissiaii.  'I'lic  laflrr  they  say 
v.a^  wi  II  f(lticat('<l,  nnira,i,n'ous,  aixl  stcaiu'Iiti'orwanl, 
l)ri.;lif  111"  iiiti  llt'ft  as  wi-ll  as  tlionj^litriil,  ;«ii(l  whose 
l.iiicj  lirai  t  tlic  f\ii,'»'m'i('sor  llu'ci'iicl  naval  sci'vicc  had 
ni  \i  r  Im'iii  ahlr  w  Imlly  to  dchasc.  I  !«>  had  i^'iiidilalcd 
ri'iiMithc  naval  acadi'iiiy  ill  !7i,*l,and  had  hccii  a(  oner 
|iniiii(>ti'<!  til  a  Mihdiciilt'ii.'im'y,  slvi|»|iinL;'  the  rank  of 
iiii(l-hi|iinai..  ll*-  was  a(  lirst  attaclifd  to  (he  licet, 
hilt  siihse(|iiently  received  iiii  a|Hiolntniciit  at  the  naval 
academy  as  iiist nictm-  nj'  the  inaiiiies  nl'  the  L,niard. 
While  in  that  ]Mi>iiii»n  he  was  jircsenled  to  JN-ter  the 
(Ij-cal  hy  Sievers  and  Seniavin  as  one  ol'  tlu^  ollicers 
.'.lii'ttd  to  jiiin  the  first  iJeriii'L,' exjiedition.  lie  was 
]  lact  d  niidi  i-  the  iniinediate  coniiiiand  ol'  i>eriii<4-,  to- 
;^(tlici-  with  S|ianherL;'.  in  l7"Ja.  IJclorc  setting'  <>ut 
he  was  luoiniitcd  to  lientciiant,  and  i;ave  e\  ideiicc 
throiinhoiit  the  expedition  of  c rent  (•onra!L,'^e  and  coni- 
ni<in-M'iise.  ( )n  his  letmn  in  I7;l<>  he  was  made  a 
ca|>taindieiitenant ;  two  years  later,  in  I7;J"J,  he  was 
a-^aiii  proiiioted  and  made  full  captain,  "  not  hy  seii- 
i'lily  iiiit  on  iiccoiint  of  superior  kiiowledm'  and 
woi'ili,"  as  they  saiil.  ^Vt  the  time  of  his  appoint- 
iiiciii  he  was  on  special  <liity  at.  Kazan,  and  iic  re- 
tiii'ind  to  St  Petcishiir^'  only  a  lew  days  liefoi-i'  tin; 
depaitiire  of  the  expedition  ill  I'^ehiiiaiT  I7;!."t;  hut 
he  si  ill  loinid  time  to  ,L;ive  most  vahiahle  assistance  in 
iVaiiiini;;  the  linal  inslriictioiis.'" 

The  third  in  ciimmand  wast  'aplain  Marl  In  l*etro\  icli 
I'palihei''.  a  conntrviiian  of   I>eiiiii4.  a   lialiM'or  |)en- 


111.11  \r.'ir  lie  «iis  (iiiii'i'i'<l  ti>  .>t  I'l  IcrslPiir;,',  ami  iii«iii  liisai'iival  was  a  'a,ii 
ii|  |Hiiiii(.(l  tn  the  naval  aca.li my.  In  tiic  xaiiic  year  lie  was  ti'aiihf(  I'n  >!  i  i 
.Ml.  ((i\>  111  ll  Ilk  a  ltd'  Miinc  naval  alliiirs  nf  ini|iiiltan(c,  ami  cii  tl.at  (.ci'.i.^i.  ii 
III  niailc  nvd-al  |ii'"|.(isitiipn>  I'm' tlic  (iij/.'.ni/atioii  <.|'  liirtlid'  i  \|i!()rin.L'  v\\.i- 
ciiii'iis.  !).■  iliiij  ill  1747  villi  lanU  of  t'aiitnin-c'iiniiiiimld' .  .1/(./W.(/(  .s/ti/-- 
/'-/.,  iv.  •Jl;;  I  I. 


lll«T      A I    M1K\.       4 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


IIM    III  2.5 


2.0 


1.8 


1.25      1.4       1.6 

•• 6"     

► 

Kiotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


?)  WESi  MAIN  ITREET 

WEBtT.:R,N.Y.  14580 

(7  1 6)  872-4503 


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50 


THE  KAMCHATKA  EXPEDITIONS. 


life 


mark.  It  is  not  known  when  lie  entered  the  Russian 
service,  but  he  accompanied  tlic  first  expedition  as 
senior  officer.  He  was  illiterate,  with  a  reckless  au- 
dacity, rough,  and  exceedingly  cruel,  avaricious  and 
sellish,  but  strong  in  mind,  body,  and  j)urpose,  of  great 
energy,  and  a  good  seaman.  His  bad  reputation  ex- 
tended over  all  Siberia,  and  was  long  preserved  in  the 
memory  of  the  people.  Sibiriaks  feared  him  and  his 
wanton  oppression.  SomiC  of  them  thought  him  a 
great  general,  while  others  called  him  an  escaped  ex- 
ecutioner. He  was  always  accompanied  by  a  dog  of 
huge  dimensions,  which  it  was  said  would  tear  people 
to  pieces  at  his  master's  command.  Chirikof  thought 
him  possessed  of  some  sparks  of  a  noble  ambition,  but 
all  was  put  down  by  his  subordinates  to  a  love  of 
tyranny.  His  knowledjjfe  of  the  Russian  lan<jtua<>-o  was 
exceedingly  limited.  Having  been  made  a  captain- 
lieutenant  during  the  first  expedition,  he  was  now  a 
captain,  like  Chii'ikof,  but  higher  on  the  list  Little 
is  said  of  his  share  in  the  work  performed  by  the  expe- 
dition, but  his  name  occurs  in  hundreds  of  complaints 
and  j)etitions  from  victims  of  his  licentiour.ness,  cruelty, 
and  avarice.  He  was  just  the  man  to  become  rich. 
On  h's  return  from  Siberia  he  brought  with  him  a 
thousand  yards  of  army  cloth,  a  thousand  bales  of  fur, 
and  whole  herds  of  horses.  He  carried  to  Siberia 
his  wife  and  son,  and  they  accompanied  him  at  sea.^^ 
Such  is  the  character  of  the  man  as  presented  by 
Russian  authorities,  which  are  all  we  have  on  the 
sul)ject.  Again  it  will  be  noticed  that  while  Chirikof, 
the  Russian,  is  highly  praised,  Spanberg,  the  Dane, 
is  roundly  rated,  and  we  may  make  allowance  accord- 
ingly. 

"  Ho  returned  to  St  Petersburg  from  Siberia  without  orders  in  1745,  and 
M'ns  promptly  plaeed  under  nrrest  and  remanded  for  trial.  His  sentence  was 
deatli,  but  in  tiie  mean  time  other  charges  had  been  preferred,  based  njion  eoin- 
pliiinta  <jf  the  peojjle  of  Siberia,  and  tlie  sentence  was  postponed.  After  many 
delays  be  was  released  at  tlie  rc(|Uest  of  the  DanisJi  and)assador.  In  17-1!>  he 
■was  jriven  the  connnand  of  a  newly  constructed  man-of-war,  which  foundered 
on  Uaviuf;  tlie  harbor  of  Arkhangelsk;  for  this  he  was  again  tried  by  court- 
martini  !  ml  again  ac(|uitted.  lie  died  at  bust  in  17(il,  with  the  rank  of  cap- 
tain of  the  lirst  class.  Sokolcf,  in  /^aji.  llydr.,  ix.  '^lo-'iO. 


iill 


THE  GREAT  MAP-MAKER. 


T)! 


Of  the  other  officers  of  the  expedition  there  is  not 
much  to  be  said,  as  tliey  were  not  prominently  con- 
nected with  the  discovery  of  the  American  coast. 
Lieutenant  Walton,  the  companion  of  Spanberg,  was 
an  Englishman  who  had  entered  the  Russian  service 
only  two  years  before.  Midshipman  Schelting  was  an 
illegitimate  son  of  Contre-admiral  Petrovski,  a  Hol- 
kiTider.  He  was  twenty-five  years  of  age  and  had 
been  attached  to  the  fleet  only  two  years.  Lieutenant 
Lassenius,  the  senior  officer  of  the  Arctic  detach- 
ments, who  was  instructed  to  explore  the  coast  beyond 
the  Lena  river,  was  a  Dane.  He  had  also  but  recently 
entered  the  Russian  service.  According  to  Gmelin 
he  was  a  skilful  and  experienced  officer;  later  he  was 
relieved  by  Lieutenant  Laptief,  also  an  old  lieutenant 
who  had  been  recommended  to  Peter  the  Great  for 
the  first  expedition  as  a  considerate  and  courageous 
man.  The  less  said  of  the  morals  of  any  of  these 
mariners  the  better.  Neither  the  age  nor  the  nation 
was  conspicuous  for  justice  or  refinement.  Drinking 
and  gambling  were  among  the  more  innocent  amuse- 
ments, at  least  in  the  eyes  of  the  sailors,  among  whom 
were  the  most  hardened  villains  that  could  be  picked 
out  from  the  black  sheep  of  the  naval  service.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  an  almost  brutal  discipline  was 
sometimes  necessary,  but  the  practice  of  it  was  com- 
mon. In  regard  to  honesty,  we  must  not  suppose  that 
the  appropriation  of  public  property  by  officers  of  the 
government  was  then  regarded  as  a  greater  crime  than 
now. 


Upon  the  request  of  the  senate  the  imperial  acad- 
enjy  had  instructed  its  member,  Joseph  de  L'Isle, 
to  compile  a  map  of  Kamchatka  and  adjoining  coun- 
tries; but  not  satisfied  with  this,  the  senate  demanded 
the  appointment  of  an  astronomer  to  join  the  expedi- 
tion accompanied  by  some  students  advanced  in  astron- 
omy, and  two  or  three  versed  in  mineralogy.  Two 
volunteers   for  this   service  were  found  among  the 


THE  KA:VICnATKA  EXPEDITIONS. 


|;;  .  ■ 


n 


tli: 


acadomicians,  Jobann  Gmolin,  professor  of  elicmi.stry 
and  natural  history,  and  Louis  do  L'Islo  do  la  Croycre, 
a  brother  of  the  map-maker  and  professor  of  astron- 
omy. These  were  joined  by  a  third,  Gerhard  Miiller, 
professor  of  history  and  geography.  The  senate 
accepted  these,  but  ordered  further  twelve  students 
from  the  Slavo-Latin  school  at  Moscow  to  be  trained 
in  the  academy  for  the  proposed  expedition.  The 
admiralty  college  urged  the  necessity  of  extending 
the  exploration  over  the  whole  northern  coast  of 
Siberia,  and  it  was  then  that  were  appointed  as  com- 
manders subordinate  to  Bering,  Spanberg,  and  Chi- 
riicof,  one  lieutenant,  three  sub-lieutenants,  and  a 
command  of  servants  and  soldiers  numbering  one  hun- 
dred and  fiftv-seven  in  all.  A  few  members  of  the 
college  proposed  to  send  the  whole  ex})edition  to  the 
coast  of  Kamchatka  round  the  world  by  sea,  the 
earliest  plan  toward  circumnavigation  conceived  by  a 
Russian;  but  their  counsel  did  not  prevail." 

The  command  of  the  proposed  expedition  to  Japan 
was  given  to  Captain  Spanbei'g,  assisted  by  Lieuten- 
ant Walton  and  Midshipman  Schelting.  The  ex]jlor- 
ation  of  the  northern  coast  was  intrusted  to  lieutenants 
Muravief  and  Pavlof;  lieutenants  Meygin,  Skuratof, 
and  Ovtzin  were  also  appointed  but  subsequently  re- 
lieved by  jMasters  Minnin,  Pronchishchef,  and  Las- 
senius.  The  two  latter  died  and  were  replaced  by  two 
brothers,  the  lieutenants  Hariton  and  Dmitri  Laptief. 
Another  detail  consisted  of  three  lieutenants,  VVaxol, 
Plunting,  and  Endogarof,  four  masters, twelve  master's 
mates,  ship  and  boat  builders,  three  surgeons,  nine 
assistant  surgeons,  a  chaplain,  six  monks,  connnissarics, 
navigators,  a  number  of  cadets  and  sailors,  all  num- 
bering five  hundred  and  seventy  men.  From  tlie 
academy  the  final  appointuK^nts  were  the  naturalist 
(hnelin  and  the  historian  Miiller,  who  were  subse- 
quently relieved  by  Steller  and  Fisher;  the  astronomer 

'■' I'rfjth  Yiorff,  in  liis  Liirnnf  Athiiinil.'i,  ii.  *2;]8,  and  Gmclin,  in  his  Voywje 
in  dilicrUi,  imike  mention  of  these  proposals. 


SOMETHIXG  OF  THE  SCIENTISTS. 


S3 


.1 


su  hi3  Voyatje 


Dc  L'Isle  do  la  Croy^ro,  with  five  students,  four  sur- 
vcvors,  who  were  increased  in  Siberia  bv  four  more, 
an  interpreter,  an  instrument-maker,  two  artists,  and 
a  special  escort  of  fourteen  men.  An  engineer  and 
arcliitect  named  Frederick  Stael  was  also  attached  to 
the  expedition  for  the  construction  of  roads  and  har- 
bors, but  he  died  on  his  way  to  Siberia. 

^Iiiller  and  Gmelin  were  both  young  men,  the  first 
being  twenty-eight  and  the  other  twenty-four.  They 
were  leanied  and  enthusiastic  German  scientists  who 
had  come  to  Hussia  several  years  before,  one  as  a 
doctor  of  medicine  and  professor  of  chemistry  and 
natural  history,  the  other  as  professor  of  history  and 
geography.  Both  attained  distinction  in  the  scientific 
world.  De  L'Isle  do  la  Croyere  was  also  well  edu- 
cated, though  conspicuous  rather  as  a  lover  of  good 
eating  and  drinking,  than  as  a  learned  man." 

Another  scientific  member  of  the  expedition,  who 
joined  it  somewhat  later,  was  George  Wilhelm  Steller. 
He  was  born  in  Winsheim,  Franconia,  on  the  lOtli 
of  March  1709.  He  studied  theology  and  natund 
science  in  the  universities  of  Wittenberg,  Leipsic,  and 
Jena,  and  settled  in  Halle,  devoting  himself  chiefly 
to  anatomy,  botany,  and  medicine.  He  proceeded  to 
Berlin  and  passed  a  brilliant  examination,  and  in  1784 
lie  joined  the  Russian  army  before  Dantzic,  doing 
duty  as  staft-surgeon.  In  December  he  was  sent  to 
St  Petersburg  with  a  ship-load  of  wounded  sohliers. 
Here  he  accepted  the  position  of  leih  niedicns,  or  body- 
Hiirgeon  to  the  famous  bishop  of  Novgorod,  Theo- 
jilianos  Prokopovich,  a  favorite  of  Peter  the  Great, 
iuid  with  him  ho  remained  till  his  death,  except  when 
serving  in  Siberia. 

When  Bering  left  St  Petersburg  to  enter  upon  his 

"  According  to  Berg  and  Sokolof,  Gmelin  returned  to  his  own  country 
sliortly  after  rotuniiiig  from  this  expedition  in  tlio  year  1749,  having  ohtaincil 
liis  liniil  disc'liarge  from  the  Russian  service.  Ho  died  in  ITSS.  Midler  Mi>a 
iipiiuiuted  historian  in  the  Academy  of  Science  in  1747;  from  17i)4  to  ]7(i")  ho 
Wiis  conference  secretary  of  the  academy;  in  170.")  he  was  appointed  director 
of  the  Foundling  House  of  Moscow,  and  in  17<»(>  he  was  placed  in  charge  of 
the  Moscow  archives  of  the  foreign  oiUcc,     Ho  died  in  17S3. 


M 


THE  KA3*ICHATKA  EXPEDITIOXS. 


ii:'i! 


socoiul  expedition,  Stoller,  then  of  tlie  imperial  acad- 
einy,  was  ordered  to  join  the  expedition  specially  to 
examine  the  natural  history  of  Kamchatka.  He 
reached  his  new  field  in  1738.  In  1740,  after  givini^ 
ample  proof  of  his  ability  and  energy  by  making  fre- 
quent and  valuable  shipments  of  specimens  for  the 
nmseiun  of  the  academy,  he  forwarded  a  petition  to 
the  senate  for  permission  to  accompany  Lieutenant 
8])anberg  on  his  voyage  to  Japan.  While  awaiting 
an  answer  he  was  im[)ortuned  by  Bering  to  join  his 
expedition.  Steller  replied  that  in  the  absence  of 
orders  he  would  draw  upon  himself  the  displeasui'o 
of  the  authorities,  but  the  commander  said  he  would 
assume  all  res[)onsibility  and  provide  him  with  an 
oHicial  memorandum  to  that  effect,  and  a  regular  ap- 
pointment to  take  charge  of  the  department  of  natural 
science  in  his  expedition.  Steller  finally  consented, 
and  we  arc  indebted  to  him  for  some  of  the  most  re- 
liable inl'ormation  concerning  the  Russian  discoveries 
on  the  American  coast." 

In  consideration  of  distance  and  privations  the 
empress  doubled  every  salary.  The  departure  of  the 
ex})cdition  began  in  February  1733.  Bering  and 
C'hirikof  were  instructed  to  build  at  Okhotsk  or  in 
Kamchatka,  wherever  it  was  most  convenient,  two 
vessels  of  the  class  then  called  packet-boats,  and  then 
to  proceed,  in  accordance  with  the  [)lans  of  Professor 
])e  la,  Croyere,  without  separating,  to  the  exploration 
of  the  American  coast,  which  was  supposed  to  lie  but 
a  short  distance  from  Kamchatka.  After  reachinij" 
that  shore  they  were  to  coast  southward  to  the  forty- 
fifth  parallel,  and  then  return  to  the  north,  crossing 

'*  Those  scientists  had  a  way  of  marrying,  with  the  view  of  throwing  soiiu; 
part  of  their  infelicities  upon  tiieir  wives.  Steller  tried  it,  as  Miillcr  ami 
I'  'sher  had  done,  and  as  the  rough  old  sc;i-eaptjuns  used  to  do,  hut  ho  found 
his  wife  one  too  many  for  him.  She  was  the  widow  of  a  certain  Doctor  Mes- 
fierehmidt,  and  <lanf,'hter  of  a  Colonel  Von  Biicliler,  and  did  not  at  all  object  to 
l)ec(jme  the  wife  of  the  rising  young  scientist,  hut  to  go  to  Siheria,  Kamchatka, 
perhaps  to  th(!  north  pole,  was  quite  a  different  matter.  True,  she  jirfuniseil 
him,  liiit  that  was  l)cfore  marriage,  which  of  course  did  not  count.  And  the 
Boiiowful  Steller  was  at  last  ohligetl  to  goMifeless  to  his  iee-lields,  leaving  his 
spouse  to  llirt  the  weary  hours  away  at  tlic  gay  capital.  Alomkoi  Sboriiik,  c.  143. 


9 


ACROSS  SIBERIA. 


)rial  acarl- 
pocially  to 
tka.  Hu 
"tor  giving 
taking  tVe- 
is  for  the 
[)ctition  to 
lieutenant 
)  awaiting 
;o  join  liis 
ibsence  of 
lisploasure 
I  he  wouUl 
n  with  an 
•cguhir  ap- 
of  natnial 
consented, 
le  most  re- 
discoveries 

,tions  the 
are  of  the 
ering  and 
lotsk  or  in 
lient,  two 
,  and  then 

Professor 
xph)ration 

to  He  but 
reachhig 

the  forty - 

,  crossing 

Llirowiiig  SOUK! 
liiH  Mtiller  unci 

but  he  found 
ki  Doctor  Mcs- 
It  all  object  to 
li,  Kiuncluitkii, 
J  she  ])roini.sc(l 
lint.     Anil  till' 

Is,  leaving  liii 
ibornlk,  c.  l-ko. 


back  to  Asia  at  Bering  Strait.  If  the  season  proved 
too  short  they  were  authorized  to  go  into  winter-quar- 
ters, and  conclude  the  work  tlie  following  season. 
Ca])tain  Spanberg  was  to  proceed  from  Okhotsk  in 
the  direction  oi'  Japan  with  one  ship  and  two  sl(«)))s, 
beginning  his  explorations  at  the  Kurile  Islands.  In 
order  to  facilitate  the  ]>rogress  of  the  cx{)edition  the 
local  Siberian  authorities  were  instructed  to  erect  on 
the  banks  of  the  principal  rivers,  and  on  the  Arctic, 
bi'acons  to  indicate  the  location  of  the  magazines  of 
pi'<  (visions  and  stores  for  the  various  detachments,  and 
also  to  inform  all  the  nomadic  natives  of  Siberia  and 
the  promyshleniki,  that  they  must  assist  the  members 
of  the  expedition  as  far  as  lay  in  their  ])ower. 

One  important  purpose  of  the  expedition  was  to 
disc.'over  a  new  route  to  the  Okhotsk  Sea  without 
])assing  Yakutsk,  by  going  through  the  southern  dis- 
tricts of  Siberia,  and  striking  the  head-waters  of  the 
Yuda,  which  had  been  reported  navigable.  A  warn- 
ing was  attached  to  the  instructions  against  crossing 
tlie  Amoor,  "in  order  not  to  awaken  the  suspicions  of 
the  Chinese  government."  The  academicians  (jJmclin 
and  ]\Iuller  were  intrusted  with  the  exploration  of 
llie  interior  of  Siberia  and  Kamchatka,  assisting  each 
otlier  in  their  researches,  and  making  a  general  geo- 
graphical survey  with  the  assistance  of  the  cadet  en- 
gineers attached  to  their  detachment.  Croyere,  with 
some  of  the  students  who  had  been  in  training  at 
the  observatory  of  the  academy  for  several  years,  was 
to  make  astronomical  observatit)ns  along  the  route 
of  jjrogress,  and  accompany  Bering  to  the  coast  of 
America.  He  was  granted  great  liberty  of  action,  and 
I'uinished  with  ample  means,  the  best  instruments  to 
be  oi)tained  at  that  time,  and  a  numerous  escort  of 
soldiers  and  laborers. 

It  was  an  unkninvn  country  to  which  they  were 
all  going,  and  for  an  unknown  time.  Tlu;  admiralty 
college  liad  thou»;ht  six  vears  sufficient,  i)ut  most 
Were  gt)iiig  for  sixteen  years,  and  many  forever.     Be- 


86 


THE  KAMCHATKA  EXPEDITIONS. 


?<■■;' 


V  ' 


sides  ncarl}"  all  the  officers,  a  number  of  the  rank  and 
file  were  taking  with  them  their  wives  and  children. 
Lieutenant  Ovtzin  and  one  naval  officer  were  the  first 
to  leave  for  Kazan  in  order  to  begin  their  prepara- 
tions. Captain  Spanberg  with  ten  mechanics  set  out 
next  to  erect  temporary  buildings  along  the  road  and 
in  the  towns  of  Siberia,  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
expedition.  In  March  1733  other  members  took  their 
departure,  followed  by  lengthy  caravans  loaded  with 
supplies  from  the  storehouses  of  the  admiralty.  The 
scientists  from  the  academv  tarried  in  St  Petersburg 
till  August,  and  then  proceeded  to  Kazan  to  join  their 
companions.  At  the  beginning  of  winter  the  whole 
force  had  advanced  as  far  as  Tobolsk,  where  they  went 
into  winter-quarters.  In  the  spring  of  1734  the  ex- 
pedition embarked  on  small  vessels  built  during  the 
winter  on  the  rivers  Ob,  Irtish,  and  Yenissei.  The 
main  body  arrived  at  Yakutsk  in  the  summer  of  1735, 
after  having  wintered  at  some  point  beyond  Irkutsk. 
Bering  himself  luid  proceeded  by  land  from  Tobolsk 
and  reached  Yakutsk  in  October  1734,  in  advance  of 
nearly  all  his  assistants.  Here  the  winter  was  again 
utilized  for  the  construction  of  boats,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1735  the  lieutenants  Pronchishchef  and  Lassenius 
proceeded  northward  down  the  Lena  River,  with  the 
intention  of  sailing  eastward  along  the  Arctic  coast. 
The  transportation  of  men  and  stores  to  Okhotsk 
was  accomplished  partly  in  boats,  and  partly  on  horse- 
back over  a  rugged  chain  of  mountains.  This  proved 
to  be  the  most  laborious  part  of  the  journey.  Captain 
Spanberg  had  been  the  first  to  arrive  at  Okhotsk, 
having  travelled  in  advance  of  the  expedition;  but 
on  arrival  he  discovered,  to  his  dismay,  that  nothing 
had  been  done  by  the  local  commander  to  prepare  for 
the  reception  of  so  large  a  body.  Not  a  building  had 
been  erected,  not  a  keel  laid,  and  the  only  available 
logs  were  still  standing  in  the  forest.  Spanberg  went 
to  work  at  once  with  his  force  of  mechanics,  but  lack 
of  provisions  caused  frequent  interruptions  as  the  men 


YEARS  OF  PREPARATION  AND  TROUBLE. 


57 


wero  obliged  to  go  fishing  and  liunting.  After  a 
while  the  commander  of  the  Okhotsk  country,  Skor- 
iiiakof  Pisarcf,  made  his  appearance.  He  olfercd  no 
excuse  and  his  presence  did  not  mend  matters.  Pisa- 
rcf and  Spanberg  had  both  been  invested  with  extra- 
ordinary powers,  independent  of  each  other,  and  both 
were  stubborn  and  inclined  to  quarrel.  The  former 
lived  in  a  fort  a  short  distance  up  the  river,  while 
the  latter  had  built  a  house  for  himself  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  where  he  intended  to  establish  the  port. 
Each  had  his  separate  command,  and  each  called  him- 
self the  senior  officer,  threatening  his  opponent  with 
swift  annihilation.  Each  lorded  it  over  his  dependants 
and  exacted  abject  obedience,  and  we  may  well  im- 
a^nne  that  the  subordinates  led  a  wretched  life. 

Bering  at  Yakutsk  encountered  much  the  same 
difficulties  as  Spanberg,  but  on  a  larger  scale.  His 
supplies  were  scattered  along  the  road  from  the  fron- 
tier of  Asia  to  Yakutsk  awaiting  transportation,  and 
the  most  urgent  appeals  to  the  Siberian  authorities 
failed  to  secure  the  requisite  means.'"  It  had  been 
the  captain-commander's  intention  to  facilitate  his  in- 
tercourse with  the  natives  of  Kamchatka  by  means 
of  missionary  labor.  Immediately  after  his  return 
from  the  first  expedition,  he  had  petitioned  the  holy 

'*  Sgibnef,  in  hia  History  of  Kamchatka,  gives  the  reasons  for  the  delay. 
It  would  seem  after  all  that  government  was  none  too  rigorous  in  Siberia.  It 
appears  that  the  quarrels  between  Spanberg  and  Pisarcf  were  preceded  by 
petiy  altercations  between  the  latter  and  the  voivod  in  command  at  Yakutsk. 
As  early  as  1732  Pisaref  had  been  instructed  to  draw  all  necessary  supplies 
fvum  Yakutsk,  but  the  voivod  Shadovski  refused  to  give  hitn  uuytliiiig. 
Pisarcf  complained  to  the  governor  at  Irkutsk  and  received  an  oukaz  cnipow- 
eiiiig  him  to  confine  Shadovski  in  irons  until  he  issued  what  was  needed  for 
tlie  jirosecution  of  work  at  Okhotsk.  Subsequently  anotlier  oukaz  came  to 
Tobolsk  ordering  Shadovski  to  arrest  Pisaref,  which  was  no  sooner  done  than 
the  order  was  revoked.  Meanwhile  working  parties  were  forwarded  to 
Okhotsk  every  year,  but  want  of  provisions  forced  them  to  desert  before  any- 
thing had  been  accomplislied.  Numbei-s  of  these  workmen  died  of  starvation 
on  the  road.  Morskoi  Sbornik,  cv.  25-7.  Under  date  of  October  7,  1738,  an 
order  was  issued  from  the  chancellery  of  Irkutsk  providing  for  the  preparation 
of '  sea-stores '  for  the  Bering  expedition  in  Kamchatka.  The  quantity  was 
•ktermined  to  the  pound,  as  well  as  the  quality,  and  special  instructions  were 
given  for  the  manufacture  of  liquor  from  saramt,  a  kind  of  fern,  and  for  its 
preservation  in  casks.  If  necessary,  the  whole  population  of  Kamchatka  was 
to  1)0  employed  in  gathering  this  plant,  and  to  be  paid  for  their  labor  in 
tubacco.  Sgibuef,  in  jUomkoi  Sbornik,  ci.  137-40. 


h  I 


11'/ 


h 


t 


!i!:  ■) 


mm 


C8 


THE  KAMCHATKA  EXPEDITIONS. 


synod  for  missionaries  to  umlortuke  tljo  conversion  of 
tlie  Kanicliatkans.  The  senate  })roniulgated  a  law 
exempting  all  baptized  natives  of  that  country  for  ten 
years  Irom  the  payment  of  tribute  to  the  government. 
The  iirst  missionary  selected  for  the  new  field  was  the 
monk  Filevski,  a  great  preacher  and  pillar  of  the 
church,  but  before  reaching  Kamchatka  he  was 
ariested  on  the  river  Aldan,  for  assaulting  and  half 
killing  one  of  the  monks  of  his  suite,  and  for  refusing 
to  hold  divine  services  or  to  ri^ad  the  prayers  for  the 
im[)erial  family.  Religion  in  Siberia  had  seemingly 
run  mad.  After  his  arrival  in  Kamchatka  he  added 
much  to  the  general  confusion  by  acts  of  violence  and 
a  meddlesome  spirit,  which  stirred  up  strife  alike 
among  clergy  and  laity,  Russians  and  natives. 

The  position  of  Bering  was  exceedingly  trying;  on 
him  must  fall  the  odium  attending:  the  faults  and 
misfortunes  of  them  all.  Throughout  the  journey, 
and  afterward  to  the  end,  complaints  were  forwarded 
to  Irkutsk,  Tobolsk,  and  St  Petersburg.  That  he 
was  a  foreigner  made  it  none  the  less  a  pleasure  for 
the  Russians  to  curse  him.  The  senate  and  admiralty 
college  were  exasperated  by  reason  of  the  slow  move- 
ment, being  ignorant  of  the  insurmountable  obstacles. 
First  among  the  accusers  was  the  infamous  Pisaref, 
who  charged  both  Bering  and  Spanberg  with  licen- 
tiousness and  "excessive  use  of  tobacco  and  brandy." 
He  re[)orted  that  up  to  that  time,  1737,  nothing  had 
been  accomplished  for  the  objects  of  the  expedition, 
and  nothing  could  be  expected  beyond  loss  to  the 
imperial  treasury;  that  the  leaders  of  the  expedition 
had  come  to  Siberia  only  to  till  their  pockets,  not 
only  Bering,  but  his  wife,  who  was  about  to  return  to 
^Moscow;  and  that  Bering  had  received  valuable  pres- 
ents at  Irkutsk  from  contractors  for  supplies.  An- 
other officer  in  exile,  a  captain-lieutenant  of  the  navy, 
named  Kozantzof,  represented  that  Bering's  force  w;is 
in  a  state  of  anarchy,  that  all  its  operations  were 
carried  on  at  a  wasteful  expenditure,  and  that  in  his 


ATTITUDE  OF  AFFAIRS  IN  OKHOTSK. 


50 


opinion  nothing  would  couio  of  it  all.  Spanbcrg  him- 
Hclt"  began  to  rofiiso  obodiouco  to  Boring,  complaining 
bitterly  of  the  delay  in  obtaining  stores  for  liis  voy- 
age to  Japan.  Bering's  immediate  assistant,  Chirikof, 
received  instructions  from  St  Petersburg  to  inquire 
into  some  of  these  comidaints.  Another  of  the  othcers 
of  the  expedition,  Plunting,  being  dissatisfied  with 
lii'ring's  non-interference  in  his  ([uarrel  with  Pisaref, 
insulted  the  former  and  was  tried  by  court-martial 
and  sentenced  to  the  ranks  for  two  months.  To  '  o- 
vi'nge  himself,  the  young  lieutenant  sent  charges 
tt>  St  Petersburg,  reflecting  on  Bering's  conduct,  one 
of  which  was  illicit  manufacture  of  brandy  and  the 
expenditure  of  powder  in  making  fireworks,  as  well  as 
the  "emjiloyment  of  the  drum  corps  for  his  own  amuse- 
ment, though  there  was  nothing  to  rejoice  over." 

The  members  of  the  academy  also  became  dissatis- 
fiL'd  and  com[)lained  of  abuse  and  ill-treatment  on  the 
part  of  Bering,  asking  to  be  relieved  from  obedience 
to  him  as  commander.  In  1738  the  expense  of  the 
exj)edition,  which  had  not  then  left  the  sea-coas^,  was 
over  three  hundred  thousand  rubles  in  cash  paid  from 
the  imperial  treasury,  without  counting  the  great 
(juantities  of  supplies  furnished  by  the  various  dis- 
tricts in  kind.  At  this  rate  Alaska  would  cost  more 
than  it  could  be  sold  for  a  hundred  years  hence.  The 
empress  issued  an  oukaz  on  the  15th  of  September 
17;58,  instructing  the  senate  and  the  admiralty  col- 
lege to  review  the  accounts  of  the  Kamchatka  expe- 
dition, and  ascertain  if  it  could  not  be  carried  on 
■without  such  a  drain  on  the  treasury.  The  senate 
rc})orted  that  the  cost  thus  far  made  it  necessary  to 
continue  the  work  or  all  would  be  lost.  ]Much  time 
was  wasted  in  correspondence  on  these  matters,  and 
only  at  the  beginning  of  1739  did  the  main  body  reach 
Okhotsk.  In  July  an  officer  named  Tolbukhin  arrived 
witli  orders  from  the  empress  to  investigate  the  "doings 
of  Bering."  He  was  followed  in  September  by  Lari- 
onuf,  another  officer  who  had  been  ordered  to  assist 


•!ii 


!;■;: 


60 


THE  KAMCHATKA  EXPEDITIONS. 


liim.  Tlie  supply  of  provisions  at  Okhotsk  was  alto- 
gether iiiadequato  to  the  large  number  of  men  stationed 
there.  During  the  winter  following  the  suffering 
became  so  great  that  Bering  was  obliged  to  send  largo 
detachments  away  to  regions  where  they  could  support 
themselves  by  hunting.  At  that  time  the  whole  loroo 
consisted  of  141  men  at  Okhotsk,  192  employed  in  the 
magazines  and  in  the  transportation  of  stores,  70  at 
Irkutsk,  39  in  attendance  upon  the  various  officers 


Plan  of  Okik    ik. 

and  scientists,  and  141  on  the  three  vessels  already 
built,  in  all  583  men.  Under  Spanberg's  active  super- 
vision two  vessels  had  been  built,  the  brigantinc,yl;7i7i- 
cmgel  Mikliail,  and  the  double  sloop,  Nadeshda,  or 
Hope;  and  two  old  craft,  the  Fortuna,  reconstructed 
in  some  degree  from  the  first  of  that  name,  and  the 
Gavril,  had  been  repaired.  Spanberg  was  ready  to 
go  to  sea  in  September,  but  lack  of  provisions  detained 
him.^"    In  October  the  sloop  Fortuna  was  sent  to  Kam- 

'*  According  to  Bering's  report  of  November  29,  1737,  the  qu.intity  of 
provisions  ou  imnd  in  uU  his  magazines  in  Okhotsk  and  Kamchatkii  consisted 
of  l0.4i;'J  pounds  of  flour;  1,784  lbs.  grits;  240  lbs.  hard  bread;  fi.'iO  lbs.  siilt; 
18'J  lbs.  dried  fish;  21 1  Uis.  butter;  48  lbs.  oil;  and  GS.1  buckets  of  briuuly.  At 
the  sanio  tinif)  he  forwarded  a  requisition  for  1733  for:  1,912  lbs.  Hour;  2,5Gli 


11 

Id   I  h 

\\  i  ¥ 


ALL  READY. 


CI 


(liiiika  for  a  cargo  of  j)itcli  for  tlio  aliip-builcling  at 
Okliotsk.  The  mate  Koiliclief,  and  the  surveyor 
S\  itunof,  ill  c'har;^e,  were  in.strufteil  to  carry  the  pro- 
visions that  hail  aocuinidatecl  in  the  Kainchatkan 
magazines  to  ]>olsheretsk,  as  the  Uiost  convenient 
j)i)rt  from  which  to  transfer  them  to  the  vessels  of 
lloring's  expedition.  The  student  Krashennikof  also 
wont  to  Kamchatka  in  the  Fort  iota.  On  the  13th 
of  Octobei-,  when  about  to  enter  the  river  at  Bol- 
sherctsk,  the  wretched  craft  was  overtaken  by  a  gale 
and  thrown  upon  the  shore.  The  future  historian  of 
Kamchatka,  Krasliennikof,  reached  the  land  "clad  in 
one  garment  only." 

Dcs[)ite  the  apparently  insurmountable  difficulties 
resulting  from  want  of  trans[)ortation  and  lack  o(  sup- 
plies, Bering  and  Chirikof  found  themselves  i';  readi- 
ness to  <xo  to  sea  in  the  month  of  August  1740.  At 
that  time  +^^'  number  of  men  at  OklK^tsk  belon-jfin-'' 
to  the  expedition  waK  IGG,  with  80  engaged  in  Ihe 
tran.sportation  of  stores  over  the  mountain  trails. 
During  the  summer  the  astronomer  Croyuro  with 
his  suite  had  arrived  at  Okhotsk,  accompanied  by  the 
naturalist  Stcller.  Toward  the  end  of  Aug-ust  an 
event  occurred  that  filled  Bering  and  his  officers  with 
joy.  The  great  stumbling-block  of  the  exjicditionand 
its  most  persistent  enemy,  Pisaref,  was  relieved  from 
his  official  position  by  another  exile,  Antoinc  Deviere, 
a  former  favorite  of  Peter  the  Great,  and  chief  oi' 
police  of  St  Petersburg.'^  xVccording  to  Sgibnef, 
3.)evicre  was  the  first  honorable  and  efficient  com- 


11  s.  iiical;  2,?,m  lbs.  liiinl  bread;  l.O'JO  lbs  meat;  41011)9.  fish;  fj.Vtlbs.  butter; 
T"i  ll>.s.  {lil;  and  3*20  biu'lvots  of  bnindy.  For  the  yciir  I7.'{!*  liis  rciiuisition  for 
liis  own  ,inil  for  Spanbery's  expedition  was:  !K>0  lbs.  Hour;  '2,r)G5  lbs.  meal; 
-I.C.IT  II1.S.  hard  In-cad;  1,0-J.")  lbs.  meat;  410  lbs.  lisli;  'flC,  lbs.  butter;  103  lbs. 
salt,  and  (!00  buckets  of  brandy.  With  the  flour  it  was  not  only  necessary 
to  liiake  kvass,  but  to  bake  hard  bread;  the  meal  was  oatmeal,  which  was 
i.s.ii'.rd  liccausc  jM'ase  and  barley  could  not  be  obtained.  Znp.  JJi/ilr.,  ix.  337. 
'"  It  was  in  1738  that  Antoine  Peviere  was  chief  of  police  of  the  lUissiau 
capital,  but  falling  into  di.syraee  lu;  was  sent  to  Siberia.  In  1741  he  was 
made  counnander  of  Okhotsk,  and  in  1742  recalled  to  St  Petcr.sburg  by 
]',li/ab('th,  made  a  count,  and  restored  to  his  former  \  sition.  He  died  iu 
17-Ij.  Mofifkol  Sboriiik;  ev.  31,  33. 


:l1.       ': 


01  THE  KAMCHATKA  EXPEDITIONS. 

inandcr  of  Okhotsk.  Ho  sold  the  property  which  liis 
predecessors  harl  dishonestly  obtained,  and  with  the 
proceeds  paid  the  arrears  of  salaries.  Under  his 
active  supervision  buildings  were  erected,  a  school 
established,  and  everything  arranged  for  a  quick 
despatch  of  the  American  expedition.^^ 

'"  It  was  at  the  auggestion  of  Bering  that  Devitre  opened  this  the  first 
school  in  Kamchatka  in  1741;  it  was  located  at  Bolslieretsk  and  began  ita 
operations  with  20  pupils.  Morskoi  Sbornik,  ci.  142. 


ji:;i 


m 


It; 


CHAPTER  IV. 

DISCOVERY    OF   ALASKA. 

1740-1741. 

TuE  Day  of  Departure — Arrival  of  Imperial  Desi'atciies — They  Set 
Sail  from  Okhotsk— The  'Sv  Petk' and  the  'Sv  Pavel'— Keuixo's 
AND  Chip.ikof'.s  RicsPEtrrivE  Commands — Arrival  at  Kam(  hatka— 

WlNTEUINO    AT  AVATCIIA    BaY — EMBARKATION — IlL-FEELIN(1    P.ETWEEN 

CiinuKOF  AND  Beuing — TiiE  Final  Paktino  in  JIid-ocean — Adven- 
Tru'^;  OF  CiiiRiKOF — He  Discovers  the  Mainland  of  Amf.isica  in 
Latithde  Tm"  '21'— The  Magnificence  of  his  ScRKOUNi>iN(is — A 
Boat's  Cuew  Sent  Ashoke — Another  Sent  to  its  Assistance— All 
Lost!  — IIeakt-sick,  Chirikof  Hovers  aiioct  the  Plac^e  —  And  is 
finally  Driven  Away  p.y  the  Wind  —  He  Discovers  Unalaska, 
Adakh,  and  Attoo— The  Presence  of  Sea-oiters  Noticed — Sick- 
ness—Retcrn  TO  Avatcha  Bay — Death  jf  Croyep.e — Illness  of 
Chirikof. 


vSix  years  the  grand  expedition  had  occupied  in 
crossing  Siberia;  no  wonder  subordinates  swore  and 
the  imperial  treasurer  groaned.  But  now  the  de- 
vinitly  wished  for  hour  had  come,  the  happy  consum- 
mation was  at  liand.  New  islands  and  new  seas  should 
pay  the  reckoning,  while  the  iiatives  of  a  new  conti- 
nent should  be  made  to  bleed  for  all  this  toil  and 
trouble. 

The  15th  of  August  1740  had  been  fixed  as  the  day 
of  (k^parturc,  but  just  as  they  were  al)out  to  embark 
Captain  Spanberg  arrived  i'rom  Yakutsk  with  the  in- 
telhgence  that  an  imperial  courier  was  at  hand  with 
(le.'^patches  recpiiriiig  answers.  This  delayed  the  ex- 
pedition till  the  1st  of  September,  when  the  double 
sloop  with  stores  was  despatched  in  advance.  At  the 
mouth  of  the  river  she  ran  aground,  and  the  transfer 

(68) 


64 


DISCOVERY  OF  ALASKA. 


ir"^ 


of  cargo  became  necessary,  after  which  slic  was  agahi 
made  ready.  On  the  8th  of  September  the  exi)edition 
finally  embarked.  Bering  cornumnded  the  Sv  Pctr, 
and  Chirikof  the  Sv  Pavel,  the  two  companion  vessels 
having  been  named  the  St  Peter  and  the  St  Paifl. 
Bering's  second  was  Lieutenant  Waxel,  Avhile  with 
Chirikof  v.ere  lieutenants  Chikhachcf  and  Blunting.^ 
The  double  sloop  was  commanded  by  Master  Khitrof 
and  the  galiot  by  second  mate  Btishchef  Passengers 
on  the  (k)uble  sloop  were  Croyere,  Steller,  the  sur- 
veyor Krassilnikof,  and  the  student  Gorlanof.  The 
vessels  were  all  fitted  out  with  provisions  for  a  year 
and  eight  months,  but  the  grounding  of  the  double 
sloop  caused  considerable  loss  in  both  provisions  and 
spare  rigging. 

In  crossing  the  Okhotsk  Scathe  vessels  parted  com- 
pany, but  they  all  reached  the  harbor  of  Bolsherctsk 
in  safety  about  the  middle  of  September.  Here  they 
landed  the  two  members  of  the  academy  for  the  pur- 
pose of  exploring  the  Kamchatka  peninsula,  and  took 
on  board  the  mate  Yelagin.  The  little  fleet  then 
passed  round  the  southern  end  of  the  peninsula  to  the 
gulf  of  Avatcha,  where  the  Sv  Pavel  arrived  the  27th 
of  Se])tomber,  and  the  Sv  Petr  the  Gth  of  October. 
The  sloop  met  witli  a  series  of  disasters  and  was  com- 
pelled to  return  to  Bolsheretsk  on  the  8th  of  October, 
and  to  remain  there  for  the  winter.  The  galiot  also 
returned  fisr  the  winter,  unable  to  weather  Capo  Lo- 
patka  so  late  in  the  season,  and  this  renderetl  it  neces- 
sary to  transport  supplies  overland  from  Bolsheretsk 


■  With  Wiixel  was  a  younc;  son.     The  other  ofllcers  of  the  Fiv  Petr  wore 

I'lselbcrg,  luiito;  Yu:-hin,  second  mate;  LKigiuiof,  coiiiiuissary;  Khotialiitzof, 
master;  .fanseii,  boatswain;  Ivanof,  lioatswain'a  m.itc;  llossilius,  sliip'a  con- 
stiiMe;  l'Vui.:h,  surycon;  IJetye,  assistant  surgeon;  Tlcuianer,  artist  and  corporal 
of  Cossacks;  and  anion;:;  tlic  sailora  tlie  former  Lieut.  Ovtzin,  who  had  been 
reduced  to  the  ranks.  In  Kamchatka  the  force  was  increased  by  Khitrc  f,  the 
marine,  and  .Johann  Synd,  a  son  of  Feieh,  tlie  fatlier  returning  to  St  I'cters- 
burg  on  account  of  ill-health.  On  the  Svl'unl  were:  Dementief,  master; 
Shiganof  and  Vurlof,  second  mates;  Chaglokof,  commit^sary;  Korostlef, 
master;  Savt'icf,  boatswain;  Kachikof,  ship's  constable;  the  monk  Lau,  who 
also  8crve<l  as  assistant  surgeon  ,  the  force  beiny  further  increased  in  Kam- 
eliatka  by  Yelagin,  mate,  and  the  marine  Yurlof.  The  second  nmto  Shiijaiiof, 
and  Yurlof,  were  subsciiueutly  promoted  in  Kunicliatku. 


I  i 


BE  L'ISLE'S  CHART. 


m 


pedition 
Sv  Pctr; 
I  vessels 
U  Pad. 
ile  with 
iiinting.^ 
Khitrof 
sscngers 
the  sur- 
)f.  The 
r  a  year 
3  double 
lions  and 

ted  com- 
l.sheretsk 
^cre  they 
the  pur- 
aiid  took 
cet  then 
la  to  the 
the  27th 
October, 
vas  coui- 
)ctober, 
liot  also 
ipc  Lo- 
it  ncccs- 
Isheretsk 

li'  Pdr  were 
llu)tiaIiitzof, 
sliip's  coii- 
liul  corporal 
Jo  hail  been 
|\liiti<  f,  the 
St  I'ctcrs- 
(of,  master; 
Ivorostk'f, 
Ik  Lull,  who 
lid  ill  Kaiii- 
Lo  blii^auuf, 


to  Avatcha  during  the  winter,  an  operation  attended 
with  great  difficulties  and  loss."  Bering  aj^proved  of 
the  selection  of  Avatcha  Bay  as  a  harbor,  by  Yelagin, 
it  beinu:  the  best  on  the  coast.  A  few  buildinijs  had 
been  erected,  and  to  these  the  commander  [)roceeded 
at  once  to  add  a  church.  The  place  was  named  Pe- 
troi)avlovsk.^ 

])eaching  his  vessels  for  the  winter,  Bering  secured 
tlic  services  of  tlie  natives  for  the  transportation  of 
supplies  from  Bolsheretsk,  and  then  distributed  his 
connnand  in  small  detachments,  requiring  them  to 
live  for  the  most  part  on  such  game  and  fish  as  they 
cniild  catch.  Removed  from  the  interference  of  local 
autliorities,  which  had  been  troublesome  at  Okhotsk, 
Bering  passed  a  quiet  winter  and  concluded  the  final 
])r('parations  for  sea  in  accordance  with  his  plans. 
(Voyere  and  Steller  joined  him  in  the  spring;  and 
with  the  opening  of  navigation,  in  accordance  with 
instructions,  on  the  4th  of  May  17-11  the  connnander 
assembled  his  officers,  including  the  astronomer,  for 
general  consultation.  Each  present  was  to  give  his 
^ie^vs,  and  a  majority  was  to  decide.  All  were  of 
o[)inion  that  the  unknown  shore  lay  either  due  east 
or  north-east;  but  this  sensible  decision,  tlie  ado})tion 
of  which  would  have  saved  them  much  sullering  and 
disaster,  was  not  permitted  to  prevail.  Science  in 
Bvissiii,  was  as  despotic  as  government.  The  renowned 
astronomer  De  L'lsle  de  la  Croyere  had  made  a  map 
i;r('s('nted    by  the  imperial  academy   to  the  senate. 

-  Tlie  sloop  finally  rciU'hcd  Av.itclia  the  follow  iiiij  siiiiinier  Imt  only  after 
two  cj.jilorinj;  vcscels  had  f'(,'nc  to  sea.  Aeeordiiig  to  Steller  a  sniiiily-sliip 
met  the  vetitiels  of  the  cxpiditioii  in  tlu;  outer  harlior,  and  the  jneater  ]M)rtic  ii 
of  tl.o  e.irp)  was  transfernd  to  the  iVc  /'ih:  St<lh)\  Jlr.'rlin  iliiin'i  rcii  Kmii- 
t--r!ii:iL(i,\.  I  I'J.  The  jraliot  returned  to  (lkllol^k  (hiring,'  tlie  Mininiei'  in  ihiiri'o 
of  second  mate  Shi^'cnof,  and  earryinu'an  passenj-'ers  Krashennikof,  with  a  vaiii- 
al)!i'  iiijleetion  of  notes  as  the  result  of  hut  in\eHtiuations,  y:fiji.  Ili/ilr.,  ix.  .'i7l. 

•''  Aeeording  to  Mlillcr  the  ehiireh  was  dodieatc  d  to  the  a]iostles  I'eter  and 
Tanl,  i!iid  the  harhor  derived  its  name  therefrom;  hut  K\dise(|iient  invesii'a- 
tioiiii  of  thu  loeal  archives  hy  Sokolof  and  I'olonski  seenud  to  in<li<-'ate  thit 
the  church,  a  .'mall  wooden  strnetiu'e,  was  erected  in  memory  of  the  Mrlli  cf 
tho  viri.in,  and  that  the  hnrlior  was  named  after  the  two  fihi])s.  Its  i:;i:,  o 
occurs  on  the  (arliest  jiagcs  of  the  journals  of  the  expedition.  J/iiIIit,  Sdinni- 
hiiij  i-w-Mycliif  ijcuvhichli'ii,  i.  '22;  {iokulo/,  in  Zaj>.  Jlydi:,  ix.  37-. 
Hist.  ALAtiKA.    S 


06 


DISCOVERY  OF  ALASKA. 


That  auGfust  body  had  forwarded  it  to  Bcrinj^,  and 
the  author's  brother,  present  at  the  council,  also  had 
with  him  a  copy.  No  land  was  set  down  upon  this 
chart  toward  the  east,  but  some  distance  south-east 
of  Avatcha  Bay,  between  latitudes  40°  and  47°,  there 
was  a  coast  extending  about  15°  of  longitude  from  west 
to  east.  The  land  was  drawn  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
indicate  that  it  had  been  sighted  on  the  south  side, 
and  the  words  Tcrreft  vnes  par  dom  Jean  de  (rama 
were  inscribed  upon  it.  The  absurdity  of  sending  out 
an  expedition  for  discover}^  requiring  it  to  follow 
niapi^ed  imagination,  seems  never  to  have  occurred  to 
the  Solons  of  St  Petersburef,  and  this  when  thev 
knew  well  enough  that  the  continents  were  not  far 
asunder  toward  the  north. 

The  mariners  thought  it  safer  to  go  by  the  chart, 
which  after  all  must  have  some  influence  on  the  land, 
the  drawing  having  passed  through  such  imperial 
processes,  and  hence  arrived  at  the  fatal  determination 
to  steer  first  south-cast  by  east  in  search  of  the  Land 
of  Gama,  and  after  discoverinii'  it  to  take  its  northern 
coast  as  a  guide  to  the  north-east  or  east;  but  if  no 
land  was  found  in  latitude  4G",  then  the  course  shouM 
be  altered  to  north-cast  by  east  till  land  was  made. 
The  coast  once  found,  it  was  to  bo  followed  to  latitude 
G5°.  The  action  of  the  several  officers  under  every 
conceivable  emergency  was  determined  by  the  council. 
All  Were  to  return  to  Avatcha  Bay  by  the  end  of 
September.*  Yet  with  all  the  care,  when  put  into 
practice,  their  plans  Avere  found  to  he  exceedingly  de- 
fective. Steller  went  on  the  Sv  I\'tr,  while  Croyeie 
was  attached  to  Chirikof's  vessel.     The  crew  of  the 


*lt  is  not  known  who  Juan  do  Tiama  was,  nor  when  the  prctcntled  discov- 
ery was  niiuh!  by  him.  Jn  l(i4t)  Ti'xoini,  cosnio^'raphcr  to  the  king  of  I'ortii- 
gal,  piihlishi'd  a  map  on  whicli  10  or  I'J  dep'ees  north-oast  from  Japan,  in 
latitudo  44'  and  4t")\  were  represented  a  nniltittulo  of  ishinds  and  a  eoast  on- 
tt'iidiny  toward  tlie  ea.st,  laholled:  'Terrc  vuc  par  Jean  de  (Janri,  Indicii,  en 
nlhmt  di'  hi.  t'liine  h  hi  Is'oiivolle  Kspagno.'  Ilie  situation  of  the  'Landnt' 
Gania,'  on  'I'oxoira's  maps,  sooms  to  ho  the  same  as  the  'Company's  Land' 
iliseovend  hy  tlie  Kd/ilriLam  under  Martin  (ioiitzin  de  Vries,  in  l(i4;f,  m- 
perhaps  earlier.   Midler's  ]'t>y.,  i.  u7-S;  lluniojK  L'hrouol.  IJiat.,  lU'2-3. 


IN  MID-OCEAN. 


6T 


ing,  and 
als(j  had 
ipon  tills 
)uth-cast 
17°,  there 
rom  west 
incr  as  to 
luth  side, 
f/e  G(imn 
ndiiig  out 
to  follow 
'currod  to 
he  11  they 
•e  not  far 

the  chart, 
1  the  laiid, 
1  imperial 
irmiuatioii 
the  Land 
northern 
hut  if  no 
Irse  shouM 
l,vas  made. 
()  latitude 
Idcr  every 
lie  council, 
le  end  of 
put  into 
linufly  <lc- 
le  Croyero 
:W  of  the 


tended  discDV- 
Liiig  of  roitii- 
lom  Jiipun.  i'l 
Jul  a  ooiist  t'N- 
|ii-i,  liidicn,  I  '1 
the  'LuikI  >'! 
Jipniiv's  LiiU'l ' 
Is,  ill  Hi-t;i,  '"• 
1,  Wl-'i. 


Sr  Pcfi'  nunihercd  seventy-seven,  and  tliat  of  tlic  >SV 
Pare/  seventy-live.  Both  ships  had  still  provisions 
kft  for  live  and  a  half  months,  with  one  hundred 
barrels  of  water,  sixteen  cords  of  wood,  and  two  boats 
each. 

On  the  morning'   of  the  4th  of  June   1741,  after 
sok'nni  prayer,  the  two  ships  sailed  from  Avatcha  ]>ay 
with  a  liufht  southerly  wind.^     Xoon  of  the  second 
(lav  saw  them  thirty  miles  from  Liglit  House  Point. 
Chirikof,  wl;o  was  about  five  miles  to  windward  of 
])eriiig,   noticed    that    the  latter   steered   southward 
(»t"  the  course  pro])Oscd.      Signalling  Bering  that  he 
would  speak  with  him,  Chirikof  proposed  that  they 
should  keep  as  near  together  as  possible  to  avoid  final 
separation  in  a  fog.     He  also  spoke  of  the  manifest 
cliange  from  the  agreed  course,  whereat  ]3ering  ap- 
])eared  annoyed,  and  when  later  Chirikof  signalled  to 
speak  with  liiin  a  second  time  the  commander  paid  no 
attention  to  it.     As  we  proceed  wo  shall  find  serious 
defects  in  the  character  of  both  of  these  men.     For  a 
connuander-in-chief,  Bering  was  becoming  timid,  and 
])erhaps  too  much  bound  to  instructions;  for  a  sub- 
ordinate,Chirikof  was  dogmatic  and  obstinate.    Aixmt 
noon  of  the   6th   of  June   Bering  ordered  Chirikof 
to  jtroceed  in  advance,  trusting  a[)parently  more  to 
his  skill  and  judgment  than  to  his  own.     On  the  7th 
of  June  the  wind  changed  to  the  nortli  and  increased. 
Ill  the  course  of  the  next  few  days  the  two  shi})s 
approached    each    other  occasionally  and  exchanged 
signals,  but  Chirikof  remained  in  the  lead.     In  the 
afternoon  of  the  12th  thoy  found  themselves  in  lati- 
tude 4G.°  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  there  was 
no  (jaiij  ,   ..and  sutdi  as  given  in  the  chart,  and  at  l> 
o'clock  tliey  changed  tlieir  course  to  east  by  north. 
On  the  14tli  the  wind  drew  ahead,  bhnving   strong 


'  Detiiila  of  Berinct's  voyage  in  the  areliives  of  St  Petersburg  consist  of 
rcpditH  and  journals  liy  Waxel,  Yufki-i,  an<l  Kiutnif,  the  lirst  two  in  cojiics, 
tlio  liitter  ill  the  uri;;inal.  Of  Chirikuf's  voyajre  there  are  copiea  of  jouniidsi 
liy  liiinself  iiiid  liy  yelagin  liis  mate.  A  few  other  detuila  have  been  obtained 
from  Steller  and  Miiller.  Zap,  Ilydr,,  passim. 


14-: 


m  I 


!:i: 


68 


DISCOVEr.Y  OF  ALASKA. 


from  the  caRtwrinl,  and  conipcllihi!^  to  a  more  nortli- 
erly  course  for  nearly  two  days,  till  they  found  them- 
selves in  latitude  48",  Berini^  keeping  to  the  windward 
of  Chirikof  on  aceouiit  of  the  better  sailing  qualities 
of  liis  vessel.  Chirikof  finally  signalled  for  instruc- 
tions, and  asked  how  long  the  northerly  course  was 
to  be  pursued.  Bering's  answer  was  to  follow  him 
and  he  would  see. 

A  few  hours  later  the  cour.se  was  changed  to  the 
southward.  On  the  15th  the  wind  was  a  little  more 
to  the  south  and  the  northerly  course  was  resumed. 
On  the  18th,  in  the  morning,  Bering  informed  Chiri- 
kof that  as  they  were  in  latitude  49°  they  must  turn 
fiouth,  but  Chirikof  said  that  with  the  prevailing  wind  a 
<-hange  was  impracticaljle,  and  it  would  be  best  to  con- 
tinue the  course  east  by  north.  The  fjljowing  day  in 
latitude  49"  30'  tlie  winil  increased,  blowing  violently 
iVom  the  east,  and  sails  were  shortened  thuinLT  the  niijht. 
Xext  mornini«;  Chirikof  sighted  the  Sv  Pctr  about 
three  leagues  to  the  nortli,  but  Bering  did  not  see 
him,  and  tliiriking  himself  to  the  v>indward  shaped  his 
course  to  the  north-west.  This  manoeuvre  completed 
the  separation  of  the  vessels  forever.  Bering  made 
every  effort  to  find  the  consort;  he  spent  three  days 
between  latitudes  50°  and  51°,  and  finally  sailed  south- 
east as  far  as  45°,  but  all  in  vain.  Chirikof  had  talceii 
an  easterly  course  and  his  subsequent  movements  were 
entirely  distinct  from  those  of  his  comniander. 

First  let  us  follow  the  fortunes  of  Chirikof,  who 
must  ever  be  regarded  as  the  hero  of  this  expedition. 

After  losing  sight  of  the  Sv  Pctr,  which  he  thought 
v.'as  to  the  nortliward,  Chirikof  alhjwed  the  Sv  Paccl 
to  drift  a  while,  so  that  his  commander  mi»]fht  find 
him.  Then  he  steered  south-east  in  search  of  him, 
and  after  making  two  degrees  of  lon-dtude  to  the 
eastward,  on  the  morning  of  the  23d  of  June  he  found 
liinis(df  in  latitude  48°.  A  council  of  ofBeers  decided 
t'.:at  it  was  folly  to  Vv^atte  time  in  search  of  Bering, 


:!;•■■ 


ADVENTURES  OF  CHIRIKOF. 


60 


•e  north - 
kI  thein- 
/indward 
qualities 
instriic- 
urse  was 
How  him 

)d  to  the 
ttlc  more 
resmiied. 
lod  Chiii- 
luist  turn 
nii'  wind  a 
•st  to  con- 
nsx  (lav  in 
violently 
the  night. 
\tr  about 
1  not  see 
;haped  his 
completed 
in;:;  made 
liree  days 
ed  south- 
lad  taken 
ents  were 
:r. 

^kcf,  who 

:pcditi<)n. 

thouii;ht 

I  Si' Pair/ 

iorht  find 

\  • 

I  of  hmi. 
Ic  to  tlu' 

ihe  found 

deoi<led 

f  Bering, 


a!id  that  they  would  prosecute  the  object  of  the  voy- 
age, whicli  was  to  find  land  toward  the  east.  Heuco 
with  li'dit,  favorable  winds,  the  So  Pairl  went  for- 
ward,  occasionally  shaping  her  course  a  little  more  to 
the  north,  until  on  the  11th  of  July  signs  of  land 
wore  seen  in  drift-wood,  seals,  and  gulls.  Without 
slacking  his  speed,  but  casting  the  lead  constantly, 
Chirikof  proceede<l,  and  during  the  night  of  the  lat'a 
liu  si'dited  land  in  latitude  55°  21.'  Thus  was  the 
great  discover}^  achieved.  The  high  w^ooded  moun- 
tains looming  before  the  enraptured  gaze  of  eyes  long 
accustomed  to  the  tamer  glories  of  Siberia,  were  at 
once  pronounced  to  belong  to  the  continent  of  Amer- 
ica." 

J)ay  broke  calm  and  clear;  the  coast  was  visible  in 
distinct  outlines  at  a  distance  of  three  or  four  miles; 
the  lead  indicated  sixty  fathoms,  and  the  ship  was 
surrounded  by  myriads  of  ducks  and  gulls.  At  noon 
it  was  still  calm,  and  an  observation  gave  the  latitude 
as  55°  41',  A  boat  was  lowered  but  failed  to  find  a 
landing-place.  In  the  evening  a  light  wind  arose, 
and  the  vessel  stood  north-westward  alonn;  the  shore 
under  short  sails.  Toward  mornini;  the  wind  increased 
iVom  the  eastward  with  rain  and  fog,  and  the  briLjht 
green  land  which  they  had  found  was  lost  to  them 
again.  At  last,  some  time  after  daylight,  high  moun- 
tains once  more  appeared  above  the  clouds,  and  at 
noon  of  the  17th  the  entrance  to  a  great  bay  was 
oiiscrved  in  latitude  57°  15'.  The  mate,  ])ementief, 
was  ordered  to  explore  the  entrance  iu  the  long-boat 
manned  with  ten  armed  sailors.'' 

The  party  was  furnished  with  provisions  for  sover;d 
days,  with  muskets,  and  other  arms,  including  a  small 

"Sokolof  declares  emphatically  tliiit  the  point  of  land  mailc  was  .a  sliglit 
pfojietion  of  the  coast  b(!t\veeu  caiies  Addington  and  Ijartlioloniew  of  Vaji- 
univi'i's  map.  Zap.  llydi:,  ix.  3!)!). 

"The  mate,  Abram  Mikhai'lovicli  Dementief,  is  spoken  of  by  Mtiller  in  Vx-J 
l.itier  i,f  a  /'iiDnian  Namrl  OJfirrr,  aa  a  man  of  good  fandly,  yonn^',  good-iool;- 
iii:.',  kind-hearted,  skilled  in  his  profession,  and  anxious  to  servo  his  conntry. 
Siikolof  ill  his  history  of  the  expedition  liifits  at  a  love  ailair  at  Okhotsk, 
Viliicli  had  ended  unhappily.  Moi-fkoi  SboniiL,  ev,  113;  /iap.  Ihjdr.,  iv.  -100-1. 


n 


DISCOVERY  OF  ALASKA. 


H^ 


*ii 


brass  cannon.  Chirikof  issued  instructions  to  meet 
prc»!)al)l(j  eui(3r<^cncics,  and  oxi)lainod  how  tlicy  were  to 
coninuinicate  with  the  ship  by  signals.  The  hoat  was 
f>ecn  to  reach  tlie  shore  and  disappear  behind  a  small 
})rojection  of  land;  a  few  minutes  later  the  precon- 
certed signals  were  observed,  and  it  was  concluded 
that  the  boat  had  landed  in  safety.^  The  day  passed 
without  further  information  from  the  shore.  During 
the  next  and  for  several  successive  days,  signals  were 
observed  from  time  to  time,  which  were  interpreted 
to  mean  that  all  was  well  with  Domentief.  At  last, 
as  the  party  did  not  return,  Chirikof  began  to  fear 
that  the  boat  had  suffered  damage  in  landing,  and  on 
the  •2;3d  Sidor  Savelief,  with  some  sailors,  a  carpenter 
and  a  calkcr,  was  sci.t  ashore  to  assist  Dementief,  and 
re})air  his  boat  if  ncccf-^sary."  The  strictest  injunctions 
were  issued  that  either  one  or  both  of  the  boats  should 
return  immediately.  Tlieir  movements  were  anxiously 
watched  I'rom  the  sliip.  The  small  boat  was  seen  to 
land,  but  no  preparation  for  a  return  could  be  observed. 
A  great  smoke  was  seen  rising  from  the  point  round 
which  the  first  crew  had  disappeared. 

The  night  was  passed  in  great  anxiety;  but  every 
heart  was  gladdened  when  next  morning  two  boats 
were  seen  to  leave  the  coast.  One  was  larger  than 
the  other,  and  no  one  doubted  that  Dementief  and 
•Savelief  were  at  last  returning.  The  ca})tain  ordered 
all  made  ready  for  instant  departure.  During  the 
bustle  which  followed  little  attention  was  paid  to  the 
a])j)roaching  boats,  but  presently  they  were  discovered 
to  be  canoes  filled  with  savages,  who  seemed  to  be  as 
much  astonished  as  the  Russians,  and  after  a  rapid 
survey  of  the  ap[)arition  they  turned  shoreward, 
shouting  Agail  Aufail     Then  dread  fell  on  all,  and 


^  Sokolof  omits  in  his  account  the  mention  of  Dementief 's  signal  after  reach- 
ing the  land,  but  the  fact  is  confirmed  by  Chirikof's  own  journal  in  both  the 
oiiuinal,  and  the  translation  in  SumntluiKj  aUer  lii'inhe-olir.,  xx.  372. 

"Tliis  date  is  dillerently  given  liy  diflfcrcnt  authors;  in  the  Sammlttiiil 
the  date  is  the  'Jbst;  the  number  of  Savelief'a  companions  is  also  variously 
placed  at  from  three  to  six.  MUller's  Voywje,  41j  Zcq).  Jli/dr.,  ix.  401. 


rVN'O  BOATS'  CREWS  LOST.  71 

Cliiiikof  cursed  himself  for  permitting  the  sailors  to 
appear  on  deck  in  such  numbers  as  to  i'righten  away 
the  savages,  and  thus  prevent  their  seizure  and  an 
exchange  of  prisoners.  Gradually  the  full  iori-o  of 
the  calamity  fell  upon  him.  His  men  had  all  been 
seized  and  nmrdered  on  the  spot,  or  were  still  held 
i'oi-  a  worse  fate. 

He  was  on  an  unknown  and  dangerous  coast,  with- 
out boats,  and  his  numbers  greatly  reduced.  A 
strong  west  wind  just  then  sprang  up  and  compelled 
liiiu  to  weigli  anchor  and  run  for  the  open  sea.  His 
heart  was  very  sore,  for  he  was  a  humane  man  and 
warmly  attached  to  his  comrades.  He  cruised  about 
the  neighborhood  for  several  days,  loath  to  leave  it, 
though  he  had  given  up  the  shore  paities  all  as  lost, 
and  as  soon  as  the  wind  permitted  he  again  apiroached 
the  point  which  had  proved  so  fatal  to  his  undertak- 
ing. But  no  trace  of  the  lost  sailors  could  be  discov- 
ered. A  council  of  officers  was  then  called  to  deter- 
mine what  next  to  do.'*' 

All  agreed  that  further  attempts  at  discovery 
were  out  of  the  question,  and  that  the}''  should  at 
once  make  for  Kamchatka.  With  his  own  hand 
C'liirikof  added  to  the  minutes  of  the  council,  "Were 
it  not  for  our  extraordinary  misfortunes  there  would 
ho  ample  time  to  prosecute  the  work."  The  Sv  Pavel 
was  then  headed  for  the  north-west,  keeping  tlie  coast 
ill  sight.  The  want  of  boats  prevented  a  landing  for 
water,  wdiich  was  now  dealt  out  in  rations;  they  tried 
to  catcli  rain  and  also  to  distil  sea-water,  in  both  ot 
whicli  efforts,  to  a  certain  extent,  they  were  success- 
M. 

On  the  31st  of  July,  at  a  distance  of  about  eighteen 
miles  to  the  north,  huge  mountains  covered  with  snow 
were  seen  extending  apparently  to  the  westward.    The 


'"Sokolof  gives  tlic  tlate  of  this  council  as  the  2Gth,  11  days  after  the  dis- 
covery of  hniid.  Cliirikof  and  Miillcr,  as  well  as  the  Simimliiixj.  ni:ike  it 
tlie'-VUi.  All  accounts  agree  tliat  the  latitude  observed  on  the  day  of  the 
cdinicil  was  i)H"  21'.  The  nuantity  of  water  on  hand  was  tlien  4ii  caska. 
J.  i/lcr'ti  I'vi/aije.  4'2;  Zap.  llydr,,  ix.  402. 


72  DISCOVERY  OF  ALASKA. 

wind  inorcnsod  and  veered  to  the  westward,  with  rain 
and  foLf.  Tlie  course  was  chanijed  more  to  the  south- 
ward,  and  on  the  2d  of  Auj^fust  they  again  sighted 
land  to  the  westward,'^  but  it  soon  disappeared  in 
the  fog. 

On  the  4th  of  Se])tember  in  latitude  52°  30'  they 
disco\'ered  high  land  in  a  northeiiy  direction,  proba- 
bly the  island  of  Unalaska.  Two  days  later,  after 
considerable  westing  with  a  favorable  wind,  land  was 
again  sighted  in  latitude  51°  30';  and  on  the  evening 
of  the  8th,  while  becalmed  in  a  fog,  they  were  alarmed 
by  the  roar  of  breakers,  while  soundings  showed 
twenty-eight  fathonis.  Chirikof  anchored  with  diffi- 
culty owing  to  the  hard  rock  ,  bottom,  and  the  follow- 
ing morning  when  the  fofj  lifted  he  found  himself  in 
a  small  shallow  bay  less  than  a  mile  in  width  and 
surrounded  by  trementlous  cliffs,  probably  Adakh 
Island.  The  mountains  were  barren,  with  here  and 
there  small  patches  of  grass  or  moss.  While  await- 
ing a  favorable  wind,  they  saw  seven  savages  come 
out  in  seven  canoes,  chanting  invocations,  and  taking 
no  notice  of  the  presents  flung  to  them  by  the  Rus- 
sians.^^  A  few  canoes  finally  approached  the  ship, 
bringing  fresh  water  in  bladders,  but  the  bearers  re- 
fusetl  to  mount  to  the  deck.  Chirikof  in  his  journal 
describes  them  as  well  built  men  resembling  the  Tar- 
tars in  features;  not  corpulent  but  healthy,  with 
scarcely  any  beard.  On  ihvAr  heads  they  wore  shades 
made  of  thin  boards  ornamented  with  colors,  and 
feathers  of  aquatic  l)irds.  A  few  also  had  bone  carv- 
ings attached  to  their  head-dress."  Later  in  the  day 
the  natives  came  in  greater  numbers,  fourteen  /iv/rt/ix, 
or  small  closed  skin  boats,  surrounding  the  vessel, 


*'  Sokolof  in  Zir/).  Ifyifr.,  ix.  40.1,  insists  tlint  this  land  wiis  the  point  dis- 
covorcd  liy  Borin<;  10  days  before;  but  there  can  be  but  little  doubt  that  it 
was  the  island  of  Kadiak. 

'-  Sokolof  on  the  authority  of  Chikhachef  asserts  that  these  natives  refused 
beads,  tobaoco,  pipes,  and  oilier  trilles,  asking  only  for  knives,  but  how  the 
savaj.'eg  expressed  this  desire  ho  does  not  explain,  nor  does  he  show  bow  they 
knew  anytiiing  about  iron  implements.  Zap.  J/i/i/r.,  ix.  404. 

"  Chiriko/'n  Journal,  iu  Imperial  Naval  Archives,  xvi. 


SETV'ERE  SUFFERINGS.  73 

wh'wh  tlioy  cxaniiiiofl  with  n^rcat  curiosity,  l)ut  they 
ivt'iisecl  ti)  <!;■(>  on  board.  Toward  ovoiiiii;^  by  slip- 
1)1111,'  an  anchor  they  <;ot  to  sea,  and  on  tlie  'J  1st  liii^li 
laud  was  sighted  again  in  latitude  52°  I3G',"  ])rol>ably 
the  island  of  Attoo,  the  westernmost  of  all  the  Aleu- 
tian chain.  Chirikof  supposed  that  all  the  land  ho 
sow  hereabout  was  part  of  the  American  continent; 
for  when  he  pressed  northward,  indicati()ns  of  land 
were  everywhere  present,  but  when  he  turned  south- 
wiii'd,  such  indications  ceased.  The  presence  of  sea- 
dttors  was  frequently  remarked,  though  they  could  not 
realize  the  important  part  this  animal  Mas  to  l)lay  in 
shaping  the  destinies  of  man  in  this  region.  The  2 1st 
( if  August  orders  were  issued  to  cook  the  usual  quan- 
tity  of  rye  meal  once  a  day  instead  of  twice,  and  to 
decrease  the  allowance  of  water.  As  an  ofl'set  an 
extra  drink  of  rum  was  allowed.^'* 

Despite  the  scurvy  and  general  despondency  disci- 
])line  was  rigidly  enforced,  and  finally,  when  the  water 
lor  cooking  the  rye  meal  could  be  spared  but  once  a 
week,  no  complaints  were  heard.  Yet  cold,  excessive 
moisture  and  hunger  auJ  thirst  w^ero  makiiiu:  con- 
stant  and  sure  niroads.  By  the  IGth  Chirikof  and 
Ciiikhachef  were  both  down  with  the  scurvy,  and  one 
man  died  the  same  day.  Five  days  later  the  captain 
was  unable  to  leave  his  berth,  but  his  mind  remained 
clear  and  ho  issued  his  orders  with  regularity  and 
precision.  Midshipman  Plunting  was  also  unable  to 
ajipear  on  deck.  The  ship's  constable,  Kachikof,  died 
the  2Gth,  and  from  that  time  one  death  followed 
another  in  quick  succession.  On  the  Gth  of  October 
J  lieutenant  Chikhachef  and  one  sailor  died,  and  on  the 
8tli  Plunting's  sufferings  were  ended.     The  sails  wero 

' '  In  his  description  of  the  expedition  the  astronomer,  Croy6rc,  becomo3 
ronfused,  saying  tliat  after  losing  sight  of  land  on  the  4th,  uo  more  was  setu 
I'll  the  "20th,  when  the  ship  came  to  anchor  illH)  fathoms  from  a  mountainous 
c(iast  ill  latitude  51"  VI',  where  'Jl  canoes  appeared.  SammUnKj,  xx.  lil).'). 

'■'From  the  journal  of  the  mate  Yelagin  we  learn  tliat  on  the  14th  there 
irmained  only  12  casks  of  water,  and  tluit  the  rye  imish  was  furnished  onco 
:i  iliiy,  the  other  meals  consisting  of  hard  bread  and  butter.  8alt  beef  was 
bulled  in  sea-water.  Naval  Archives,  xvi. 


1 


f 


14 


DISCOVERY  OF  ALASKA. 


fallinfi  in  pioecs  owiii'^  to  constant  exposure  to  rnin 
and  snow,  and  the  enlbebled  crew  was  unable  to  re- 
|)air  tlieni.  Slowly  the  ship  moved  westward  witli 
little  attempt  at  navigation.  The  last  observation  had 
been  made  the  2d  (►f  October,  but  only  the  longitude 
uas  l'(»und,  indicating  a  distance  of  eleven  degrees  from 
the  Kamchatka  shore.  Fortune  heljjing  tiiem,  on  the 
morning  of  the  8tli  land  appeared  in  the  west,  which 
proved  to  be  the  coast  of  Kamchatka  in  the  vicinity 
of  Avatcha  Bay.  A  light  contrar}'^  wind  detained 
tlieni  for  two  days,  and  having  no  boats  they  dis- 
cliarged  a  cannon  to  bring  hclj)  I'rom  the  shore. 

Of  those  who  had  left  this  harbor  in  the  Sr  Pairl 
less  than  five  months  before,  twenty-one  were  lost. 
The  pilot,  Yelagin,  alone  of  all  the  otHcers  could  appear 
on  deck,  and  he  finally  brought  the  ship  into  the  har- 
bor of  Petrojiavlovsk,  established  by  him  the  jneccd- 
ing  winter.  The  astronomer,  Croyere,  who  had  for 
weeks  been  confined  to  his  berth,  apparently  keej»iiig 
alive  by  the  constant  use  of  strong  liquor,  asked  to  be 
taken  ashore  at  once,  but  as  soon  as  he  was  exposed  to 
the  air  on  deck  he  fell  and  presently  cx})ired.  Cliiri- 
kof,  vei-v  ill,  was  landed  at  noon  tlie  same  dav.^'^ 

"■'  SoUoliif  Mith  iiuich  national  pvide  exults  in  the  achievements  of  Cliirikof, 
n  true  Jluf^sian,  iw  against  ]>uiiug  the  iJane.  '  ^Vnd  tlius  having  iliocuverid 
the  Ani(rii.'an  coast  ."Jli  hours  earlier  than  JJering,'  lie  writes,  'eleven  (legreus 
of  loiigituiit!  farther  to  the  ea.st;  having  followed  tiiis  coast  three  degrees 
further  to  tlie  nortli;  and  after  having  left  tlie  coast  live  days  later  tlian 
IJi'i'in:.',  Chirikof  returned  to  Kaniehutka,  eiglit  degrees  farther  west  th:iu 
llering's  laiidir.  .j-place,  a  whole  month  earlier;  haviiig  made  on  his  route  tlie 
ranie  disi.u\eries  of  the  Ali'utiau  Islands.  During  tills  wliole  time  the  sails 
were  never  taken  in,  and  no  h^ipply  of  fresli  water  was  olitJiined;  they  sutiercd 
ci|ualiy  from  sionus,  ])iivati  >ns,  disease,  and  mortality  -the  ollicers  as  well 
as  tlie  nieu.  How  dill'ci'en.  were  tiie  results,  ami  what  pnxjf  do  they  not 
furnish  of  the  .saperiority  o,  *\'.n  Kuasians  iu  scientitie  navigation !'  So  the 
learner  is  often  apt  to  grow  '.  M  and  impudent  and  despise  the  teacher.  The 
great  I'cter  was  not  above  i  'niug  uavigation  from  Bering  the  Dane.  Z<q). 
1 1  yd,:,  ix.  407-8. 


CHAPTER  V. 

DEATH     OF     BERING. 

1741-1742. 

PiscovKnr   bt  Rule — The   Land  not  wiricRE   It  ought  to   he — The 

AVATCHA  COINCIL  SHOULD  KnoW— liKI'lNU  ENCOUNTEUS  THE  MAIN- 
LAND AT  ^loUNT  St  ElIAS — Cl.\1M.S  I'UU  THE  PlUOlUTY  UV  DlSOOVKUY  OF 

X<ikth-westernmo;  Ameuica — Kyak  Island — Scaucity  of  Wateu — 
The  Ketiun  Voyaue— Illness  of  Bekino— Lonihncs  roii  Home— 
Kadiak — Ukamok — Sickness  and  Death — iNXEKOoujiSE  with  the 
Natives — Waxel's  Adventuke — Vows  of  the  Dane — Amchitk^v, 
KisiiKA,  Semkhe,  and  othi.r  Islands  Seen — At  Bekinc  Island — 
Wkeck  of  the  'Sv  Petk' — Death  of  Behing — Uatheki.no  Sea-otteu 
Skins — The  Suuvivoks  Bi'ild  a  Small  'Sv  Petk'  moM  the  Wreck — 
Return  to  Kamchatka — Second  Voyage  of  Chirikof. 


We  will  now  return  to  the  conunaiulcr.  Possibly 
wo  luii^Iit  inijiLjiue  Chirikof  easily  reconciled  to  a 
separation  from  his  superior,  who,  instead  of  striking 
out  intelligently  for  the  achievement  of  a  jiurpose, 
allowed  himself  to  be  carried  hither  and  thither  by 
oiiiDipotent  winds  and  inqjerial  instructions.  But  not 
so  Bering.  With  the  loss  of  Chirikof  and  the  Sv 
PdVii  his  right  arm  "svas  gone.  For  a  whole  day  he 
drifted  in  a  strong  efalc  under  reefed  sails  before  he 
would  leave  the  spot  to  take  the  direction  in  which 
lie  supposed  Chirikof  to  be.  Then  he  was  obliged  to 
lie  to  again,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  22d,  iinding 
himself  twelve  leagues  south  of  the  point  of  separa- 
tion, it  was  concluded  in  a  council  of  officers  to  aban- 
don further  search  and  resume  their  course,  not  the 
last  course  of  east  by  north  as  it  should  have  been, 
but  to  the  southward  till  latitude  4G°  was  reached, 
where  they  had  already  been  and  seen  nothing.     It 


i:  I: 


70 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


iif%'  If 


m 

\ 


m 


■was  now  evident  that-  Bering  was  becoming  incompe- 
tent; that,  tieprived  of  the  assistance  of  Chirikof's 
.stronger  mind  and  sounder  judgment,  he  intended  to 
follow  strictly  the  resolutions  of  the  Avatcha  council. 
He  would  steer  south-east  by  east  to  latitude  4G^, 
then  change  the  course  to  east  by  north,  and  thus 
waste  in  mid-ocean  the  brief  days  of  the  short 
northern  summer.  The  24th  saw  Bering  at  the 
southernmost  point  named,  where  numbers  of  birds 
seemed  to  indicate  land  ahead,  and  tempted  him  to 
continue  to  latitude  45°  IG',  wdien  finding  nothing, 
and  convinced  for  a  second  time  of  the  inaccurac}^  of 
Croycre's  chart,  he  again  bent  his  course  east  by 
north,  which  was  changed  the  third  day  to  north- 
north-east  to  compensate  for  having  gone  below 
latitude  4G°.  "^he  wind  changed  repeatedly  from 
south-west  to  south-east,  being  always  light  und  ac- 
companied with  clouds  and  fogs;  but  nothing  special 
occurred  until  the  9th  of  July,  when  a,  strong  east- 
erly wind  compelled  them  to  head  more  to  the  north 
until  they  reached  latitude  51°  30'.  The  wind  then 
changed,  allowing  them  to  steer  north-east  b}^  east. 
From  time  to  time  they  were  misled  by  land-iloating 
(hift,  and  weeds,  and  marine  niannnals,  but  the  lead 
indicated  a  depth  of  between  one  hundred  and  ninety 
and  two  hundred  fathoms. 

The  second  month  was  now  at  hand,  and  Bering 
ordered  a  reduced  allowance  of  water.  From  the  121h 
of  July  he  was  so  hrmly  convinced  of  the  close  prox- 
imity of  land  that  he  hove  to  at  night  lest  he  should  run 
aground.  Five  weeks  had  elapsed  since  the  Sv  Petr 
had  left  Avatcha  Bay  and  the  ship's  log  showed  that 
forty-six  degrees  of  longitude  separated  them  from 
their  point  of  departure,  and  still  the  land  remained 
invisible.  The  wind  l)ecame  more  favorable,  blowing 
from  tiie  west,  and  Bering  concluded  to  change  his 
course  to  the  northward  in  order  to  fall  in  the  sooner 
w  ith  the  land, 

-On   the   loth,  in  latitude  54°  30',  in  a  council  of 


;! 


DURING  THE  SE.VRCII. 


n 


iconipc- 
lirikofs 
iiulcd  to 
council, 
idc  4G^, 
nd  thus 
0    short 

at  tlio 
of  birds 
,  hi  in  to 
nothing, 
uracy  of 
oast  by 
)  north- 
3  below 
ly    from 

and  ac- 
y  special 
>wj:  east- 
10  north 
ind  then 

by  east. 

lloatiiiLi: 
the  lead 

.1  ninety 

Bering 

;hcl2th 

ise  prox.- 

luld  run 

\Su  Pctr 

ed  that 

ini  from 

imaiiied 

ulowing 

\.\Q,o  his 

sooner 


f 


o 

O 

K 


o 

i 

5 

"A 
P 


line 


Ml  of 


"WW 


TZ 


' 

?~ 

"  1 ' 

■ 

»■'' 

.     'r  •> 

■■i  :;  i'' 

llj 

ill 


i 


78 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


officers,  anotlior  cliango  to  north-north-east  was  cletcr- 
niincd  on.  These  frequent  changes  and  the  general 
iiulecision  in  the  management  of  the  expedition  proved 
almost  fatal;  but  about  noon  of  the  IGth,  in  latitude 
58°  14',  the  lookout  reported  a  towering  peak  and  a 
high  chain  of  snow-covered  mountains,  without  doubt 
I\louiit  St  Elias,  and  the  extending  range.     A  north 


Kyak  Isl/Vnd. 

wind  held  them  off  from  the  point  first  seen,  but  on  the 
evening  of  the  20th  they  came  U[)()n  an  island  in  51)" 
40V  wliich  was  Kyak,  but  which  tlicy  called  St  Elias 
from  the  dav. 

'  111  liis  calculation  of  latitude  Hering  was  seven  minutes  in  error,  while 
in  loiij,'ituile  he  was  eight  degrees  out  of  the  way.  Such  a  dillori'iice  may  bo 
accuuiitt'il  iur  uii  the  ground  that  licriug's  ubacrvatious  were  based  upon  dead 


THE  FIRST  DISCOVERER. 


79 


It  will  1)0  remembered  that  Cliirikof  found  land  on 
the  niijflit  of  the  15th  while  Bering  saw  Blount  St 
]]lias  at  noon  of  the  IGth,  which  would  give  the  former 
pi'iority  in  the  honor  of  discovery  by  say  thirty-six 
liours.'  But  even  Chirikof,  who  amongst  Russians 
was  the  noblest  and  most  chivalrous  of  them  all,  if 
wo  may  believe  the  story  of  Gvozdef,  may  not  justly 
set  up  the  claim  as  first  discoverer  of  north-wostern- 
niost  America.  True,  Gvozdef  saw  only  what  any  one 
might  see  in  sailing  through  the  strait  of  Boring — 
lie  says  ho  saw  or  found  himself  on  the  land  opposite 
to  Asia.  Other  Europeans  had  passed  that  way 
before  Gvozdef,  and  the  savages  had  crossed  and  re- 
crossod  before  ever  Europeans  were  there;  so  wo.  may 
well  enough  leave  out  these  two  sides  of  the  northern 
strait,  and  call  Chirikof  the  first  discoverer  of  land 
opposite  Kamchatka,  which  it  was  the  object  of  this 
iiiiporial  expedition  to  find,  and  which  he  certainly  was 
the  first  to  achieve. 


After  those  years  of  preparation  and  weeks  of 
tem))ost-tossing  we  should  expect  to  see  the  Dane  de- 
lighted on  reaching  the  grand  consunnnation  of  the 
united  ambitions  of  monarchs  and  marinei's.     But  if 


i(eki)iiing,  without  allowing  for  the  ocean  (in<l  tidal  cuiTcnts  wliii;h  in  tlioso 
WMtiTs  often  cause  a  gain  or  loss  of  seven  leagues  a  day.  The  identity  of 
Kyak  is  established  by  comparing  Bering's  with  Cook'.s  observations  whicli 
MMuld  be  enough  even  if  the  eliart  ap]i(n(b'il  to  Khitroi's  joiitiial  liad  not 
liicn  preserved.  At  first  l)otli  Cook  aiul  Vamouvci'  thought  it  Vakutat  Day, 
whicli  tlicy  named  after  ]5ering,  but  both  changed  their  minds.  As  late  an 
I7>i7  the  Russian  admiralty  college  declared  that  tlie  island  of  Tzukli  (Mon- 
t;iu'iie  of  Vancouver)  was  the  point  of  liering's  discovery,  but  Admiral  Sury- 
chit,  who  exaniin''d  the  joui'nals  of  tlic  ex]ieilitiiin,  pointed  at  onec  to  Kyak 
l>hi!id  as  the  only  point  to  which  the  description  of  liering  and  Sti  Ihr  could 
iipply.  Surychet  mad<!  one  mistake  in  applying  the  name  of  ('ai>(!  St  I'^lias 
to  tlie  nearest  ])oint  of  the  mainland  calleil  Cape  Suckling  by  Cook.  Ziij>. 
Ji>/>lr.,  ix.  .'{S.'W. 

-  The  date  of  Bering's  discovery,  or  the  day  when  land  was  first  sighted 
by  his  lookout,  has  iieen  variously  stated.  Miiller  makes  it  the  '2()t!i  of  .fuly, 
and  Stcller  the  IcStii;  the  liitii  is  in  accordance  with  J>ering"s  journal,  and 
iiccording  to  Bering's  obaei'vation  the  latitude  was  5S^  'Js'.  This  date  is  eon- 
liiincd  by  a  nmnnscri])t  chart  compiled  by  I'etrof  and  Waxel  with  the  help 
of  the  original  logbooksof  both  vessels.  The  claim  .set  up  by  certain  Spanish 
writers  in  favor  of  Francisco  (iali  as  first  discoverer  of  this  region  is  liascd  on 
a  mispiint  in  an  early  account  of  his  voyage.  For  particulars  see  lliul.  CuL, 
i.,  this  scries. 


80 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


!i5! .'  ' 


'ir 


we  may  believe  Steller,  when  his  officers  gathered 
round  with  their  conoratulations  Ucrinij  ahruixjjed  his 
shoulders  os  he  glanced  at  the  rugged  shore  and  said, 
"A  great  discovery  no  doubt,  and  the  accomplishment 
of  all  our  desires;  but  who  knows  where  we  arc,  when 
we  shall  see  Russia,  and  what  we  shall  have  to  eat  in 
the  mean  time?"* 

Beating  up  with  ?  light  wind  Bering  succeeded  in 
gaining  anchorr-ge  on  a  clay  bottom  under  the  lee 
of  the  island  in  twc^nty-two  fathoms.  Two  boats 
wore  sent  ashore,  one  under  Khitrof  to  reconnoitre, 
and  another  in  which  was  Steller  in  search  of  water. 
Khitrof  found  among  the  small  islands  in  the  gulf  a 
good  harbor.  He  saw  some  rude  deserted  huts  whose 
^)wners  had  probably  retreated  on  the  approach  of  the 
Russians.  The  habitations  were  constructed  of  lo<xs 
and  rough  planks,  and  were  roofed  w4th  bark  and  dried 
grass.  A  few  semi-subterranean  structures  of  sods 
evidently  served  as  storehouses.  On  entering,  the 
llussians  picked  up  some  rough  cordage,  a  whetstone 
on  which  copper  implements  had  been  sharpened,  a 
small  box  of  poplar  wood,  a  rattle  made  of  baked  clay, 
several  broken  arrows,  and  articles  of  household  fur- 
niture.* In  another  place  the  men  came  upon  a  cellar 
in  which  was  a  quantity  of  dried  salmon.  Of  this 
Khitrof  took  two  bundles.  There  were  several  red 
foxes  which  seemed  not  at  ah  fri<>-htened  at  the  sifjht 
of  the  Russians.  To  compensate  the  natives  for  the 
lish  taken,  some  trifles  of  Russian  manufacture,  tobacco 
and  clay  pipes,  were  left. 

Steller's  party  landed  on  another  island  and  found 
a  celUir  or  subterranean  storehouse  with  some  red 
snlmon,  and  herbs  dressed  in  a  manner  customary 
with  the  Kamchatkans.  He  also  found  ropes  made 
of  sea-weed,  and  various  household  utensils.  Going 
inland  he  came  to  a  place  where  some  savages  had 
been  eating,  and  had  left  there  an  arrow  and  an  in- 


*Stollcr'»  Diary,  190. 

Tor  lull  doacriptioii  of  thcao  people  see  Native  Ilace»,  i.,  this  sei'ies. 


STELLER'S  DISArPOINTMENT. 


81 


struniGiit  for  lighting  fire  by  friction.  Steller  also 
gathered  plants  to  analyze  on  shipboard.  Pie  regretted 
that  iic  more  time  was  granted  him  in  which  to  ex- 
amine the  American  coast,  his  whole  stay  covering 
only  six  hours,  while  the  sailors  were  filling  the  water- 
casks.  "^  The  litter  reported  having  found  two  fire- 
places lately  in  u?e.  They  saw  pieces  of  hewn  wood, 
and  the  tracks  of  a  man  in  the  grass;  some  smoked 
fish  was  also  brought  on  board  and  was  found  quite 
palatable. 

Early  next  morning,  the  21st  of  July,  contrary  to 
his  custom  Bering  came  on  deck  and  ordered  anchor 
uj).  It  was  no  use  for  the  officers  to  call  attention  to 
the  yet  unfilled  water-casks,  or  beg  to  sec  something 
of  the  country  they  had  found.  The  Dane  was  deaf 
alike  to  argument  and  entrcatv.  For  once  during 
the  voyage  he  was  firm.  He  and  a  hundred  others 
had  been  working  for  the  past  eight  years  to  the  one 
end  of  seeing  that  land;  and  now  having  seen  it,  that 
was  the  end  of  it;  lie  desired  to  go  home.  It  would 
have  been  as  well  for  him  had  he  tarried  long  enoufjh 
at  least  to  fill  his  water-casks. 

Dense  clouds  obscured  the  sky  as  Bering  began  his 
return  voyage,  and  rain  fell  incessantly.  Dismal  forces 
were  closing  in  round  the  Dane,  to  whom  Russia  was 
very  far  away  indeed.  By  soundings  a  westerly  course 
was  shaped  along  a  depth  of  from  forty  to  fifty 
fathoms,  by  which  means  he  was  enabled  to  avoid  the 
coast  he  could  not  see.  On  the  25th  the  goneral 
opinion  in  council  was  that  by  steering  to  the  south- 


'Stcllcr  in  vain  begged  tlic  corrimamlcr  to  let  liim  have  a  small  boat  arnl  a 
few  men  with  which  to  examine  the  place.  Perched  upon  a  steep  rock  (he 
entluisiastie  scientist  was  takiiiv;  in  as  niueli  as  possible  of  America  when  tl:e 
crusly  Dane  oi'dered  him  aboartl  if  he  would  not  be  left.  In  his  journal,  eilitetl 
hy  I'lillas,  Steller  describes  the  situation  as  follows:  'On  descending  the 
mouiitain,  covrred  with  a  vast  forest  without  any  trace  of  road  or  trail,  I 
feiiiid  it  iinpossililo  to  make  my  way  through  tlie  thicket  and  consequently 
reascended;  looking  moiinifuUy  at  the  limits  of  my  observation  I  turned  uiy 
eyes  toward  tiic  continent  which  it  was  not  in  my  power  to  explore,  and 
oli.'^erved  at  tlie  distance  of  a  few  vcrsts  a  smoke  ascending  from  a  wooiled 
t'lniiience.  Again  receiving  a  ]iositive  order  to  join  the  ship  I  returned  mourn- 
fully with  my  collection.'  Pallas,  Sleller'a  Journal,  passim, 
nut.  Alaska.    0 


89 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


liis-  ;  f 


i{''.l 


liii  i 


i  !; 


west  the  coast  of  Kamchatka  must  be  finally  reached. 
P^astcrly  winds  drove  the  vessel  to  within  a  short 
distance  of  some  shore  invisible  ^  nroiigh  the  fog,  and 
the  greatest  caution  had  to  be  observed  in  keeping 
away  from  the  banks  and  shoals  indicated  by  the 
soundincjs.  On  the  2Gth  land  was  made  once  more, 
|»robably  the  coast  of  Kadiak,  but  an  easterly  wind 
and  shallow  water  prevented  a  landing.  Too  much 
land  now,  to  avoid  which  a  more  direct  course  south 
was  taken ;  but  progress  was  impeded  by  the  numer- 
ous islands  which  skirted  the  continent,  hidden  in  im- 
penetrable fog. 

On  the  30th  an  island  was  discovered  which  Bering 
named  Tumannoi,  or  Foggy  Island,  but  no  landing 
was  made."  Little  progress  was  made  among  the 
islands  in  August,  owing  to  the  thick  mist  and  con- 
trary winds.  As  the  water  gave  out  and  scurvy  came 
the  ship  once  more  found  itself  among  a  labyrinth  of 
i.slands  with  high  peaks  looming  in  the  distance.  The 
largest  then  in  view  was  named  Eudokia.  A  small 
supply  of  water,  consisting  of  a  few  casks  only,  was 
obtained  there,  the  heavy  surf  making  the  landing 
dangerous.  At  a  new  council  held  the  10th,  in  lati- 
tude 53',  to  which  petty  officers  were  admitted,  it  was 
determined  that  as  it  had  been  decided  to  rv;turn  to 
Kamchatka  at  the  end  of  September,  and  it  was  then 
already  near  the  middle  of  August,  and  the  harbor  of 
Pctropavlovsk  was  at  least  1,G00  miles  distant,  while 
twenty -six  of  the  com})any  were  ill,  a  further  explora- 
tion of  the  American  coast  had  become  impracticable, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  proceed  to  the  parallel  of 
Pctropavlovsk,  and  then  sail  westward  to  Kamchatka. 

Now,  it  is  very  plain  to  one  having  a  knowledge  of 
the  currents  that  it  was  much  easier  to  make  such  a 
resolution  than  to  carry  it  out.    Further  than  this,  all 

•  The  charts  of  the  imperial  academy  at  St  Petersburg,  in  the  last  quarter 
of  the  ei^'hteentli  century,  located  this  point  variously  as  a  portion  of  Kadiiik 
and  as  tlic  island  of  Trinidad,  of  the  Spanisli  discoverers.  It  is  now  known 
tiiat  Fogfry  Island  was  Ukamok,  named  Chirikof  Island  by  Vancouver,  iu 
latitude  oo  48'. 


'1% 


ILLNESS  OF  THE  COMMANDER.  M 

attempts  to  proceed  to  the  westward  were  baffled  by 
tlic  barrier  of  land.  Then  they  must  have  water,  antl 
so  they  anchored  on  the  30th,  at  a  group  of  islands 
ill  latitude  54°  48'.  Here  the  first  death  occurred — a 
sailor  named  Shumagin  succumbed  to  scurvy.  His 
name  was  given  to  the  island,  and  a  supply  of  brackish 
Mater  was  obtained.^ 

The  commander  now  fell  ill,  and  was  soon  confined 
to  his  cabin.  The  Sv  Petr  was  at  this  place  six  days. 
One  night  a  fire  had  been  observed  on  a  small  island 
toward  the  north-east,  and  while  the  larger  boats  were 
cnf^afed  in  watering,  Khitrof  went  there  with  five 
men,  but  only,  after  a  long  pull,  to  find  the  people 
gone.  In  attempting  to  return,  a  strong  head-wind 
throw  them  upon  the  beach  of  another  island,  and 
kept  them  there  till  the  2d  of  September,  when  they 
were  relieved  by  the  larger  boat.  During  the  next 
two  days  several  unsuccessful  attempts  wcro,  made 
to  proceed,  for  the  ship's  position  was  perilous.  After 
a  violent  storm,  which  lasted  all  night,  loud  voices 
were  heard  on  the  nearest  island  on  the  mornins:  of 
the  5th.  A  fire  was  plainly  visible,  and  to  the  great 
joy  of  the  discoverers  two  canoes,  each  containing  a 
native,  advanced  toward  the  ship.  They  stopped, 
liowcver,  at  a  considerable  distance  displaying  sticks 
adorned  with  eagles'  feathers;  and  with  gestures  in- 
vited the  Russians  to  come  ashore.  The  latter,  on 
the  other  hand,  threw  presents  to  the  savages,  and 
I'lulcavored  to  induce  them  to  approach  the  vessel, 
l)ut  in  vain.  After  gazing  with  mingled  wonder  and 
dread  for  a  time  at  the  strange  craft,  the  natives  pad- 
dled for  the  shore. 

Lieutenant  Waxel,  accompanied  by  nine  men  well 
armed,  went  to  pay  them  a  visit.  They  beckoned 
thoni  to  come  to  the  boat;  the  savas^es  in  return  bock- 
oin'd  the  strangers  to  disembark.     At   last  Waxel 

'  Miillor  states  tliat  the  name  was  applied  to  the  group,  while  nn  oflicor 
(if  tile  navy,  with  the  expeilition,  in  a  letter  published  anonymously,  says  that 
v:ily  the  island  wliicli  furnished  the  water  was  uumcd  after  the  deceased  sailor. 


l:^  i 


y} 


» 


DEATH  OF  BERIXG. 


ordered  three  men  to  land,  among  them  the  inter- 
preter, while  he  moored  the  boat  to  a  rock.^ 

Expressions  of  good-will  were  jirofuse  on  both 
sides,  the  natives  offering  a  repast  of  whale-meat. 
Their  presence  on  the  island  was  evidently  temporary, 
as  no  women  or  children  or  habitation  could  be  seen, 
and  for  every  man  there  was  just  one  hidarka,  or  skin 
canoe  having  two  or  three  seats — the  Russian  tcnii 
for  an  improved  kyak.  No  bows,  arrows,  spears,  or 
any  other  weapons  which  might  have  alarmed  tlio 
strangers,  were  visible,  and  the  Russians  went  about 
freely  among  the  natives,  taking  care,  in  accordance 
with  strict  injunctions  of  Waxel,  not  to  lose  sight  of 
the  lioat.  Meanwhile  one  of  the  natives  sunnnoncd 
courage  to  visit  Waxcl  in  the  boat.  He  seemed  to 
be  an  elder  and  a  chief,  and  the  lieutenant  gave  him 
the  most  precious  tiling  he  had — brandy;  the  savag(^ 
began  to  drink,  but  immediatel}''  spat  it  out,  crying  to 
his  people  that  he  was  poisoned.  All  Waxel's  efforts 
to  quiet  him  were  unavailing;  needles,  glass  beads,  an 
iron  kettle,  tobacco,  and  pipes  were  offered  in  vaii). 
He  would  accept  notliing.  He  was  allowed  to  go, 
and  at  the  same  time  Waxel  recalled  his  men.  Tl.e 
natives  made  an  attempt  to  detain  them,  but  finally 
allowed  the  two  Russians  to  go,  keeping  hold  of  tlic 
interpreter.  Others  ran  to  the  rock  to  which  tl  *• 
boat  was  moored  and  seized  the  rope,  which  Wax(  1 
thereupon  ordered  cut.  The  interpreter  in  the  mean 
time  pleaded  with  the  Russians  not  to  abandon  him, 
but  t' cy  could  afford  no  aid.  As  a  final  effort  to  save 
the  interpreter  two  muskets  were  discharged,  and  a.; 
the  report  echoed  from  the  surrounding  cliffs,  the  sav- 
ages fell  to  the  ground  while  the  interpreter  spraii;;' 
into  the  boat.  As  the  ship  was  making  ready  to  soil 
next  day  seven  of  these  savages  came  and  exchangeil 
gifts.     This  was  on  the  Gth  of  September.     After  a 

^  The  interpreters  accomjinnying  the  expedition  belonged  to  the  Koii:  k 
and  ClniUi'lii  tribes,  and  were  of  no  use  in  conversing  with  the  natives,  l^'t 
they  wcro  1'old  ar.d  inspired  the  islanders  with  confidence,  being  iu  outwui.l 
appearance  like  theniaclves. 


EXTliEME  SUFFERINGS. 


80 


very  stormy  paysagc  land  was  sighted  again  on  tlio 
'J4th,  in  latitude  51°  27'."  There  was  a  coast  with 
i.vlaii(ls  and  mountains,  to  the  highest  of  which  Bering 
gave  the  name  of  St  John,  from  the  day. 

The  ])osition  of  tlio  ship  was  critical.  Finally  they 
(■scapod  the  dangerous  shore,  only  to  be  driven  by  a 
stoi  111  of  seventeen  days'  duration  down  to  latitude  48°. 
J)iycase  spread.  Every  day  one  or  more  died,  until 
tin  re  were  scarcely  enough  left  to  manage  the  ship. 
*'  The  most  eloquent  pen,"  said  Steller,  "  would  fail  to 
describe  the  misery  of  our  condition."  Ojiinion  was 
tlivided  whether  they  should  seek  a  harbor  on  the 
American  coast  or  sail  dii'ectly  to  Kamchatka.  Bering 
V.  as  profuse  in  his  promises  to  celestial  powers,  slight- 
ing none.  Catholic  or  Protestant,  Greek  or  German. 
He  vowed  to  make  ample  donations  to  the  Russian 
(lunch  at  Pctropavlovsk  and  to  the  Lutheran  church 
at  Vlborg,  Finland,  where  some  of  his  relatives  re- 
sided. 

A  northerly  course  was  kept  until  the  22d  of  Octo- 
ber, when  an  easterly  breeze  made  it  possible  to  head 
the  unfortunate  craft  for  Kamchatka.  Only  fifteeu 
casks  of  water  remained,  and  the  commander  was  so 
ic(Uicod  by  sickness  antl  despondency  that  the  burden 
of  ail'airs  fell  almost  wholly  on  Wax  el.  On  the  25th 
land  was  sighted  in  latitude  51°  and  named  St  Maka- 
lius.  This  was  the  island  of  Anichitka.  On  tlio 
'JSth  another  island  in  latitude  52°  was  named  8t 
.Stci)lien  (Kishka).  On  the  29th  in  latitude  52°  80' 
still  another  island  was  discovered  and  named  St 
A  brain  (Semiehi  Island).  On  the  30th  two  other 
islaiuls  were  sighted  and  mistaken  by  the  bewildered 
navigators  as  the  first  of  the  Kuriles.  On  the  1st 
vX  November  in  latitude  54°  they  found  themselves 
within  about  sixteen  miles  of  a  high  line  of  coast. 

'The  latitude  of  tlic  Iniul  was  v.irionsly  reported  by  Wnxcl,  nnd  snbsc- 
rpKntly  liy  C'liirikof  from  his  examination  of  journals,  at  .TT  '27',  S'i'  .W,  an<l 
'A'  12'.  it  is  sale  to  )irosunie  that  the  St  .John's  mountain  of  ]$oring  was 
f-itii;iti(l  cither  on  the  island  of  Umnak  or  on  one  of  the  Four  Peaks  Islands. 
S 'kulof  was  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  Atkha  Island.  Zap.  Hydr,,  ut.  31)3. 


i:  I 


¥ 

h 

mm. 

88 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


Tho  condition  of  the  explorers  still  continued  critical. 
Notwithstanding  sickness  and  misery  the  decimated 
crew  was  obliged  to  work  night  and  day,  in  rain,  snow, 
and  cold;  the  sails  and  rigging  were  so  rotten  that 
it  was  dangerous  to  set  much  canvas,  even  if  the  crew- 
had  been  able.^*^  At  last,  on  the  4tli,  the  lookout  sighted 
land.  It  was  distant;  only  the  mountain  tops  appear- 
ing above  the  horizon;  and  though  the  Sv  Petr  was 
headed  directly  for  the  land  all  day,  they  could  not 
reach  it.  An  observation  at  noon  made  the  latitude 
5G°. 

"  It  would  be  impossible  to  describe,"  says  Steller, 
"the  joy  created  by  the  sight  of  land;  the  dying 
crawled  upon  deck  to  see  with  their  own  eyes  what 
they  would  not  believe;  even  the  feeble  connnandt  r 
was  carried  out  of  his  cabin.  To  the  astonishment 
of  all  a  small  keg  of  brandy  was  taken  from  some 
hiding-place  and  dealt  out  in  celebration  of  the  sup- 
posed approach  to  the  coast  of  Kamchatka." 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th  another  misfortune  was 
discovered.  All  the  shrouds  on  the  starboard  side: 
were  broken,  owing  to  contraction  caused  by  frost. 
Lieutenant  Waxel  at  once  reported  to  the  commander, 
who  was  confined  in  his  berth,  and  from  him  receivtd 
orders  convoking  a  council  of  officers  to  deliberate 
upon  the  situation.  It  was  well  known  that  the  fresli 
water  was  almost  exhausted,  and  that  the  ravages  of 
scorbutic  disease  were  becoming  more  alarming  evei  y 
day.  The  continuous  wetting  with  s])ray  and  rain 
became  more  dangerous  and  insupportable  as  the  cold 
increased,  covering  with  a  coat  of  ice  the  surface  ot" 
every  object  exposed  to  its  action,  animate  or  inani- 

'"  Miiller  ■writes:  ' The  sickness  was  so  dreadful  that  the  two  sailors  who 
used  to  bu  at  the  rudder  were  obliged  to  be  led  to  it  by  two  others  who  coiuil 
lini'dly  walk,  and  when  one  could  sit  and  steer  no  longer  another  in  but  little 
better  condition  supplied  his  place. '  Miilkr'ti  Sammliinij,  51 .  The  comnian<l>  i' 
was  still  conlined  to  his  cabin;  the  ofiicers  though  scarcely  able  to  walk,  wti  e 
quarrelling  among  themselves;  the  crew  were  dying  at  the  rate  of  one  or  tw  >> 
every  day;  no  hard  bread,  no  spirits,  and  but  very  little  water;  dampness  iiiiil 
cold;  and  to  all  this  was  added  the  almost  certainty  of  impending  disaster. 
SoLolof,  in  Ztqi.  Uydr,,  ix.  31)5. 


SHIPWRECK  OF  THE  'SV  PETR.' 


led  critical, 
decimated 
rain,snoAv, 
ottcn  that 
if  the  crew 
3ut  sighted 
)ps  appear- 
'v  Pet)'  was 
'  could  not 
lie  latitude 

lys  Stcller, 
the  (\yiu\x 
eyes  what 
[•oaunander 
tonishnicnt 
from  some 
of  the  sup- 


fortune  was 
)oard  side 
by  frost, 
ominander, 
m  received 
deliberate' 
the  fresh 
ravages  of 
ning  evei  y 
and  rain 
as  the  cold 
surface  ot" 
e  or  inaiii- 


two  sailors  win) 
hers  who  coiU'l 
icr  ill  but  little 
.'he  cornmaiuU  I' 
e  to  walk,  V  tie 
,e  of  one  or  t\M> 
dampness  iiii'l 
tiding  disaster. 


mate.  Soon  the  council  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
it  was  necessary  to  seek  relief  at  the  nearest  point  of 
land,  be  it  i.sland  or  continent."  The  wind  was  from 
the  north,  and  the  soundings  indicated  between  thiity 
and  forty  fathoms  over  sandy  bottom.  After  steering 
south-west  for  some  time  the  soundings  decreased  to 
twelve  fathoms,  and  the  vessel  was  found  to  be  only 
a  short  distance  from  the  shore.  Then  at  the  com- 
ma iid  of  Waxel,  over  the  bows  of  the  doomed  ship, 
down  went  the  anchors  of  the  >S'i'  Petr  for  the  last 
time.  It  was  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  sea 
l)i'gan  to  rise,  and  in  less  than  an  hour  a  cable  broke. 
Tlieu  other  cables  were  lost;  and  just  as  the  despair- 
ing mariners  were  about  to  bend  the  last  one  on  board, 
a  huge  wave  lifted  the  vessel  over  a  ledge  of  rocks 
into  smooth  water  of  about  four  fathoms,  but  not 
Ix'fore  seriously  injuring  the  hull.  This  action  of  the 
(.•lements  settled  the  fate  of  the  expedition;  there  was 
no  alternative  but  to  remain  for  the  winter  on  that 
coast,  ignorant  of  its  extent  and  location  as  they 
were.  It  was  on  a  calm  moonlit  nii>ht  that  the  stormv 
\()yage  of  over  four  months  was  thus  suddenly  ter- 
minated.''^ '  ■ 

All  able  to  work  were  landed  to  prepare  for  disem- 
barking the  sick.  A  preliminary  shelter  was  con- 
structed by  digging  niches  into  the  sandy  banks  of  a 
sniidl  stream  and  coverinsf  them  with  sails.  Drift- 
Wood  was  found  along  the  shore,  but  there  was  no 
sign  of  any  timber  which  might  be  made  useful.  No 
trace  of  human  occupation  was  visible.     On  the  morn- 

"  StoUcr  maintains  that  Bering  refused  to  give  the  necessary  orders,  sup- 
]Hwing  that  it  would  still  be  possil)le  to  reach  Avatelia,  and  tliat  he  was 
sii|>|)iirtiMl  in  his  opinion  by  Ovtzin;  but  the  contrary  opinion  of  Waxel  and 
Khitn if  prevailed.  SoL-olof,  in  Zap.  Jlydr.,  ix.  ;J!)7. 

'- A  letter  of  one  of  the  ollieers  says:  'In  endeavoring  to  go  to  the  west 
we  were  east  on  a  desert  isle  where  we  luid  the  prospect  of  remaining  the 
greater  part  of  our  days.  Our  vessel  was  broken  up  on  one  of  tiie  banks  with 
\vliieh  the  isle  is  surrounded.  We  f.-'iled  not  to  save  onrsidves  on  shore,  with 
all  .sneh  tilings  as  we  tliought  v.o  had  need  of;  for  by  a  marked  kindness  of 
]iriivi(h'nce  the  wind  and  waves  threw  after  us  upon  the  shore  the  wreck  and 
tlie  remains  of  our  vessel,  which  we  gatiiered  together  to  put  us  in  a  state, 
witli  the  blessing  of  Glod,  to  (]uit  this  desolate  al)ode. '  Burncy'a  Chronol.  Ilist., 
17--3,    See  also  Sokolof,  in  Ziq).  llydr.,  ix.  3U9. 


l?i 


¥ 

\i:, 


f^ 


i»i 


,11  DEATH  OF  BERINO. 

mg  of  the  8th  preparations  for  landing  the  sick 
were  comjileted  and  the  work  began.  Many  of  the 
unfortunates  drew  their  last  breath  as  soon  as  they 
come  in  contact  with  the  i'resh  air,  while  others  ex- 
])ired  during  the  process  of  removal.  During  the  day 
following  Conmiander  Bering  was  carried  ashore.  He 
h.ad  been  daily  growing  weaker,  and  had  evidently 
made  up  his  mind  that  he  must  die.  Four  men  car- 
ried him  in  a  hand-barrow  well  secured  ajjainst  the 
air.  Shortly  afterward  the  last  remnant  of  the  unfor- 
tunate ship  was  torn  from  its  r'ngle  cable  and  came 
upon  the  shore.  Stoller  searched  in  vain  for  anti- 
scorbutif^  herbs  and  plants  under  the  deep  snow,  and 
there  was  no  game  or  wild-fowl  at  hand.  The  only 
animals  visible  on  land  were  the  pestsi  or  Arctic  foxes, 
exceedingly  bold  and  rapacious.  They  fell  upon  the 
corpses  and  devoured  them  almost  before  the  survivors 
could  make  ])reparations  for  their  burial.  It  seemed 
to  be  impossible  to  frighten  them  away.  The  stock 
of  powder  was  small,  and  it  would  not  do  to  waste 
it  on  beasts;  it  must  be  kept  for  killing  men.  The 
sea-otter  was  already  known  to  the  Russians  from  a 
few  specimens  captured  on  the  coast  of  Kamchatka, 
and  among  the  Kurile  Islands.  Soon  the  castawavs 
discovered  the  presence  of  these  animals  in  the  sur- 
rounding waters.  The  flesh  seemed  to  them  most  pal- 
atable, and  Steller  even  considered  it  as  anti-scorbutic. 
The  skins  were  preserved  by  the  survivors  and  subse- 
quently led  to  the  discovery  of  a  wealth  that  Bering 
and  Chirikof  had  failed  to  see  in  their  voyages  of 
observation." 

Some  relief  in  the  way  of  provisions  was  afforded 
by  the  carcass  of  a  whale  cast  uocn  the  beach.     It 

"  At  that  time  the  Chinese  merchants  at  Kiakhta  paid  from  80  to 
100  rubles  for  sea-otter  skins;  900  sea-otters  were  killed  on  the  island  by 
the  crew  of  the  Hv  Petr;  the  skins  were  divided  equally  among  all,  but 
Steller  was  most  fortunate.  In  liis  capacity  of  physician  he  received  many 
presents,  and  he  bought  many  skins,  the  property  of  persons  who  in  the  uncer- 
tainty of  living  lield  them  in  light  esteem.  His  share  alone  is  said  to  liavo 
amounted  to  .300  choice  skins,  whicli  he  carried  witli  him  to  Kamchatka.  Std- 
ler's  Jouriiul,  172,  175,  passim;  Mulkr,  Sammlumj,  04-5. 


kV 


THE  LAST  noun. 


80 


() 


^vnf  not  very  dclirato  food,  l)ut  proved  of  jEfrcnt  ser- 
vice when  nothing  better  coukl  be  liad.  It  attbrded 
also  the  material  for  feeding  lamps  during  the  long 
dreary  nights  of  winter.  No  distinetion  was  made  in 
the  division  of  food  between  officers  and  men;  every 
ne  had  a  fair  and  equal  portion.  Lieutenant  Waxel 
Mas  now  recognized  as  general  manager,  the  com- 
liiander  being  beyond  duty.  ^Misfortune  and  misery 
had  toned  down  the  rough  aggressiveness  of  the  lieu- 
tenant, and  nearly  all  of  the  wise  regulations  there- 
atUr  adopted  must  be  credited  to  iiim,  though  ho 
lix<]uently  acted  ujion  Steller's  advice.  Both  did 
their  utmost  to  give  occupation  to  all  who  were  able 
as  the  only  remedy  against  their  mortal  enemy,  the 
scurvy. 

Toward  the  end  of  November  Khitrof  and  Waxel 
also  were  prostrated  by  disease,  and  the  prospect 
l)(fore  the  castaways  was  indeed  a  gloomy  one.  The 
ixeursions  to  different  parts  of  the  island  in  search 
of  food  and  fuel  became  more  and  more  contracted, 
and  dull  despair  settled  upon  the  whole  community. 

As  for  the  commander,  no  wonder  he  had  longed 
to  return;  for  it  was  now  apparent  to  all,  as  it  may 
I'.avo  been  to  him  these  many  days,  that  he  must  die. 
And  we  can  pardon  him  the  infirmities  of  age,  dis- 
ease, and  temper;  the  labors  of  his  life  had  been 
severe  and  his  death  was  honorable,  though  the  con- 
ditions were  by  no  means  pleasing.  Toward  the  last 
111'  became  if  possible  more  timid,  and  exceedingly 
suspicions.  He  could  hardly  endure  even  the  pres- 
ence of  Stellcr,  his  friend  and  confidant,  yet  this 
faithful  companion  praises  his  firm  spirit  and  dignified 
demeanor. 

It  was  under  such  circumstances  that  Vitus  Bering 
died — on  this  cold  forbidding  isle,  under  the  sky  of 
ail  Arctic  winter,  the  8th  of  December  1741,  in  a 
iiiiserable  hut  half  covered  by  the  santl  which  came 
trickling  down  upon  him  through  the  boards  that  had 
Ixeu  placed  to  bar  ito  progress.     Thus  passed  from 


90 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


tv 


earth,  as  nameless  tens  of  thousands  have  done,  the 
illustrious  commander  of  the  expeditions  \vhich  had 
disclosed  the  separation  of  the  two  worlds  and  dis- 
covered north-westernmost  America. 

On  the  10th  of  December  the  second  mate,  Kho- 
tiaintzof,  died,  and  a  few  days  later  three  of  the  sailors. 
On  the  8th  of  January  death  demanded  another  vic- 
tim, the  commissary  Lagunof,  making  thirty-one  up 
to  this  time.^* 

At  lenjjfth  the  survivors  began  slowly  to  improve  in 
health.  The  ship's  constable,  Kossilius,  with  two  men, 
was  despatched  northward  to  explore;  but  they  learned 
only  that  they  were  on  an  island.  Later  the  sailor, 
Anchugof,  was  ordered  south  ward,  and  after  an  absence 
of  nearly  four  weeks  he  returned  half-star\'ed,  with- 
out information  of  any  kind.  Another  was  sent  west, 
but  with  the  same  result.  It  was  only  then  that  many 
would  believe  they  were  not  on  the  shore  of  Kam- 
chatka, and  that  it  depended  upon  their  own  exertions 
whether  they  ever  left  their  present  dwellings,  cer- 
tainly not  very  attractive  ones,  these  excavations  iu 
the  earth  roofed  over  with  sails. ^^  The  foreigners 
formed  a  separate  colony  in  one  large  cavity.  There 
were  five  of  these,  Steller,  Rossilius,  Plenisner,  Assist- 
ant Surgeon  Betge,  and  a  soldier  named  Zand.  Waxcl 
occupied  a  dwelling  hy  himself  and  another  private 
domicile  had  been  constructed  by  the  two  boatswains, 
Ivanof  and  Alexeief  All  the  others  lived  together 
in  one  larsi^e  excavation. 

The  provisions  were  b}'"  no  means  abundant,  but 

'*  A  list  of  the  effects  of  Bering  and  the  petty  officers,  preserved  in  tlie 
naval  archives,  contains:  3  quadrants,  1  chronometer,  1  compass,  1  spy-^lass, 
1  gold  watch,  1  pair  of  pistols,  8  copper  drinking-cups,  a  few  pipes,  1 1  booUs 
on  navigation,  a  bundle  of  charts,  '2  bundles  of  calculations,  7  maps,  and  S 
dozen  packs  of  playing-cards.  With  the  exception  of  the  playing-cards,  all 
were  sold  at  auction  in  Kamchatka,  and  brought  1 ,000  rubles.  ISolcolof,  iu  Znj: 
Ilijdr.,  ix    10,  11. 

'^S'agaicf,  an  assistant  of  Sokolof  in  the  collection  and  digestion  of  docu- 
ments concerning  the  expedition,  states  that  he  found  original  entries  of  Waxil 
and  Khitrof  in  the  journal,  to  the  circct  that  after  Bering's  death  the  only  tvi 
remaining  officers  declareil  their  willingness  to  temporarily  resign  their  rank 
and  put  themselves  on  an  equality  witli  the  men,  but  that  the  latter  refused, 
and  continued  to  obey  their  superiors.  Morskvi  Sboriiik;  cvi.  215, 


A  NEW  CRAFT  BUILT. 


91 


j]freat  care  was  exercised  in  distributing  them,  keeping 
always  in  view  the  possibihty  of  a  further  sea- voyage 
in  search  of  Kamchatka.  The  principal  food  was  the 
meat  of  marine  mammals  killed  about  the  shore,  sea- 
otters,  seals,  and  sea-lions.  Carcasses  of  whales  were 
cast  ashore  twice  during  the  winter,  and  though  in 
an  advanced  state  of  putrefaction  they  yielded  an 
abundant  supply  to  the  unfortunates,  who  had  ceased 
to  be  very  particular  as  to  the  quality  of  their  diet. 
In  the  spring  the  sea-cows  made  their  appearance  and 
furnished  the  mariners  with  an  abundance  of  more 
palatable  meat.  The  only  fuel  was  drift-wood,  for 
which  they  had  to  mine  the  deep  snow  for  eight  or 
ten  miles  round.  The  winter  was  cold  and  stormy 
throughout,  and  the  approach  of  spring  was  heralded 
by  dense  fogs  hanging  about  the  island  for  weeks 
without  lifting  sufficiently  to  afford  a  glance  at  the 
surrounding  sea. 

A  council  was  now  held  and  some  proposed  sending 
the  single  remaining  ship's  boat  for  assistance ;  others 
wore  of  the  opinion  that  the  ship  itself,  though  half 
l)rokon  up,  might  still  be  repaired;  but  finally  it  was 
determined  to  take  the  wreck  entirely  to  pieces  and 
out  of  them  construct  a  new  craft  of  a  size  sufficient 
to  hold  the  entire  company.  A  singular  question 
lioro  presented  itself  to  these  navigators,  accustomed 
as  they  were  to  the  iron  discipline  of  the  imperial 
service.  Would  they  not  be  punished  for  taking  to 
jiioees  a  government  vessel?  Aftor  some  discussion 
it  dawned  on  their  dim  visions  ..hat  pcihajis  after 
Jill  the  punishment  of  their  dioad  ruler  might  be 
no  worse  than  death  on  that  island.  Hence  it  was 
fsulcnmly  resolved  to  begin  at  once;  the  wreck  was 
ilisuiantled,  and  in  May  the  keel  was  laid  for  the 
lU'W  vossck 

Tlic  three  shi]Vs  carpenters  were  dead,  but  a  C(xssack 
who  had  once  >  .rked  in  the  ship-yard  at  Okhotsk 
was  chosen  to  superintend  the  construction,  and  hv 
luuvcd   quite   successful  in  drawing   the   plans  and 


'  *  ,i 


I  h- 


i     ',■: 


: »  . 


92 


DEATH  OP  BERING. 


moulding  the  frames. ""  The  lack  of  material  and 
tools  naturally  delayed  the  work,  and  it  was  the  10th 
of  August  before  the  vessel  could  be  launc'"  jd.  She 
was  constructed  almost  wholly  without  iron,  and  meas- 
ured thirty-six  feet  in  length  at  the  keel,  and  forty- 
one  feet  on  deck,  with  a  beam  of  twelve  feet  and  a 
depth  of  hold  of  only  five  and  a  half  feet.  She  was 
.still  called  the  *S'y  Petr.  The  vessel  had  to  be  provi- 
sioned wholly  from  the  meat  of  sea-animals." 

On  tlie  IGth  of  August,^^  after  a  stay  of  over 
nine  months  on  this  island,  to  which  they  gave  the 
name  of  Bering,  at  the  suggestion  of  Khitrof,  and 
after  protracted  prayers  and  devotions,  this  renmant 
of  the  commander's  crew  set  sail  from  the  scene  of 
suffering  and  disaster.  On  the  third  day  out,  as  might 
be  expected  from  such  construction,  the  vessel  was 
found  to  be  leaking  badly,  and  within  half  an  hour 
there  were  two  feet  of  water  in  the  hold.  Some  lead 
and  ammunition  were  thrown  out,  and  the  leak  was 
stopped.  On  the  ninth  day  the  hearts  of  the  unha[)py 
crew  were  gladdened  by  a  full  view  of  the  Kamchatka 
shore,  and  on  the  following  day,  the  2Gth  of  August, 
tlie  juvenile  Sv  Petr  was  safely  anchored  in  the  bay 
of  Avatcha.  The  survivors  were  i-eceived  by  the  few 
inhabitants  of  Petropavlovsk  with  great  rejoicing; 
they  had  long  since  been  given  up  as  dead.  They 
remained  at  the  landing-place  to  recuperate  for 
nearly  a  year,  and  finally  proceeded  to  Okhotsk  in 
1743.^'" 

'"  IIo  succeeded  so  well  in  hia  undertaking  tliat  lie  received  ns  reward  from 
the  grateful  ouipresa  the  patent  of  nobility.  Samiiiluiin,  xx.  3!)4. 

^'  Zap.  Ili/ilr.,  ix.  413.  The  author  of  tho  Sainmlniii/fn  states  that  wlicn 
the  sea-oltera  disappeareil  in  ^lareh  the  Uussians  had  recourse  to  dogs,  hears, 
and  lions,  niciuniig  of  course  bcals  (sechund),  fur-seul  (nctbiir),  and  sea-lions. 
ISanwi/niuj,  xx.  3!W. 

'"Sokoluf  makes  the  date  of  departure  the  12th.  Zap,  Ilydr.,  ix.  411!; 
obviously  an  error  on  the  part  of  sonio  one. 

'•In  the  c'  urch  of  Tetropavlovsk  there  is  still  preserved  a  memorial  of 
this  event;  a,  silver  mounted  imago  of  the  opostles  I'eter  and  I'uul  witli  tin- 
inscription,  'An  oll'ering  iu  memory  of  our  miraculous  rescue  from  a '-  'toi 
island,  and  our  return  to  tlio  coast  of  Kamcliatka,  by  lieutenant  l>imitii 
Ovtzin,  and  the  whole  company,  August  1741.'  i'vloudki,  Kamchatku  ArdiUin, 
MS.,  vol.  xiii. 


CniRIKOF'S  SUBSEQUENT  VOYAGE. 


93 


Is  rcwartl  fi'^iii 


Before  lie  bad  fairly  recovered  from  the  effects  of 
his  last  voyage,  Chirikof  made  another  effort  to  see 
soinotliing  more  of  the  American  coast  which  he  had 
found.  He  commanded  the  Sv  Pavel  again,  but  the 
only  officer  of  the  former  voyage  now  with  him  was 
tl^e  pilot  Yelagin.-"  Sailing  from  Avatcha  Bay  the 
2Jth  of  May  1742,  be  shaped  his  course  due  east. 
]Iis  ]5rogress  was  slow,  and  on  the  8th  of  June  he 
sighted  the  first  land  in  latitude  52^  Only  the  snow- 
covered  tops  of  high  mountains  were  visible  above  the 
f^x;^  and  clouds  which  enveloped  the  island  called  by 
Chirikof,  St  Theodore,  but  which  we  know  to-day  as 
Attoo.  A  series  of  southerly  gales  then  set  in  which 
'ai:'i^.]  the  ship  northward  to  latitude  54°  30'.  On 
rl'e  i  '  '  of  June,  owing  to  the  wretched  condition  of 
tiio  v.)ssel,  it  was  deemed  best  to  return  to  Kamchatka. 
On  the  way  back  the  Sv  Pavel  passed  within  a  short 
distance  of  tlie  island  where  at  that  moment  Bering's 
coiiijirinions  were  still  suffering.  Chirikof  sighted  the 
southern  point  of  the  island  and  named  it  St  Julian. 
The  expedition  reached  Petropavlovsk  the  1st  of  July.** 

'"MiiUor,  Voyaije,  112,  maintaina  that  Chirikof  intondcd  to  scarcli  for 
T'I'vIhl,';  but  Sokolof  scouts  the  idea  upon  tlie  ground  that  he  could  not  liiivi! 
li'id  l!io  faintest  suspicion  of  Ills  whereabouts;  it  was  then  believed  that  liering 
ii;i(l  all  In'n  crew  had  perished.  Sololof,  \\\  Zap.  J/i/(/i\,  ix.  414. 

-'  As  this  last  attempt  of  Cliirikof  ends  the  operations  of  the  expedition 
V.  liich  a^eomnlislied  V.w  discovery  of  tlio  American  coast,  the  otlicial  list  of 
r.ll  those  en^^aged  in  tl\.'  'jnlcrprisc  in  its  various  branches,  taken  from  IJeriny's 
I'l-ivale  journal,  wii'  i"ii  1  o  <)at  of  place.  The  names  are  arrangi^d  according 
t)  rank  as  follow-  Cap  lin-connnander,  A'itus  liering;  captains,  Martin 
Snnnlicrg  i  nd  Ale;:.'!  Ch!!-;.;of;  lieutenants,  Dmitri  l^aptief,  Yegor  I'aidogumf, 
Vi  illi.im  Av'i.Uo  r<;!p,-  Lisscniua,  Dmitri  Ovtzin,  Stepan  ^Inravicf,  Mikhail 
iV.vlof,  '>;;epan  jfaiv  ■  i  i,  .\.k\c;  Skuratof,  Ivan  Sukhotin,  Hariton  Laptief, 
h;m  Ch'iihachci:  mul:  't'muii,  .Moxe'i  f  iielting;  mates,  Svcn  Waxel,  \'a.-i.sili 
I'r 'iMc'lushchtl,  Mik'."''  '"■  i,'ii^,  Andreian  K.^elberg,  Lev  Khzimerof,  l\au 
Ka.slnlei,  Fedor  Minin,  Soi'ron  Khitrof,  Ab.ram  Demcntief;  second  mates, 
ivan  ^'ercslu•llagin,  Ivan  '^'clagin,  Matvei  IVtrof,  Dmitri  Sterlegof,  Semen 
riicliu'ikin,  Vas.sili  lltishchef,  Vassili  Andrei'ef,  (Javril  Kudiief,  I'eter  ]'a/ui- 
ak'if.  Marko  (Jolovin,  Ivan  15iref,  Kliarlam  Yashin,  Moi'ssei  Vurlof,  Andrei' 
Si'ii^anof;  marines.  Vaasili  I'erenago,  Joann  Synd,  Andre'ian  Yurlof;  naval 
<';;iUts,  Mikhail  Scherbinin,  Vassili  Khmctcvaki,  Ossip  (ilazof,  Emiliaii 
ludliilief,  Andrei  Velikopolski,  Fedor  KanisJichef,  Sergei  Spiridof,  Sergei 
Sr.nkof;  commissaries,  Agafon  Choglokof,  Fedor  Kolyehef,  Stepan  Ivashenin, 
Ivan  liUgnnof;  n'"igat>rs,  Ivan  Belui,  Mikhail  Vosikof;  assistant  navigators, 
I'niitii  Koro.st!  Nikita  Khotiaintzof;  boatswains,  Niels  Jansen,  Sidor 
Savclicf;  boiifsH  .>  mate,  Fedor  Kozlof;  boat-builders,  Andrei  Kozniin, 
^\  iliiain  But/  v  :  Henrich  Hovins,  Caspar  Feich ;  assistant  surgeons, 
Ivau  Stupin,  Wi!i  ■,  ■  iiereuson,  Peter  Brauner,  Sim  Gren,  Tlionuia  Vin/.en* 


04 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


In  the  August  foiiowing,  and  before  the  survivors  of 
Bering's  party  could  reach  that  port,  Chiriko"  sailed 
for  Okhotsk. 

dorf,  Henri  ch  Schaffer,  Elias  Giinther,  Kiril  Shcmchushuykof,  Moritz  Ar- 
menua,  Andreas  Heer,  Ivan  Paxin,  Henrich  Hebel,  Mikhail  Brant,  Matthias 
Botge,  Johann  Lau;  academicians,  Gerhard  Muller,  Johann  Gmelin,  Louis 
Croyure;  Professor  Joliann  Fischer;  adjunct,  George  Wilhehn  Steller;  stu- 
dents, Stepan  Krasliennikof,  Fedor  Popof ,  Luka  Ivanof,  Alexei"  Tretiakof, 
Alexei  Gorlonof;  instrument-maker,  Stcpan  Ovsiannikof;  painter,  Johann 
Berkhan;  draughtsman,  Johann  Lursenino;  translator,  Ilia  Yakhoutof;  sur- 
veyors, Andrei  Krassilnikof,  Nikifor  Chekin,  Moissei  Oushakof,  Alexander 
Ivanof,  Peter  Skobeltziu,  Dmitri  Baskakof,  Ivan  Svistunof,  Vassili  Shetilof, 
Vassili  Selifontof,  Ivan  Kindiarof,  Vassili  Soniof,  Mikhail  Gvozdcf;  assistant 
survcyoi-s,  Mikhail  Vuikhodzef,  Fedor  Prianishnikof,  Alexei  Maksheief, 
Ivan  Shavrigin;  assayer,  Simon  Gardebol;  mineralogists,  Dmitri  Odintzof, 
Friedrich  Weidel,  Elias  Schehl,  Zakar  Mcdvedef,  Agapius  Leskin,  Ivan 
Samoilof .  There  was  also  one  parish  priest,  with  six  subordinate  members  of 
the  clergy.  The  following  ir  the  naval  roster  of  Bering's  command  as  dis- 
tributed among  the  various  ■ '  "i  ions  of  the  expedition. 


Roster  of     r 


Command  in  1740. 


BANE. 


Captain  Commander. 

Captains 

Lieutenants 

Midshijimen 

Mates 

Second  Mates 

Naval  Cadets 

Surgeons 

Ass't  Surgeons 

Medical  Cadets 

Boatswains 

Boatswain's  Mates. . 

Quartermasters 

Comniissarica 

Buglers 

Constables 

Cannoneers 

Writers 

Navigators 

Sailors 

Rope-makers 

Sail-makers 

Carpenters 

C(K)per3 

Sergeants 

Corporals 

Privates 

Drummers 

Total 


Ou  tlj      aii>s  of 


Boring, 


1 

2 

i 
1 

2 

1 

2 
2 
1 
2 
1 
6 
1 
1 

12 
3 
3 
3 
3 
1 
1 

24 
1 


Chiri- 
kuf. 


1 
1 

i 

2 

"i 
1 

2 
1 
2 
2 
1 

"i 

6 

1 
1 

12 
3 
3 
3 
3 
1 
1 

24 
1 


77 


75 


Span- 
lierg. 


2 
1 


1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
2 
2 

i2 
4 
2 
3 
2 
1 

20 
1 


Gl 


On  tho  Pouble 
Sloops 


of 
Spnn- 
berg. 


1 
1 

2 

2 


2 
2 


2 
4 


4 
4 
4 
6 
4 
2 

52 


with 

Arctic 
Kxpvd. 


3 
3 


3 
3 


3 
G 
3 


9 
9 
6 


78 


147 


intlio 

Wliito 

Sua. 


2 
2 


2 
4 


4 
4 
4 
G 
4 
2 

62 


94 


Total. 
1 

2 
8 
1 
4 
12 
7 
3 
9 
4 
2 

12 
12 

3 

4 
10 
28 

7 
2 

50 
27 
25 
30 
22 

G 

2 

250 

;{ 


:  I 


i 


540 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  OTTER. 


05 


vivors  of 
sailed 


LO 


,  Moritz  Ar- 
mt,  Matthias 
Imelin,  Louis 

Steller;  stu- 
lei  Tretiakof, 
liter,  Joliann 
khoutof;  siir- 
of,  Alexander 
issili  Shetilof, 
;(lcf;  assistant 
n  Maksheicf, 
litri  Odintzof, 

Leskin,  Ivan 
to  members  of 
imand  as  dis- 


inllio 

White 

Total. 

Sua. 

■■      i        1 

'        o 

2           8 

1 

4 

2 

12 

2 

7 

3 

2 

9 

4 

o 

2     i     12 

2 

12 

3 

4 

2 

10 

4 

28 

.. 

7 

o 

4         50 

4         27 

4        25 

0         30 

4         22 

2           6 

o 

52       250 
3 

94       64G 

Call  it  science,  or  patriotism,  or  progress,  there  is 
this  to  be  said  about  the  first  Russian  discoveries  in 
America-  -little  would  have  been  heard  of  them  for 
some  time  to  come  if  ever,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
beautiful  furs  brought  back  from  Bering  Island  and 

According  to  the  ledgers  of  the  admiralty  college  the  expenditure  in 
lehalf  of  the  expedition  up  to  the  end  of  the  year  1742  has  been  as  follows : 


Bullies. 

K. 

/ 

For  pay  and  uniform 

30,383 

684 

3,103 

73 

5,200 

5i 

For  provisions 

76 

.\t  St  Petersburg            < 

For  transportation 

C7t 

For  scientific  instruments 

For  various  stores 

52 
54.2 

Total 

39,451 

4,754 

1,107 

10,801 

554 

A t".  Tvnz/in     .-. 

Cash 

\t  Arkhangelsk 

Rigging,  lumber,  and  provisions. 

25i 
47i 

Total 

5G,114 

2,178 

229,525 

72,840 

82^ 
73 

\t  Ilinsk 

Ill  the  Province  of  Siberiji. 

Cash,  provisions,  and  stores 

Sundry  expenditure 

33 

794 

Grand  total 

360,059 

13J 

Sokohf,  in  Zap.  Uydr.,  ix.  440-52. 

Siianlierg  made  c  rcoonnoissancc  in  the  sea  of  Okhotsk  in  1740.  In  Scp- 
tcmlitT  1741  lie  crossed  from  Okliotsk  to  Kamchatka  with  the  packet-boat 
iS'r  lortiiH,  the  brigantino  Arkhaiifjil  Mlkhc'ti,  the  double  sloop  A'adrs/ida,  and 
tiie  sloop  Bohherctsk,  this  being  the  beginning  of  an  official  expedition  to 
Japan.  Although  the  squadron  was  so  pretentious,  and  had  on  Ixjai'd  many 
liai'iicd  men  who  M-cre  to  expound  the  mysteries  of  those  parts,  nothing  of 
imimitance  came  from  it.  This  was  one  branch  of  the  explorations  included 
in  IJoring's  scheme.  Another  was  a  survey  of  the  coast  of  Okhotsk  Sea  by 
Lit'utfiiant  Walton  in  1741. 

I'^xplorations  were  also  carried  on  along  the  Kamchatka  coast.  In  1742  8ur- 
vcyiir  Ousliakof  explored  the  coast  from  Bolsheretsk  ncvthward  to  Figil,  and 
frutn  tiic  IJay  of  Avatcha  to  Capo  Kronotzkoi.  A  portion  of  this  work  had 
pivviously  l)een  attempted  by  tho  pilot  Yelagin  in  1739,  and  maps  prepared 
1  y  I  im  are  still  preserved  in  tho  naval  archives  at  St  Pctersinirg,  but  for 
SI  lino  reason  the  later  survey  -was  adopted  as  authority.  Steller  and  ( Jorlanof 
iiiiitiiiucd  their  invcstigativons  in  Kamchatka  until  1744.  In  accordance  with 
instiuctions  they  also  experimented  i>i  agricultural  pursuits,  meeting  with  no 
siu'cfss  in  their  attempts.  When  the  combined  commands  of  Chirikof, 
\\  axtl,  and  Spalding  arrived  at  Okhotsk,  they  found  orders  awaiting  them  to 
piiKccd  to  Yakutsk  and  remain  there  for  further  instructions,  lliis  order 
virtually  ended  the  expedition.  Tho  leaders  claimed  that  all  its  objects 
hud  been  attained  as  far  as  possible.    Many  of  the  officers  and  scientists 


w  v 


96 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


elsewhere.  Siberia  was  still  sufficient  to  satisfy  tlic 
tsar  for  purposes  of  expatriation,  and  the  Russians 
were  not  such  zealots  as  to  undertake  conquest  for 
the  sake  of  conversion,  and  to  make  religion  a  cloalc 

had  already  returned  before  accomplishing  their  task;  others  were  still 
detaiiicd  l)y  sickness  and  other  circumstances;  others  again  had  died  and  thr 
force  still  ht  for  duty  of  any  kind  was  very  much  reduced.  The  provisio::s 
amasscil  with  such  immense  labor  and  trouble  had  been  expended,  the  riggiii;^ 
and  siiila  <'f  ships  were  couipletely  worn  out,  the  ships  themselves  were  uiiso,';- 
W'jrthy,  and  the  resources  of  all  Siberia  had  been  nearly  exhausted.  Tl^o 
native  tribes  and  convict  settlors  had  Ijcen  crushed  by  the  most  oppressive  ru- 
ijuiiiitioi.s  in  l;Jx)r  and  stores,  and  even  the  forests  in  the  inunediatc  vicmiiy 
of  cettlcincnts  had  Itcen  thinned  out  to  an  alarming  extent  for  the  re(]ui"<- 
incuts  of  the  expedition.  In  174.3  a  famine  raged  in  eastern  Siberia  to  siiuh 
an  extent  tliat  in  the  month  of  September  an  imperial  oukaz  ordained  tlio 
immediate  f-uspension  of  other  operations.  The  force  was  divided  into  sni-.H 
d'jtaclimeiits  and  scattered  here  and  there  iu  the  more  fertile  district:;  of 
Siberia.  Tlic  temporary  suspension  of  the  laliors  of  the  expedition  was  ful- 
lowed  i»y  an  entire  abandonment  of  the  work.  The  Siljerian  eoTitingcuts 
returned  to  tluir  proper  stations,  the  sailors  and  mechanics  uelongitig  to  Vw 
navy  were  ordered  to  Tomsk  and  Yenissei.sk.  Tlirougli  intrigues  at  I'to 
in)pcri;:l  court  the  commonders  v.'c-rc  long  dctaineil  in  the  wildi  of  Sibori;'; 
CJi;;rik()f  and  Spanberg  u  til  174G,  Waxel  until  1740,  and  lltishclief  i',::-.il 
17'''4,  v.Iicn  a  new  expedition  was  already  on  the  fapix.  The  original  charis 
ami  jijurncls  of  the  expedition  were  forwarded  to  Irkutsk  only  in  17o4.  tlioiiili 
oiiiciul  copies  had  eert'U-  ly  been  ^n.ktn  previous  to  that  time.  From  Irkut  k 
tliey  were  removed  in  IT-'I  to  tiio  city  of  Tobolsk,  and  a;jain  cojiiod.  Xo 
rtJUon  was  given  for  retaining  the  originals,  but  it  is  ccrtaiii  that  they  w<n' 
destroyed  during  a  lire  iu  Tobolsk  in  1788.  Zap.  Ili/ih:,  v.  'Jfi.').  Kecords  nf 
promotions  conferred  upon  a  few  nmmbers  of  tlie  expedition  Iiave  l)een  pr/- 
Bcr\'cd.  Ovtzin  and  Lajrtief  were  made  lieutenants  on  Waxel's  recomnieiiil:i- 
tion  in  174.3;  Alexc'i  Ivanof  and  Ytlagin  wei'c  promoted  to  the  same  rank  cii 
Chirikofrt  recommendation  in  1744.  On  the  "JOtli  of  Xovember  1749  an  iut- 
pei  ial  oukaz  bestowed  a  money  reward  upon  all  the  survivors  of  Berin  '.s 
comtnand  on  the  Sr  Pclr,  'for  liiiviug  sufi'ered  many  unheard  of  liard-;hipi.' 
Khitrof  was  made  a  lieutenant  and  liually  captain  of  tlie  first  i-ank.  Wa:.  ! 
waa  promoted  to  a  captain  of  the  neeoud  rank  in  1744,  while  all  his  comman  I 
obtainecl  a  reward  in  money  f/'om  the  admiralty  college.  In  17"»4  the  foi\  e 
of  Lieutenant  Ktishclief  at  Tomsk  consisted  of  42  men,  and  that  of  Lieutenant 
Khenetev.iki  at  Okhotsk,  of  4()  men;  the  last  two  oilicers  evidently  rcmaim  I 
in  Sil)cria,  as  tliey  are  mentioned  again  in  the  archives  of  Okhotsk  as  captui:;i 
iu  177.'!. 

Tiie  iniii'ine  Synd,  who  undertook  the  unfortunate  expedition  to  Berii:^ 
Straits,  also  remained  in  Silxria,  promoted  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant,  and 
died  at  (Jkliotsk  in  1779.  Sihcr/au  Archives;  JMitllcr,  9th  ser.;  Za/i.  JJt/dr.,  \ . 
2G3.  Th(!  young  widow  of  tlie  astronomer  Do  la  Croyere  in  1774  marrini 
Captain  iAl»edef,  wlio  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  Kamchatka.  Sijihic/. 
in  Moni/.o't  Shoniil;  cii.  .'5,  i).).  Tlie  town  of  Okhotsk  had  received  a  git  a 
imiK'tus  during  the  operations  of  the  Bering  expedition,  for  which  it  serv.'l 
as  the  maritime  base.  A  few  rude  vessels  were  constructed  at  Okhol  k 
during  the  iirst  decade  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  oHicial  records  arc  ^t:  I 
iu  exLslence  of  all  the  shipping  constructed  at  that  port  from  tlie  year  17  ^  I 
to  modern  times.  Up  to  the  time  when  Bering's  expedition  left  Okhotsk  !  r 
the  interior  of  Siberia  19  vessels  were  enumerated  in  this  list.  The  lirrt  ■  t 
the.'ie  vessels  was  a  lodLa,  a  craft  with  one  mast,  half-decked  over,  27  feet  in 
lengtli,  witli  18  (!)  feet  beam,  drawing  with  a  full  cargo  only  three  feet  an  I 
a  half  of  water.     The  keel  was  laid  at  Okhotsk  iu  May  1714,  and  she  w.is 


HISTOraC.iL  VESSELS. 


97 


latisfy  tliG 

Russians 

iqucsfc  for 

)ii  a  cloak 

era  wcro  Btill 
il  (lied  ami  tlio 
riic  provisioDH 
led,  the  riggin;-; 
\'QS  were  uiiso;;- 
Lbaustcd.    Tlio 
t  oppressive  ic- 
icdiatc  vicinity 
for  the  re(iui-.-<'- 
Siberia  to  Huch 
LZ  ordained  t!io 
idcd  into  snir.ll 
tile  distiicta  of 
edition  was  fol- 
iaii  coiitingiiit-? 
relonging  to  ihe 
iitrigues  at  tl'.e 
ildi  of  Siliiri:-; 
Utisliclicf  i;:;ul 
original  eliavia 
in  17.'J4.  tlio.i;h 
.    From  Irkiit  li 
;ain  copied.    Xo 
that  they  wove 
|(i,').     Records  of 
liave  been  pi"'> 
I's  reconinionda- 
e  same  rank  cii 
iber  17  to  an  ii.i- 
■ors  of  Bcriii  ,".■) 
Id  of  hiu•d^llip;^.' 
it  rank.    Wa::;l 
[dl  his  connnand 
17,')4  the  fiiive 
at  of  Lienton;>.iit 
ilently  rcniaiii;  1 
lOtsk  as  captai  .-i 

lition  to  Bcrii:-! 

I  lieutenant,  a;i'l 
iZap.  Ilydr.,  \. 
|n  177'1  married 
cliatka.  Sijihii'i', 
J-eceived  a  grmt 
Iwhich  it  serv.  d 
Itcd  at  Okhot.;k 
I  records  arc  sti  1 
lin  tlio  year  17!' 
Ilctt  Okhotsk  !  '1- 
1st.     The  lirr.t  ■  f 
over,  27  feet  in 
'  three  feet  an  I 
|14,  and  she  WiW 


for  tlieir  atrocities;  honeo,  but  for  those  costly  skins, 
each  of  which  proclaimed  in  loudest  strains  the  glories 
of  Alaska,  the  Great  Land  might  long  have  rested 

Ijiniuhed  in  May  171G.  The  builder  was  carpenter  Kiril  Plotnitzki(?).  Tlie 
\tysil  luul  a  brief  existence,  for  she  stranded  in  17-1,  and  was  linally  burned 
f.ir  the  iron  in  17-7.  The  second  vessel  was  of  the  same  class.  Tlie  keel  was 
l.iid  in  171S  for  the  first  Kamchatka  expedition,  but  slio  Wfis  never  iiidslied, 
iiiid  lotted  on  the  stock.s.  The  third  was  also  a  lodka,  04  feet  in  length  by  18 
i  1  width;  slie  was  constructed  at  Oudsk,  near  Okhotsk,  in  1719,  by  one  Teta- 
liiiof.  'J'liis  craft  also  was  never  launched,  and  finally  fell  to  pieces.  The 
Iciiuth  vessel,  also  a  lodka,  was  begun  by  a  carpenter  named  Kargoi)olt/iif, 
in  17-0,  and  launched  in  17-;^.  IJi^ring  caused  lier  to  be  retind)ercd  in  17'27, 
II ad  in  17l!4  the  vessel  was  beached  as  unseawortliy,  but  she  was  iinally 
it]iiured  in  1741  and  wrecked  on  the  Kurile  Islands  in  the  same  year.  Tlie 
tiiili,  a  lo<lka,  was  built  near  Okhotsk  in  17-4,  hut  was  never  linlshed  'for 
\\:\.'.\t  of  material.'  The  sixtli  vessel  constructeil  at  Okhotsk  was  the  sliitika 
J'ijiiniM,  Ijuilt  in  one  year  ]>y  a  marine,  Chaplin,  probably  an  Knglislniian, 
i.nd  launclied  in  .Time  17-7.  In  I7150the  J< ort iniu  wiia  hauled  upas  nnsea- 
Moi'ihy,  but  in  1731  she  was  repaired  once  more  and  finally  retimljered  in 
IVIiT,  and  wrecked  in  tlic  same  year  near  Bolsheretsk.  The  seventh  on  the 
li-;t,  the  .Vc  Uarril,  was  constructed  under  Bering's  innnediate  supervision  at 
Xislnkanichatsk  in  the  year  17-8.  In  1737  she  was  retimljered  by  lAcu- 
t>  nant  .'^panberg  itt  Okliotsk.  In  1738  she  was  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Kam- 
cliatka,  but  again  repaired  in  tlie  following  year,  173!).  She  was  finally  broken 
uj)  as  unseawortliy  in  17'")"».  The  eighth  vessel  eonstnieted  at  Okhotsk  was 
t!n'  VoKloc/iinii  Guvril,  or  Eastern  Oabriel,  built  in  17-9  by  Spiianef  for  ."^lics- 
t:'.lciif's  expedition.  After  (ivozdef's  voyage  to  Bering  Strait  the  Eaatcra 
(I'tihriel  was  wrecked  in  October  1731)  by  Eedorcf  near  Bolsheretsk.  Tlie  L(  v 
(Lion)  was  also  Iniilt  by  Sphanef  at  Okhot.--k  in  17^9,  but  was  burned  by  tlie 
liostilc  Koriaks  in  September  of  the  same  year.  A  lodka  built  by  Ciiurekaief 
ill  1 7'-".)  is  the  tenth  on  the  list.  The  navigator  ^loshkof  used  tills  craft  for 
ii'i  cxpluiation  of  the  Shantar  l.slands,  but  she  proved  unseawortliy  and  was 
idiaiuloned.  \ext  on  the  list  is  the  brigantine  ArL'/iaiii/el  Mikhuil,  begun  at 
Ouliotsk  in  17.3.")  and  launched  in  1737  for  Bering's  second  expedition.  T!ie 
I'ailikis  were  Kogachcf  and  Kozmin,  superintended  by  Spanberg  hiiiise'f. 
Till'  brigantine  did  good  service,  but  was  finally  wrecked  in  17'>3.  The  I'-'th 
in  the  li^l  is  the  double  sloop  iVai/cs/dAi,  with  three  masts  (?)  and  gali'-to]i- 
Mils,  Slie  was  begun  by  the  same  builders  at  (Okhotsk  in  1 73.")  and  launched  in 
I7.">7.  This  also  proved  a  useful  craft,  but  she  was  finally  wrecked  in  17">3 
\:\  one  Naouinof  on  the  Kurile  Ishinds.  The  sloop  Jlo/f/irrit."/:  was  Imilt  by 
Sjiaiibeig  in  1739  of  birch  timber,  and  provided  with  18  oara.  She  was 
dirlarcd  to  be  unseawortliy  in  1745.  The  galiot  <)k/io/sl,\  the  I4tli  on  the 
li-^t.  was  built  by  Itogachef  at  Okhotsk  in  1737.  Ten  years  later  she  wn^i 
lr|)aiied,  and  wrecked  the  year  after.  The  packet-boat  Sr  Pili\  the  vessel 
ill  wiiitli  Bering  sailed,  was  also  built  by  Bngaehef  and  Knzmin  in  1711. 
^lle  was  wrecked  and  reliuilton  Bering  Island  in  the  same  year,  as  we  have 
seen.  The  vessel  of  Chirikof,  the  big  jS'y  J'tinl,  was  built  by  the  same  ]H'r- 
s.iiis  in  Okhotsk  and  launched  in  1740,  and  only  fmir  years  later  she  was 
al  .iiiiliined  as  uii.seawdrthy.  The  next  on  the  list  is  the  paeketdioat  /<iftn 
Ki-'sfilcl,  or  St  ,Iohn  the  Baptist,  built  in  Okhotsk  by  Kozmin  1741,  for  Span- 
In  ig's  expedition,  and  wrecked  near  Bolsheretsk  in  October  1743,  under  enm- 
iiiand  of  Lieutenant  Khmetevski.  The  sloop  I'JU-.nnfii,  the  18tli  on  the  list, 
was  built  at  (Okhotsk  by  Kozmin,  wrecked  on  the  Kamchatka  coast  in  174."), 
1  paiied,  and  wrecked  again  in  17.").").  The  small  Sr  I'tfr,  built  on  liering 
Island  out  of  the  remains  of  the  larger  vessel,  was  sunk  on  the  coast  of  Kam- 
I'lilka  in  17.53,  but  raised  and  beached  in  1754.  Oklwln/c  Archinis;  Sijibiii'j', 
JIolsLoiShoriiiL;  ISo',,  ]-2-'2W. 
IIiHT.  Alaska.    7 


■h,  f 


I  i  «■  i 


OS 


DEATH  OF  BERING. 


undisturbed.  Be  that  as  it  may,  it  was  chiefly  on  the 
voyages  of  Bering  and  Chirikof  that  Russia  ever  after 
based  her  claim  to  the  ownership  of  north-western- 
most America.'" 

'■•'  The  voyages  of  Vitus  Bering  have  fiimishecl  material  for  mucli  learned 
iliscussioii.  Tlje  Frencli  astronomer  Do  L'islo  dc  la  CroyL'rc  advanceil  the 
c!:iim  of  having  l)ccu  largely  in.strnmental  in  their  accomplishment,  more  so  pcr- 
luipa  than  he  was  justly  entitled  to,  though  it  cannot  bo  denied  that  he  had 
iimch  to  say  in  tiie  organization  of  the  second  expedition  under  Bering.  With 
the  honor  of  having  planned  the  expedition,  ho  should  not  attempt  to  escape 
the  odium  of  hii  ving  furnished  it  witli  such  villainous  charts,  to  which  may  be 
attributed  most  of  that  suH'ering  and  loss  of  life  Mhich  followed.  Nor  is  he  by 
any  means  just  to  Bering,  seeking  as  ho  docs  in  his  account  to  deprive  him  of 
any  part  in  the  discovery,  claiming  that  Chirikof's  party  made  the  only  dis- 
covery worthy  of  mention.  Ho  does  not  even  state  that  Bering  touched  upon 
the  American  coast  at  all;  according  to  his  narrative  Bering  'sailed  from  Kani- 
ciiatka,  but  did  not  go  far,  having  been  compelled  by  a  storm  to  anchor  at  ii 
desert  island  where  he  and  most  of  his  companions  perished.'  An  author 
makes  nothing  by  such  trickery.  His  attempted  deceit  is  sure  sooner  or 
later  to  fall  Imck  upon  his  own  head.  Nor  will  it  do  to  pretend  ignorance. 
I'rofessor  Miitlcr,  of  the  imperial  academy  of  science,  accompanied  Bering 
on  his  hist  voyage.  At  the  time  Do  J/Islo  was  writing  his  treatise  Miillcr 
was  living  ih  the  same  street  in  St  I'etersburg,  and  meeting  as  they  nnist 
luivc  done  daily,  it  would  have  been  easy  to  ascertain  the  truth  if  ho  had 
wished  to  know  it.  That  such  wretched  maps  as  Croyere's  shouhl  have  been 
given  to  the  world  by  Russia,  or  in  her  name,  is  all  the  more  to  be  dejilorcd, 
because  the  Russians,  tliough  they  had  then  scarcely  gained  a  place  amoiiLr 
seafaring  nations,  had  made  the  most  strenuous  ellbrts  at  discovery  in  watcin 
Si>  inhospitable  that  jicople  less  inured  to  the  rigors  of  climate,  and  less  de- 
spotically governed,  would  never  have  thought  of  navigating  them.  Others 
may  have  furnisheil  the  idea  which  the  Russians  alone,  who  to  bo  sure  would 
reap  the  lirst  benefits  from  such  discoveries,  were  possessed  of  power  and 
endurance  to  carry  out. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  PROMYSHLEXIKI. 

1743-1762. 

Effect  of  tiif.  Discovery  in  Siberia — Huntixo  ExPEniTioNS  iv  Search 
OF  Ska-otters — Voyaoes  of  Uassof,  Nevodciiikof,  anu  Ycc.of — 
Rich  Harvests  of  Sea-otter  and  Fur-seal  Skins  from  the  Alix- 
TiAN  Arciiipelaoo — TnE  Cdnning  Promyshlexiki  and  the  Mill) 
IsuvNDERs — The  Old  Tale  of  Wrong  and  Atkocitv — Bloodshi-.d 
ox  Atfoo  Island — Early  Monopolies — Ciit.'ruoF's  and  Kholodilofs 
Adventures— Russians  Defeated  on  Unalaska  and  Amlia — Yu- 
f;()F's  Unfortunate  Speculation — Further  Discovery— Tuk  Fate  of 
GoLODOF — Other  Adventures. 

One  would  think  that,  with  full  knowledge  of  the 
sulH-rings  and  dangers  encountered  by  Bering's  antl 
(liii'ikors  expeditions,  men  would  hesitate  before  risk- 
iiiLi'  their  lives  for  otter-skins.  But  such  was  not  the 
case.  Wlien  a  small  vessel  was  made  ready  to  follow 
the  course  of  the  Sv  Petr  and  the  Sv  Pavel  there  was 
no  lack  of  men  to  join  it,  though  some  of  them  were 
still  scarcely  able  to  crawl,  from  the  eft'ects  of  Ibrmer 
ilisaster.  As  the  little  sable  had  enticed  the  Cossack 
iVoni  the  Black  Sea  and  the  Volga  across  the  Ural 
jMountains  and  the  vast  plains  of  Siberia  to  the  shores 
of  the  Okhotsk  Sea  and  the  Pacific,  so  now  the  sea- 
otter  lures  the  same  venturesome  race  out  among  the 
islands,  and  ice,  and  fog-banks  of  ocean. 

The  first  to  engage  in  hunting  sea-otters  and  other 
rur-bearing  animals,  east  of  Kamchatka,  was  Emilian 
l^assof,  who  embarked  as  early  as  1743,  if  we  may 
believe  Vassili  Berg,  our  best  authority  on  the  sub- 
ject.^    Bassof  was  sergeant  of  the  military  company 

'  Berg,  Klovnologicheskaia  Istoria  Olkrytiy  Aleutslikh  Oxirofnkh,  2,  3,  pas- 

lOO) 


m 


jl 


100 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  rHOMYSHLENIKI. 


of  lower  Kamchatka,  whoso  imafjination  had  become 
excited  by  the  wealth  brought  home  by  Bering's  crew . 
Forming  a  partnership  witli  a  merchant  from  Moscow, 
Andrei  Screbrennikof,  he  built  a  small  shitika'^  which 
lie  called  the  Kcqntoii,  sailed  to  Bering  Island,  passed 
the  winter  there,  and  returned  to  Kamchatka  iu  the 
following  year.^  A  second  voyage  was  made  the  fol- 
lowing July,*  with  Nikofor  Trapeznikof  as  partnei-, 
tlic  same  vessel  being  employed.  Besides  Bering 
Island,  Bassof  also  visited  Copper  Island,  and  col- 
lected 1,G00  sea-otters,  2,000  fur-seals,  and  2,000  blue 
Arctic  foxes.  From  this  trip  Bassof  returned  on  the 
31st  of  July  174G.  A  third  voyage  was  undertaken 
l)y  Bassof  in  1747,  from  which  ho  returned  in  the 
loll  owing  year,  and  embarked  for  a  last  voyage  iu 
1749.' 

siiii.  Most  authorities  arc  silent  concerning  tliis  expedition,  bnt  Sgibncf, 
Morihii  Sboniik,  cii.  74,  sstatcs  that  liassof  s:iilctl  on  his  lirst  voyajjc  in  ITl^i. 

-  The  shitikas,  from  the  lliissian  shi-it,  to  sew,  wore  vessels  made  ahuust 
without  iron  holts,  the  plunks  being  'sewed'  together  or  fastened  with  leather 
or  seal-skin  tliongs. 

^  l'"i'()iu  pajjers  preserved  in  the  chancellery  of  Bolsheretsk.  See  also  Benj, 
KhronolojirlHskd'ia  Isloria,  ',i,  4. 

■•Tlie  autlior  of  jNV»(' iV(fcA?7V/i<eH  doubts  the  authenticity  of  these  state- 
ments, liut,  as  ]5<'rg  liad  access  to  all  the  areliives,  we  in;iy  safely  accept  his 
^■tatonlent,  though  in  the  chronological  table  appended  to  his  work  the  e.xpodi- 
tion  of  the  Kdjiilon  is  omitted,  llenj,  Khnmol.  Istorla,  A/ijieiidix.  Sgi!)inf 
states  that  Bassof  formed  a  partncrslup  witli  Trapeznikof  in  1747  to  undiitHho 
'the  second  voyage,'  from  which  tliey  realized  a  return  of  ll'J,'2'20  rubles. 
Jlumkvi  SlioriiiL;  cii. -v.  74. 

^  A  report  to  the  connnander  of  Okhotsk  with  reference  to  the  third  voy- 
n'^c  was  (liscovered  by  I'rince  Shakhovskoi  in  tiie  archives  of  Okhotsk.  From 
Uiis  document  Berg  gives  the  following  extracts:  'Most  respectful  report  if 
f^ergeant  Kmilian  IJiissof  to  the  councillor  of  tiieportof  Okhotsk: — After  liiiv- 
iiig  set  out  with  some  Cossacks  upon  a  sea-voyage  lust  year  (1747),  in  seaicli 
of  unknown  islands,  in  the  shitika  /S'c  Pctr,  at  our  own  expense,  wc  arrived 
iiL  u  previously  iliscovered  small  island,'  Copper  Island.  't)n  the  beach  abo,:t 
50  pounds  of  native  co]i])er  was  gathered.  On  the  south-eastern  side  of  tlio 
is:ime  island  we  found  some  unknown  material,  son"-  ore  or  mineral,  of  whicii 
we  tocjk  .1  pound  or  two.  Our  men  picked  up  '20.')  p^  (bles  on  the  beach  great 
iuul  small,  an<l  among  them  were  two  yellow  ones  and  one  pink.  Wc  also 
found  a  new  kind  of  lish.  .  .^Ve  brought  with  us  to  the  port  of  Ni.shek:iiii- 
cii;itsk  sea-otters  mule  and  female  070  skins,  and  the  same  nund)er  of  talis, 
and  l,.~)2,)  blue  foxes.  Tlie.se  furs  were  all  divided  in  shares  among  those  w'lO 
Mere  with  me  on  the  above-mentioned  voyage ...  Sergeant  Kmilian  Bassof.' 
Ji<  nj,  KhronoL  htorki,  4.  The  ship  »S'c  Petr,  Captain  Kmilian  liassof,  is  liiii- 
wise  mentioned  in  Berg's  tabularlist  of  voyages  under  date  of  17r)0.  'A  tnr- 
tunate  event  which  occurred  while  I  was  engaged  in  collecting  inforinaii' .i 
with  regard  to  these  voyages,'  says  Berg,  'placed  me  in  possession  of  piil'  s 
containing  the  names  of  owners  of  vessels  and  the  furs  shipped  on  those  oi-^a- 


VOYAGES  OF  BASSOP. 


101 


See  also  Bcnj, 


All  was  still  dark  rcGfardinoj  lands  and  naviu^atioii 
cnstward.  But  when  JSassoi's  reports  reached  th«.' 
iii![K'rial  senate  an  oukaz  was  forwarded  at  once  to 
the  admiralty  college  ordaining  that  any  charts  coni- 
pili'd  t'roni  Bering's  and  Chirikof's  journals,  together 
with  their  log-books  and  other  j)apers,  should  bo 
sent  to  the  senate  for  transmittal  to  the  governor 
general  of  Siberia.  The  admiralty  college  intrusted 
the  execution  of  this  order  to  the  eminent  hydrog- 
inplier  Admiral  Nagaief,  who  finally  compiled  a  chart 
ior  the  <juidance  of  hunters  and  traders  navigatiiiij: 
along  tlie  Aleutian  Islands." 

IJassofwas  scarcely  back  from  his  first  voyage  and 
il  was  noised  abroad  that  he  had  been  successi'ul,  when 
there  were  others  ready  to  follow  his  exam[)lo.  A 
larger  venture  was  set  on  foot  early  in  1745,  while 
J  >a.ssof  was  still  absent  on  his  second  voyage,  under  the 
aiis[)iccs  of  Lieutenant  Lebedef,  he  who  had  married 
Crovere's  widow.  While  in  command  at  Bol.sheret.sk 
he  i.ssued  a  permit  for  a  voyage  to  the  newly  discov- 
ered is]an<ls,  on  the  25th  of  Fcbruarv,  to  the  mei- 
chants  Afanassi  Chebaievskoi  of  Lal.sk  and  Arkhi[) 
Traj)eznikof  of  Irkutsk.  Their  avowed  purpose  was 
to  hunt  sea-otters  and  make  discoveries  eastward  ol" 
Kamchatka.    Associated  with  them  were  Yakof  Chu- 


siiins:  Ist,  pnpera  obtained  from  Court  Counsellor  Ivan  Ossipovich  Zclonski; 
•Jil,  i-oiiK-  incomplete  ilata  compiluil  by  niy.self  wliile  living  at  Kailiak  from 
vi'ili.'il  tradition  and  private  letter.';;  'M,  letters  I  found  in  -Mr  .'^iieliUofij 
iiiiliives;  and  4tli,  letters  I  rcecived  between  llie  years  17G0  and  ITS')  iinr.i 
IIk;  iiiereliant  Ivan  Savieh  Lapin,  of  Solikamsk.'  The  dates  given  ot  llassol's 
four  voyages  arc  174.'?,  174."),  1747,  and  174'J.  Bin/,  K/irunot.  Islor'.a,  (i. 

''Miii-dvl  Slioniik;  eii.  11,  "id.  The  editor  of  tiic  Sihirifk-i/  I'ii ■■'liiil:  (Sibe- 
rian Messenger),  (J.  I.  Spasski,  in  1S22,  devoted  four  numbers  of  his  pub- 
licitidu  to  .1  minute  description  of  Copper  Island,  accompanied  by  ii  elu.rt 
iiHliiatiiig  Bassofs  oeetipatioi'  of  the  jdaec,  as  on  its  noi'tliern  side  two  bay  i 
live  named  l»assofskaya  and  I'etrofskaya  respectively,  after  llas.sof  and  laie  oi 
Ills  vessels.  From  the  description  iu  the  I'iciliiik  it  is  evident  liiat  llas.s.  t 
wintered  on  Copper  Island  in  174!),  and  obtained  most  of  his  furs  there.  A 
cross  'vhich  was  preserved  on  the  island  for  many  years,  bore  an  inscription 
to  till!  oHect  that  Yefim  Kuzn(!tzof,  a  new  convert  (probably  a  Kamchatka 
native),  Masadded  to  I?assof"s  command  on  the  7th  of  April  1751).  Itisprobal  !o 
tliat  tlie  baptism  of  this  convert  took  place  on  the  island,  and  that  the  name 
of  tlie  man  was  added  to  IJtissof's  list  only  when  he  became  a  Christian.'  S'.h. 
I  ii'siiiil\  ISJ..',  numbers  '2  to  (i,  passim,  liassof  died  in  17.'i4,  leaving  a 
ilanuhter  with  whom  the  merchant,  Liipiu,  one  of  Berg's anithorities,  was  per- 
sonally acijuainted.  Kliroiiol.  htoria,  passim. 


1C2 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 


'•^  \\i 


prof,  Had  ion  Yatof,  Ivan  Kliolchevnikof,  Pavel  Kar- 
abclnikof,  Larion  Boliaiof,  Nikolai  Chujirof,  Lazar 
Karmanof,  and  Kiril  Kozlof/  They  built  a  large 
sliitika  and  named  it  the  Ycvdolia.  As  morekhod,  or 
navif]fator,  they  engaged  a  Tobolsk  peasant  named 
Mikhail  Nevodchikof,  who  had  been  with  Bering,  and 
who  was  oven  credited  by  various  authors  with  the 
discovery  of  the  Aleutian  Islands.^  In  these  expedi- 
tions the  bold  promyshleniki  were  ever  the  main-stay. 
Ncvodchikof  was  doubtless  aware  that  Bassof  had  col- 
lected his  furs  at  Bering  and  Copper  islands,  but  trust- 
ing to  his  memory,  or  perhaps  following  the  advice  of 
other  companions  of  Bering,  he  passed  by  these  isl- 
ands, shaping  his  course  south-east  in  search  of  the  land 
named  by  Bering  Obmannui,  or  Delusive  Islands.  The 
Ycvdolia  had  sailed  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kam- 
chatka on  the  1 9th  of  September  1 745,"  and  after  a  voy- 
age of  six  days  the  adventurous  promyshleniki  sighted 
the  first  of  the  Blishni  group  of  the  Aleutian  isles. 
Passing  by  the  first,  Attoo,Nevodchikof  anchored  near 
the  second,  Agatoo,  about  noon  of  the  24th.  Next 
morning  over  a  hundred  armed  natives  assembled  on 
the  beach  and  beckoned  the  Russians  to  land,  but  it 
was  not  deemed  safe  in  view  of  their  number;  so  they 
threw  into  the  water  a  few  trifling  presents,  and  in 
return  the  natives  threw  back  some  birds  just  killed. 
On  the  2Gth  Chuprof  landed  with  a  few  men  armed 
with  muskets  for  water.     They  met  some  natives,  to 


'  Bolsheretsk  Archives;  Neve  Nachr.,  9,  10. 

*  From  the  fact  tlmt  Ncvodchikof  was  called  a  peasant  we  must  not  infer 
that  he  was  an  agricultural  laborer,  but  sirqply  of  the  peasant  class,  one  of 
the  numerous  castes  into  which  Russian  society  was  divided.  The  so-called 
'  civil  classes '  of  society  outside  of  government  oiScials  were  mercliants, 
kitpiziii,  again  divided  into  tirst,  second,  and  third  guild;  tradesmen,  mish- 
chnnimii,  and  peasants,  krestianinvi;  but  many  of  the  latter  class  wore 
engaged  in  trade  and  commerce.  Ivan  Lapin  told  Berg  that  he  knew  Nc- 
vodchikof personally,  and  that  he  had  sen-cil  with  Bering  on  his  voyage  to 
America  in  1741.  Ncvodchikof  was  a  silversmith  from  Oustioug,  and  came 
to  Siberia  in  search  of  fortune.  Meeting  witli  no  success  he  went  on  to  Kam- 
chatka, and  there  finding  himself  without  a  passport  he  was  taken  into  the 
government  service.  Lapin  was  in  possession  of  a  silver  snuffbox,  the  work 
of  Ncvodchikof.  Khronol.  Istoria,  7. 

^XcueNachr.,\Q',  Khronol.ht.,1. 


VIOLENCE  AXD  BLOOD. 


103 


Kar- 
Lazar 
large 
od,  «r 
[lamccl 
cr,  and 
bh  the 
ixpedi- 
n-stay. 
ad  col- 
,  trust- 
vice  of 
?se  isl- 
lieland 
3.    The 
Kam- 
[•  a  voy- 
sighted 
n  isles. 
|ed  near 
Next 
ed  on 
3Ut  it 
so  they 
nd  in 
iilled. 
armed 
ves,  to 


not  infer 

.ss,  one  of 

BO-called 

lerchants, 

en,  iwsh- 

ass  were 

inew  Xe- 

voyage  to 

and  came 

1  to  Kam- 

1  into  the 

the  work 


-tni  they  gave  tobacco  antl  pipes,  and  received  a  stick 
lamented  with  the  head  of  a  seal  carved  in  bone. 
Then  the  savages  wanted  one  of  the  nuiskets,  and 
when  refused  they  became  angry  and  attrmpted  to 
capture  the  party  by  seizing  their  boat.  Finally  Chup- 
rof  ordered  his  men  to  firu,  and  for  the  first  time  the 
thundering  echoes  of  musketry  resounded  from  the 
hills  of  Agatoo.  One  bullet  took  effect  in  the  hand 
of  a  native;  the  crimson  tiuid  gushed  forth  over  the 
white  sand,  and  the  long  era  of  bloodshed,  violence, 
and  rapine  for  the  poor  Aleuts  was  begun.^"  As  the 
natives  had  no  arms  except  bone-pointed  spears,  which 
they  vainly  endeavored  to  thrust  through  the  sides 
of  tJie  boat,  shedding  of  blood  might  easily  have  been 
avoided.  At  all  events  the  Russians  could  not  now 
winter  there,  so  they  worked  the  ship  back  to  the 
first  island,  and  anchored  for  the  night. 

The  following  morning  Chuprof,  who  seems  to  have 
come  to  the  front  as  leader,  and  one  Shev3'rin,  luiulcd 
with  several  men.  They  saw  tracks  but  encountered 
()  one.  The  ship  then  moved  slowly  along  the  coast, 
'd  on  the  following  day  the  Cossack  Shekhurdin, 
svith  six  men,  was  sent  ashore  for  water  and  to  recon- 
noitre. Toward  night  they  came  upon  a  party  of  five 
natives  with  their  wives  and  children,  v»ho  immedi- 
ately abandoned  their  huts  and  ran  for  the  mountains. 
In  the  morning  Shekhurdin  boarded  the  ship,  which 
was  still  moving  along  the  shore  in  search  of  a  auit- 
ablc  place  for  wintering,  and  returned  again  with  a 
larger  force.  On  a  bluff  facing  the  sea  they  saw  fif- 
teen savages,  one  of  whom  they  captured,  together 
with  an  old  woman  who  insisted  on  following  the 
prisoner."     The  two  natives,  with  a  quantity  of  seal- 

'"  AVhen  the  natives  perceived  the  wound  of  their  comrade  they  threw  ofT 
their  garments,  carried  him  into  the  sea,  and  endeavored  to  wasli  olF  th'j 
blocd.  Khronol.  ht.,8;  iVeue  iVVic/fA,  i3.    See  JV«;j('e7i*ace.v,  vol.  i.,  this  series. 

"  'Ks  gelang  ihren  anch,  ungeachtet  der  Gegeniwehr,  welclie  die  Insulaiier 
niit  ihren  Kniichemen  Spiessen  leisteten,  selbige  herunter  zu  jagen  luid  euieii 
diiv(jn  gofangen  zu  nehmen,  der  sogleich  aufs  Schiff  gebraclit  ward.  Sie 
ergriU'en  auch  ein  altes  Weile,  welclie  sie  bis  zur  Hutte  verfolgt  hatten,  und 
liraclitcn  auch  diese,  mit  dcm  zugleich  erbeuteten  Seehundsfett  und  Fellen,, 
zuni  Schiii".'  Xeiic  ^{'achrichten,  14,  15. 


}  < 


104 


THE  SWARMTNO  OF  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 


blubber  found  in  the  liut.  were  taken  on  board  the 
Yevdokla.  A  storm  arose  shortly  after,  durini,'  which 
the  ship  was  driven  out  to  sea  with  the  loss  i)f  an 
anchor  and  a  yawl. 

From  tlie  2d  to  the  9th  of  October  the  gale  con- 
tinued; then  they  approached  the  islatid  and  selected 
a  wintering-place  for  the  ship.  The  i.atives  were  less 
timid  than  at  first,  though  they  found  in  the  hut  the 
bodies  of  two  men  who  hatl  evidently  died  iVom 
wounds  received  during  the  scuffle  on  the  blulf.  The 
old  woman,  who  had  been  released,  returned  with 
thirty-four  of  her  people;  they  danced  and  sang  to 
the  soimd  of  bladder-drums,  and  made  presents  of 
colored  cla}',  receiving  in  return  handkerchiefs,  needles, 
and  thimbles.  After  the  first  ceremonial  visit  both 
parties  separated  on  the  most  friendly  terms,  ]iefore 
the  end  of  the  month  the  same  party  came  again 
accompanied  by  the  old  woman  and  several  children, 
and  bringing  gifts  of  sea-fowl,  seal-meat,  and  fish. 
Dancing  and  singing  were  again  indulged  in. 

On  the  2Gth  of  October  Shevyrin,  C'huprof,  and 
Nevodchikof,  with  seven  men,  set  on.t  in  search  of 
their  new  friends  and  found  them  encam|)e(l  under  a 
cliif.  On  this  occasion  they  purchased  a  hidar,^'  with 
an  extra  covering  of  skin,  for  two  cotton  shirts.  They 
found  stone  axes  and  bone  needles  in  use  among  the 
natives,  who  seemed  to  subsist  altogether  ii])on  the 
tlesh  of  sea-otters,  seals,  and  sea-lions,  and  upon  fish. 

The  reign  of  violence  and  bloodshed  already  inaug- 
urated on  the  island  of  Agatoo  was  quickly  established 
on  Attoo.  Two  da^.'s  prior  to  his  visit  to  the  friendly 
natives,  Chuprof,  anxious  to  acquire  a  more  minute 
knowledge  of  the  island,  sent  out  one  of  his  subortli- 
nates,  Alexei  Beliaief,  with  ten  men  to  explore.  This 
man  discovered   several  habitations  with  whose   in- 

'-''I'lid  faiidcn  sie  untor  eiiicm  Folson  (Utftti),  Kanft(>n  von  ilmoii  ciii 
n<ilil(ir  (IfiU'i'iion  KiiiJii)  uml  cine  Daidiircnliaiit,  wovor  sii;  iliiien  /wcy  1  Itinilrii 
^'al)cii  iiiid  ziuiikkflirton,  ohnedic  geringsto  I'Virdsi'ligkcittTfalircn  y.n  lialiiMi. 
Xciii'  yav/ii:,  15,  The  bidur  wad  an  open  skin  bout,  tuul  tlio  largest  of  tlu' 
ulas^s. 


FURTHER  OUTRAGES. 


105 


mates  lie  nianacfotl  to  pick  a  quarrel,  in  the  course  of 
Avliicli  fifteen  of  the  islanders  were  killed."  Even  the 
(\ts>:nck  Shekhurdin,  who  had  accompanied  J^eliaief, 
was  shocked  at  such  proceedings  and  went  and  told 
Cliuprof,  who  said  nothing,  but  merely  sent  the 
hiitcliering  party  more  powder  and  lead." 

Iliese  and  like  outrages  of  the  promyshleniki  were 
not  known  in  Russia  until  after  several  years,  and  if 
they  had  been  it  would  have  made  litlle  dillerence.'^ 
Their  efllbrts  were  successful;  but  we  may  easily 
iKlieve  that  the  interval  between  December  1745  and 
the  day  when  the  Yealok'm  departed,  which  a\jis  the 
14th  of  Septeniber  174G,  was  not  a  time  of  rejoicing 
to  tlie  peo])lo  of  Attoo.  To  tliis  day  the  cruelties 
coniniitted  by  the  first  Russians  are  recited  by  the 
|i()verty-sl;ricken  renmants  of  a  once  prosperous  and 
]ia|)]\v  people. 

The  return  voyage  was  not  a  fortunate  one;  for  six 
weeks  the  heavily  laden  craft  battled  with  the  waves, 
and  at  last,  on  the  30th  of  October,  she  was  cast  upon 
a  I'ocky  coast  with  the  loss  of  nearly  all  her  valuable 
cargo.  Ignorant  as  to  their  situatir>n  the  n»en  made 
flicir  way  into  the  interior,  suiVerlng  fi'om  cold  and 
liuiigor,  but  finally  they  succeeded   in  finding  some 

"There  ia  little  doubt  that  this  Piiconntcr  waa  >vilfiilly  provokeil,  ami 
the  iiuile  natives  fliuiglitered  for  a  jiiii']ioi<e.  Y>cr<s,  merely  liiiita  tiiat  woiiieii 
\Mie  at  the  liottoin  of  it,  l)tit  in  tlie  Xew  Narhr.  -t  is  tlistinetly  ehar;4e(l  tli,:t 
I'xliaief  caused  tlie  men  to  he  siiot  in  onler  to  secure  the  women.  Soni<'  dis- 
imtf  alxiiit  an  iron  holt  that  liad  diKai)|ieared,  and  which  tlie  natives  could  or 
\viiiil<l  not  return,  was  seized  ujion  as  un  excuse.  Z>'»/'<;i  Khronol.  Isl.,  8,  !); 
Xi  lit'  Xiirhr.,  l(i. 

"In  tlie  A'ciie  Xachr.,  10,  Chuprof  is  accusol  of  a  plan  for  the  destruc- 
tinii  of  a  munher  of  natives,  by  nieuna  of  a  ponitlge  seasoned  with  corro.sivu 
siihhinate. 

''An  islander,  Teninak,  was  cnrrietl  away  to  Kanichatka  on  the  Ycrihikhi. 
lie  chiinied  to  he  a  native  of  iVt  (Attoo?).  In  17.">0  he  was  sent  to  Okliot.sji 
with  Nevodvhikof,  after  having  heen  hapti/ed  at  ;<islHkamc'iiat.-<k  l)y  tiie  niiw- 
^i(lllary  Osoip  Kliotiini/evskoi.  lie  was  lifted  out  witli  clotiiinj^  at  the  e\- 
]"  liseuf  the>iov«^niment  and  named  I'avel  Nevodi'iiikof,  the  jiiiot  having  acted 
as  jiis  uodfather,  nnil  finally  adoptiiiji  him.  'Schon  urn  L'4si"n  Octoher  h.itte 
(  ■.jii/iriiir  /.elin  Mann,  unter  Anfiihrunj,'  des  Lonon  liiojnr  ,\\  kundschaftui 
::iis^eschikt.  I»ieser  fnnd  verschiedene  /iirliii  (Wohnunj;en,,  der  Insiilaner 
Mild  weil  er  ilinen  feindselig  liegegneto  und  die  weiiigen  Insul.uier  sich  daiier 
mil,  iiiren  Kndchenieii  l.aii/en  zwi  Welire  setzten,  so  niilini  er  daher  tielegen- 
lii'it  alle  Miinnor  funfzehii  an  der  Zahl  zii  erscliiessen,  un  die  zwriikj^cWiehe- 
mil  \\ciherzur  Unzuclit  gebrutichtn  zu  Ki'nntu.'  A'cwt  A'acAr.,  II. 


1^ 


THE  SWARMING  OP  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 


th    (     t: 


huuitin  habitations.  On  questioning  the  natives  they 
learned  to  their  consternation  that  they  were  not  on 
the  mainland,  but  on  the  island  of  Karaghinski  oft' 
the  coast  of  Kamchatka.  The  Koriaks  were  already 
tributary  to  the  Russians,  and  treated  their  visitors 
kindly  until  Beliaief  made  advances  to  the  wife  of  the 
yesscml,  or  chief,  whose  wrath  was  with  difficulty  as- 
suaged. Finally  in  May  1747  a  descent  was  made 
on  tlie  island  by  an  armed  party  of  Olutorski,  a  war- 
like tribe  living  near  the  mouth  of  the  Olutorsk  river 
on  the  mainland.^^ 

In  a  bloody  fight  during  which  many  natives  and 

'^  Tlie  origin  of  the  word  alenl  may  perhaps  bo  referred  to  these  people. 
The  first  mention  of  tlie  Olutorski  tribe  v  aa  in  a  report  of  the  Cossack  Atla.s- 
sof,  the  conqueror  of  Kamchatka,  in  1700.  He  states  that  on  the  coast  of 
Kamchatka  the  Liutortzi  are  called  strangers  by  the  surrounding  Koriaks, 
vhom  they  nmcii  resembled.  Morskoi  Sboniik,  ci.  4-73.  In  1714  Afanassi 
Petrof,  a  nobleman,  built  on  the  Olutorsk  river  an  ostrog  of  the  same  name; 
he  Mas  freely  assisted  by  the  natives.  In  the  following  year  I'ctrof  forwarded 
all  the  tribute  he  had  collected,  consistingof  141  bundles  of  sablcS,  of  40  skii's 
each,  5,040  red  foxes,  10  cross  foxes,  1U7  sea-otters,  two  land-otters,  and  '22 
ounces  of  gold  taken  from  a  wrecked  Japanese  junk.  SubsetjUently  the 
natives  revolted  and  killed  Petrof  and  nearly  all  bis  followers.  Mor-^Loi 
Shonilk,  ci.  4-82,  29G.  It  is  probable  that  when  the  Russi;ms  first  encoun- 
tered the  natives  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  being  already  acquainted  with  the 
Olutorski,  they  applied  that  name,  pronounced  by  them  Aliutorski,  to  a  race 
that  certainly  resembles  the  latter.  On  the  whole  coast  of  Kamchatka  thoso 
Olutorski  were  the  only  wiialc-huntcrs,  a  pursuit  followed  also  by  Alcut-s. 
Russian  authors  generally  derive  the  name  from  the  Aleut  word  alUk,  Wluit 
dost  thou  want?  If  this  phrase  ever  was  in  gener.il  use  it  has  entiiely  dis- 
appeared, and  it  certainly  is  no  nearer  the  word  Aleut,  or  Aleutski,  as  tlio 
Russians  pronounce  it,  than  is  Olutorski.  Choris,  pt.  vii.  12.  Engel,  in  O'lo- 
ijraphische  vnd  KritUche  Xachrichten,  i.  v.  6,  7;  vi.-vii.,  icfcrs  to  an  arti  le 
in  the  Leyihiier  ZcltuiKj,  Feb.  20,  170.'5,  where  it  is  said  that  'the  trridcis 
from  the  Kovima  (Kolima),  sailetl  out  of  that  river  and  were  fortunaU' 
enough  to  double  the  capo  of  the  Chukchi  in  latitude  74";  they  then  saikil 
southward  and  discovered  some  islands  in  latitude  04°,  where  they  tnukd 
with  the  natives  and  obtained  some  line  black  foxes  of  which  some  spcci 
mens  were  sent  to  the  empress  as  a  present.  They  named  these  islands 
Aleyut,  and  I  think  that  some  of  them  adjoined  America.'  Engel  tlicii 
goes  on  to  say:  'These  sailors  called  tlfse  islands  "Aleyut;"  the  word  seems 
to  me  to  be  somewhat  mutilated.  Miillcr  says  that  tiio  island  situated 
half  a  day's  journey  from  Chukchi  land,  is  inhabited  by  people  named  Al; 
liyukh-Alial,  and  it  appears  that  these  tradera  actually  come  to  this  islaiul. 
or  perhaps  to  another  one  also  situated  in  that  neiglil)orhood,  the  people  ef 
which  Miiller  calls  I'eckale;  lie  also  speaks  of  a  great  country  lying  fartlur 
to  the  east  named  Kitchin  Aliat.  I  Inlicve,  therefore,  that  the  said  Aleyut 
is  nothing  Init  ihe  Aliat  or  Aoliat  wliich  forms  tlu^  ending  of  both  of  the  alio\  e- 
inenrioned  names.'     It  is  eviilent  that  Engel  confounds  the  voyages  of  tin' 

Jiromyshleniki  to  the  Aleutian  Islands  with  the  discovery  of  the  Diomedi' 
stands  in  Hering  Straits.  The  Kitchin  Aliat  may  bear  some  relation  t" 
either  the  Kutclun  tribes  of  the  American  coast  or  more  probably  to  tl.f 
luuuit  or  Eskimos. 


NEVODCHIKOF,  SUPERENTTENDENT. 


107 


several  Russians  were  killed,  the  invaders  were  de- 
l'cated,and  ;is  they  left  the  island  the  Olutorski  declared 
their  intention  to  return  with  reiinforcements  and  to 
exterminate  the  Russians  and  all  who  paid  tribute  to 
them.  The  promyshleniki  were  anxious  to  be  off, 
and  the  islanders  freely  assisted  them  in  constructing 
two  large  bidars.  On  the  27th  of  June  they  departed, 
and  arrived  at  the  ostrog  of  Nishekanichatsk  on  the 
21st  of  July  with  a  little  over  three  hundred  sea- 
otter  skins,  the  remnant  of  the  valuable  cargo  of  the 
Yei'dokiay 


Immediately  upon  receiving  information  of  the  dis- 
covery of  the  Aleutian  isles,  Elizabeth  issued  as  pecial 
oulvaz  appointing  Nevodchikof  to  their  oversight  with 
the  lank  of  a  master  in  the  imperial  nav}^  in  which 
cajiacity  he  was  retained  in  the  government  service 
at  Okhotsk.  In  accordance  with  the  old  laws  which 
exa(;ted  tribute  from  all  savage  tribes,  Cossacks  were 
to  bo  detailed  to  make  colJoctions  during  the  expedi- 
fioii  that  mio'ht  be  sent  forth. 

]\Ieanwhile  the  several  reports,  and  the  rich  cargoes 
lii'( night  back  by  Bassof's  vessels,  had  roused  t'le 
inorchants  of  Siberia.^**  In  174G  the  Moscow  nier- 
cliaut  Andrei  Rybenskoi,  through  his  agent,  Andrei 

''  Some  (lis-"  ;pancy  exists  in  our  authorities  with  regard  to  dates  and  tie- 
tails  (if  the  latter  part  of  this  expeilition.  ]5erg  l>riofly  states  that  Xcvodi.liik  jf 
sailrd  from  Attoo  Sept.  14,  1740,  and  that  his  vessel  vas  wrecked  the  .'iUth 
lit  Oft.  on  an  island,  where  ho  was  obliged  to  pass  the  winter.  Klii'ovnI.  Int., 
1(1,  II.  A  few  lines  farther  on  we  are  told  that  the  party  returned  to  Knni- 
oliiiika  in  July  1740,  with  300  sea-otters  and  witli  hut  a  small  portion  of  llio 
origiiiid  (.lew,  having  lost  52  men  on  the  voyage.  Tiie  same  author  states 
that  on  the  strength  of  a  report  of  *'>o  outrages  eommitted  ui:on  natives,  pre- 
sei;teil  liy  the  Cossack  ShekhurJin,  all  the  survivors  were  sniijected  to  lej.al 
process.  To  add  to  the  confusion  of  dates  and  data,  lierg  sulihie(|Uent]y  tells 
lis  tliKt  the  value  of  the  cargo  brought  back  to  Kamchatka  by  iS'evodehikof 
was  lll.'JOO  rubles  (much  more  than  .'100  sea-otteis  would  liriug'  at  that  time), 
1111(1  that  tlie  Yivdokia  was  wrecked  in  17r)4!  Khioiwl.  7.-Y.,  11,  I'J.  In  the 
A'"<  Xiif/u-.,  17,  18,  the  dates  are  less  conllicting,  and  we  are  informed  that 
\i\(iiii  hikof 's  party  returned  in  two  bidars  with  Ui'O  sea-otters,  of  ^\llicll  tiioy 
piiid  one  tentli  into  the  imperial  treasury.  The  nuniWr  of  lives  hjst  during 
the  v(iy)ii;e  is  here  i)lnced  at  only  1'2  Russians  and  natives  of  Kameliatka. 

'"Makiug  ('ue  allowance  for  the  low  priees  of  furs  .•  t  that  time,  and  the 
coinpihativciy  high  value  of  money,  Baesof  's  importations  cannot  be  consid- 
eicd  over-estimated  at  half  a  million  dollars.  Jiay,  Khroiwl,  Int.,  11. 


lOS 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  rROMYSHLENIKI. 


■   ) 


Vsovidof,  also  Fcodor  Kholodilof  of  Totemsk,  Nikofor 
Trapcziiikof,  and  Vassili  Balin  of  Irkutsk,  Kosma 
Nerstof  of  Totma,  Mikhail  Nikilinich  of  Novo  Yansk, 
and  I^'codor  Shukof  of  Yaroslavl/"  petitioned  the  coui- 
uiandor  of  Bolsheretsk  for  permission  to  hunt,  and  two 
vessels  were  fitted  out.  The  navigator  selected  for 
Kholodilof's  vessel  was  Andrei  Tolstykh,  a  merchant 
of  the  town  of  Selengisk,  who  was  destined  to  play  a 
I)roniinent  part  in  the  gradual  discovery  of  the  Aleu- 
tian chain.  The  two  vessels  sailed  from  the  Kam- 
chatka River  within  a  few  days  of  each  other.  One, 
the  Sv  loann,  commanded  by  Tolstykh,  sailed  the 
'J 0th  of  August  manned  by  forty-six  promyshlenilci 
and  six  Cossacks.  They  reached  Bering,  or  Com- 
mander, Island,  and  wintered  there  in  accordance  with 
the  wishes  of  Shukof,  Nerstof,  and  other  shareholders 
in  the  enterprise.  After  a  moderately  successful  hunt- 
ing season  Tolstykh  put  to  sea  once  more  on  the  81st 
of  May  1747.  He  shaped  his  course  to  the  south  in 
search  of  the  island  reported  by  Steller  on  June  21, 
1741,20  Failing  in  this  he  changed  his  course  to  tlic 
northward,  and  finally  came  to  anchor  in  the  road- 
stead of  Nishekamchatsk  on  the  14th  of  August. 
During  the  voyage  he  had  collected  G83  sea-otters 
and  1,481  blue  foxes,  and  all  from  Bering  Islai'd. 
Vsevidof  sailed  from  Kamchatka  the  2Gth  of  Augu -t 
174G,  and  returned  the  25th  of  July  1740,  with  ;i 
cnrgo  of  over  a  thousand  sea-otters  and  more  than 
two  thousand  blue  foxes.^^ 


^^Neiie  Xar/ir.,  IS,  10;  Berij,  Khronol.  Int.,  11,  12.  Those  merchnnts  (k- 
sircil  ti)  l)uil(!  two  vi-sscls  nt  tlieir  own  expense  'to  go  in  pursuit  of  ninriin' 
iininiali  diirinj,'  the  foHowing  year;'  they  also  askctl  for  ptTniission  to  oni|i!i ; 
native  KiMiieiiatkans  nnil  llussian  mariners  and  hunters,  and  to  inai;o  temp  - 
rary  use  of  soiii(>  nautieal  instruments  saved  from  a  wrci  U.  jS^mr  \(tch):,  -  ' 
This  Trape/uiiiof  vas  evidently  tho  same  who  was  in  purtncrsliip  with  Ba.s.sit 
tlie  preceding,'  year. 

'^''Stil/ir'i  ,'iiiiriinl,  i.  47. 

'■"  Jirrij,  Kliromil.  1st.,  app.  It  is  prolxihlo  that  Vsevidof  passeu  the  wint.  r 
foUowiUji;  his  departure  on  Copper  Ishind,  as  on  tho  earliest  eluirts  a  Ixiy  ■  i 
the  north-eastern  side  of  tiiat  ishind  is  named  Vsevidof 's  I  larl)or.  \\\  a,  desci  i; 
tiou  of  ('opj)er  Lsland,  puMished  in  tlie  Sth'imki  Vlixlnil:,  it  is  stated  th.il  ■  i 
the  2d  of  Mareii  174"  two  promysldenLki  named  Yurlof  and  Vtoruilvh  t  11 
from  a  ulitf  and   died  of  tlieir  injuries.     These  men  could   only  have  li- 


ill 


EFFORTS  TOWARD  MONOPOLY. 


109 


About  this  time  a  voyage  was  accomplished  over 
an  entirely  new  route.  Three  traders  in  the  north, 
Ivan  Shilkin  of  Solvichegodsk,  Afanassi  Bakof  of 
Oustioug,  and  one  Novikof  of  Irkutsk,  built  u  vessel 
on  the  banks  of  the  Anadir  River  and  called  it  Pro- 
lop  i  Zand.'-^  They  succeeded  in  making  their  way 
(Inwn  the  river  and  through  the  Onemenskoi  mouth 
into  the  gulf  of  Anadir.  From  the  10th  of  July  1747 
to  the  15th  of  September  these  daring  navigators 
battled  with  contrary  winds  and  currents  along  the 
coast,  and  finally  came  to  anchor  on  the  coast  of  Be- 
ling  Island.  On  the  30th  of  October,  when  nearl}'  the 
whole  crew  was  scattered  over  the  island  huntinu:  and 
trapping  and  gathering  fuel,  a  storm  arose  and  throw 
the  vessel  upon  a  rocky  reef,  where  she  was  soon  demol- 
ished. Bethinking  themselves  of  Bering's  ship,  with 
]•(  ninants  of  that  and  of  their  own,  and  some  large 
sticks  of  drift-wood,  the  castaways  built  a  boat  about 
lit'ty  feet  long.  In  this  cockle-shell,  which  was  named 
the  K((pkon,  they  put  to  sea  the  following  summer. 
]  )rspite  their  misfortune  the  spirit  of  adventure  was 
not  quenched,  and  the  promyshleniki  boldly  steered 
north-eastward  in  search  of  new  discoveries.  They 
nittained  a  distant  view  of  land  in  that  direction,  and 
iilniost  reached  the  continent  of  America,  but  the 
liind  disappeared  in  the  fog,  and  they  returned  to 
Connnander  Islands.  After  a  brief  trip  to  Copj)er 
Isliuid  they  reached  the  coast  of  Kamchatka  in  Au- 
gust 1741).'^' 


lir.cd  to  Vscvidcif's  vessel.  Berj;  .says  that  Ivan  Ryhinskoi  <if  Mdscow  niiil 
Ml  pill  II  Tyriii  nf  VaroNlaf  in  1747  despatclieil  a  vessel  naineil  imnni,  wliiili 
!-.\ik<l  t'nr  the  nearest  A''.  iCiaii  Islaiuls  ami  retunieil  in  I74!t  ■>vitli  l,(Ht()  se.i- 
(itlei-s  jiiid  •.'.<KK)  liluc  loxes,  the  eargo  l>ein,i5  "^"''l  foi- ;VJ,5!KI  niKles,  wiiieli  is 
imt  another  aeeount  of  Vsevitlot'.s  voyaire.    Khnninl.  /.</.,  \\. 

'■■Ilii-ij,  Khmuiil.  Int.,  l(i.  This  name  is  given  in  the  llussian  edition  of 
Th'Il'.  /'. /■^v'//  t  Xniit.  The  latter  will  lie  reniendiered  a.s  one  of  tlie  sailors 
vMth  r.eriii;,''s  expedition,  and  the  fovmer  is  a  eonitnon  lviis.sian  name.  The 
nil  II  of  Ihiit  name  were  jtroluhly  enijiloyed  to  hllild  the  vessel. 

■'The  larL'o  of  the  Kn/iituii  was  valued  oidy  at  4,7SO  rallies,  and  it  is  diffi- 
eult  to  iiuderst4ind  how  they  could  carry  fnrs  re|)rest'ntin,i,'  even  tiiis  small 
\:ih\r  in  a  vessel  of  that  size.  On  account  nf  the  rigj,'ing,  artillery,  and  slii|)'.s 
ft.n  >  (.|  Mirioiis  kinds  left  liy  Heiing's  I'onijmninns  on  the  i.slainl  named  after 
hiih,  an  order  hud  been  issued  from  Okhotak  i)rohibiting  traders  from  laniling 


110 


THE  SWARMIXG  OF  THE  PROMYSHLEXIKI. 


fit  r 


The  first  effort  to  obtain  a  monopoly  of  traffic  with 
the  newly  discovered  islands  was  made  in  February 
1748,  by  an  Irkutsk  merchant  named  Emilian  Yugof, 
who  obtained  from  the  senate  for  himself  and  partners^* 
an  oukaz  granting  permission  to  fit  out  four  vessels 
for  voyages  to  the  islands  "in  the  sea  of  Kamchatka," 
with  the  privilege  that  during  their  absence  no  other 
j)artics  should  be  allowed  to  equip  vessels  in  pursuit 
of  sea-otters.  In  consideration  of  this  privilege  Yugof  s 
company  agreed  to  pay  into  the  imperial  treasury  one 
tliird  of  tho  furs  collected.  A  special  order  to  this 
effect  was  issued  to  Captain  Lebedef,  the  commander 
of  Kamchatka,  from  the  provincial  chancellery  at  Ir- 
kutsk under  date  of  July  1748.  Yugof  himself,  how- 
ever, did  not  arrive  at  Bolsheretsk  till  November  1 740, 
and  instead  of  four  ships  he  had  but  one  small  vessel 
ready  to  sail  by  the  6th  of  October  1750.  This  boat, 
named  the  Sv  locinn,  with  a  crew  of  twenty-five  men 
and  two  Cossacks,  was  wrecked  before  leaving  the  coast 
of  Kamchatka.  Over  a  year  passed  by  before  Yugof 
was  ready  to  sail  again.  He  had  received  permission 
to  employ  naval  officers,  but  his  associates  were  un- 
wilHng  to  furnish  money  enough  for  an  expedition  on 
a  large  scale.  The  second  ship,  also  named  the  »SV 
/oc(/</i,  sailed  in  October  1751.  For  three  years  noth- 
ing was  heard  of  this  expedition,  and  upon  the  state- 
ment of  the  commanderof  Okhotsk  that  the  instructions 
of  the  government  had  been  disregarded  by  the  firm, 
an  order  was  issued  from  Irkutsk,  in  1753,  for  the  con- 
fiscation of  Yugof's  property  on  his  return.'^^    Captain 


there  until  the  government  property  could  bo  disposed  of.  The  craft  cou- 
stnitted  hy  IJassof  and  8tiel)rennikof  was  consequently  seized  by  the  ffovein- 
ment  authf/rities  immediately  after  enteriuf;  port.  Tiio  conflscate<I  vessel  uas 
snlwwjutntly  ilclivercd  to  tlio  merchant  Ivan  Shilkin,  with  permission  ti 
make  hunting  an<l  exploring  voyages  to  the  eastern  islands.  NeneNacfir.,  "■". 
The  prohibitory  order  conceniing  Hering  Island  was  disregarded  altogitli'  r 
by  the  promysldeniki,  wlio  made  a  constant  practice  of  lauding  and  wiutcriii,' 
there.  />/■</,  K/iroiiol.  Tsf.,  10. 

"  These  were  Ignatiy  Ivanof  and  Matve'i  SlichorlMikof  of  St  rctersbiir.', 
and  I'etr  Maltzof,  Arkliip  TraiMJznikof,  Feodor  Solovicf,  and  Dmitri  Yaguf 
of  Irkutsk.  X'lie  Xarlir.,  20. 

'^  Kamchatka  Archives,  n5i. 


NIKOFOR  TRAPEZNIKOP. 

Cheredof,  who  had  succeeded  r«,.f  •    r   ,  '" 

i^ed  to  accept  similar  proZals  frnV'^Jf  *^^«  ^"«^or. 
i;one  were  made.     On  the  22d  nfT  f  *^"^  ^^^«>  but 
/-n^  unexpectedly  sailed  into  the  h  ^k'^'^.  '^'  ^' 
Jvamchatsk  with  a  rich  camn  ulv^       '''''^°''  ^^  ^^'s^e- 
"Hcler  seal  by  the  governmeJ^^-  T'  ^*  ^"^^  Placed 
t^3o  expedition  did^  not  Si t.T  1'    ^^^^  ^^^^^^^^  of 
A  izovtzof  presented  a  wWff'"*  *^^®  ^ate  Grio-or 
the  whole  Lgo  Z7eTou7nZ''^  'K^''^''  ^^aT 
( /'I'per  islands,  and  that  Vn^^f    ,  ?''''"  ^erinj?  and 
{  acu    The  ea^go  cSKf';9?^^'f  *^-5:.tt:r 
^iue  foxes,  2,212  fur-seals  2^  sea-otters,  7,044 

™i   sea-otter  hunting  exnerfitf^''  Permission  to  fit 

■.•;.l  not  yet  been  nide  tStr"'"\"T''  ■■^'""''^  ■■>^ 
^vho  had  served  ns  nn.,;     """'^ary.     Andrei"  TolstvL-K 

I-nn-ssion  f^oitTS^::^^'?^'?^!'^^''^^ 
™t.  a  vessel,  and  sailed  onth^^ftutl"'"'*'^'  '»  «* 
•imving  at  Bering  Island  the  rti.  %  "'^  ^"S^^t  1 749, 
l>o  wintered,  sectrinri,',''*''"'^ September.    Here 

™;nuMayrftSfoltviTr;r'^  ''  ^^"-''"^^ 
AIeut,amsla„d,_  first  vTJrtf/bvN"  ''IJ'r.?'''^''  '"  "'« 
ill-'  met  with  better  In^t  „    ,  /."•y,?'^«™dchikof.    Hero 

-'■;"I<a  the  3d  oft;  1 752  ww'"^  '''""""^  '»  W 

Otters   7 'SO  M»^  i-     *'^  ^'^A  with  a  caro-o  of  i  '770 

-n-.^ZZ'  T"'"""  ^"^"f"  Trapezi.il.of  of 

'■'"""•    Piobn  1,1^  ,  e  ItT'^^f  ■''''"«  «an  «nly  have  mm    /^^ '''"'ce  Island, 


onu 


112 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  PROMYSHLEXIKI. 


:i5  ■  1 


,!,'-. 


1:  m 


Irkutsk  also  received  permission  to  sail  for  the  Aleu- 
tian Islands  in  1749  under  promise  of  delivering  to 
the  government  not  only  the  tribute  collected  i'roni 
the  natives,  but  one  tenth  of  the  furs  obtained.  Tra- 
peznikof  built  a  ship,  named  it  the  Burls  i  Gleh,  and 
sailed  in  August.  He  passed  four  winters  on  vari- 
ous islands,  returning  in  1753  with  a  cargo  valued  at 
105,730  rubles.  The  Cossack  Sila  Shevyrin  acted 
as  tribute-,r,atherer  on  this  adventure.-*  l)uring  the 
same  year,  1740,  the  merchants  liybinskoi  and  Tyriu 
sent  out  the  shitika  So  loann  to  the  Near  Islands,  the 
vessel  returning  in  August  1752  with  700  sea-otters 
and  700  blue  foxes.^ 

Late  in  1749  Shilkin  built  the  Sv  Simeon  i  Anva 
and  manned  her  with  fourteen  liussians  and  twenty 
natives  of  Kamchatka.  The  Cossack  Alexei  Vorobict', 
or  Morolief,  served  as  navigator;  Cossacks  Ivan  M\- 
nukhin  and  Alexei  Baginef  accompanied  the  ship  as 
tribute-gatherers.  They  left  the  coast  of  Kamchatka 
the  5tli  of  Aucfust  1750,  but  after  sailing  eastward 
two  weeks  the  vessel  was  wrecked  (^n  a  small  un- 
known island.  Here  the  party  remained  till  the  fol- 
lowing autumn,  during  which  time  Yorobief  succeedid 
in  constructing  a  small  craft  out  of  the  wreck  and 
drift-wood.  This  vessel  was  named  the  Yeremij  ami 
carried  the  castaways  to  Kamchatka  in  the  autumn 
of  1752,  with  a  cargo  of  820  sea-otters,  1,900  blue 
foxes,  and  7,000  fur-seals,  all  collected  on  the  island 
upon  which  they  were  wrecked."*^ 

'*  It  Rcpms  thrit  Ihe  islanil  of  Atkha  was  first  discovered  during  the  voyaL'C 
of  Tnijieznikof.  Cook  and  La  IVrouso  call  it  At;/ld'a,  and  llolmltorg  I  Ail'". 
VarltKi.  I'nc.  Coasf,  MS.,  iii.  470.  Slicvyriu  acknowlodgcd  that  lio  liad  iv- 
ceivt.'d  trilmte  to  thu  amount  of  one  soa-ottor  each  from  the  foUowiiig  nativr-^: 
Igja,  Ofknn,  Ogogoctakli,  Shahikinnkh,  Alak,  Tukun,  Unonnshaii,  Kcti','- 
sii'ga,  Oonashayupu,  l^ak,  Yorcshngilaik,  Ungalikun,  Kliati,  and  ("liyiixiUs. 
BiiUhnrlsk  Arrhiirx,  17'i.'f:  Nciic  A'ac/ir.  24-5;  JJcn/,  Khrouol.  Int.,  IS. 

^!Shc  was  11  lucky  craft,  making  continuous  voyages  till  ITti.'i,  and  briii^'- 
ing  over  r),0<)0  sea-otters  from  the  islands,  liinu  Khrotiol.  Ji>t.,  18,  III. 

*"  AV(«>  Nachr.,  1!(.  IJerg  states  that  the  Simeon  i  Ati)in  carried  a  cpw 
of  14  Russian  and  30  natives  of  Kamchatka,  and  that  the  jiarty  returned  uitli 
l,!t80  sea-otters,  collected  on  one  of  the  small  islands  adjoining  Ik-ring  Ishiii'l. 
Khmiiiil.  Ixt.,  24.  The  fact  that  fur-seals  formed  a  part  of  the  cai'go  woi;M 
conlirm  the  assumption  that  the  locality  of  the  wreck  was  cue  of  the  gi  'P 
of  the  Cumniundcr  Islands. 


t^lt^ia 


THE  BENEFITS  OF  DESPOTISM. 


m 


By  tliis  time  the  merchants  of  Siberia  and  Ivani- 
cluitka  had  j^athered  ooniidence  rej^arding  the  trallie, 
iiiid  sliip-building  became  the  order  of  the  day.  Un- 
I'ortunately,  even  the  first  principles  of  naval  archi- 
tecture were  ill  understood  at  Kamchatka,  and  so  late 
as  17(50  tlie  promyshleniki  made  exceeding  dangerous 
Vdvages  in  most  ridiculous  vessels — flatboats,  shi- 
tikas,  and  similar  craft,  usually  built  without  iron 
and  often  so  weak  as  to  fall  to  pieces  in  the  first  gale 
that  struck  them.  As  long  as  the  weather  was  calm 
(>v  nearly  so,  they  might  live,  but  let  a  storm  catch 
thciii  an}'  distance  from  land  and  they  must  sink.  We 
hlioLild  naturally  suppose  that  even  in  these  reckless, 
tlioiightless  promyshleniki,  connnon  instinct  would 
]ti(tiiipt  greater  care  of  life,  but  they  seemed  to  flock 
iiki'  slice])  to  the  slaughter.  We  nmst  say  for  them 
that  in  this  folly  their  courage  was  undaunted,  and 
their  patience  under  privations  and  suflering  mar- 
vellous.    Despotism  has  its  uses. 

He  who  would  adventure  here  in  those  davs  must 
fii'st  collect  the  men.  Then  from  the  poor  resources- 
at  hand  he  would  select  the  material  for  his  vessel, 
which  was  usually  built  of  green  timber  just  from  the 
I'niest, and  with  no  tool  but  the  axe,  the  constant  com- 
panion of  every  Russian  laborer  or  hunter.  Hope  for 
111,,  jigging  and  cables  it  was  necessary  to  transport 
ell  paek-hoj'ses  from  Irkutsk,  whence  they  generally 
airi\e(l  in  a  daniao;ed  condition,  the  long  hawsers  bein<; 
<iit  into  many  pieces  on  account  of  their  weight. 
Hour,  meat,  and  other  provisions  were  purchased  at 
Kireiisk  and  Yakutsk  at  exorbitant  prices.  In  such 
(lazy  (lat't  the  pi-om3'shleniki  were  obliged  to  brave 
tlie  stoi'iiiv  waters  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea  and  navitrate 
ailing  the  diain  of  sunken  rocks  that  lined  the  coast 
ef  Kamchatka.^' 


"  Miilli-r  says  the  price  of  iron  in  Okhotsk  in  1740  was  Iialf  a  rubh?,  or 
•nliiiut  40  (lilts,  ii  pound.  \'oy.,  i.  >S-.  The  crews  were  obtained  in  tlio  foliuw- 
iii ,'  iiiiiiiiui-:  'J'lif  nii'ivliant  would  notify  hi.s  a[,'ont,  orcorresponilent,  liviuu  at 
likiit.^k,  ^  akiitsk,  or  Kircnsk,  vho  woulil  engage  hunters  ami  laborers;  eaih 
u;jt.'i!i  liirln  ;  a  few  men,  providing  them  with  clothing,  and  seudiug  them  ta 
UisT.  Alaska.    6 


it'  i! 


<"  M 


\k. 


114 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  rROMYSIILENIKI. 


Nikofor  Trapcznikof  had  lioon  vcr}'  fortunate  in  his 
first  venture  with  the  Boris  i  (Jleb,  and  thcreioic 
concluded  to  continue.  In  1752  he  sent  out  the  same 
vessel  in  command  of  Alexei  Drushinnin,  a  merchant 
of  Kursk.  This  navigator  shaped  his  course  for  Ber- 
ing Island,  but  wrecked  his  vessel  on  a  sunken  rock 
wlien  approaching  his  destination.  No  lives  were  lost 
antl  enough  of  the  wn^ck  was  saved  to  construct 
another  craft  of  somewhat  smaller  dimensions,  whi(  h 
they  named  the  Ahram.  In  this  vessel  the}'  s»'t 
out  once  more  in  1754,  l)ut  after  a  few  days'  cruisiwj;- 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  another  shipwreck  confiiud 
them  again  to  the  same  island  in  a  worse  predicament 
than  before. 

jNleanwhilc  Trapeznikof  had  fitted  out  another 
shitika,  the  Sr  Xikola'i,  with  the  Cossack  Radii m 
Durnef  as  commander,  and  the  Cossack  Shevyiiii 
as  tribute-gatherer.  Durnef  calletl  at  Bering  Island 
and  took  from  there  the  greater  part  of  the  crew 
of  the  lion's  i  Uk'h,  leaving  four  men  in  charge  of 
surplus  stores  and  the  wreck  of  the  Ahram.  Tlic 
Si:  Xikola'i  proceeded  eastward  and  made  several 
new  discoveries.  Durnefs  party  passed  two  winti  is 
on  some  island  not  previously  known  to  the  proniy- 
sldeniki,  and  finally  they  returned  to  Kamcliatka  in 
1757   with  a  cargo  valued  at  187,208  rubles.     This 


Okliotsk.  There  they  were  first  omployed  in  l)iiiltliiig  and  equipping  the 
sliip;  aiul  we  may  imagine  what  kind  (if  Khip-cJii'penters  and  sailors  tiny 
uia  !(!.  TluTe  wan  one  Iwnctit  attending  tiiis  method,  however;  us  these  mhii 
had  never  seen  a  ship  or  the  ocean  they  coidd  not  realize  the  danger  of  onn- 
niittiiig  tlieir  livos  to  siicli  vessels,  thougli  the  navigators  could  not  have  lui  ii 
i;;norant  of  the  risk  to  their  own  lives.  ]5efore  sailing,  nn  agreement  with  iln' 
li.-t  of  sliarcs  was  ilrawn  up  and  didy  entered  in  tiie  hook.  This  each  sii'mil 
or  atlixed  Ids  mark  tlicreto.  For  example:  If  tlie  vessel  carried  a  crew  ot  4il 
men,  including  tlie  navigator  and  the  pfrrilorr/iil;  or  leader  of  hunters,  aitiui.' 
also  as  sliip's  clerk,  tlie  whole  eai'go,  on  the  return  of  the  vessel,  was  di\i'l"i 
into  two  t-(|u;d  shares,  one  half  going  to  the  owners,  and  the  other  half  In  niu' 
ng;iin  diviiled  into  4."),  4fl,  or  perhaps  4lS  shares,  of  which  cacli  memher  of  the 
ship's  company  received  one,  while  of  the  additional  five  or  six  shares  tliiie 
went  to  ti:"  navigator,  two  to  the  pcredovchick,  and  one  or  two  to  the  chim  li. 
It  sometimes  happened  that  at  the  end  of  a  fortunate  voyage  tiie  sliaiv  ot' 
each  hunter  amounted  to  between  2,000  and  ",,{\00  rubles:  but  when  tlif 
voyages  were  unsuccessful  the  unfortunate  fellows  were  kept  in  perpetual 
indebtedness  to  their  employer. 


I. 


ANOTHER  SEARCH  FOR  THE  CONTINENT. 


ns 


iiatc  in  Ills 

tlicrefon- 

]  the  sanit' 

inorcluint 

,e  tor  Ber- 

nkcn  rock 

3  were  lost 

construct 

ons,  which 

[   they  set 

^'8*  cruisiii'j; 

?k  confined 

rcdicanuut 

Lit   another 
.ck  Radiol  I 
c  Shovyiin 
rin^*"  Islaml 
•f  the  crew 
charge  of 
mm.     The 
tide    several 
wo  winters 
the  promy- 
inch.atka  in 
bles.     This 


luiil  sailors  t'.i'V 
jr;  as  these  in.  ii 
,  danger  of  i""' 
All  not  have  li'i' 
focnicntNvitliil"; 
rrhis  each  si'.'ii'u 
lied  a  crew  ol  4ii 
If  hunters,  !i>  tin;: 
Isel,  was  di\i'l"l 
other  lialf  I'-ni-' 
Ih  meniher  "i  \\\^ 
Isix  sliares  tl:!'>: 
rototheehurrh. 

,'agc  the  shiii ' 

\:  hut  when  t!io 
spt  in  pcriKtual 


wns  the  most  successful   venture  of  the  kind  unck-r- 
Inken  since  the  first  discovery  of  the  island."'- 

in  175;]  three  vessels  were  desj)atched  from 
( )!diotsk,  the  respective  owners  of  which  W(;rc  An- 
drei Serehrennikof  of  ^loscow,  Feodor  Kholodilof  of 
Tomsk,  and  Simeon  Krassilnikof  of  Tula.  They  ex- 
i»i-issed  tlieir  intention  tt)  search  for  the  (Ireat  ]jaiid, 


the  American  continent  was  then  called  1)V  th 


esu 


])Co]tlc.  Serehrennikof 's  vessel  was  conunanded  by 
IVtr  Bashnakof,  assisted  by  the  Cossack  IMaxim 
Lni^aref,  as  tribute-collector,  and  carried  a  crew  of 
tlnrtvdbur  promyshleniki.  Serehrennikof  sailed  in 
duly  175.'],  shaping  his  course  directly  east  from 
K;nn(diatka,  and  arrived  at  some  unknown  islands 
without  touching  any  of  those  already  discovered. 
The  shij)  was  anchored  in  an  open  bight  not  lar  from 
shore,  when  an  easterly  gale  carried  it  out  to  sea. 
DuriiiiT  the  storm  lour  other  islands  were  siLfhted,  but 
as  no  one  on  board  was  able  to  make  astronomical 
oliservations  the  land  could  not  be  located  dehnitely 
oil  the  chart.'"'  For  some  time  the  heavy  sea  pre- 
vented the  navigators  from  landing,  and  the  wind  car- 
licd  Ihem  still  farther  to  the  east.  At  last  three 
islands  suddenly  aj^peared  through  the  log,  and  bei'ore 
the  sails  could  l)e  lowered  the  ship  was  thi'own  upon 
one  of  them.     When  the  mariners  reached  the  shore 


ihi'v  were  met  bv  armed  nativ 


OS. 


M 


ho  threw  s[>ears 
o'es  oi'  iire-arms. 


;iiid  arrows  at  them.     A  lew  dis(diai 
liiwever,  soon  scattered  the  savages."* 
The  wrecked  hunters  remained  on  the  island  till 

'■■  Xtuc  Xarlir.,  ^'\.  The  cargo  was  itemizeil  a-;  fnlldws:  ;?, 29.")  sea-otters 
l.illrd  liy  tlie  ship's  cmnpany,  and  7.">2  s<.a-otters  jiiuchascd  of  tlie  natives  inr 
i;rtie!es(pf  trilling  vahie,  ni;diing  a  fiirM'ididplc  ti'tal  of  :<.(V_'7  si.i-dtters.  'J'ho 
i'liiiiinso  (juantity  of  these  animals  killed  hy  the  |ii'(>niyslih'nilvi  tlienisilves, 
ii  pill  )f  tliat  tile  islands  upon  whicii  lliey  wintered  had  not  Ijeen  visited  before. 

■|^.V.'i/.  .v.." ///•.,  ;{.->-(>. 

■'' Aecipniing  to  IJashnakof  this  island  was  TO  \ersts  in  length  and  sur- 
rnundcd  liy  1 J  smaller  ishmds.  This  <1eseviption  is  npj)liiatile  to  tlie  island 
'1  'riiiia;;;i,  and  on  tlic  strength  of  this  eirenmstanee  Count  ISenyivski.  the 
]\uiinli;itk;iii  eonspirator,  ascribes  the  discovery  of  the  eastern  Aleutian  or 
\'\  Islands  to  Sci'ebienniliof,  one  of  i!ic  owners  of  the  ship.  Banjovukl's 
Manohs  and  Trunin,  i.  5>3. 


IIG 


TIIK  SWARMINO  OF  THE  TROMYSIILKNIKI. 


Juno  17r>4,  and  then  saiK'il  tor  Kanidiatka  in  a  small 
l)(>at  huill  out  of  tin-  remains  of  11k;  «>tiu'r.  Tlic  car^o 
landed  at  Xi.sliekamcliatsk  was  of  too  little  value  t;» 
])v  registered  in  the  oftieial  lists  of  shijHuents."" 

Kholofiiiof's  vessel  sailed  from  Kanjchatka  in 
August  IToO,  and  ac'CordiniLj  to  the  eustonj  generally 
adopted  l»y  the  |»r'oniyshleniki  was  hauled  up  on 
]'erinjjf  Island  for  the  winter,  in  order  to  lay  in  a 
su]>ply  of  sea-cow  meat.  Nine  men  were  lost  heif 
l>y  the  upsetting'  of  tlie  l)i(hir,  and  in  June  of  the 
fullowinir  vear  the  vovau'o  was  continued.  A  serious 
leak  was  discovered  when  running;  befor*'  a  westerly 
gale,  but  an  island  was  reached  just  in  time  to  save 
the  crew.  There  they  remained  till  July  IToo.''"  This 
expedition  returned  to  Kamchatka  late  in  1755  v.itli 
a  caiii'o  of  sixteen  hundred  sea-otter  skins. 

Tlie  vessel  iitted  out  by  Kiassilnikof  did  not  snll 
until  the  summer  of  1754,  inunediately  after  Cajitaiii 
Xilof  assumed  conmiand  of  the  military  force  <*it 
Okhotsk,  and  temj)orary  connnand  of  the  district.'" 
lierimx  Island  was  reached  in  Octi^tber,  an  '  alter  lav- 
iiig  in  a  stock  of  sea-cow  meat  and  j>reparini;"  the 
M-'ssel,  Krassilnikof  set  out  once  more  in  August  of 
the  followintjf  voar.  A  stormy  i)assaijo  brout;ht  hiin 
to  an  island  that  seemed  tiensely  populated,  but  In 
did  not  deem  it  safe  to  land  there;  so  he  faced  tlu 
sea  again,  was  tossed  about  1  y  storms  for  weeks  and 
carried  to  the  westwai'tl  vuitil  at  last  Copper  Isknnl 
came  in  siglit  again,  on  which  a  few  days  later  tlic 
bhip  was  totally  wrecked.''"*     The  crew  was  saved  ami 


"'Bashiiakof  was  wrecked  again  in  I'CA,  when  Tolstykh  picketl  liim  u]i  i  ii 
Attoo  Islanil.  .W/'jo,  tlie  westeiiiniost  of  tliu  Aleutian  Islands.  JIohnlK  ■ .:. 
!■  ."4.  writes  AHii,  and  near  it  anotiier  /  Aijditu.  ('nrloij.  /'nr.  Conut,  MS.,  i:i. 
4f)2;  /I'rij,  KhronoL  Int..  '2.")-7,"  A'(  "c  Xftr/ir.,  ."irMi. 

^'•Tlii.s  was  the  isl;ind  priviimsly  visited  hy  Tia]x?znikof.  In  the  spriii", 
hf'fore  Kholodiliif  H  party  sailed,  they  were  joinetl  hy  a  Koriak  and  a  naiivi' 
if  ]\aineliatkn,  who  Htiited  that  they  hail  deserted  from  Tiapeznikof's  ril.iji. 
i;iteiiiliug  to  Wvi-  among  the  natives*.  There  liad  been  six  deserters  ori;L,'in.i i ' \, 
l.i-.t  four  had  lueTi  killed  by  the  natives  for  tryinj,'  to  force  their  wives.  'I  i  ■ 
oJicr  two  had  been  more  eaiUious.  ami  were  provided  with  wives  by  tliii 
hosts,  ami  well  treated.   X(  le  Xm/ir.,  H4;  IJcnj,  Khfoiiol.  ht.,  '21 


ilb 


Mor.'iLiii  Shurii'ik,  ev.  1 1,  40. 


.V. 


Xuchr.,  37 -S. 


VOYAGK  OF  TOLSTYKII. 


lit 


n  sniiill  <|uantity  (»f  pi-ovislons  stored  in  a  rudely  con- 
structi'd  iiKiLjii/ino.  'I'lu'  ship's  company  was  then 
divided  into  sevi  'al  small  hunting,'  parties,  tivo  men 
viiuaininj^  near  the  scene  of  the  wreck  to  j,'uard  the 
provisions.  Three  of  tlie  men  were  drowned  on  tlie 
l.')th  of  ( )etober.^''^  And  as  a  erowninj.^  disaster  a 
liihd  wave  destroyed  their  storehouse,  eari}  in_i^  all 
that  remained  of  their  provisions  into  the  sea.  After 
a  winter  passed  in  misery  they  packed  uj)  their  furs 
ill  the  spring,  a  poor  lot,  consisting  of  150  sea-otter'* 
and  1,300  Ithie  foxes,  and  managed  to  make  the  cross- 
ing to  Bering  Island  in  two  bidars,  which  the}'  had 
cniistructed  of  sea-lion  skins.  From  ]3ering  Island  a 
|iorti<)n  if  the  company  returned  to  Kamchatka  in 
{\\v  small  boat  Ahntm,  buil'  by  Trapeznikof's  men.^" 
In  1750  the  merchants  Trapeznikof,  Sluikof,  and 
l^alin  fitted  out  a  vessel  and  engaged  as  its  com- 
mander the  most  famous  navigator  of  the  time, 
Andrei  Tolstykh.  The  ship  was  named  after  the  com- 
mander and  his  wife,  who  accompanied  him,  Andreioit  i 
X<ita/i)i,  alniost  the  first  dcj)arture  from  the  estab- 
lished ctisL(  1  1  of  bestowing  saint's  names  U])on  ships. 
Tdlstykii  aded  from  the  Kamchatka  River  in  Sep- 
tember, with  a  crew  of  thirtv-eifjht  Russians  and 
natives  of  Kamchatka,  and  the  Cossack  Venediet 
( )hiukliof  as  tribute-collector.  The  usual  halt  for  the 
winter  was  made  on  Bering  Island,  l)ut  though  an 
anijile  sup])ly  of  meat  was  obtained  not  a  single  sea- 
ctter  could  be  found.  Fifteen  years  from  the  first 
(liscovery  of  the  island  had  sufliced  to  exterminate 
tile  animal.  Nine  men  of  the  Krassilnikof  ex})edi- 
tidii  Were  hero  added  to  the  crew,  and  in  June  1757 
Tolstykh  continued  his  voyage,  reaching  the  nearest 
Aleutian  island  in  eleven  days.     Tliey  arrived  at  a 


thtir  wivts. 


='V^r7,  Khrnml.  /«<.,  29. 

"FiniliiiL;  that  tlie  Ahmm  could  not  carry  tnc  whole  cargo  of  furs  ami 
oi'cw,  12  111(11  wiTL-  silectod  from  the  ship's  compuny  to  retnni  oii  that  Hiiiiill 
yc-i^il.  while  II  others  were  taken  uway  by  the  ships  of  Scrulirennikdf  aii<l 
I'i-iykli.  Two  wire  eiij.'a^'e(l  by  the  trader  Shilkiu  for  anotlier  voyage  uf 
di.5Lij\iiy.  ^Vu((  Xucltr.,  lid-U). 


lis 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  rROMYSHLENIKI. 


1'^ 


favorable  iiioincnt;  Trapcziiikof'.s  sliij),  the  Sr  X/JcoJc'i, 
\\i\H  on  tliu  point  of  wailing  for  Kaniduitka  and  .se\- 
tral  cliici's  had  as.senibled  to  bid  tlioir  visitors  farewell. 
Hatisfactory  arrani^einents  were  at  once  entered  inli. 
lor  the  collection  of  tribute  and  a  continuation  of 
])eaceful  intercourse.  The  most  iniluential  chief,  named 
Tunulgasan,  was  received  with  due  solemnity  and  pre- 
sented with  a  t'oj»per  kettle  and  a  full  suit  of  cl<>th»'s 
of  Kussian  pattern.  This  niagnifioent  <^ift  induct •» I 
him  to  leave  several  boys  in  charge  of  tlie  Russians, 
for  the  avowed  puri)ose  of  learning  their  language, 
but  rcallv  to  serve  as  hostaji^es. 

In  accordance  with  instructions  from  the  Okhotsk 
authorities  Tolstykh  endeavored  to  persuade  the  chief 
of  Attoo  to  visit  Kamchatka  in  iiis  vessel,  but  in  this 
he  failed.  After  living  on  this  island  in  peace  with 
the  natives  for  over  a  year,  Tolstykh  departed  with 
i),'.](\0  sea-otters  and  1,1!)0  blue  foxes,  and  reaclu,! 
Kamchativa  in  the  autumn  of  1758.*^ 

An  unfortunate  voyage  was  nuule  about  this  time 
by  a  vessel  belonging  to  the  uierchant  Ivan  Shilkiii. 
the  Kapiton,  which  it  will  be  remembered  was  buih 
nut  of  a  wreck  by  Bakof  anil  Novikof.*"^  Ignaty 
Studentzof  was  tlu;  Cossack  accompanying  this  ex]it- 
dition,  an«l  upon  his  rei)()rt  rests  all  the  inforuiati'i:i 
concerning  it  extant.  They  sailed  from  Okhotsk  in 
(September  17i)7,  but  were  forced  by  stress  of  weatln  r 
to  make  for  thu  Kamchatka  shore  and  pass  the  w  i:. 
tcr  tliere,  to  repair  a  damage.  Setting  sail  again  in 
17r>8  they  touclieil  at  IJi-ring  Island,  jtassed  by  Atuin 

<'  Xi'iir  X'lrhr.,  4.*?;   Hi'i'i/,  Khroval.  fsf.,  npp. 

^-"riic  Knjilioii  liuti  Ih'cii  I'lintisciiti'il  liy  tlio  government,  bnt  wiis  fin.illy 
<li  livcicil  ti>  Sliilkiii  to  iriinlmiwi)  liiii)  for  iossi-s  incuircd.  I''»'rj,'  Mi"Mti>ii> 
isjicciiilly  that  ii-on  liolts  'lorc  fivoly  iisnl  in  i'i'|iairinj,'  this  Vfw.scl.  As  iin  y 
IIS  IT"'-  ii  trailer  nainiMl  tlia/iiclief  fHt^iMiuliod  iron-worktt  at  \i«lifkni»ii,'liiit-I.. 
iinil  liciiifi  ('nal)lt'(l  to  m'II  hiicIi  iron  as  In-  couM  inannfaitiiro  ciifapcr  tliaii  it 
I  "nil!  lie  inipoitod,  Im^  inadr  i\  forttux'.  Siilis-'rinciitly  lUiiin,  coniiiiaiid'  i  'i 
Kanicliatka,  jxTstiiidi'd  liitn  to  transfer  tl'.'  works  to  tlif  p)Vt'rMincnt,  .ii.l 
remain  in  ciiar^'i!  at  a  (ixed  salary.  (l!a/.olicf  finally  left  the  serviee,  and  '  ■ 
KUeeessors  not  uncU'rhtandinn  t'-.  "oiifiinesH,  failed.  The  wlioio  annual  \i'il 
of  the  works  never  exci'ed'  .'lonc^  thousand  ponndsof  metal,  and  under  Itilii:  ■ 
hiieeesHo!'  the  enterprise  WU8  iibuuduned  ultu|^etlier.    Mur»koi  Shuriiik,  ini. 

i;i,  14. 


LI. 

)/'  X/lvh'i, 
I  aiul  »c!v- 
s  f'arcnvoll. 
iteretl  iiitu 
luatioii  ct' 
lief,  iianicd 
yy  unci  |)i't^- 
C)f  clotlii's 
ft  imliu'tMl 
;  Russians, 
language, 

0  OklK)f^>k 
le  the  t'liitf 
but  in  tliis 
peace  \vitli 
)arte(l  wit'n 
ud   roaclu'.l 

it  this  time 
an  Shilkiii. 
was  huili 
Ignaty 
this  V\\n'- 
i\toniuitl  1  ! 
)khotsk  ill 
>t'  weatli'  r 
s  the  \viii- 
il  again  "m 
I  by  AiAiiM 


1)!lt   Wlisfill :''" 

I'.iTg  Ill-lit  1  ■'•■■ 

I'wsrl.      Am  I  ■  ■    ' 

I'islickfimilKi'-"' 

clu'llluT  tli:ii     I' 

I'liiiiiiiaii'l'  I      I 

ovi-rimifiit-    ''  ' 

HlTvil'f,  llll'l    ' 

)!(!  iiiiiiuiil  >       ' 
111  iiiulor  I" ' 
oi  Slioriiil'-      "■ 


ADVENTURES  OF  GLOTTOF. 


119 


'42 


Avhere  Tolstykli  was  then  trading,  and  went  on  to  tlie 
(  astwartl,  finally  bringing  up  near  an  unknown  island. 
A  party  sent  ashore  by  Studentzot'to  reconnoitre  were 
1>«  aten  off  by  a  band  of  natives,  and  immediately  after- 
d  a  sudden  t;ale  drove 


waru 


le  ship  from  her  anchoragi 
1(1  sca.^^  The  mariners  were  cast  U}>on  a  rocky  island 
ill  the  neighborhood,  saving  nothing  Imt  their  lives, 
a  small  (piantity  of  provisions,  and  their  tire-arms. 
While  still  exhausted  from  baUhng  with  the  icy  waves 
lliey  Iteheld  approaching  a  largo  bitlar  with  natives. 
There  were  only  fifteen  able  to  defend  tiieniselves,  hut 
tliev  put  on  what  show  of  strength  and  couraiLfe  thev 
eoiild  connnand  and  went  to  meet  the  uiemy.      One 


tl 


NikolaY  Ch 


le  men,  ^Mkolai  Lliuprot,  who  •  ui  "ucen  to 


)f,  win 


(1  "been  to  tli 


i>!aiicls"  before  and  s[>oke  the  Aleut  language,  implon  d 
ihe  natives  for  assistance  in  their  distressed  condit'  )n, 
Imt.  fhe  answer  was  a  shower  of  spears  and  arro'vs." 
A  volley  from  the  guns,  however,  killing  two.  put 
litem  to  flight  as  usual.  Starvation  follow 'J,  and 
tli(  le  were  seven  ^  >ng  months  of  it.  Sea-weed  and 
tlie  water-soaked  skins  of  sea-otters  washed  ashoio 
liom  the  sunken  vessel  were  their  only  food.  Seven- 
tri  11  (lied,  and  the  remainder  weie  saved  only  by  the 
]iiitrid  carcass  of  a  whale  cast  ashore  by  tin;  sea. 
le. using  themselves  they  built  a  boat  out  ot  dril't- 
wuod  and  the  i-emains  <»f  tlieir  wreck,  killed  -."SO  sca- 
ottei's  within  a  f"ew  days  pri(»r  to  their  ih-pai'ture,  and 
Mii(rc(le<l  in  reaching  the  island  wlu-re  Serebrennikol's 
\  'ssel  was  then  moore(.l,and  near  whi-h  they  anchored. 
1  Jilt  a  gall!  arising,  tlu'ir  csdiles  snappt-d,  and  tln>  boat 
Weill  down  with  everything  on  hoai'd  save  the  ei'ew. 
' 'lily  thii'teen  of  this  unfortunate  company  of  tliirly- 
liiiie  Ijnally  returned  to  Kamchatka  on  Sereliremiikoi's 
Aessel.*'  After  an  al)sence  of  four  years  in  search  ol" 
a  tnrtune  they  landed  destitute  even  of  ch)thing, 

'■'  /.''■/•;/,  Khrininl.  ht.,  ,S.V-0. 

'' 'I'liis  \V!is  the  lirotlicr  iif  tlio  luitorin'iH  Vnki>f  Cliiiprof  vlin  conmiittfl 
till'  iiil'.ininiis  (iiUrdnt'H  ii|iiin  tlir  iintivcH  iliiiiiijj  Nrvodc  liikct's  tirttt  vnui^^i-  i  > 


-liiiiil 
\'<  (If  \iirhi:,  'M-S;  liifij,  Klii'viiol.  Jul.,  4d-li. 


s;  Nikolai  aci'mnjmnicil  liis  liiotlicr  thru.   Jii f/,  KhvuiioL   Int.,  \C, 
'  ii 


r  ii 


I'   '    I 


!  1-1 


120 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  PROMYSHLEXIIil. 


Thus  from  year  to  year  the  prornysliloniki  pusliod 
eastward  stop  by  stop.  A  morcljaut  of'  Turiiisk,  Stopaii 
(ilottof,  was  tlio  first  to  visit  and  carry  on  poacotid 
Iraffio  with  the  inhahitants  of  llinnak  aii<l  Unalaska. 
Ho  coimiiaiidod  ilio  small  craft  Villain,  built  at  Nislio- 
kanu-liatsk  hy  Nikoforof,  iu  wliich  ho  sailed  on  tiio  2(1 
oi*  So[>N'nil)or  17^8,  aoconi[)anio(l  hy  tlu;  Cossack  8avs 
P<)n<»nij>rof,  who  was  instructed  to  porsu.'ulo  the  AKut;i, 
to  hoconie  Russian  suhjocts  antl  pay  tribute.  Niko- 
forof intended  the  vessel  to  ^o  at  once  in  search  of 
new  islands  without  stop[)ini^  at  any  of  those-  already 
known  to  the  proinyshleuiki;  but  loniif-continued  con- 
trary gales  compelled  Glottof  to  winter  at  H^oiin'^' 
Island,  where  lie  remained  till  the  foUowinj,'  August. 
Thence  he  sailed  eastward  for  thirty  days  and  landed 
on  an  uidcnown  island.*"  There  the  hunters  con- 
cluded to  spend  the  winter;  but  they  found  the  iiii- 
tives  so  friendly  that  thret)  seasons  j)assed  befoic 
(iilottof  thought  of  returning  to  Kamchatka.  Tlie 
Yvlinn  airi^'od  at  Rolsheretsk  on  the  -'{1st  of  August 
1  7(!2,  with  a  largf;  and  vjduable  cargo  containing  bt- 
si<Ies  cross  and  rod  foxes  the  first  black  foxes  from 
the  Aleutian  Islands.*' 

Two  other  vessels  are  said  to  hav(!  been  dospatdn d 
to  i\\v.  islands  in  ITilH,  by  the  merchant  Simeon 
Kiassiiiiikof,  and  Nikofor  Traj)e/nikof,  Imt  only  of 
out!  of  tluiin,  till!  VhuHiiiu',  havt!  we  ajiy  information. 
Th(!  leaders  (»f  this  expedition  wci'«!  the  jn-n^dovciiik, 
]  )mitri  Paikof,  and  Hie  (  'ossack  Sava  Shevyrin.  Thtv 
jiut  to  sea  from  Nishokamchatsk  »»n  the  2Sth  of  Sep- 

*"Uiiinak,  ncconiiiiji  to  Itinj,  Khroiml.  /^^,  .'U>. 

*'  III  lU'iji'M  muuiiifii'y  <if  lur  isli  jUiiculs  tlu?  cargo  fif  tlio  Yiilinii  is  iU-mi/iil 
ns  folloWK;  'I'ril)iitf  to  tlic  noviTiiuifiit,  II  Hi'ii-i.tlciH  iind  'J(i  Itlack  fo.\c.-; 
carj-'o,  I, Km  t^ta-ottcrH,  '_'M)  f<t'a-otlfr  tail.-;,  I.Od'J  Mack  loxcw,  l,l(M>  tro.~s 
i'liM's.  4(H»  led  fo\cs,  '2'2  MalniH-tn.HkM,  ami  '>S  Mno  foxcis;  the  wlioKs  viiluoil  ,■  t 
i;U),-l.)()  ri'hU'H.  K/iroiKil.  J.it.,  A/i/i.  In  t)io  A'ckc  Nm/tr.,  no  incntion  of  tiin 
vnyah'*!  is  mado;  <  'oxt;  aUo  is  silent  on  the  siihject.  'I'lio  fact  of  the  prc'Hrni  !■ 
of  walniH-tnskH  shovvs  that  tliere  ■was  trallie  in  the  nrtiele  hetwi-eii  the  I'n.i 
laMkaiiH  anil  the  natives  of  the  AhiKka  |i*'iiinHiila,  wliure  the  huge  pennijiei't 
Htill  alH)unil.  'Die  4'o."Kark  I'onoinai'ef  sent  <o  tlu^  aiithoiitleH  at  ()khot>k 
<)iiiti'  a  eoireet  niapof  the  Aleutian  iin^iiijH'liigfi,  indicating  eight  largo  ishini;  < 
iinrdi-eaKt  of  I'liahska.  lie  say  tliat  the  nuiehuiit  I'utitt' 8hiuhkiu  UMHi>l>'i 
JiUii  iu  coni^iiling  11  cliui't,  II.  m,  lihrunul.  J-t.'ot. 


P.MKOF  AND  SHEVYRIN. 


121 


pushed 
:,  Stepaii 
pcacei'ul 
[  luiljiska. 
itNishr- 
»n  tlio  "id 
ack  Savs 
10  AU'uta 
'.     Nil«»- 
scarch  <>!' 
i;  already 
lined  eoii- 
it  li*!iiii;^' 
f  Au;4ust. 
nd  landed 
I  tern   coii- 
id  tl»e  iiM- 
ed    before 
tka.     Tin- 
pf  Au-^nist 

ainin.i;  1>« - 
oxoH  lV»»m 

i(;spat<!lu  <1 
It  Simeon 
it  only  of 
ll'onnatioii. 
nMl()Veliil\, 
irin.  'Phry 
M  of  Si'p- 


Lvrii  is  itenu/'  I 
li  Jdiu'k  f')N'  ■■ 
is,  l,l«H»  11"  ^ 
Ihiilo  viiliu'l  I 
lniili<>n  of  tl  M 

If    tllO  1»ICH<  II' 

TvH'Ji  tiio  111  ' 
«).o  iMiinil" '  ' 
U  at  Okhol>l» 
ft  largo  i»lin"'^ 
Lukiu  uw»'mI"' 


triiiber,  with  a  crew  of  forty-fivo  men,  made  tlie  pas- 
sa^c  to  ]3erin<^  Island  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  there 
hauled  uj)  their  vessel  for  the  winter.  On  the  Kith 
of  July  1759  Paikof  set  sail  once  more,  taking  at  first 
a  southerly  course.** 

It  is  not  known  how  far  Paikof  pursued  his  south- 
( ily  course,  hut  he  discovered  no  land  and  returned 
111  tlie  north,  arriving  in  the  vicinity  of  Atkha  Island 
llic  1st  of  September.  Finding  no  convenient  harbor 
lie  went  on  to  Uninak  Island  and  made  pre|>aratio!Js 
to  pass  the  winti^r.  The  ship's  company  was  divided 
into  three  ((rfcts,  or  parties,  the  first  af  which  was 
roiiinianded  by  Alexei  Drushinnin  and  stationed  on 
llic  island  of  Sitkhin.*"  The  Cossack,  Shevyrin,  took 
ten  men  to  Atkha  and  the  remainder  of  the  crew 
established  their  winter-quarters  in  tlu;  innnediate 
virinity  of  the;  vessel  under  <H)mmand  of  Simeon  Polc- 
\oi.  l*aikof  was  evidently  only  navigator  and  had 
III)  conmiand  on  shore.  I'he  first  season  passed  in 
eful  intercourse  with  th 


itly  p 


atp 


•"A  general  iiiiprcsHion  prfviiiU'il  among  tlio  promy.shleiiiki  of  tlio  time 
i\,:d  tlici't'  was  liiml  to  tliu  Hoiithward  of  tlio  Aleutian  J.sU't).  Ivan  Savich 
i..i|>iii,  from  wlioiii  ]lor^' o))taiuc'il  much  information,  Mtatttd  tli.':t  (iavril  I'ilmIi- 
l.;,i<  I,  a  comimnion  of  Hi'rin<^',  who  hail  Hurvivcil  the  terrible  winter  on 
llriln;;  l.slaiiil,  ulwayH  UMNerteil  positively  that  tliere  muHt  he  lanil  to  the 
.'""iitlivuril.  I'ht^  Heu-(<ttt^i'M  and  fur-sealM,  he  said,  thoiiuh  found  ul)out  Itering 
IshiiKJ  and  it8  vii'iiiity  during  the  summer,  invuriuhly  disappeared  in  a 
h  iiitlurly  direetiiin.  It  was  known  that  they  did  not  p>  to  Kamehatka  or  to 
the  Kui'ile  Islands,  and  though  ignorant  as  to  the  actual  wherealH)iits  of  tin; 
I'tterH  and  seals,  I'lislikaief  frei|uently  UHsured  l^ipin  and  'IVape/nikoi  that 
lliey  roiild  make  their  fortune  hy  discovi'ring  the  winter  haunts  of  the^o 
aiiiiiials  in  the  south,   /'t'rij,  Khrniiol.  lit.,  '.\H. 

'■' Atiording  to  Cook,  Si'illcii;  and  I^t  IVrouse,  and  Holmlierg,  Si/r/ihi. 
(\iriii<i.  I'(ir.  I'lifUif,  MS.,  iii.  474.  In  AV«c  Xnc/ir.  it  is  spelled  Sitkin,  wiiilo 
hill,' liiis  .Sigdak.  KhrouoL  ht.,  'A',);  Vmnnk  Ixlninl,  Houtli-west  of  I'lialaska. 
On  ('(ink's -1//(M,  177H,  written  IJmamik;  \ax  I'erouse,  17H(»,  Onmiidl:;  Holm- 
I"  IV,  l"*"*-*,  /  UiiiiKik.   ('iiiioij.  I'nc.  Coml,  MS.,  iii.  4.").S;  y,iit>  A<ii/ii:,  4!>. 

■'"'Thf  eustoiu  of  the  |)romyshleniki  after  estidilishiiig  themselves  on  ait 
i^l.iiiil,  was  to  divide  the  coimiDind  into  small  parties,  each  of  which  wa.i  sta- 
li.iiicil  ill  the  immediate  vicinity  of  a  native  village,  whose  chief  was  induced 
I'V  jiicseiits  to  assist  in  compelling  his  people  to  hunt,  on  the  pretext  ]>erhap!i 
t'l^it  till'  cnipreas,  who,  although  a  woman,  was  thi;  greatest  an'',  most  Ix'iiig- 
11. lilt  liciu;,'  (III  earth,  required  such  service  of  them.  When  they  returned 
till  ir  ctitcli  was  taken  and  11  few  trilling  pri'sents  made  them,  hucIi  hh  Ih'iuIs 
iiml  tnlmccoleuf.  Two  ohjeets  were  ut  once  acciini)ilishcd  liy  the  cunning 
I '"iiiyslili  iiiki.  While  all  the  alilc-hodied  men  Wcic  lliiis  away  gatliering 
^l>illM  Imtlicm,  they  were  having  I  heir  own  way  with  the  wiiiiiiitof  the  \illages. 
AlIiiuI  trade  ur  exchiui^o  uf  UuBuiua  inuuufuctures  fur  bUiuu  wiu  curried  uu 


n^ 


r-t.  r. 


lii' 


^\\ 


h-  I: 


£, 

I 


f    -ri 


123 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 


At  first  tlio  Russians  beliovod  the  island  of  Amlla 
to  bo  uninhabited,  but  duiinj^  a  huntiuj^  <;xpedition  a 
boy  of  eight  years  was  discovered  hidden  in  the  grass. 
lie  was  unable  or  unwilling  to  give  any  information, 
but  was  taken  to  the  Russian  eani]),  baptized  and 
named  Yermola,  and  instructed  in  the  Russian  lan- 
guage. Subsequently  a  party  of  four  men,  two  women, 
and  (our  children  were  discovered  an<l  were  at  once 
emjiloyed  by  the  promyshleniki  to  dig  roots  and  gather 
wood  for  tliem.  In  time  other  natives  visiteil  the 
strangers  in  canoes,  and  exchanged  seal-meat  and  lish 
for  needles,  thread,  and  glass  beads." 

In  the  spring  of  the  following  year,  wlien  the  de- 
tached hunting  parties  came  back  to  the  ship,  it  was 
iound  that  only  one  Russian  on  Atkha  Island  had  lost 
his  life  at  the  hands  of  the  natives,  and  that  he  met 
his  fate  through  his  own  fault.  Polevoi  was  much 
j)leasLd  with  the  quantity  of  furs  obtained  and  con- 
cluded to  send  the  detachments  again  inuiiediately  to 
tile  same  localities.  Shevyrin  had  only  just  returnt;<l 
to  Atkha  with  eleven  men  when  the  natives,  who 
doubtless  had  suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  Russians 
during  the  winter,  fell  upt)n  the  party  and  killed  them 
all.  l)rushiimin  heard  of  this  through  the  natives  on 
Sitkhin  Island  and  returned  at  once  to  the  vessel  jit 
Anjlia.  The  crew  of  the  Vlmlimir  was  now  reduced 
to  siicii  an  extent  that  tho  hunters  felt  serious  appn - 
lu'nsions  as  to  their  safety,  and  consecpiently  tiny 
began  to  make  the  necessary  preparations  for  retuiii- 
ing  to  Kamchatka  at  once.  These  preparations  weiv 
interrupted,  howevei',  l>y  the  unexpected  anivnl  t  I' 
the  Gavrlf,  a  vessel  belonging  to  the  merchant  IJt  - 
chevin.'"'' 

only  where  tlio  nativoH  refu8('<l  to  Ir.iiit  for  tlio  HnAxianH  vvitliotit  rowanl.    All 
kiiulH  of  <iiiti-ii({i>H  ut'i'cr  cuiitttuiitly  pruutittid  uii  thu  timid  iHlundui'M  liy  tliunii 
llaiilv  tuHkniitHUTH. 

■''\riie  Nnchr.,  .'M).  Aniluk  nccordiitg  to  Cuok,  whilst  Hulniburg  wrili  * 
/  ,l//i/;.i.  Vartixj.  /Vic.  Coii.-t,  MS.,  jji.  m\. 

■••'  llci'hovin,  u  rii:h  iiicrchniit  of  lrktit.sk,  doHpntclKMl  in  I7<10  tiio  liirgc 
vcHMtl   liilhcrto  Mi'iit  to  tile  AlciUiuit  Iflaiiil.s,     it  \n  not  known  whcri!  tli" 
Uttn-il  waa  l)uilt;  licr  lenglii  wua  0-  fcvt,  uud  bIiu  cun-it'd  4U  KuhniuuK  und  .0 


VOYAGE  OF  THE  'GAVRIL. 


123 


The  fiai'v'il  had  passed  through  the  Kiirilo  Islands 
ill  .July  and  arrived  at  Atkha  on  the  2oth  of  Sep- 
tiiuhcr,'*  The  fears  entertained  by  the  Vlad'ualr.s 
weakened  crew  vanished  at  once,  and  a  written  agree- 
ment was  entered  into  by  the  members  of  the  two 
(  xpL'ditions  to  hunt  in  partnership.  Strong  detach- 
iiRiits  wore  sent  out  to  the  stations  occupied  during 
the  previous  season,  and  also  to  the  island  of  Signam, 
iinith-east  of  Atkha.  The  result  of  the  seii.son's 
work  proved  gratifying;  about  900  sea-otters  and  400 
jnxcs  of  various  kinds,  and  432  pounds  of  walrus- 
liisks  were  ready  for  shipment."'* 

A  consultation  was  held  in  the  following  spring, 
wlien  it  was  concluded  that  the  Vladiinir  should  remain 
at  Amiia  a  little  longer,  and  then  return  to  Kamchatka 
with  as  many  of  the  furs  as  she  could  carry,  while  the 
(itiri'il  would  proceed  in  search  of  new  disct)veries. 
''he  joint  force  was  equally  divided  between  the  two 
\t  sscls,  and  the  (lavril  set  sail  once  more,  taking  an 
(astcrly  course  and  touching  first  at  Unmak  Island. 
There  tliey  found  a  vessel  belonging  to  Nikoforof' 
ciiLraged  in  luinting,  and  consequently  they  limited 
their  operations  to  mending  the  sails  and  replenishing 


llnilH!rt{  witUH 


iintivos  of  Kamclh-itka.  Tho  niitlioritioR  of  IVdshcretsk  placed  on  lx).ar<l  a 
mL;iiiiit  !■'  Cossacks,  (iavril  I'lislikarcf,  and  three  men,  Andrei  Slidanof, 
^  :il."t'  Sli;.  !|K)f,  and  i'rokr)!)  Loboiikiief.  lJecli'.!vin  also  sent  two  of  liis  conli- 
lii  iitial  ilnKs,  Nikofor  (lolodof  and  AfanasHiy  Asktdkof.  X< ue  yurhr.,  .")!. 
'Ivvd  other  vessels  were  recorded  liy  15crj{  as  havin)!  sailed  for  tlio  ishiiids  in 
I7."'!t.  Hyhinskoi  and  Ida  partners  built  a  shij)  iianud  tho  .S'»>  I'lfr  i  So 
I'lnil,  iind  sent  her  out  to  search  for  land  south  of  the  Aleutian  Isles.  She 
Ii.mI  ii  i-rew  of  ;i;j  Russians  and  natives  of  Kamchatka  under  Andrei Serelirenn- 
ikiif,  tin-  former  i)artner  of  Serjfcant  liassof.  All  that  is  known  of  thin  voy- 
iiL'i^  is  that  the  vessel  returned  in  1701.  with  a  carj^o  of  2,(MX)  sca-fittei-s,  hut 
without  having  nuule  any  new  discoveries.  In  tho  wiine  year,  17')!),  a  ship 
<.i!iii|  till)  Zak'har  i  EHzurita  was  fitted  out  by  a  eonipany  eonsistiiij,'  of 
r">tiiikof  of  Niniysk,  Krassilinikof  of  Tula,  and  Kidkof,  a  citi/en  of  \'olo;,'da. 
Nt(  pnr.  (  herejwi  -if  was  navigator,  The  vessel  sailed  from  \isii<kaiiu'hat.sk, 
mid  .ifter  r.n  absence  of  three  years  orrivcil  at  Okhotsk  in  17<5'J,  with  l,7."><) 
b<u-otti'r8  ami  .^^Mtbluo  foxes.   Itrrij,  Khrotio!.  Itl.,  40-1. 

•'^  .\i  cordinjf  to  the  Aeiif  Xnfhr.  the  Hurt  if  toueiu'd  nt  one  of  the  Aleutian 
Id(K  Mil  till!  tUth  of  August,  but  finding  the  vis-udsof  I'ostiiikof,  Tmpeznikof, 
mill  Screlirennikof,  at  anchor  there,  they  pusheil  on  to  tho  eastward.  A  <  lOt 
S'li  h,:.  ".'_>. 

'  H'l-'i.  Kfirnnnl.  /»t.,  Ajrp.    ITcrr  was  another  evidence  of  constant  trullic 
l»  twill;  the  Islanders  and  the  inliabit:>nts  of  the  Alaskan  (leui;    ulu. 

'■''Ihe  Ynllan,  according  to  2^\ue  yachr.,  53. 


!i  t: 


I! 


I|:- 


m 


'fv 


Itti  1 

i    I 


t».; 


1  i: 


il 


it     . 


J!;!Hi 


i'       •" 


IM 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  PROMYSHLEXIKI. 


their  stock  of  wood  and  water.  Tliey  then  proceeded 
to  wliat  they  considered  to  be  the  island  of  "  Aluksha," 
hut  wliether  this  party  actually  wintered  on  the  penin- 
sula of  Alaska  is  not  quite  clear.  As  soon  as  a  suit- 
able liarljor  had  been  found  the  ship  was  beached,  and 
the  crew  |)roceeded  to  erect  winter-quarters  on  shore. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  received  the  Russians 
in  a  friendly  manner;  they  tiaded  honestly,  and  irave 
their  children  as  hostaj^es.^  However,  this  peace 
and  j^oi^xl-will  were  not  of  lonsf  duration.  The  lawless 
proinyshleniki  of  Bechevin's  soon  j^ave  the  natives 
much  trouble,  fully  justifying  them  in  any  retaliation. 

In  January  17G2  Golodof  and  Pushkaref,  with  a 
party  of  twenty  hunters,  coasted  in  bidars  in  search 
of  forMl,  and  landed  upon  an  adjoining  island."  While 
indulging  in  their  customary  outrages  they  were  sur- 
priserl  by  a  body  of  natives  who  killed  Golodof  and 
another  Russian,  and  wounded  three  more.  Shortly 
aft'-rwanl  the  Russia.i  camp  was  attacked,  four  nien 
killed,  as  many  wounded,  and  the  huts  reduced  to 
ashes.  In  May  the  Cossack  Lobashkof  and  one  of 
the  promyshleniki  went  to  bathe  in  a  hot  si)ring 
situate<l  about  iive  vcrsts  from  the  harbor,  and  were 
killed  by  the  natives.*^  In  return  the  Russians  put 
.M.-ven  of  the  hostages  to  death.  The  islanders  auain 
attacked  the  Russian  camp,  but  were  repulsed. 

As  it  was  evident  that  the  natives  had  determined 

'•Tlie  Uussians  received  nine  eiiildren  as  hostages,  and  in  addition  tliey 
en'^fii-tl  two  men  and  tlirce  vonxtn  to  work  for  tliem.   Ni  ue  Xachr. , ."),'}— I. 

'■  It  iis  iiiiixjHNilile  to  di-'terniinc  which  itilund  tliis  was.  In  AVw*?  Nurhr. 
it  in  calU.tl  Uiiiun^'a,  n  name  not  to  Itcfonnd  onanyciiurt.  Itcrg  calls  it  <)uni;a, 
1<!it  there  in  noevi<lencu  to  indicate  that  the  men  of  llechevin's  expedition  |>r')- 
c«<-<Ie<i  an^unil  the  |teiiinHuln  and  north-eastward  as  far  as  tlic  Shunia^'in  1-sl- 
nniLt.  S'l-vr  Snrhr.,  54;  ISrnj,  Khnmol.  l-^l.,\X  Tlie  name  of  Ouuungiin, 
Applie<l  Ut  the  UnahiHku  peoph;  by  tiieir  western  neighltors,  ftecording  to  I'inart, 
may  throw  itome  light  upon  this  quf;Htion;  it  is  proUihlc  that  the  locality  of 
(;otHtorH  aiid  I'ushkurcf's  exploits  was  not  the  ]>cninsula  at  all,  but  Agmi- 
alakitli,  the  Aleut  name  of  Unalosko,  which  was  Bub8e<{uently  abbreviated  by 
the  }(4iwiLanB. 

'*S<>if  Snfht:,  55.  This  is  another  point  in  support  of  the  theory  that  th>i 
(inrril  landeil  on  I'nalaskn.  Five  vcrsts  (three  and  a  half  miles)  from  tli>: 
|)ri»<.'ip.il  settlement  on  Unalnska  lHlan<l  are  hot  springs,  nlM>riginnlly  resorted 
t'>  r>r  <';irin-.'  rli<'iiniatii>  and  skin  diseases.  Hot  sjirings  exist  also  near  tli'* 
li-ttl-nient  of  Morshcvfii  on  the  south  point  of  the  peninsuLi,  but  they  aiu 
within  Xvm  thun  half  u  mile  from  the  shore. 


rUSHKAREF'S  CRUELTIES. 


IS5 


occcdod 

laksha," 

e  poniii- 

i  a  suit- 

liod,  aiul 

)n  shore. 

Russians 

uul  iravc 

is   peace 

c  lawless 

i  natives 

taliation. 

f,  with  a 

in  search 

""'    While 

were  sur- 

lodof  and 
Shortly 

four  men 

iduccd   to^ 

lid  one  of 

,ot  spring- 
and  were 
isians  put 

lors  again 

led. 
itermined 

latldition  tlity 

^'l■u>•  Niicltr. 
jmllsitOuni;!!, 
lxi>e<litionl'n>- 
Tsiiuma^'iii  l-*l- 
J)f  Ouiiiinpii". 
Iling  to  I'iimrt, 
The  locality  of 
111,  but  A«u!i- 
Ibbreviateil  by 

jicory  that  tli" 
lih's)  from  tli" 
liinlly  iPHortfil 
Inlno  near  tli" 
1  but  thty  a;  c 


upon  the  destruction  of  the  entire  company,  tlie  out- 
1\  iii<4  detachments  were  recalled.  The  ship  was  then 
I'epiiired  and  the  whole  comniiind  returned  to  L'lnnuk 
Inland.  There  they  took  on  hoard  two  natives  with 
tluir  families,  who  had  promis(jd  to  pilot  them  to  other 
islands;  hut  as  soon  as  the  vessel  had  <^ained  the  open 
sea  a  vioUnt  gale  from  the  eastward  (hove  her  hefure 
it  until  on  tlie  23d  of  September  the  mariners  found 
themselves  near  an  unknown  coast,  without  masts, 
sails,  or  rudder,  and  with  but  little  rigging.  The  land, 
ho\v(;ver,  proved  to  be  Kamchatka,  and  on  the  '2oth 
the  ]ieli>less  craft  drifted  into  the  bay  of  Kalatcheva, 
siventy  versts  from  Avatcha  Bay.  Bechcvin  landed 
his  cargo,  consisting  of  900  sea-otters  and  .3.'jO  foxes, 
valued  at  52,570  rubles. '''  The  cove  where  the  landing 
was  ell'ected  subsequently  received  the  name  of  IBeche- 
viiiskaia. 

(  haiges  of  gross  brutalities,  committed  during  this 
Voyage,  have  been  made  against  Sergeant  Pushkaref 
On  leaving  the  Aleutian  Isles  the  crew  of  the  (j'ai'rtf, 
with  Pushkaref's  consent,  took  with  thcnn  twenty-fivo 
yoinig  women  under  the  jjretext  that  tlu^}'  were  to  1)0 
eiii|il()yed  in  j)icking  berries  and  gathering  roots  for 
the  ship's  com})any.  When  the  coast  of  Kamchatka 
was  iirst  sighted  a  boat  was  sent  ashore  with  six  men 
jiiid  foiu'teen  of  these  girls.  The  latter  were  then 
iiiiKred  to  pick  berries.  Two  of  them  ran  a^vay  and 
Wile  lost  in  the  hills,  and  during  the  return  of  the 
boat  to  the  ship  one  of  them  was  killed  l)y  a  man 
named  Korelin.""  In  a  fit  of  despair  the  remaining 
uiils  threw  tliemselvcs  into  the  S(^'i  and  were  drowned, 
hi  order  to  rid  himself  of  troublesome  witnesses  to 
t!iis  outrage,  Pushkaref  had  all  the  remaining  islanders 
thrown  ovorl)oard,  with  the  exception  of  one  b<»y, 
^loise,  and  Ivan,  an  interpreter  who  had  been  in 
the  service  of  Andrei  Sereurennikof     Three  of  the 

'•'^IWf],  Khrmiol.  /v^,  npp. 

'■".\V(«  X'lilir..  ,"(l.     ISi!';,'  states  tlint  it  was  riislil-.arcf  himai  If  who  liuil 
uoiomiLi. it'll  the  women  to  tlic  shore.   Kltronol.  hi.,  40. 


186 


THE  SWARMING  OF  THE  rROMYSHLEXIKI. 


women  had  died  before  leaving  the  islands."*  An  im- 
jierial  oukaz  issued  from  the  chancellery  at  Okhotsk 
to  a  company  consisting  of  Orekhof,  Lapin,  and  Shilof, 
who  asked  i)ermission  to  despatch  an  expedition  to 
tlie  islands,  enjoins  on  the  promyshleniki  the  great- 
est care  and  kindness  in  their  intercourse  with  the 
natives.  The  eleventh  paragraph  of  the  oukaz  reads 
as  follows:  "As  it  appears  from  reports  forwarded  by 
Colonel  Plenisner,  who  was  charged  with  the  inves- 
tigation and  final  settlement  of  the  affairs  of  the 
Bechevin  company,  that  that  company  during  their 
voyage  to  and  from  the  Aleutian  Islands  on  a  hunt- 
ing and  trading  expedition  committed  indescribable 
outrages  and  abuses  on  the  inhabitants,  and  even  were 
guilty  of  nuirder,  inciting  the  natives  to  bloody  re- 
prisals, it  is  hereby  enjoined  upon  the  company  about 
to  sail,  and  especially  upon  the  master,  IsmaYlof,  and 
the  })credovchik,  Lukanin,  to  see  that  no  such  barbar- 
ities, plunder,  and  ravaging  of  women  are  connnitted 
under  any  circumstances."  The  v  hole  document  is 
of  a  similar  tenor  and  goes  far  to  pro\c  that  the  au- 
thorities were  convinced  that  the  outrages  re[)ortetl 
to  them  had  in  truth  been  committed."' 

From  this  time  forward  the  authorities  of  Siberia 
evidently  favored  theformation  of  privileged  companies, 
and  the  Bechevin  investigation  may  be  considered  as 
the  beginning  of  the  end  of  free  traffic  in  the  Ameri- 
can possessions  of  the  Russian  empire. 

^^Xdie  A^nrAr.,r>7;  Bfrg,  Khronol.  ht.,  45. 

''•  liirij,  Khroiwl.  1st.,  4'>-!i'2.  The  oukaz  is  signed  by  Captain-licnteiiaiit 
Sava  Zul)of,  ami  tlated  August  20,  1770.  IJerg  found  in  sonic  letters  written 
Ijy  the  collegiate  chancellor  Anton  Ivanovich  Lasscf,  a  civil  engineer  nf  tli( 
government  at  Irkutsk,  n  notice  to  the  cd'ect  that  Bechevin  snll'cred  niuiii 
during  a  penal  inquisition  with  tortni-e,  conducted  against  him  in  17<»4  i  ,v 
K*A*Iv*,  probably  Knias  (Prince)  Alexander  Korzakof,  who  is  mentioned  ;•> 
having  been  detailed  on  u  government  mission  to  Irkutsk  about  thut  time. 


'iiw 


«•„ 


CHAPTER  VII. 


FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  TROMYSHLEXIia. 

1700-1707. 

ToLSTTKn's  Voyage— MovEMKNTs  of  Vessels — St/Eiimn's  Map — WuErK 
OF  THE   'ANnKEtAN  I  Natalia' — Catherine   Spr.AUs— A  Comtany 

FOK.MEI) — CoLLECTINd    TllIlirTE  —  THE    'NeKE   NACmilCIITEK  '  -VoVACE 

OF  THE  'Zakhau  I  ELIZAVETA '—Teuuiiii.e  Ketamathin  of  the  Una- 

LASKANS— VoYAfiE  OK  THE   'Sv  TuoITSKa'— ( JllEA  r   SfFFEKIMIS— I'aTAL 

Onsi.ai(!HT— Voyage  of  Glotiof — Sim»  Xomenclatiue— IMsfovi.nY 
of  Kadiak— New  .Mode  of  Warfaue— The  Old  Man's  Tale— Solh- 
vii:f's  Infamies— The  Okhotsk  (iovEiiNMENT— Moke  'St  rETEUs' and 
'St  I'avls' — QrKEN  Catheiiine  and  the  Meuchant  Xikofouof — End 
of  Puivate  Fru-Ht'NTiNo  Expeditions. 


TiiK  first  vossol  which  sailed  in  the  Ah'utian  Islands 
niidc^r  jirotection  of  a  special  imperial  oukaz  was  the 
Aiidrcian  i  Natalin,  owned  and  commanded  by  An- 
(Irc'i  Tolstykh,  a  man  of  courage  and  perseverance, 
who  duiinij^  his  three  previous  voyages  had  amassed 
some  fortune,  and  e<mcluded  to  adventure  it  on  this 
turn.' 

The  Andirian  i  Natalia  left  Kamchatka  the  27th 
of  September  1700.  In  two  days  Jeering  Island  was 
leached,  when  in  accordance  with  custom  the  ship  was 
hinled  up  foi-  the  winter.  In  the  Jime  I'ollowiiig  Tol- 
stykh again  ]>uttosea,  steering  at  first  soutluM-ly,  then 
iKnthward.anivini^atAttoo  Island  the  oth  of  August." 

'  Tiilstykli  l)e!jnii  his  oflicial  rcpor  i.s  f(illr)\vs:  '1»y  virtue  of  an  ouknz  nf 
liir  lin]HTi;il  Majesty,  the  ICmpn-ss  Ki.  inlK.'tli  IVtrovnii,  issued  tlirouj,'li  tiir 
Chiiiiri  ili'vy  of  IJolslicrctHk  in  Kaiuclintkn,  on  i\\'.'  4tli  tlay  <>f  Au^juxt  1700,  anil 
ill  iiiii-iiiauoo  of  an  onler  ik'iioHitcil  with  LiiMitenaiit  Vassili  Shniali'f,  1  was 
lii'iniittril  to  put  to  si'a  witli  tin;  Cossjieks  IVtr  Vassiutinski  and  Ma\iiii 
J,ii/iir»f,  ilctaikMl  for  tliis  survicc'  Ihrij,  Kliruuol.  /"I.,  .').'l;  \<  in-  Xiirhr.,  .V,); 
Sli,lil:ttt\  I'litrxhvxtvU',   l.'W;    Urpwhiijky  Deltrwj   ziir   K<iiittnis.s   tlir  nordifrnt- 

'lie  met  a  vussel  rutiirning  to  Kauichutka,  nrobubly  the  Sr  Peter  i  Sv 

(li7) 


12S       FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  PROMYSHLEXIKI. 

Three  vessels  were  there  traclliifjf,  beloiiginjj^  respect- 
ively to  C'lu!l)aievski,  Postnikot",  and  Trapeznikof. 
Tolstykh  had  hoped  to  find  the  friendly  v-hief  Tunul- 
j^^tisan,  whom  he  had  met  before,  but  tlie  aboriginal 
had  died,  and  his  successor,  Bakutun,  told  the  new- 
comers that  there  were  too  many  Russians  on  his 
island  already,  and  they  might  as  well  pass  on,  but 
njij)eased  with  presents  the  monarch  finally  gave 
Tolstykh  some  of  his  own  relatives  as  hostages,  who 
Mere  also  to  serve  as  interpreters  and  guides  to  other 
islands.  After  a  sojourn  of  two  weeks  the  vessel  con- 
tinued to  tlu!  eastward,  and  on  the  28th  of  AugUf^t 
reached  an  island  which  was  subsequently  ascortainetl 
to  be  Adakh.'' 

Pavd,  with  o\cr  2,500  scaottci.-  on  Ijoartl  valued  at  150,000  rubles.  Neve 
2sni-hr.,  (IH-i);  Khroiiol.  y.^^,aT)p.;  Oreiriiiijk;  ,'114. 

^lu  X(  III'  Xti'lir.,  (il,  tlio  isiniid  ia  imincil  Ajnpi  or  Knjaciui,  nniues  not  to 
1)6  fouiitl  iu  any  clmrt.  (Srewin).';k  states  that 'I'olaitykii  hrouj^'ht  iiowh  of  tht; 
i.slaiid!)  Kaiiaga,  'iVliecliina,  Tai:alak,  Atchu,  Anila).',  and  Atach.  i!n  iriiiijh, 
liiilruij,  'M7\;  Sh<'Hbj\  Piil<-.ihf'<lr'ii>,  \'^'^.  Tlicro  vas  iiceeswirily  ^rt'ut  coi;- 
fiisidii  in  the  aiiplicatidii  of  nauics  to  tlic  newly  diseovereil  islands.  On  tlic; 
ii'.ap  of  Stahlin,  an  titlspriii^  of  Croyurc's  aljortion  puhli.'ilied  in  Knglinh  in 
1774,  the.  new  iiorthi'ni  archiprlaji,o  was  laid  down  in  the  most  reniaikal.In 
iiianni  r.  liy  coloi-in;.'s  the  islands  were  divided  into  lour  jiroups,  the  lar|,'ei  t 
of  which  was  called  Anadirs^k  ni'oup,  and  incliidt'd  Alaska,  n  lar;,'c  isliind  ( ?;■ 
toMilin^  east  and  west  in  latitude  (io",  and  Unalaska,  and  .\nichitla,  Unnii:l>, 
Siiiinakh,  Yunaska,  and  a  nund)ei'  of  other  islands  with  inia<{iiiary  lianas. 
'J'his  p-oup  is  placed  in  a  witlo  passage  between  the  cnntiiunt.s  of  AsiaaMl 
America.  To  the  south-west  and  extending  from  latitude  (Id"  to  .'"m",  we  iinl 
tlie  Aleutian  groiij)  cDUiprising  Andia,  Atkha,  liulldir,  'Ivadiak.'and  'St  lid- 
riogen.'  To  the  nortliwcst  of  this  jjroup,  in  latitude  (iO  ,  StaOilin  ])laced  llic 
Ohitorskoi  Islands,  containing  Kanaga,  Ayak  (.\<lakh?),  an<l  Copper  Island. 
To  tlie  southward  of  the  latter  we  lind  Deling  Island,  with  two  pretty  lai'i." 
ndjoiniiig  islands,  and  still  farther  south  a  group  of  imaginary  discoveriis  i'l 
wliicli  the  names  bestowed  by  I'ering  upon  the  nearest  Aleutian  islands  were 
np|>licd.  St.'i'hliii's  introductiim  to  tliis  (lescrij)tioii  if  the  archipehigo  is  sulli- 
eicntly  original  to  merit  a  ])laee  in  these  pages.  He  begins  as  follows:  'it 
appears,  from  thi;  accounts  of  our  illiterate  sea-faring  men,  that  there  is  no 
es.icivtial  ditlerence,  in  any  respect,  between  these  several  iulands,  and  lluii' 
inliahitants;  and  that  they  .seem  to  be  pretty  much  alike.  It  is  needless  tn 
luime  every  one  of  the  islands  which  compose  our  new  northern  archipelago, 
as  they  ore  si't  ilown  in  the  naip  hereto  annexed,  with  their  situation  and  sizi . 
As  to  the  nbsobite  accuracy  of  the  two  iirst  artii'les,  namely,  the  true  situa- 
tion, as  to  geographical  latituile  and  longitude,  and  their  exact  diineii.'<ions,  I 
would  not  be  answerable  for  them,  until  they  can  be  ascertained  by  astronoiii 
leal  observations.  Of  the.sc  islands  we  know  in  general,  and  for  curtain,  tliut 
tlioso  which  are  situiited  IvDtwecn  latitude  .")Oth  to  the  ,")5th  dcr^ree,  rescndik- 
the  islands  of  the  Knnlc'i,  with  regard  to  the  weather,  the  productions,  as  also 
ill  the  figure,  apj)earance,  clothing,  food,  way  of  life,  ami  manners. .  .of  tlic 
inhabitants,  whereas  those  from  the  5.">th  to  the  (!Oth  degree,  which  arc  the 
islands  of  Ohiloni  and  Aktttd,  are  in  all  thes«i  ])articulars  very  like  Kniii- 
chalka,     Thos"  of  the  third  division  Lave  u  diilereut  aspect,  and  arc  situated 


KI. 

i-espcct- 

■  Tunul- 

[\e  noNv- 

\  on  liis 
on,  but 
ly  gave 
i^cH,  who 
to  other 
•ssel  coii- 
[  Augiv^t 
ccrtaincd 


rubles.  A'"" 
,  naniesi  not  t'> 

.t  IlfWH  of   111'! 

L'h.  (/*■<"•'■"!;/•'. 
ily  j;i't'at  coi:- 
m.ls.     On  tic 
ill  Knj;li>il>  "' 
Bt  leuHirUiiM"' 
,18,  tho  lurj^t:  t 
ii-f^e  islaiul  i  ■; 
litlii,  Vnuii;!-, 
binary  iiaiii«-^- 
.s  (if  Asiii  ''1  '1 
1)  "i.V,  we  li;  'I 
,  uutl'StU'i- 
jHii  vlaci'tl  '^'"' 
[opper  l«!aiic!. 
\>  inctty  Ir.i;- 
(liscovt-riis  M 
II  islaiuls  V ti V 
n'liif;!0  is  Ki'.lii 
follows:    'It 
.t  there  is  lui 
ids,  an*l  ill*'' 
is  iie«Mllt'ss  to 
1  arcliipcliiLlt', 
ution  aiul  sizt  • 
[he  true  si  tun- 
>limciiHioiif*.  1 
by  astroiu  111 
[r  certain,  ihiit 
r;rec,  resciuMu 
[ictious,  as  also 
[incrs.  .  .of  tl>^^ 
which  arc  the 
pry  like  Knm- 
W\  arc  situattd 


DISCOVKIIY  01'  ISLANDS. 


ISD 


Tliero  was  cvcrv  indication  (»t'  nuiltitudcs  of  sca- 
oiui's  ill  this  vicinity,  and  as  .soon  as  a  convenient 
]i;'ilior  had  hccn  found  all  Iwinds  woro  sot  to  work  on 
A  I;dJi  and  thu  adjoining  island  of  Kanaka.  Partii-s 
w  ic  also  dt's]»atclicd  to  other  islands  as  iar  <'ast\v;ird 
as  Atkha  and  Anilia,  meeting  (  vervwhere  a  t'riendly 
rcc-.'lition.  After  a  stay  on  thest"  islands,  suhsc- 
(jU(  ntly  named  after  him  the  Andi-einnovski,  of  nearly 
lliivi'  years,  Tolstykh  collected  (juite  a  vahiahlo  cargo 
of  fms.  and  finally  stalled  homewaj-d  on  the  14th  of 
.lime  l7(>-t.  ]fe  sto|)j)ed  at  Attoo  Island  to  land  his 
iiitiipreteis  and  re})air  his  vessel,  which  was  leaking 
Icidly.  Some  shipwrecked  Kussians  were  also  taken 
<i;i  hoard,  and  ()n  the  27th  of  August  the  Andreian  i 
yatdliii  took  her  final  departure  i'or  Kamchatka.  On 
the  tth  day  of  Septendier  the  coast  was  sighted,  hut 
Tolstykli  l(»st  his  vessel  in  attemjtting  to  weather  the 
cajx'  of  Kamchatka.  He  succeeded,  however,  in  sav- 
ing hoth  crew  and  cargo.* 

As  Tolstykh  and  A^assiutkinski  claimed  to  hav^c  per- 
suaded the  inhabitants  of  six  islands  to  bocomo  sub- 

lictwcen  the  OOth  and  CiTtli  dcfiree  of  iiortli  latitude.  Tho  former,  which  aro 
\\\\v  K'liiiisrhiitiii,  are  t'lill  of  inoiintains  and  vulcanocs,  have  no  wootU,  and 
liilt  fi'W  |il:iiits.  'i'he  iiKire  northern  islands  aliound  in  wocjil.s  and  fields,  and 
c  \iisii|Uiiilly  in  wild  lieasts.  Aw  to  the  Bava;,'e  inhahitants  of  these  newly 
(lisi  nvercd  i>l;inds,  tliey  iire  hut  one  reincivu  IVoin  liiutes,  anil  <litl'er  fmin  tlio 
inlinliitaiit.s  of  the  islands  lately  iliscovei-ed  in  the.  .  .South  Sra,  lieiiij^  the 
vc'.y  luviise  of  the  friendly  ami  hospitalile  peojile  of  Oluhiilc'  Sliihliii'.t  A</" 
yvrtli.  Ai-f/ii/'iliii/o,  1(»  '_'a.  'i'he  author  l)e;^ins  hi.s  description  of  the  islands 
wi'.li  Ajak,  which  he  ri'preseiits  a.s  l.'tO  versts  in  lircunifereiici',  with  hi,L;li 
ru  l.y  nil  niitiiJMs,  valUys,  dry  Hlopts,  plain.s,  nmrass,  tmf,  nicadow.s,  and 
'ro;;iU,'  ailiiiii;,'  astutely,  *.so  tiiatyuu  may  e.i.sily  ;ii)  tiyrv  all  the  island.'  Ho 
lil.-ii)  states  tiiat  tiie  inliahitants  of  Ajak  cauiiot  he  numliered,  lieeause  they 
Iiiovi'  frinii  island  to  island,  erossiiij,'  htiaits  in  hidais.  In  a  note  the  rather 
rciiiarkalile  explanation  is  ijivcn  that  'liidars  an:  lar:,'e  lioat.s  made  of  wliahs' 
rilis.'  II.,  •2').  1'iic  account  givi'ii  hy  .Shchlin  of  Kadiak  I^dand  is  evidently 
hasiilcin  Siiliivicf'.s  (  xpciirnee  in  I7<i'-.  hutoii  the  chart  the  i.s'.aiid  is  altoL,'ether 
out  of  place,  heiiii,'  south  of  the  Aleutian  islands.  'J'iie  inhaliitants  are  painted 
III  llie  hlackest  color.f,  in  accordance  with  .Soloviet's  iiii|'res.sions.  lie  every- 
V.luic  di.splays  the  f^'ro.s.se.st  i'^'iioralice.  The  word  /orlnissii,  a  Kuniidiatka 
crpii .■fsioii  for  fur  hoois  or  skindionts,  Stalilin  aiijilies  to  t-no\t-sIiocH,  and 
/'./'.>//,  .-uiMiifyiu.,'  thread  made  of  reindeer  .sinew,  Ik;  deliiies  as  thread  nii.dc 
Cif  till-  lihrc  of  a  reed. 

'The  rc)«)rtsof  Tolstykh'.s  voyr.r,'e  iire  conflictinj;;  the  A'cmc  Xni'lir.  j^'avo 
Ir.  ■  i.itiii  a.s  only  I,t;8()'full  {o-owu  Kca-otters,  77>H  ycarlin;,'s,  and  UT'i  paps. 
I'll  ■•A  I'laiTs  it  lit  .'!.0;]!j  i;c:i-otteis,  and  :>,\2  Mue  foxes,  in  addiLion  to  i;ove.ni- 
iiiiiit  trihute  of  lOJ  (;e;i-ottcrs,  and  values  the  cargo  iit  1-20,01)0  ruhlea. 
Kh)\,nf,l.  It..  .-;4,  upp.;  XiHc  Aadii:,  C2. 
UiKT.  Alaska,   t) 


m 

\l 

H 

k 

iP'' 

m  ^  ^'' 

m  '*'' 

m''^  !'i 

'  i 

I 


i 


If 


I* 


i  IP ' 

'  ii  'I 
\t  ■ 


I 


til!;- 1 


1^= ' 


"  "     li.'M 


i:;o       FURTIIF.R  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  rROMVSIII-EXIKr. 

jccts  of  Kussiji  and  to  pay  trilmtc.  tlio  voy.i'^'c'  w.is 
<liily  ie|)ortt'(|  to  tlio  t'lnjuvss,  who  sul>s(<jiuiitly  i» 
warded  Tolstvkh  and  tlu;  two  (.\)ssai-l\s.'^ 

One  vcssi'l  was  <U's|)at»'lu'<l  to  tlio  islaixls  in  ITCtC. 
1)Ut  our  inlonnation  conctjrniiijjf  it  is  meagre.  It  w.is 
Idiilt  and  iittctl  out  under  i\\c  auspiees  of  <lie  uk  i 
eluint  Terontiv  Chehaievski,  and  under  the  iinniediatr 
sn|terintendenee  of  liis  clerk  Vassili  ]?<  j»ot'.  |>i  j  • 
elainis  to  have  found  a  notice  in  tlie  papers  of  Zdoii 
ski  to  tlie  ("Ifeet  that  (^hehaievski's  Vessel  retinnid 
in  I7('».'>  with  a  carijfo  valued  at  104, 'J  IS  ruhles." 

A  plan  had   l>een   formed    l>y  this  c<)inl»itiati<»n  of 
wialthy  niei'chants  foi'  niakinjjf  a  thorouj^h  ex;iinin;i 
tion   ot  the   Aleutian   chain   ami   the   adjoiniiiLT  eon 
tiiient,  and  then  to  deci<le  upon  the  m(»st   l;iv«>i;il-i. 
locality  for  open  inijf  opeiatioiis  on  a  lari^ir  scale.     Th' 
nhjcct  of  the  expedition  was  well  conccivejl  and  d- 
servin*^  of  success,  but  a  chain  of  juifortunate  ciiciii;! 
stances  conihined  to  frustrate  tlu'ir  desions.    'I'liice  <  I" 
the  shij)s  titted  out  hy  the  pariiu'i-s  wei'e  destri)y<  I 
with  all  on  hoard,  and  the  foiu'th   r<'turne<l   withniii 
even  i)ayini^ expenses."   We  have  the  names  ni'only  twu 
of  the  three  vessels  destroved,  the  Zakhar  I  Klrju'tln 

*  Berg  Btatcs  t!mt  anion;,'  tlit>  pripcrs  of  tlie  fciniur  guvcrnor  of  oa.sl<vn 
Silii'ria,  iVnnis  Ivannvii'li  Clicclu'rin,  lio  fniiml  a  nM'ii[>t  nt  tlii'  rni|;r'  ; 
('athcTinc!  of  wliicli  lie  >,'ivfs  tln>  following'  coiiy:  'h'linis  Ivanovicli:  \'ij 
coiiiniiinioatioii  cDnrcrniiij,'  the  suhjcctioii  into  alli -^iaiui'  to  .M<'  of  six  liitlu  1 1" 
iiiiUiiown  jslamls,  as  well  as  (he  copirs  nf  rcixirts  of  ( 'o'^saik  \'assiiitkiii.ski  ,i,.  i 
Ills  coiiiiianioiis,  \  liavc  ri'uil  witli  sati- faftioii.  Su<  li  <  iitt  r|irisf  |ilt'asi's  I  > 
very  liiiicli.  Jt  iH  t(»  lir  dcploiiil  tliat  tlu'  ]ia]!<'is  ^'ixiiiL;  a  nuni'  ilciaii  'I 
ili'siiiption  of  till"  islamls  and  tluir  inlialiitants  liaM-  lf«n  lost  I'.iirin.;  t!.^' 
vni'k  of  the  vi'sscl.  Tlir  pi'oniisc  of  ivwaid  Iroin  Mo  to  tlu'  ninvliant  'l"!- 
si'vkli.  ivtnrnin;^  to  liiiii  tlio  ti-iitli  iiart  of  proiiiMls  ai-i'niin;^  to  Oir.   tri-asm y 

from  L'lich  si'a-voya;;(',   I  fully  a|i|irovc,  and  liiTcliy  onli  r  yon  io  cany t 

tliis  di'sij;!!.  Von  will  also  promote  tlii'  (.'osnaiks  \"assintkin.ski  and  \^\iiw>>\  I'l" 
their  servii'es  to  the  rank  of  Xoliles  in  your  ilistriet.  '  May  tl.il  i;iant  llui  i 
j.'ood  sueeess  in  their  projected  voya^'e  lU'Xt  spiin;,'  an<l  a  Kil'e  return  at  i.s 
ooIK•lM^ion.  Yon  will  impress  upon  the  hunters  that  they  nn.rt  treat  tluir 
new  hrethron  anil  eonntryinen,  the  iniialiitants  of  Our  newly  nei|nireil  i.'ai;  i-, 
witli  the  greatest  kindness  ami  without  i.ny  oppression  or  ahnse.  Manh  -', 
17('>(!.    Catherine.'  Iliiij,  Khiuiiml.  l~/,,  lit!  7;  '>/•'"/<,';//•,  JJ< i'riiij.,  .'tl.">. 

'•  Kliiiiiiiil.  /-./.,  app.;  (Iiririii'jl:.  tliitrnii,  ;U.">.  It  was  evident  that  I'";  ' 
did  not  sail  w  ith  Uiis  < o.pedition,  for  we  see  him  nienlioni'il  as  an  active  parliK  '■ 
in  tliemoree\tensivei  nlerprisis  nndcrtahen  in  l7<^-'l'y 'i'rape/nikof,  I'rota.-'  I, 
i:nd  Lrpin,  r.ei';;'s  I.e.  t  a r.d  most  t;(i|iii  nlly  ijiioii  il  i.nlhoiity  of  ilie  hist^  i y 
of  that  jierioil.     See  ah-o  J/\lii/i  nn/d  ,   Vi  ijioji  <//  Silu  r',v,  ii.  ll.'i;  Andito' .  i. 

'   I  <jiUi.j,i,ui/',  i.    Ll^-  I'M, 


r.xiKi. 


NF.UK  XArniliniTKN". 


ISl 


Is  ill  ITC.o. 

i\  Jt  \V;is 
r  iln>  iiM  r- 
iunnctlintc 
xif.      1  >'•!.; 

;  (tl'   Zflnli 

•1   ]-i'tunu<l 

l)iiia1ioii  (il 
li  cXMinin.i 

:)illi!l<4    roll 

t  I'avoi'iilil'' 
>ri\\v.  Tlic 
{'{\  aiitl  <!■ 
ate  cin-ur.i- 
<.  Tluv(>..f 
L'  »lcstr(»y<  I 
<|  wltlinr.t 
)ronly  tw  ' 
/  Eli:iio  '<< 

I'Mior  of  t'a.-t>   11 

ct  Uk-  llll|  1' 
1\  aiiiivicli:  i  '  i 
<■  .•!'  six  llillii  ',■! 
;i^.-iintkiii.-ilii  ■"■  • 
jiiix'  jilcasis  I  ■ 
;i  llKili'  ili'la:!  'l 
lost  t'.uriu^  '. '  '■ 

lIUTcllUllt     i'i- 

til  thi-.  ti-i'.i-iii.' 
Ill  io  I'any  'lilt 
iaiul  l^iiari'f  t'lf 
«;..l  uiaiit  tlm.i 
■aif  iftiini  at  its 
lilt..'  ticat  tlitir 
ui|iiin'"l  i  'am!-, 
huw.      Maivh  •-', 

.U-lit  tliat  I'.-l'  f 
iiiaftivriiailiif 
■iiikol.  I'r.'tiis-'  I, 
.f  llif  lii.--t"iy 
lll.i;  Aiil'nto',  i- 


I'liiiiDaiKli'd  by  Driisliiimin.  ((WIumI  l»y  KuIUuf,  ami  tlio 
>:.■  Triiitsbi,  or  Holv  Ti'mitv,  ('(HiiniaiKlrd  l>v  J  van 
K(if«>viii.  Tlic  third  is  kintwu  to  iia\t!  Ix't-n  coin- 
iiiaiMlt'd  hy  Mcdvcdt'l",  a  maslcr  in  the  navy.  Tho 
t'.tnith  vi'sscl  was  the  jd'opcrty  of  l'ra|>(V.nil:oi,  l»iit 
w  lio  connnandt'd  Ikt  is  no(  |<n  •wn.'^ 

The  Zd/./tiir  I  /■'/inindi  sailed  from  Okliofsk  tlie 
(Itli  of  Sc|t1rnil)»'i'  I7C.L',  winttrcd  ;it  .\\atcli;i  I5;iy, 
.Hill  jiroci'cdini,'  tin-  follow  iiiij^  July  ic-hIhmI  At  too. 
wlirft'  seven  of  the  slii|»\vrrck('d  ei-ov,  of  the  Sr  I'ctr  i 


l*iiril  were   t.tkcn   on   lionrd.     ()n('  of  tin 


w, 


Kiiitlin,  who  alone  survived  this  <'\]i(»dition  and  I'm- 
i:i-Iifd  a  I'ljiort  of  it.      i'l-oni  Attoo   I  )i'nsliinnin  pro 


cm  let 


I  to  A<l;d<h,  whore  iUlother  vessel,  the  .  \ii(l 


I'r/i  I  II- 


I  \iitii/i(i  was   then   anehoi'ed,  hut  as  the  natix'es  ail 

|i|(i(hlced     leeeijits     lor     trihuti'     si^lled    ItV    Tolstyl.h, 

1  Jiiisliiiuiin  contented  himself  with  lilliuL,^  his  \\;i{er- 
ia>ks  iuid  moved  on.'' 

I'rom  Adakh  the  Ziihhdr  i  J-.'/rjircfn  proceeded  to 
I  imiak  where  a  l>arty  of  (llottol's    men   were  then 

''  \'i'iiiiiiiiiiii,i\   i.    IIS.      Tin"  Hlii|>  iif   Mcilvfilcf   wa-*   lost  Jit   I'liiii.'ik;   tlu! 
sllip  cnlMIM.illiiril  I'V  I  >ril.sllillliill  Wi'.s  lliallln  il  V  Itll  I!  I   illissialis  of  V.  lliilll  lllldJ 


I'lilv  rrttiriui 


iiioiii,'  tliiiM  «as   r.r.-ii^iii  \\  ln>  is  iiuiitiiiiuil  in  Skii/' 


:i7 


IIS   liaviiiL;  M 


iiitci'ni  nil   Kai'.iak    IsLunl  in    I7li.">.      1 


iTLt    <I.'11I11M 


/"./;  ii. 
that  Dni- 


till 


lililiin'.' iicw  CMii.-istril  ot  S  ii;iti\fs  (if  Kainrlialka  ami  lit  Ku.'-.si..ii:;,  iinlildil.^ 
|i<i(iliiviliik  .Miasiiikli.   Khn  iml.  />/.,  ."iS. 


Siiihi 


'Y\v 


yarliiii/i/i  II  is  a  small  ocfavi 


1" 


itol 


i 


'  iiaaii  lilaik  Itttiiaiul  jMilili-.JK  il  in  ll.iiiilimv.' I'lnl  l.ii|i.-ii' in  I77'».      li 

I  .iiitli'irslii|i  nil  ihf  titl<'-|ia'_'c  Imt  tin'  iiiiti.'ls  ,1.  I,.  S.      Mnr  t   liililiu'jiaiilK  i  i 


I  in 


mil",  il  it  aiiiiiiyiiiiiiis,  a.s  the  iiiithiiisiii|i  is  invulviil  in  .--iiinc  i  in  i 


tiiintv.     'I'lii'  lilnarv  of  I'oii 


II 


tl 


U'    Woll 


it.ll.i-IKil 


<1. 


r  .SImIiIiii  <r 


ililin.      M.   .1.   N'liii  Stahliii   ]iiililislu'il    an  acfniiiit  of  tin-    in  \'. 


il'tlii 


ii|ii 


lii'.'.i  ill  the  /'</(/•/! 


('/■;/'  ;•  a 


i/'/ii.-iliir   K'lh  mil  r  '\\\   1771.       'Ill 


tr.iMs|:itc.l  into  llii'ilish  in  LdiiiIiiii.  ilmiii''  tho  siinir  Vi'iir,  in  a  riiiall  oetaxn  \  > 


mill'. 


TIh'io  is,  howcvi'i 


!  Si'iir  Smhriilili 


no  iTa.snii 
.f  I 


tolHli.vo  tli.it  Sta  hlin  was  tlio.l.  I,.  S. 


//,  iis  liiaiiv  <>t  liis  staU'liK'iit.s  111  till'  iiMn  r  woi 


k.l. 


lint  auri 


"illitln;  text  of  the  lattiT.  A  mall  iiaini  tl  A.  L.  .'<t!ilii/i  r  |iiilil:.--hi  tl  in  l!  o 
>i:ii'  1771.  at  llallc,  (it  rmaiiy,  :i  i|iiarto  voluiiif  of  nvt  r  4tH»  |ia;'is  tiilitli  il 
. I ";(<///( /(ic  </.m7/('(7(''.  Villi  ill ,11  X'  I'll II.  titiiiiiiir  'HI  kiiiiiii'il  Milijii'ls.  It  it 
jnflialilf  Miat  in  Mr  Schlti/.r  mc  lintl  tlif  oii-iiial  .1.  I,.  S.,  a;'  the  liist  if  tli'J 
i'itials  I'liiht  t  Jisiiy  have  l«'i'ii  iiiatlvt  rtfiitly  tliaiii^cil.  It  iii  ii  sii;iiilifaiil  faifc 
tl':it  ia  Slitlikof's  viiy,!j.'('  \\c  lintl  wlitilc  jiassi'.'iH  ::ntl  |iii!'is  almost  l!u'  wili;;! 
tiaiisuitioii  friiiii  thf  \iir/irii/i'r  :i.  I'lxiilanatioiis  mitl  luircctioiinof  this  \<>lliiiio 
tti  I'f  siiUttnu  iilly  )iillili.s|ifil  iiiitli'i-  thf  auspices  <if  liufioii  ill  i\\r  S,  jif  l.'/imiUi  h 
•  ''■  I'I  A'i/";-i ,  <!ri  iriiii/!.:,  Jiiiirii'j  .-iinl  I'lilhis  Si  riHsrlii'  II  ilrinj' ..  i.  'SIW. 
li'.itluT  tiiaii  this,  in  Aiin  /'t'fi'/.ollliiii<i.  vi.  I'Jll.  .1.  .V.  L.  Von  Sciili'/cr  is 
1.  <  iitiiiiie-1  as  aiiiiiiii-  of  A'«  M  S^i"/,r<\hlni,  iiiiil  cuncsiiomliny  im  uilji  r  of  the 
i:.;iHri.J  .\i:;t(liniy  of  .Scieuccu. 


U-2 


FL-RTIIRR  ADVENTURES  01'  TIIF,  PROMYSIILEXIKr. 


Jii' 


liuiitiiiLC.  Tlic  ]>civ(l()Vfhik  Mlasnikli  was  sunt  ovA 
\\'\\]\  tliirty-fivi'  uu'ii  to  (.'xjilort-  tlio  coast.  TIu-v  n\^  nt 
t(»  the  iioilli-oast('i-ii  riid  dl' the  island,  and  al'tur  mci  t- 
iiiLT  ovci'vwlici'i'  \vi'  li  iiidii-atioiis  of  the  I't'cciit  |nvse'ir.  .• 
of  I»ussiaiis,  IIk'J  returned  to  tin;  ship  al)out  tlu;  nu,!- 
dle  of  SejitenilH'i',  Ou  tlio  day  of  tlieii-  n;tnrn  Icittcis 
\vere  also  ifceived  tliroiiLjli  native  inessenners  iVn;  i 
l!i.'  vessels  conniianded  Ky  Korovin  and  ^Nredvedei. 
v.lio  liad  lately  located  tlu'inselves  on  tlu;  islands  i.f 
I'lmiak  and  I'nalaska.  J)rusliiiniin  at  once  sent  oiii 
a  reeonnoitrin'''  nai'ty  to  the  latter  island,  and  in  (hi- 
time  a  i'a\<ii'aMe  rejiort  was  received  induciiiLC  tip 
coimnander  to  move  his  cral't  to  Unalaska,  where  hr 
j'.iichoic  ;l  the  "JJd  ne;ir  the  northern  end  ol' the  islauil. 
V>  lien  the  cain'o  had  heeii  landed  and  a  loundali'ii 
l:ad  I), 'en  laid  lor  a  winter  habitation,  two  ol' the  chiefs 
oi'  iieinhhorinj,'  villai^'es  volnntai'ily  opened  I'riendlv 
intercourse  h\- oll'erin^'  ho^ta^cs.  ()thersfVoni  nior.' 
•  lisla'it  setlh  iiients  Noon  I'oHowi'd  their  example. 

This  iVleiidly  I'l'cepri  m  encoura<.;-ed  Drushiiuiin  \> 
adhert!  to  the  old  practice  of  dlvidiiiLj  his  I'orci-  iiit  > 
iniall  ])arties  i'or  the  winter  in  order  to  secure  hettci' 
results  both  in  huntin;^  and  in  procurin-^'  .suhsisteinv. 
The  percdoxchik  accoi'din^ly  sent  out  J*etr  Shekal  I" 
vith  eleven  men;  anotlu'i-  j»aity  of  eleven  men  uuilcr 
^Mikhail  Khudiakof,  and  a  third  of  nine  men  un^!  i' 
"S'efim  Koshi^in.  'I'lie  last  named  I'l-maineMl  at  I  !i 
liarhor;  Khudiakof  located  his  party  at  Ka1ekht;i'>: 
Avhih;  Shekalef  went  to  the  litth!  island  ol'  Inah;!. 
nhout  thii'ty  versts  distant  I'rom  the  ship.  i)i'Ur>hiii:.;:i 
ac«-ompanied  the  latli-r  |iarty.  Stepan  Ivorehn,  \.  ii  i 
suhs(»(juenily  alone  survived  to  relate  the  occurrem  - 
ef  that  disastrous  winti'i",  was  also  a  nieiiiher  oi  i!  ' 
]naluk  paity  who  had  con.^ti'Uctetl  a  cahin  in  cle  j 
jioximilyto  the  natixe  hahitation,  containing*  some 
t  wA'iity  inmates.  The  relations  lu'tween  the  proniy  li- 
]  iiiki  and  the  natives  appeared  to  Iw  aitoLjelln'i- 
tii-ndly,  and  no  irouMe  was  ap|)i-elien<led  until  i  m' 
l>e;^innin'^'  of  Deci mher,      ( )n  the  1th  a  pally  <»[   im' 


SLAUOIITKR  OF  Till;  UU;-;.-;iAX.S. 


iiic'ii  set  out  in  iiio  inoiMiiiin'  to  1oo!v  jil'tci'  tlic  I'ox- 
tnij)s.'"  ])i-usliiiiiiiii,  Slu'k.ilit',  and  SIic\'yriii  Hkmi  paid 
;i  visit  to  till.'  iKitivi!  (l\vi'llin;j,'.  Tlu-y  had  just  mtrnd 
t!ic  low  aportiirc  when  they  wjiv  s«;t  upon  hy  a  lunn- 
licr  ot"  arnu'd  nicn,  who  knocked  down  Shckalcf'  and 
|)ius]iinin  with  (•hil)s  and  tlu'ii  finished  thiin  with  tho 
knivi'sthev  hout^dit «)!' thi'Ui  thed.iv  Itel'ore.  Shevvriii 
h.id  taken  witii  him  from  the  house  an  axe,  and  uhca 
the  ixcited  savngus  turned  thtii*  attention  to  liini  lio 
liiadf  sueh  i^'ood  Use  ol'  his  Weapon  tliat  lie  suect-edi'd. 
ill  rc'^rainiiig  tlie  ivussian  winter-ijuaitns  alisc,  thou.uli 
siV(  rely  wounded.  Ih'a'^inand  Kon-Iin  at  once  l)i";a!i 
In   liic   upon    the    Aleuts   with   their    muskets   IVoi.i 

within,  hut  Ivokovin.  who  happene(l  to  he  outside, 
was  (juiekly  surrounded,  thi-own  down,  and  assaulted 
with  knives  and  spears  until  Korelin,  armed  with  a 
Ii,il;i'  Ix'ar  knil'e,  made  a  "gallant  soitie,  woiuided  two 
nt"  the  islanders,  put  the  othei-s  to  llight,  and  rescued 
his  hall-dead  e(»nnade." 

A  close  sie^e  of  jour  davs  jojlowed  this  san'Li'uii-.Mry 
ell  .laiight.  'ihe  tire-ai'ins  ol'  the  Ivussians  preveuti'd 
a  iliai'^'e  hy  the  enemy,  hut  it  was  unsafe  (»  show 
tlieiiiselves  otltside  the  llUt  eVeli  for  a,  moment,  il 
-'  ,iicli  of  water  or  food.  To  add  to  theirappi'ehensioiis, 
tlie  savages  dis|»layed  in  plain  view  the  garments  and 
;i;iiis  of  their  eomradi's  who  had  gone  to\isit  the  fo\- 
t;a|is.  a  sure  iiidieation  that  they  were  e  » jongei"  among 
I'll  living.  Tuder  the  shelter  of  nighl  the  lvussian-4 
1  luiiilied  a  hidar  and  pulled  anay  out  of  the  harhor, 
till'  natives  watehing  thi'ir  moNcments.  hut  making  no 
.•iltclllpt  to  pursue.  (  )nee  out  of  si';ht  of  their  en- 
t  iiiii'>  Korelin  an<l  the  other  I'ugitivis  landed,  pulled 

'" Iter;,' states  tliiit  I>nisliimiin  Hcnt  out  llu'-f  iiicii  ami  tlirii  rcsiilvcil  ti>\i-it 
till' iU\i  lli'i;;  I'l'  tln' iiativis  w  i.li  till-  rciiiaiiuli  r  ■'!  IiIm  iihii,  Kmrliu,  l!ia;.;i.i, 
f'l.i'vvi'iii,  Kiikiivin,  ami  nn"  ntlicr.  In  tlir  .\t  m  Siwlini-hl,  n  \m'  liiiil  i,:i 
iif.i.mit  nt'  till' (HiMiiTrmc  liiijii  iin,'  <''iiisi(|itMli|y  in  its  (|f!ail.->.  I  >iiisliiiiiiin  ^ 
I'  iiiM'  i^  n<it  iiii'n;ii>iiiM|,  w  jiiji'  tlir  niiinlMr  n  niMiiiiii'.'  at  linnic  in  }{iv(jii  un  livi-, 
Mirkalcl',  Kniiliii,  I'liM^riii,  Sln'\vriii,  ami  KukiAiii.  'I  In  ri' is  t\ii  y  ii'a«ii(  ;  i 
lii'li' vt,  linwcMT.  tliiit  lii'iL!  uan  ciH  Tci't.  an  I  ini  .liiiiiiiii  \\  IK  «  ill 


iiiiiii  \\.iK  \Mtli  tin'  p'lfty  a 
I'l  ii'it  ip]  fill'  ill  liny  iii'i'oiiiit  nf  «ulisii|\ii'nt  cviiiti.    A'A/mi/d/,  I*!.,  .»'.•;   St 


it 
.\''    ' 


.•)  (t 


XtKkr.,  77;  <.'oxt'«  Jtunninn  U'tMoetfkit^  i.  liHj  \'i nitmiiuii',  i, 


[i:  1 


HI' 


I'll 


131        FUHTllKR  AI>vrATlTvi:S  OF  TUK  rilOMYSIILKXIKL 

their  Ixtnt  upon  tlie  l)t>;icl»,  and  set  out  across  tlir  liili- 
to  K;ilclJit;ik,  wliLie  (Ik'V  i'Xliccicd  to  lind  .KIiii(li;ikii| 
idid  his  diitiuhiiKMit.  Jt  was  after  dark  wlicii  ihi  y 
rwH'lic'd  tho  iKiL,dil)()rhood.  Tlioy  fired  sii^iial-j^uii^. 
l»ut  leeeivin!,^  no  reply  they  uisely  kept  at  a  di.stan<« . 
iJelore  loii;,s  liowevt-r,  they  f\)und  themselves  pursutd 
}i\  a  horde  of  savaij^es,  and  discoveriiiiL;"  an  isolated,  pii  - 
eipitoMs  I'ock  Jiear  I  ho  heaeii  whieh  eould  he  ilefendiil 
lor  a  time,  they  eonelud«'d  to  make  a  stand  there.  With 
tlu'ii-  lii-e-arms  they  iinally  heat  i-lf  the  pursneis  aii.l 
r<sumeil  their  retreat,  this  time  with  hut  little  Impr 
«>f  lindiuL^'  those  alive  who  had  remained  with  the  shij', 
]'resentlv  an  ohii-et  eau<'hl  their  eves  which  conlii'im  il 
their  woi'st  ap[)rehensions.  It  was  the  main-hal 
]\in''"  on  the  lieaeh,  haviuLj  heeii  washed  \\\)  hv  t 
v.avi's.  Without  waitiui,^  further  coiilirmat  ion  of  tin  ii 
i'ears  the  four  men  took  to  the  mountains,  hiding-  1  i 
the  ra\  ines  until  nii^htfall.  Under  c(»ver  of  darkin  ^^ 
they  approached  the;  anch()rai''e,  only  to  iind  the  ship 
liroki'U  U[>,  and  some  stons  with  the  dead  hot'ies  nl 
tlieir  conu'ades  scationd  on  the  beach,  (latlu'riiiu  i 
i\'\v  packages  of  dried  ii»h  and  some  empty  leath^  i 
iirovision-haii's  thi-v  stole  away  into  the  hills,  whciv  a 
lemporary  shelter  was  hastily  constructt'd.  '^i'luiiv 
thev  made  occasional  excursions  at  ni<;ht  to  the  sciik 
el' disastei',  which  nuist  have  occurred  simultaneously 
with  those  of  liialuk  and  Kalekhtak,  in  search  'i 
i>:ich  needed  ai'ticles  as  had  heen  left  hy  tile  sava;4;c-.' 
'i'he  leatluT  provision -ha  _il;s,  though  cut  open,  wtic 
\iiy  acce[»tahle  as  material  for  the  ctuisiruction  of  a 
hmall  hidar. 

J"' roll!   till'  l)(h  of  December  17(>;1   imlil   the  2d  "t 


'-  l)ii\  idol'  tills  II  story  (if  the  tiiaiiiicr  in  wliii'li  tlic  .Mcuts  sccunil  a  ciini:!- 
tiiiicuiis  iiii.sliiu.L:lit  ii|>iiii  nil  Ihrci'  ut'  tin'  liii.s^iaii  «li'tai'liiiii'iitM.  Aci'ok'iii.' 
t'l  him,  tlii'V  iiwirtcil  to  tin-  ulil  ilu\  ic<!  of  (li>tiiliuf  iii;^  fiiimii;,'  tlio  clii''--"' 
>illii;:('M  lihiiiilcH  of  Nlickx,  ii|U:il  ill  iiiiiiilit'r,  one  of  wliicli  whh  to  bu  liiuiu<l 
I'Mi'ii  (lay  till  thu  hiHt  (lr>i;.'iiiitt'i!  llu'  ilay.  Ih-idriiliinir  I'lili  ^hii-luW,  \\.  li'T 
\  <  iiiaiiiiiiof  riillriiliH  tin  kIoi  v  aini  ilt'cliiri'H  it  to  In-  an  iiivciitioii  of  |)a\>'i"i, 
II  '  til)    Alrllt.s  had  llilliilirrs  ll|i  to  a  tlloliH^iliil  mill  roiilil  iiiHlly  IlliM'  a|>|l"^'  '  ' 

nil''  <hi\  without  the  lii'l|iof  Hiiikis.    V(iiiitiiii,fi\  /n/i,,-/.!,  i.  i|,s.    No  iiiiii'i'ii 
lit  it  \->  iiiuih-  ill  .\'i  »(   .Xtirluii  lit,  II.     IJiT^'  al»o  miolo.s  iJitvidof,  .V/kV^vj/'.-  I  >'!J- 


.KNIKL 


KOROVIN'S  KXl'KDITIOX. 


l.lj 


Kliutliaki'l 

wlu'ii   till  V 

;it^iml-;4iiii-. 

a  tlisliiiiiT. 

.X'S  pUl'.SUctl 
>C  tlel't'lKl'  '1 

lu'vo.  ^Villl 
in'sticrs  iiii.l 
:,  little  hojir 
1th  tlu'slii|'- 
•h  coniirnn  (I 

luain-liatili 
[  ii|>  l>y  lli> 
itioM  (»rtli(  ;r 
lis,  h'urm;^,"  ii 

nl'  (hukiii  -- 
liiul  the  slilp 
iid  lioi'irs  i'\ 
( Jatlu'riii;a'  ■' 

ipty  U-atli'  1 

/ills,  wlu'iv  a 

ThrlK. 
to   tho  HCl'lH 

lultancou-^lv 
It  scarcli  'I 
11  u"  sava;j:«-.' 

n|H'tl,    W'  I' 

Inictioii  <'i  ;i 
II  the  2(1  "1 

I  SCfiUlTll  ft  Hiiiiiil- 
lints.  ALOinlilii! 
Illlvf   till!   clii'  '-"' 

Lilrt    to    1>1!    llUMl'^l 

I,  ,lr-l<iir,  ii.  "'"• 
lit  loll  of  l>ll\iil"l. 
Iv  liiiM-  ai'li'i'i''  ' 
I'l  IS,  No  iiiiu'i''" 
It.  :ihtiilci>j' 1  lutf- 


T(!»rnai-y  1"(!lthoso  unl'ortiiiiatcs  ivinaiiKMl  in  liidiij^-, 
l.iit  oil  the  latter  date  their  hidar  was  .suc-fe.ssl'ully 
liiuii-lied,  and  hetoro  inoniinL?  tiie  l)arty  iiad  i'iiierL,''ed 
j'roiii  Kaj)i<()n  liay,  coastiiiLf  to  the  westward  in  search 
(if  niii;  oi'  Ti'a})i!/nik(>r's  vessels  eoiiinianded  l»y  K'Um- 
\iii.*'  TliDUudi  travellinLj  only  at  nii^ht  and  hiiliii'^- 
anioiig  tho  cliil's  hy  day,  they  were  soon  discovei-ed  l>y 
ili(!  natives,  and  in  the  vieinity  (»!'  Makushin  village 
ihcv  were  ('oni[)elled  to  sustain  a  sir;^o  of  live  Wfcks 
ill  a  cavc',  exposed  to  constant  attacks."  Durin!^^  I  his 
whole  time  tlu'V  sull'ered  inten.sclv  iVoni  huniicr  and 
ihiist,  and  woidd  certainly  have  succninhed  had  it  not 
hi  III  I'or  an  ani|)li'  sujt[»ly  of  powder  and  lead  which 
juivt'iiteil  theii'  enemies  iVom  en^'ai^iiii;'  them  at  <-losi; 
t|!iaiTi'rs,  At  last  on  the  ;!()th  ol' .Maich  the  Innitlves 
Mii'cecdi'd  in  ioinin'-'  their  count  lymen  undci' Jvoro\  in, 


v.lio  wcri' 


then 


I  siationi'd  on   the  southern  sliori'  of 


Maku.shin  '•";*'.  Shevyrin  died  at  I'nalaska  duiiiiLj 
tlic  same  ,i  n,  the  other  three,  Korelin,  Kok(t\in, 
ii'.id  Ih'a^in,  recoveri'd  their  strength,  hut  only  the 
loviiicr  linally  ri'ached  Ivanii-hatka  with  Soloviefs  v 
fx\,  alter  [ias.siny  ihrongii  additional  \ ici.ssitudes. 


es- 


Tho  ship  *SV  Ti'd'ifshi,  whii-h  Koi-ovin  conunanded, 
was  littetl  out  in    I7(!'J  hy  Nikolor  Trapeznikol",''  and 

"  V(  iiiiiiiiinof  in  I'flatiiiL'  tliis  (ii'i'iiri'i-noi'  luMn  tlii't  u  cliiiiitaltk!  niifivi' 
f'Miii'l  tlif  fn'titivi'silnriii'i  tlic  winter,  iiml  not  only  t'liiUil  to  Ixti-iiy  tlimi,  luit 
f;:|i|ili('<l  tliciii  \\  itli  iiiovi.sioiiN,  piiyiiij^'  tlit  in  oi'ca.sii'iiai  htealtliy  \  i:<i*..>iat  nir,lil. 

I'l  ,  '  r,;(''/)ii/',  /llj).,   i.  iii). 

'   IliriJ,  Khfiwil.  hi.,  "-!  l>viiki\  J'lif.,  ii.  Ii:i. 

'•Jtii';.;  hiii-ci'ciUmI  ill  collfi'tinL!  tlu'  t'olluuin;,'  data  coiiii  riiiiiL!  tlio  tnin.i^u-- 
ti'iimot  tills  <'iitt'i|irisiii^  liti/t  ii  of  likiit.'U.  In  tlu'  rouiHtof  '.'."i  yniiH  ho 
ili'-Iiiifilu'd  III  Vessels  ii|ion  voyaj^i'Hof  ili.sroxt  ry  to  tin'  tastu.inl  of  l.;'i;i- 
t    iska.     lli.s  (iliitika  AiXoVii   inailo  tliici'  voya;.  r.i  Ix  twcm   ITii-  a'ii<l    IVCn!. 

A  .-'ii;,il  iHi.'it  naincil  tlic  /'('.•./(  iftiirnril  in  l7o7  "itii  nn  <\<' lin;;ly  li.li  cat  r  >, 

X  .ill.  .1  at  -.'."iJ.iKKt  nil.lcs.  'I'JK'  Sr  VV(.<.'.</.(,  ilu'  ,Sr  I'-lr  >  Sr  I'url,  and  on.- 
I  t., IT  Vessel  wliiili  ietilined  ill  ITH.'l  \Mtli  a  eari'ii  \allieil  at  {((."i.TII'l  rntiji-i, 
ii'.'  Iieloiifieil  to  'rrape/nikof.  'I'lie  Mia-oiter-HkiiiH  aloni-  lii'oii;.'lit  liy  l!ii:vi 
I  piiluioiis  nimilM'l'erl  iiver  lO.Otltl.  liel;,' eom  Indes  as  fnllciUM:  '  It  Would  !.i' 
tl  li;!eie-.t  to  Know  how  niiii  li  w  i  all  !i  'IVai  t/liikof  i(  ali.'ed  out  of  all  tlnwi 
•  it.  rpriseH.  hall  Savii  li  Lipin  told  ine  tliat  tlir-injili  loi<seM  sustained  in  mi!!i" 
I  i  I:'h  niidertakiii;;  1,  and  tliioii.:li  llie  liitduniitry  o|  some  ol  Ium  delitiiii, 
'!'•  |H\-iiikof  siiiidenly  found  Idi.inelf  ndiucd  liom  wialtli  to  jioviTty.'  |i::4 
e'  !  -e  \\;is  pas.'^J'd  in  «tiaitetifd  eiieliin  •tlinee-*,  i  lid  !  e  !i  li  luili  Ij  fliol!;;!l  t'l 
il  uiy  ilii;  (.xia-uttfu  of  hill  Iniiial.  ht'ininil.  /«/.,  UJ-II,  .1;-^'. 


f 


it 


):i(5      iriiTirF'.ii  Ai>vr.\Tri!Ks  of  tiik  i'noMYs;iTLi:xiKT. 

sailed  fVoiii  the  iMoiitli  (if  tlic  KMiiicli.'itka  Kivci*  om 
tlif  I. (til  «»r  Si'j)t('inlK'r,  witli  a  cfcw  of  tliir<y-('i;;li! 
Jviissiaiis  and  six  KaiiiclialUaiis.  Tlioy  {(asscd  llic 
winter  nil  liciiii"^-  Island,  i-cniaiiiini;-  until  i\\r  1st  nl 
August  of  the  Inllow  inn'  year,  'I'lie  ship  fitted  nut 
l»y  INotassol'  and  eoiuinantled  hy  Medvedef  had  al><i 
wintered  there,  and  hel'ore  saiiin^if  the;  two  eonunander- 
made  some  exehaii'^es  in  theii-  erews.  After  sustain 
\\\[f  some  loss  l»y  death,  Kofovin  had  at  tlu^  time  <!' 
his  de|iartin*'  from  IJerinL*-  island  thiity-sinen  nu  n 
and  Medvedef  fortv-nine.      hoth  vessels  ma<le  a  slmit 

4' 

run  to  the  Aleutian  Islands,  reuehinuf  the  straits  in 
tween  Tnuiak  and  Tnalaska  on  the  lath  of  Aiinust. 
Medvcdet'   concluded    to    i-emain    on    I'mnak    IsioiJ 
while  Korovin  s<'lected  an  anchoraije  on  the  I'liaia- 


shore 


Tl 


le  native  villages  <»n  t he  co, 


1st  a 


I'! 


»i'are( 


!  (. 


lie  deseitcd.  l)ut  a  short  distance  inland  some  iiihai»it'  il 
d\\  tllill'_!;s  were  found.  'V\\^'  chief  of  the  settli'llKMit, 
olli  red  si'veral  small  hoys  as  liostaLjes,  and  producid 
trihiite  receipts  sii^iied  liy  the  ( 'ossack  Ponoiiiai'.r 
Koio\in  e\idently  was  satislii-d  with  his  icci^ption.  ;i  < 
he  rettiriie<l  immediately  to  the  ship,  landed  his  whole 


eaiLTo,    erected    a     lain'e    hut    ol     dllll-\V< 


MM 


ant 


1    1 


tiiiit 


S( 


111 


•\eral  hidars  for  his  hunting;'  part  it 
In  a  few  Weeks  all  the  arraiiLi'eiiK  nts  for  the  wiiitri' 
Were  made,  and  Koi-ovin  set  out  with  two  hoat^ 
manned  hy  nine  men  each,  our  ot'  them  commande  I 
liy  llaiiiashef,  who  had  \isited  the  is|;ind  previou.sly 
with  (Jloltof.  They  visited  three  \il!a^'esin  succe- 
sioii,  iiieetiiii,'  everywhere  willi  a  friendly  lece|ition  e;i 
the  |iart  of  the  chiefs,  hut  nearly  all   the  adult  mah  ^ 

appealed     to    he    alisellt      iVoHl    home         Alter    the    .s;il  • 

return  of  this  party  another  expedition  was  s<'iit  o 

to    the    east    side    of    the    i>lan<l    whence    tlieV  also    \< 

turned    unmolested    ai'comp.iiiii'd    hy   some    hostai;< 
haxiiii;  met    duriiit;-   their   ioiirney  with   some   men  « 


i:l^ 


I  )ru>>hiimiii's  party.      I''eelinj4"  ""^^'  '^'d'e.  Koi-ovin  s( 
out  a  huiitinj^' parly  o|"  twenty-three  under  llarna>li 


1.1 


ni/>, 


/'((//<ii,  Mni'ilitiifii   til  itnij',  I.  '271, 


FURTHKR  IIOSTILITIKS. 


137 


ill  two  liidars,  to  the  west  end  (»!"  llio  island.  V.iu'h 
1.  ;it  c.iri'it'd  ti^lit  iiuiski'ts  and  cviTV  maii  IkmI  a  |)ist(»l 
,iiii|   a    laiitr;  [iruvisioiis   lia*l  Ifocu   juijiaivd   lor  tlie 

U  illti'I'. 

At  various  iiiiu's  duiiiiu^  tlu-  season  K>ttcrs  wero 
i(<iivt'<l  from  the  dotacliod  j»ai'lit>s  i-(|M)r<iii'L;'  tliiir 
>al'«tv,  l)iit  ahout  tlio  middle  ol"  I  )('cinilur  Ivoinvin 
iiciived  wai'iiini^  that  a  lari^c  force  of  natives  was 
iiiat'eliini,'  toward  the  slii|>  with  hostile  desii^ns.  'I'he 
I  lussian  (MMMniandcr  at  onee  railed  his  men  under  arms 


!  . 


\V.. 


tCtSt  u(   ThC  CONfUCT 

UklW  fckM 

PnOMYSHLENIK  &  NATIVES 

»%    Itik    IBI   AMI   Of 

UUNAK    X    UNALASKA 
¥u>u\ 


K   H-'ni    •  I'll*  ••■  l*liv«| 

•    -  -lllH*ttll>l>ll.'»ll*<k. 

—  -«.. ••      -. 


.....411  vs'       ^-'''      -.-> 
•  •  ,('        ■)■•••      ■      •■     ■ 


-  ■■       ;!  .■...-'■,r'"-K'''''"v.  1  ' 

v^  »■         / 


/  / ,» i- 


*/ 


/ 


r 


.X 


^ 


I 


LKiCNU 

l>  Ujl.^  (.'U^*.! ).'•  *t4li»«* 

I*  t>«i»  atiM*  hxtalin**  |-Ml|  ««>  l>««i«^f*l, 
tj.k h'*  MtiiUi  Mni-   r^v     Ulu(  tfwWiivt^i 

II, tv  <i<mM'*  <)tat  UaJtug  'X  t'M*U«ha. 

I  >t.*iM.rii"i>"»-i«i..h. 

k.ltl    lt..r.W*l',>.*iM*  .»l«*wt»lMMM 

^•»ru.  I>.l.r«|.n|. 
1.  n   ,,i«t  .,«««i.4«  «r  K«tv<  Ik  •'l#<.lH««i«  b 

.A.M.I...  WIUi- 
,\n 


Sii: --K  ur  ("(IN  II I  If. 

aihl  ke|.t  a  striet  wateh.  The  followiiiL;'  day  ahout 
M'\enty  savaiLjes  made  their  a|i|»earan<'e  earryiiiL;'  I'un- 
tllis  tif  sea-otter  skins  in  order  to  throw  the  jiromysh- 
I' ||il^i  ojf  their '^uard;  hut  lvoro\in  wonid  allow  only 
I'll  of  them  to  a|i|iitiaeh  his  house  at  the  .same  time. 
i'lie  savai-'es  |»ere«M\  in^;'  that-  their  dt'sii^n  was  known, 
•iii'l  that  >ur|>ri.se  had  heenme  im|>ossih|e.  dis|ici.--i  d  e|' 
t!i' ii- fm-s  t|uii'tly  and  retreated.  (  )n  the  same  excn- 
i:i.;,  liowiNcr,  three  nali\es  of  kanieliatka  came  to 
l!i''  liouse   ill  a   ureat  fri''li(,  iciioriiii.:-  that    the\-  he- 


irA 


rn:Tiii;u  advkxturks  vv  the  promysiilexiki. 


mi 


ir' 


l<)i)irt«l  If)  Ktilkof's  ship,  tliat.  is  to  sjiy  Drusliimiiii's 
jiaitv,  iiin!  that  tlic  vessel  liucl  been  ilestioyecl  ami  all 
tln'ir  nMiiiviilcs  killfd. 

Tilt'  pvoinysliieniki,  now  iliorounlily  alarmed,  |)i( - 
|)aiv«l  for  (lefeiice.  vVl'ter  remaiiiiiii;'  iiiiinolested  I'ni 
two  days,  ii  lavj^o  force  attacked  and  Ixsiei^ed  tin  iii 
tio-i-ly  fill-  four  <lays,  during-  wlii<li  time  two  Itussians 
wep  kilk'd  with  arrows,  and  li\e  natives  were  counted 
dead  on  the  Held.  On  the  lil'th  day  the  enemy  rt - 
tr«at<!d  to  a  cave  near  hy,  keepint^  U|>,  however,  a 
vij'ilant  l>iocka(h>,  and  makinn*  it  danu'ercius  to  pioceed 
{:ny  dist;ince  Irom  tlie  house.  Woi'U  out  with  c(>ii- 
Hlant  watiliiiijjf  and  lirin;^^  Korovin  at  last  conchKlid 
to  huiv  his  iron,  tlu.'  ailicle  most  covefcd  Kv  tln' 
savaj^es,  and  his  stores  (►!'  hluhher  and  oil  nndir  the 
IioUhe,  and  to  letreat  to  the  sliip.  His  |ihin  was  car- 
ried out,  and  the  shij)  iincliored  within  a  sliort  <listaii(r 
ct'tli*;  shore.  Tlie  (hini^-er  of  sudden  attack  was  thus 
l«'ssened,  hut  huiiu'r  and  the  sctnvy  were  thire  ;i- 
relentless  as  the  savages.  At  length,  on  the;  'Jdth  of 
April,  recnforced  by  the  three  fugitives  from  J)rti- 
shiiinin's  conunand,  Korovin  ])ut  to  sea,  hut  so  reduci d 
was  his  cj-ew  tliat  thi'  ship  » ould  scarcely  he  worktd. 
])uring  a  gale  on  the  'J^Sth  the  unfortiinat(!  jnom;. - 
hhleniki  weie  wn-cked  in  a  cove  im  Umnak  Inland. 
^Several  of  the  sick  died  or  were  drowiu'd,  and  (,'iglit 
i»f  the  hostages  made  their  escape.  Tlie  arms,  am- 
munitlon,  s(»me  sails,  and  a  \\  \\  sia-lion  skins  were  .;!1 
thai  c«>uld  l<e  savt-d.  A  temporary  shelt«raiid  ioilil,- 
cation  was  consti'ucted  of  I'mpty  casks,  sails,  and  skiii  •, 
where  tilt!  remaining  sixteen,  including  three  <lisahh  I 
by  wurvy,  the  three  hostages,  and  the  faithful  inh  i- 
•reter,  Kashmak,  ho|)ed  to  secure  some  jvst   bef'  i  • 


leir  iKipo  was  m  van. 


!<reter,  JVasnmaK,  no|)e(|  to  se 
«  thinning  a  new  struggK>.  Tl 
J)ui-!iig  the  first  night  a  large  party  of  savages  ;i|'- 
])r«»ached  stealthily  I'rom  the  sea  and  when  within  t 
Ji'W  yartls  of  Ww  miserable  encam|)ment  tlischarg'd 
their  sjK'ais  and  arrows  with  <ei'iil)le  cH'ect,  piercii  u' 
the  tent  and  the  bariicade  of  .sea-lion  skins  in  m; 


I'  \' 


TIIK  RUSSIANS  CLOSKLY  PRKSSED. 


139 


rava^fs  v\>- 


iilaces.     Two  of  tlit;  KiLssiaiis  aiul  the  tlu'co  liostai^os 
^Vll■(•    killinl,    and   all    lliu    other    liushiaus   iscvcivly 


WOlllK 


led. 


Tl 


ic   oils 


laiiLilit  was  so  sudden  that  tliere  \vas   i 


lO 


time  to  ^et  ready  tlie  fiie-unns,  hut  Koi'ovin  willi  four 
of  tlio  Kast  ihsahled  seized   their  hiiiet's  and  made  a 


.so 


itie,  killinj^  two  of  the  sava;4'es  and  (h'ivinj;'  away 
the  remainder.  Covered  with  wounds,  th«j  five  hiave 
men  returned  to  their  eomra(K's,  now  thorou,i,ddy  iVir^- 
heartened.  In  the  mean  time  tlie  ji^alw  liad  eontinued 
niiahated,  hreaking  uj)  the  stran<Ied  vessid  and  srai- 
1t  riiii^  tlio  eai'!'"o  upon  tlie  heueh.  Soon  al'tiM'  (hiv- 
li'4lit  tlio  natives  retuj'ned  to  resuni(>  tlu,'  woi'k  of 
I'luuder,  the  llussians  beinj^  too  loeMe  to  interi'ere. 
Tluy  earried  olf  what  hooty  they  eould  and  remained 
away  two  days,  duiiiii;'  whieh  tiniesueli  of  the  wounded 
jiriimyshleniki  as  were  still  ahle  to  move  about  picked 
ii|i  what  fra_L,anents  of  provisions  and  furs  the  savaij^es 
had  left,  also  a  small  (juantity  of  iron.^'*  On  the  'JDth 
(lii'd  one  of  the  woumled  men,  who  was  also  snirti'- 
in'4  from  scurvy.  Three  days  al'terward  one  hundred 
and  lifly  islanders  aj)proachi'd  fi'oi.:  the  east  and  lired 
at  the  liussians  with  muskets,  but  the  bullets  fell  wide 


the  1 


iiarlv 


ir» 


They  then  set  lire  to  the  diy  grass  in 
uvAi'V  to  burn  out  the  fugitives.,  A  constant  filing 
>i|'  lilt!  Kussians,  however,  foili'd  fluii-  efforts,  and  at 


cs 


la>t  the  savages  rt.'tii'ed.  'V\\v  vict  a>  found  tlu-nistK 
ill  such  u  state  of  j)rostration  that  they  remained  on 
the  same  sj)ot  until  the  21st  of  July,  when  the  few 
survivors,  twelve  in  nunibi-r,  six  of  whom  wen;  nativts 
<A'  I'Camchafka,  eniltarked  in  a  roughly  <'onstrncted 
hidar  in  search  of  Medvedi'f  s  party.  iVfter  ten  days 
el'  coiisting  the  suflei-ers  arrived  at  a  place  where  the 


charred  remains  o 


f  a  1 


I 


mined  vi'ssi 


•1,  of  t>)in  »''ai'inent> 


lils  and  riuui'i'-.  u'iue  evidence  of  anotlui'  disaNter 


'o»    !-> 


'•  Vfnlnmiof,  Z<i]>.,  i.  1.12-1;  San/rh/,  Putfsh.,  xi.PM 

'"A  inrlinn  <.f  tliis  iron  wmm  ci't  iisii!!!  jih  an  oll'i  riiij;  to  tin-  Hliiitii-  of  tli' 
n  ii'i  >\liii>t' i:M-istiiiii'i'  liny  iiii|ili)i'cil  ill  tlii'ir  <ii.-.ti'<  s-i,    Xriii   Xmlir., 'M  ■'.. 

"'Ilii.i  i;;  till'  111  iiir.t!iiuii  rci'onliil  iif  llir  iiM' 111"  I'm  ■a^lll^*  ly  llu' ii.i.Im; 
.\K  lili.iiii,,  Xt  hi:  .N'i(i7./'.,  U.".;  ^■j'tlmj',  in  MuDiLiji  tiliwtilk,  c.  40. 


1  !0        rniTIIKR  ADVKXTURKS  OF  TITK  PROMYSIILKNIKI. 

Flllt'd  with  .Mlarni  the  fi|f]fltlvos  laiidrd  iui<l  liastciuMl 
up  to  a  lioiisc  wliicli  had  t'sca|)('(l  destruction.  It  was 
tMDpty,  hut  ill  an  adjoininj^  hathdiousc  twenty  <lead 
bodies  weri!  found,  ai>ioniL(  theuj  tliat  ol'tlie  coniniander 
^ledvedet".  Tlierc  was  some  intheation  of  tlie  rorpses 
haviui^  heon  (hv)<4L;('d  to  the  sj>ot  with  sti'aps  and  hehs 
titMl  aroiuid  their  neeks,  hut  no  further  details  of  the 
eatasti'ophe  could  i)e  ohtained,  and  not  a  soul  sur- 
vived to  tell  the  tale.-"  Necessity  coni|»elled  K(»rt»V!n 
to  remain  at  this  ohastly  spot,  and  preparations  were 
niadi'  to  repair  the  house  for  tlu^  ap|>roachin_i;-  w  intei-, 
when  Sti'paii  (Jlottof,  who  in  the  mean  time  had  ar- 
rivt'd  on  the  othei'  side  of  Unmak  Island,  made  his 
a|)p(>aran<'e  with  eight  men.     The  so  lately  des]  airing' 


\>J  <i;i 


jiiouiyshleniki  were  wild  with  jo\,an<l  jor'n'ettii 

the  instant  theii*  huni^er  and  diseases,  they  pLnnicI 

further  ventures,  ai^i-eeine-  with  (Jlottof  to  hunt  and 


trad 


e  on 


jouit 


a  ceo 


unt. 


The  voya<^o  of  (ilottof,  coverijiir  the  four  yi'aiv; 
fioiii  I7(')"J  to  irC)")  inclusive,  was  hy  fai-  the  mot, 
important  of  the  carliei-  e\p«'ditions  to  the  islands, 
and  constitutes  an  enoch  in  the  swarmiuir  of  the  itro- 


myshleniki. 

A  new  vessel  to  which  was  niveii  the  old  name  <  I' 
Aii<}i'('iiUi  I  Xnfulhr^  was  huilt  in  the  Kamchatka  ]Jiv<  i' 
hy  Tereiitiy  ( 'hehaievski,  Vassili  and  I\an  l*opt»l".  an  I 
l\;in  Lapin,  and  saile<|  ou  the  1st  of  ()ctoher  I7iij, 
under  connnand  of  (Jlottof,  wintering'  at  ( 'o[)per  l.d- 


aiu 


l;.i 


••"»  Ki'iK-  Xnrin:,  lO.'i;   T 


iiKif,  /Ciiji.,  i.  !)S;   111  I'll,  K/ifiiiiii/,  /st.,  70. 


■'"  Sliip  iiiiiiiciulntui'c  ill  Aliiskiiii  Miitcrs  nt  tins  lime  is  <iiiilii'iiiiif.    St  I'i'ti  r 


aii<l  St  I'mil  V(  re  the  favorites,  Imt  tliLTe  wric  otiicr  iiiiiiii's  I'liiitiniici 


1  fr 


OIK'  siiip  ti>  :iiii)tli('i',  ami  tlio  suiii<'  iiatiii!  ^vaHcvcii  given  to  two  Niii|m  alloat  iit 
tlu*  Haiiie  tiiiic. 

'^■Siinj'liij\  I'lilfnh,,  ii.  .'i?.  I>iirinj5  tli«  wiiitiT  Vakof  .\JalfvinMkoi,  witli  l:t 
liM'li.  \t;is  hint  to  llcriliu'  Island  in  a  liiilai'  with  llistniitioiis  to  uatlicr  uii  \«  li.it. 
ii-.<l'iil  liiatiiial  Hiili  iiinaini'il  ot  jli  riiij,''H  vrssil,  u  liiili  si't-ins  tu  liavc  ln'i  ii  i 
nia>;a/.ii f  naval  stons  tor  tlu'  |ii'oniyslili'iiiki  lot-  nearly  a  ijiiartt'i-  of  a  n  n 


till  \. 


MalrxinHkoi,  ulioilii'il  sliortiv  alt<  r  liis  VMva;^i>  to  Itcriii''  is'iiind, 


very  Mircfssfiil  in  liis  niissioii,      Mr  scciiiril  lictwctii  I'l'.'lit  ami  nino  Iminli 
liiil.ml.-<  of  old  ii'on,   tIMI  |iouiids  of  l'i{L;;^'iiit{  aini  calilc,  soim'  I' ad,  stVi'lal  tl 


bumi  btriii^s  of  Ix'utU,  an<l 


some  I'Dpiicr 


i'l" 


.v. 


.\'<(i7(i 


KC, 


or  a  tunc  t. 


V()VA«;i:  or  iilottof 


Ml 


On  ♦lie  2(){\\  iir.fiily  l7';-'{  ( jIlottorMuiiiii  jmt  lo  sea, 
jiii'l  nt'tcT  a  trdiniis  and  .'^toniiy  voyai^t'  sij^hti'd  I'lu- 
l.ak  CM  till'  'J-lth  of  Au^^nist.  Ilavilli;'  plrviously 
Ai^iti'd  this  island  and  I'nalaska,  wlu'iic'c  lii'  lirouj^lit 
tin-  lin-t  l)lack  foxi'S  to  Kainciiatka,  tlif  connnander 
cniicIiKlcd  not  to  loiter  tliciT,  Itiit  til  sail  on  in  search 
{)['  n<\\  discoveries.  J'assiii;^-  ei^ht  lar!4e  islands  and 
a  nmliitnde  of  smaller  ones,  (ilottof  linally  anchored 
ell  the  Sth  of  Sei>teinl)er  otf  tlu'  coast,  of  a  lar^c  and 
mountainous  island,  called  Kikhtah  l»y  tlit!  natives, 
hut  HOW  known  as  Kadiak.  The  tirst  meetin;^  of  the 
]iiis->ians  with  the  inhahitants  of  this  isle  was  not, 
J  roniisin_!^.  A  few  of  the  savages  ap|»r<»ached  thi' 
s'ii|>  in  their  kyaks,  l»ut  the  Aleut  inti')*j)i-et«.r,  ]\an 
(ilut('>r,  a  j^oilchild  <»f  the  comniandei",  co\dd  not  con- 
v.ith  them,  and  when  on   landiiii;'  some  haltita- 


VeiM' 


tlons  Welt'  (liscdverec 


d,tl 


lev  W( 


■re  found  to  1)(;  desertt  »l. 
A  lew  days  later  a  ])arty  came  to  the  Russian  camp 
with  an  Aleutian  hoy  who  ha<l  heen  captured  seveial 
vi  ais  hcfortMluiinij  a  hostile  descent  of  the  Kadiak 
pel. pit!  upon  the  island  of  Sannakh,  and  through  him 
iiitcrconi'se  was  held.  (Jlottof  endeavored  to  pcr- 
;  iiade  the  .sava^^es  t<»  pa\'  trihute  to  the  imperial  ,^o\  - 
(  nniient  and  to  furnish  hostages,  hut  tlu'V  refused. 
The  natives  here  were  ol'  iieict  r  aspect,  more  intelli- 
j;'enl   and  manly,  and  of  liner  jthysitpie  than  thost;  of 


j-iiiii;.    St  I'-'tcf 

|<mlimto<l  fii'tit 

sliijiK  titloiit  at 


initlioiitifx  lit  Kiiiiii'liiitliii  iiiiil  fipiliiililtn  tlic  ])roinyslili'iiiki  to  visit  r(iii|)i.T 
l>l,iiiil,  iimliT  ilic  iiii|>ri'«.Hiim  that  viiIiiiiIpIi'  ilriiusits  of  coiipt  r  \vi  rr  loca'.iil 
tluif.  In  I7"i."i  I'ttir  \«ki>vl(  f,  i\  niininj;  riiuiiK  tf,  wan  onli  itil  to  tlu'  i.<liiiiil 
t"  \u\  >  >li^'ntf  the  liiattiT.  <  111  llif  iioit  li-\M  .it  )ii.ilil,  ulu-ic  tlii'  lialivr  fopiHi* 
l;iiil  litrii  i(|i(ii'ti'il  to  (Sist,  w.i.t  a  liaifow  li'<  f  of  loc  U^  ."oinc  "Jd  or  'M)  fatlioiiis 
lil>\i<lth.  |>ai'tiully  i-o\  i  nil  at  llooil  ti<l<',  l<iit  N'akoxicf  .•.tatcil  that  he  coiilil 
Hot  ili^riivir  any  iiulicatioii  of  coiiiirr  tiu'i'i'.  (in  aiiotlHi' iccf,  i\iiiiiiii^' ^till 
fiii'tlicr  out  into  tiic  sia,  lie  luiticiMi  two  vcini*  of  n  iMi  -li  nml  (.'itcni-li  appt  .ii- 
aiicc,  liiii  the  nit^tal  hail  loni;  xinri'  lircn  ri'inovnl  with  the  aiil  <>l  pii  ks  ami 
ii'l/fw.  At  till'  luoi  if  thi*  ri'i'f,  iiowi'vir,  he  fonml  pii  rrs  of  iii|i|iii- 1  Aiijcntly 
HiiiiKilhcilliy  tl'(  ai'tiiin  of  tiiu  sea.  t 'attain  Knnit/iuin  I7<W  ri'iiortril  that 
liiiu'h  i'o]i|ci'  w.'.H  foiiiiil  on  the  i.-lami.  tlMt  it  vas  wasli.il  tip  li\  llu>  sra  in 
M;<lii|ilaiili'iin  tl  at  ihi|  N  conlil  \h-  Iwaiinl  with  it.  /'iilliK,  yt.nl.  ll-Hr..  i.  '2'tH. 
'1  he  .-.utlior,  howcvci-.  ninarkM  that  at  th''  tinir  of  hi>  wi  itiny.  I7*><'.  Ili<'  roppi  r 
lii\'l  (.■.natly  iliniini- IhmI  in  ipianlity  ami  Imt  iVw  pirr:  h  l.u;4ii'  than  a  luan 
i-mi!'!  Ill"  foiunl.  /aiUi'f,  anotin'i-  navi/atoi'.  i' porti'il  aliotit  tin-  haiiu-  linii' 
tliat  1  opin'i-  Wat  v.asiitil  npi'n  t!u^  hraili,  hnt  tliat  one  of  the  proniontorii'.i 
)>iv^>t'uLu(l  I'wvy  ik^)|ituti'unui)  of  It  lojuicr-uuiii'. 


[ii.^ 


Hi!:      . 


1 »'_»     FrnTiTEn  advfa'tures  of  tiir  rnoMYsriLFNiKi. 

tlic  nu)i'(!  wostcjni  isl(>s.  At  iirst  tlicy  would  not  even 
allow  tht!  inturpn.'bT  to  nMiiiiin  temporarily  with  tin; 
liu>ssians,  but  a  few  days  later  the  boy  made  liis 
:i|»]Haraiiee  in  the  liussian  cam]),  and  subsecpiently 
|iioved  (»f'  j^reat  service  to  his  ntsw  patrons. '-"'  Under 
such  circumstiuiees  (ilottof  deemed  it  best  not  to  <lis- 
ehartxo  the  caru^o,  but  to  keep  the  ship  moored  in  ;i 
b.iy  near  the  mouih  oi'  a  crei'U,  where  she  floated  at 
every  hinli  tide.     A  strict  watch  was  kept  nii;ht  and 

•  lay.  lOaily  on(>  morniniLi;  a  lari;'e  body  ol"  armed 
isliindt-rs  crept  U[»  to  the  anchoraLCe^  unobserved,  and 
sent  a  shower  oP  ajrows  upon  tin*  Russian  sentinels 
hidden  behind  the  bulwaiks  on  the  deck.     The  i^uards 

•  lischarocd  their  muskets,  an<l  th(!  (U'af'eninjjf  .s()un<l 
sent  th(!  savaj^es  scatterinj^.  Jn  their  wild  alarm  tin  y 
left  on  the  j^round  riide  lad«lers,  pa<'kan-es  of  sulphui, 
<lrie<l  njoss,  and  biTch  bark,  a  proof  of  tlu'ir  intention 
to  lire  the  shij),  and  also  of  the  I'act  that  the  Kadiak 


il 


lik 


<1 


peojile  wei'e  a  race  nioic  waiiike  an<l  nuti'e  (lani>'(M'oMs 
to  deal  with  than  the  Aleuts.  They  were  certainlv 
fertile  in  both  otUusive  and  defensive  devices;  fur 
only  four  days  after  the  first  attack,  |)revious  to  which 
they  had  been  unac(|uainted  with  tire-arms,  tin  v 
a^ain  made;  their  appearance  in  lai'^c  forces,  and  pro- 
\  ided  with  inu'eniously  contrived  shields  of  wood  and 
v.ickei--woik  intended  to  ward  off  the  1  Russian's  hulht-. 
The  islandei's,  ho\ve\-er,  had  not  had  an  o|>j>oi'tunily 
of  I'sl  iniatin«r  the  force  of  missiles  proj)elled  by  powdti', 
f.)r  the  ]\*ussians  had  j)urposcly  fii'ed  hiiih  duriiiiL,'  their 
attack,  and  another  rout  was  the  resalt  of  a  second 
ehai'n'i'. 

The  defeated  enemy  allowed  three  W(^eks  to  pass  hy 
without  molestini^  the  intiuders,  but  on  the  'JCitli  ol' 
( )clobcr  there  was  vet  another  attack,  'J'he  elaborat" 
pi'ejiarations  now  made  showed  wonderful  abdity  I'"!" 
!  avaiL;-es.      Seven  larye  })ortalile  breastwoi'ks,  conueal- 


V 


'  Tliis  Iniy  wim  Hiilw<|iii'iitly  Uikoii  to  Kiiiiu'liiitkii  iiml   Iwtptizeil  ini 


'I'     IWIIIIC    II 


if  All 


i.l.r  1' 


l|Hlt. 


Aar/ir..  Klii:    I 


llll'IIIIIIK 


'l\  Z'^ 


Itr. 


I'ui'  iniiiiiHi's  iiinl  iiiHtiJiiiy  of  tliu  ulxjri^iiK'H  hcu  Aatirv  Jiiicm,  vol.-*.  i.  ami 
tliia  .-A'l  ic.i. 


TIIK  RUSSIANS  AT  KADfAK. 


N3 


iii<;  from  tliiify  to  forty  wnrriors  onoh,  wore  noon  np- 
iiroiu'liini;  the  Vi-sscl  «';iply  oiu'  iiioi'iiiii'L,',  ami  \\1i»mi 
in';ir  ( iioiij^li  .spi'in's  and  arrows  licL^an  to  dioj)  likt;  hail 
imoii  ih«'  iUmU.  Tlic  proinyslilniiki  replied  with  vol- 
l  V  after  volley  of  nmsketry,  hut  this  tiiiM-  the  shields 
appeared  to  l»e  btdli't-pi'oof  and  the  enemy  kept  on 
,!(!\ant'in'L,''  until,  as  a  last  resort,  (Jlottof  landed  a 
ImkIv  oI'  men  and  made  a  I'lu-ious  eiiar^c  upon  tlu! 
inlanders,  who  were  jLi:rowin«^  nioic  hold  and  deliant 
i\i'i\-  moment.  'I'his  unexpected  attaek  had  th(! 
(I.  sired  ell'eet,  a?id  after  a   hiief  stru<;'nle  the  sava'. 


(•S 


(ho|)ped  their  sliields  and  sought  safety  in  llin'Iit. 
The  result  of  this  third  hattle  caused  the  natives  to 
despair  of  di'ivimjf  olf  the  Jiussians,  and  to  witlulraw 


Irom  tlu'  nei<'liii(»r»ioo( 


ohh 


Deeminj^  it  daiinei-ous  to  send  out  huntinuf  ]>arties, 
(doltof  employed  his  men  in  coii>;truetint;' a  house  of 
tliift-wood  and  in  securiiiiLj  a  j^ood  supply  of  such  tisli 
a>  cduld  he  ohtained  from  a  <'reek  and  a  laj^'oon  in  the 
iiiiiiiediate  vicinity  of  the  anchoi-a^^e.  I  jale  in  I  )(>cem- 
lu  r  two  natives  made  their  a|)peai'anc(!  at  the  llussian 
1  aiii|i.  'I'hev  held  a  lonijf  parley  with  the  interprt  ter 
lidni  a  safe  distance,  and  linally  came  up  to  the  Inaise. 
Kind  ti'catnient  and  persuasion  seemed  to  have  no 
I  H'ect ;  noi' did  pi'esents  even ;  instinctively  thesi' most 
iiMrllectual  of  sava^'es  felt  that  they  had  met  their 
fate,  'riiev  Went  awav  with  some  tiillin^^  U'ifl^,  i>nd 
I'll  another  native  was  seen  hy  t  he  disappointed  (<lot- 
t'l"  till  April  of  the  following-  yeai-.  l''our  men  then 
iiM'  to  the  encampment  and  wei-e  |iersuad('d  to  sell 
•me  fox -skins,  taking;  elass  heads  in  payment.      Ah, 


fa 


till' vanitv  of  hmnaintv  I     Cotton  and 


liail  no 


attr 


let  ions. 


I) 


I'uanien 


t    hel 


woollen    l;'oo(IS 


ore    (li'ess. 


heV 


appeared  at  last  to  heru'Ve  in  (ilottof's  professions  of 
flit  iidship,  and  wcid  away  promisinuT  t(>  persuade  their 
|M  (iplc  to  come  and  trade;  with  the  Uussian.s.     Shortly 


"  Xin,'  Xnrhr.,  Illil  10;  /!>r;l.  Kliroiinf.  It., IT,.  Tllf  IM.illtnt  wlliill  fllottof 
iMiiilr  his  liist  Iriiuliii;,'  \v;is  n.'iir  lln-  Nuutii  rii  rml  of  tliu  island,  ])'■"''"'''>'  "•'"'■ 
111':  (ilrsrllt  Vlllltyu  ot  .\mlwllUlllk. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


IIIIIM 
IIIM 

m 

m 


M 

IIIM 

120 

1.8 


1.25      1.4     1 1 A 

-m 6"     

► 

Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


n  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER, NY.  MS80 

(71fr)  972' ^503 


A 


_^- 


144       FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 


afterward  a  party  brought  fox  and  sea-otter  skins, 
accepting  glass  beads;  and  friendl}^  intercourse  ensued 
until  Glottof  was  ready  to  sail  from  the  locality,  whore 
his  party  had  sufFered  greatly  from  disease  without 
derivin<2:  much  commercial  advantaijc.^'' 

Glottof  felt  satisfied,  however,  that  he  was  near  to 
the  American  continent,  because  he  noticed  that  the 
natives  made  use  of  deer-skins  for  dress.  In  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  the  Russian  encampment  there  was 
no  timber,  but  the  natives  said  that  large  forests  grew 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  island.'^" 

Through  Hohnberg's  researches  in  Kadiak  we  pos- 
sess the  deposition  of  a  native  of  the  island,  which 
evidently  refers  to  Glottof s  sojourn  on  Kadiak. 
liolmbei'g  states  tliat  he  passed  two  days  in  a  hut 
on  the  south  side  of  tho  island,  and  that  he  there 
listened  to  tlio  tales  of  an  old  man  named  Arsenti 
Aminak,  whom  he  designates  as  the  "only  speaking 
monument  of  pagan  times  on  Kadiak."  A  creole 
named  Paniilof  served  as  interpreter,  and  Holmberg 
took  down  his  translation,  word  for  word,  as  follows: 
"  I  was  a  l)oy  of  nine  or  ten  3'ears,  for  I  was  already 
set  to  paddle  in  a  bidarka,  when  the  first  Russian  shij) 
with  two  masts  appeared  near  Ca]»e  Aliulik.  Before 
that  time  we  had  never  seen  a  ship;  we  had  inter- 
course with  the  Aglegnutes  of  Aliaska  peninsula,  with 
the  Tnaianas  of  the  Kenai  peninsula,  and  with  the 
Koloshes;  and  some  wise  men  even  knew  something 
of  the  Californias;  but  ships  and  white  men  we  did 
not  know  at  all.  When  we  es[)ied  the  ship  at  a  dis- 
tance wo  thought  it  was  an  innnense  whale,  and  were 
curious  to  have  a  better  look  at  it.  We  went  out  to 
sea  in  ourbidarkas,  but  soon  discovered  that  it  was  no 
whale,  but  another  unknown  monster  of  which  we  were 


'*  During  tlic  winter  the  scnrvy  broke  ont  among  tlie  crew  and  nine  Rus- 
sians died.  iV'  III'  2*>'cirlir.,  Ill;  Jlrrij.  Kluvnol.  JkI.,  Oli;  Sortfchi'f,  Pufixh.,  ii.  .'W, 

'•"'On  the  'J.'itli  (if  Ajiril  (dottcjf  fent  Luka,  Vtorushin,  with  11  n)on,  in 
eearcli  of  niati  )ii(l  to  ni!ik<'  Jiodjis  f(ir  water-casks;  he  returned  the  following 
day  with  a  Rupi'ly.  and  rejjorted  grovos  of  alder  and  willow  ut  u  distance  of 
uhout  !iO  miles.  2\cut:  Auclii:,  llo. 


AMINiVIC'S  STORY. 


145 


afraid,  and  the  smell  of  which  (tar  probably)  made  us 
sick.  The  people  on  the  ship  had  buttons  on  their 
clothes,  and  at  first  we  thought  they  must  be  cuttle- 
fish, but  when  we  saw  them  put  fire  into  their  mouth 
and  blow  out  smoke  we  knew  they  must  be  devils,  as 
we  did  not  know  tobacco  then.  The  ship  sailed  by  the 
island  of  Aiakhtalik,  one  of  the  Goose  Islands  at  the 
siAith  end  of  Kadiak,  where  then  a  larjfe  villajofe  was 
situated,  and  then  passed  by  the  Cape  Aliulik  (Caj)o 
Trinidad)  into  Kaniat  (Alitak)  Bay,  where  it  anch- 
ored and  lowered  the  boats.  We  followed  full  of  fear, 
and  at  the  same  time  curious  to  see  what  would 
become  of  the  strange  apparition,  but  we  did  nc't  dare 
to  approach  the  ship.  Among  our  people  there  was  a 
l)ravo  warrior  named  Ishinik,  who  was  so  bold  that  he 
feared  nothing  in  the  world;  he  undertook  to  visit 
the  ship  and  came  back  with  presents  in  his  hand,  a 
red  shirt,  an  Aleut  hood,  and  some  glass  beads.  Ho 
said  there  was  nothing  to  fear,  '  they  only  wish  to  buy 
our  sea-otter  skins  and  to  give  us  glass  beads  and 
other  riches  for  them.'  We  did  not  fully  believe  his 
statement.  The  old  and  wise  people  held  a  council  in 
the  kashimay^  and  some  said :  '  Who  knows  what  sick- 
ness they  may  bring  us;  let  us  await  them  on  the 
shore,  then  if  they  give  us  a  good  price  for  our  skins 
we  can  do  business  afterward.' 

"  Our  people  formerly  were  at  war  with  the  Fox 
Island  people,  whom  we  called  Tayaoot.  My  father 
once  made  a  raid  upon  Unalaska  and  brought  back 
ain(jng  other  booty  a  little  girl  left  by  her  fleeing 
})arents.  As  a  prisoner  taken  in  war  she  was  our 
slave,  but  my  father  treated  her  like  a  daughter,  and 
brought  her  up  with  his  other  children.  Wo  called 
her  Plioo,  which  means  ashes,  because  she  had  been 
taken  from  the  ashes  of  her  house.  (Jn  the  Russian 
ship  which  came   from   Unalaska  there  were  many 


"  A  large  Iniilding  wlicre  the  men  work  in  the  winter,  and  also  used  for 
co\uicil8  and  festivities.     For  a  full  description  of  these  i)eoplo  see  2^'aiive 
Huccit,  vt'l.  i.,  this  series. 
HiBi.  Alaska.    10 


146   FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 


(   I 


I  ,^  :,.j. 


\i 


Aleuts  and  among  them  the  father  of  our  slave.  He 
came  to  my  father's  house,  and  when  he  saw  that  his 
daughter  was  not  kept  like  a  slave  but  was  well 
cared  for,  he  told  him  confidentially,  out  of  gratitude, 
that  the  Russians  would  take  the  sea-otter  skins  with- 
out payment  if  they  could.  This  warning  saved  my 
father,  who,  though  not  fully  believing  the  Aleut, 
acted  cautiously.  The  Russians  came  ashore  together 
with  Ihe  Aleuts  and  the  latter  persuaded  our  people 
to  trade,  saying:  *Why  are  you  afraid  of  the  Rus- 
sians? Look  at  us,  we  live  with  them  and  they  do  us 
no  harm.'  Our  people,  dazzled  by  the  sight  of  such 
quantities  of  goods,  left  their  weapons  in  the  bidar 
and  went  to  the  Russians  with  their  sea-otter  skins. 
While  they  were  busy  trading,  the  Aleuts,  who  car- 
ried arms  concealed  about  them,  at  a  signal  from  the 
Russians  fell  upon  our  people,  killing  about  thirty  and 
taking  away  their  sea-otter  skins.  A  few  men  had 
cautiouslv  watched  the  result  of  the  first  intercourse 
from  a  distance,  among  them  my  father.  These  at- 
tempted to  escape  in  their  bidarkas,  but  they  were 
overtaken  by  the  Aleuts  and  killed.  My  father  alone 
was  saved  by  the  father  of  his  slave,  who  gave  him 
his  bidarka  when  my  father's  own  had  been  pierced 
with  arrows  and  was  sinking.  In  this  bidarka  he  fled 
to  Akhiok.  My  father's  name  was  Penashigak.  The 
time  of  the  arrival  of  this  ship  was  the  month  of 
August,  as  the  whales  were  coming  into  the  bays  and 
the  berries  were  ripe.  The  Russians  remained  for 
the  winter,  but  could  not  find  sufficient  food  in  Kaniat 
Bay.  They  were  compelled  to  leave  the  ship  in  charge 
of  a  few  watchmen  and  moved  into  a  bay  opposite 
Aiakhtalik  Island.  Here  was  a  lake  full  of  herrings 
and  a  kind  of  smelt.  They  lived  in  tents  here  through 
the  winter.  The  brave  Ishinik,  who  first  dared  to 
visit  the  ship,  was  liked  by  the  Russians  and  acted 
as  a  mediator.  When  the  fish  decreased  in  the  lake 
during  the  winter  the  Russians  moved  about  from 
village  to  village.    Whenever  we  saw  a  boat  coming  at 


DEPARTUEE  FROM  KADIAK. 


147 


He 


were 
alone 
ve  liiiii 
pierced 


a  distance  we  fled  to  the  hills,  and  when  we  returned 
no  yukala  (dried  fish)  could  be  found  in  the  houses. 
In  the  lake  near  the  Russian  camp  there  was  a  poison- 
ous kind  of  starfish;  we  knew  it  very  well,  but  said 
nothing  about  it  to  the  Russians.  We  never  ate 
them,  and  even  the  gulls  would  not  touch  them; 
many  Russians  died  from  eating  them.  But  we  in- 
jured them  also  in  other  ways.  They  put  up  fox- 
traps  and  we  removed  them  for  the  sake  of  obtaining 
the  iron  material.  When  the  Russians  had  examined 
our  coast  they  left  our  island  during  the  following 
ycar."^^ 

On  the  24th  of  May  Glottof  finally  left  Kadiak, 
and  passing  through  the  numerous  islands  lining  the 
south  coast  of  the  Alaska  peninsula  made  a  landing 
on  Umnak  with  the  intention  to  hunt  and  trade  in 
the  same  locality  which  he  had  previously  visited. 
When  the  ship  entered  the  well  known  bay  the  houses 
erected  by  the  promyshleniki  were  still  standing,  but 
no  sign  of  life  was  visible.  The  commander  hastened 
to  the  shore  and  soon  found  signs  of  death  and  de- 
struction. The  body  of  an  unknown  Russian  was 
there;  Glottof 's  own  house  had  been  destroyed,  and 
another  building  erected  near  by.^" 

On  the  5th  of  July  an  exploring  party  of  sixteen 
discovered  the  remains  of  Medvedef's  ship,  and  the 
still  unburied  bodies  of  its  crew.  Upon  consultation 
it  was  decided  to  take  steps  at  once  to  ascertain 
whether  any  survivors  of  the  disaster  were  to  be 
found  on  the  island.    On  the  7th  of  July  some  natives 


errmgs 
irough 
red  to 

acted 
lake 
t  from 

ingat 


''  This  narrative  of  which  we  have  given  above  only  the  portion  relating  to 
r.lottof'a  visit,  coming  as  it  iloes  from  the  mouth  of  an  eye-witness,  is  interest- 
ing, but  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  determine  its  historical  value,  as  it  is  im- 
possible to  locate  or  identify  nil  the  various  incidents.  Tlie  lirst  part  evidently 
rtfera  to  the  landing  of  Glottof,  though  there  is  a  wide  discrepancy  between 
tlie  latter's  account  and  tiiat  of  Arsenti  Aminak;  in  his  estimate  of  time  the 
latter  is  certainly  mistaken  and  ho  does  not  mention  the  hostile  encounters 
between  natives  and  Russians  related  by  Glottof.  He  also  ascribes  tlie  mor- 
bdity  among  the  invaders  to  the  consumption  of  poisonous  fish  instead  of  to 
the  actual  cause,  the  ravages  of  scorbutic  disease.  Holmhcrg,  EthiiO'jraphiiche 
Skiz:cn;Sari/che/,  Pufesh.,  ii.  42-.3;  Grewiv/jk  Beitr.,  316. 

^Berg,  Khrotiol.  IsL,  70;  Pallas,  Kord.  Beitr.,  i.  276. 


!ii 


14S       FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  rRO:MYSHLEXIKI. 

approached  the  vessel  and  endeavored  to  persuade 
Glottof  to  land  with  only  two  men,  for  the  purpose 
of  tradini]f,  displaying  at  the  same  time  a  lar<jfo  number 
of  sea-otter  skins  on  the  beaclj.  When  they  found 
that  their  devices  did  not  succeed,  they  retreated  to 
a  distance  and  began  to  fire  with  muskets  at  the  ship, 
without,  however,  doinsj  anv  damaije.  Later  in  the 
day  a  few  natives  came  oft'  in  their  canoes  and  pad- 
dled round  the  ship.  As  Glottof  was  desirous  of  ob- 
taining information  concerning  the  recent  occurrences 
on  the  island,  the  bold  natives  were  not  molested,  and 
finally  one  of  them  ventured  on  board  the  ship,  par- 
taking of  food,  and  told  freely  all  that  had  happened 
since  Glottof's  visit,  hinting  also  at  the  existence  of 
Korovin's  small  party  in  some  part  of  the  island. 
He  acknowledged  that  it  had  been  the  intention  of 
the  natives  to  kill  Glottof  after  enticing  him  to  land, 
imagining  that  they  would  have  no  difficulty  in  deal- 
ing with  the  crew  after  the  leader  was  despatched. 
After  a  vain  attempt  to  find  Korovin's  camp,  some 
natives  advised  the  Russians  to  cross  the  island  to 
the  opposite  side,  where  they  would  find  their  country- 
men enixaijed  in  building  a  house  beside  a  brook.  Tiiu 
infcjrmation  proved  correct,  and  the  hearts  of  Koroviu 
and  his  men  were  soon  gladdened  by  the  appearance 
of  their  countrymen. 

Glottof  evidently  did  not  intend  to  feed  the  addi- 
tional members  in  idleness.  In  a  few  days  he  sent 
out  Korovin  with  twenty  men  in  a  bidar  to  reconnoi- 
tie  the  coast  of  Umnak  and  search  for  fujjitive  Rus- 
sinns  who  might  have  survived  the  various  massacres. 
For  a  long  time  he  could  find  no  living  soul,  Russian 
or  native;  but  at  last,  in  September,  he  fell  in  with 
some  parties  of  the  latter.  They  greeted  the  Rus- 
sians with  musket-shots,  and  would  not  listen  to 
overtures.  At  various  places  where  Korovin  at- 
tempted to  stop  to  hunt  the  natives  opposed  his 
landing,  and  engagements  ensued.  At  the  place  of 
the  massacre  of  liarnashef  and  his  crew,  his  bidar 


KOROVIX  AND  GLOTTOF. 


113 


aiul  the  remains  of  his  cargo  wore  found,  and  a  few 
\V()mcn  and  boys  who  lingered  about  the  pkice  were 
talven  prisoners  and  questioned  as  to  the  details  of 
the  bloody  episode. 

Later  in  the  winter  Korovin  was  sent  out  again 
witli  a  party  of  men  and  the  Aleut  interpreter,  Ivan 
(Huttof.  They  proceeded  to  the  western  end  of  Un- 
alaska  and  there  learned  from  the  natives  that  a  Kus- 
sian  vessel  commanded  by  Solovief  was  anchored  in 
one  of  the  harbors  of  that  island,  Korovin  at  once 
shaped  his  course  for  the  point,  but  reached  it  only 
after  several  sharp  engagements  with  the  native:^, 
iniiicting  severe  loss  upon  them.  He  remained  with 
Solofief  three  days  and  then  returned  to  the  scene  of 
his  last  encounter  with  the  natives,  who  seemed  to 
have  benefited  by  the  lesson  administered  by  Korovin, 
being  quite  tractable  and  willing  to  trade  and  assist 
in  hunting.  Before  the  end  of  the  year  the  deep- 
rooted  hatred  of  the  liussian  intruders  a«»"ain  came  to 
the  surface,  and  the  hunters  concluded  to  return  to 
the  ship.  On  the  passage  from  Unalaska  to  Umnak 
Ihey  had  two  engagements  and  were  finally  wrecketl 
ii])on  the  latter  island.  As  it  was  midwinter  they 
wore  forced  to  remain  there  till  the  Gth  of  April  Ibl- 
luwing,  subject  to  the  greatest  privations.  After 
another  tedious  voyage  along  the  coast  the  party  at 
last  rejoined  Glottof  with  a  small  quantity  of  furs 
as  the  result  of  the  season's  work.  On  account  of 
Korovin's  failures  in  hunting,  Glottof  and  his  part- 
ners declared  the  agreement  with  them  void.  The 
brave  leader,  whose  indomitable  courage  alone  had  car- 
ried his  companions  through  an  appalling  succession  of 
<lisasters,  certainly  deserved  better  treatment.  The 
Kamchatkans  beloncfinff  to  his  former  crew  entered 
(ilottofs  service;  but  five  Russians  concluded  to  cast 
their  lots  with  him.  In  June  they  found  Solovief, 
MJio  willingly  received  them  into  his  company,  and  in 
his  vessel  they  finally  reached  Kamchatka.^" 

'"Tbo  vessel  commanded  by  Solovief  was  owned  by  Ouledcvski,  a  mer- 


150       FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 


Mr  r 


r-"  '      i: 


i ! 


Solovicf  had  been  fortunate  in  his  voyage  from 
Kamchatka  to  Umnak,  passing  along  the  Aleutian 
isles  with  as  much  safety  and  despatch  as  a  trained 
sea-captain  could  have  done,  provided  with  all  the 
instrumeilts  of  modern  nautical  science.  In  less  than 
a  month,  a  remarkably  quick  passage  for  those  days, 
he  sighted  the  island  of  Umnak,  but  finding  no  con- 
venient anchorage  he  went  to  Unalaska. 

A  few  natives  who  still  remembered  Solovief  from 
his  former  visit,  came  to  greet  the  new  arrivals  and 
informed  them  of  the  cruel  fate  that  had  befallen 
Medvedef  and  his  companions.  The  Cossack  Kore- 
nef  was  ordered  to  reconnoitre  the  northern  coast  of 
the  island  with  a  detachment  of  twenty  men.  Ho 
reported  on  his  return  that  he  had  found  only  three 
vacant  habitations  of  the  natives,  but  some  fragments 
of  Russian  arms  and  clothing  led  him  to  suspect  that 
some  of  his  countrymen  had  suffered  at  the  hands  of 
the  savages  in  that  vicinity.  In  the  course  of  time 
Solovief  managed  to  obtain  from  the  natives  detailed 
accounts  of  the  various  massacres.  The  recital  of 
cruelties  committed  inflamed  his  passions,  and  ho 
resolved  to  avenge  the  murder  of  his  countrymen. 
His  first  care,  however,  was  to  establish  himself  firmly 
on  the  island  and  to  introduce  order  and  discipline 
among  his  men.  He  adhered  to  his  designs  with 
great  persistency  and  unnecessary  cruelty.^ 


31 


•  •iH 


chant  of  Irkutsk.  It  was  the  8v  Petr  i  Sv  Pavel  which  we  have  so  often 
met ;  it  had  sailed  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kamchatka  river  on  the  '2-ith  of 
August  1764.  Berg,  Khroiiol.  M.,  7.3. 

^'Berg,  while  faithfully  relating  the  cruelties  perpetrated  by  Solovief, 
eeems  to  nave  been  inclined  to  palliate  his  crimes.  He  says:  '  A  quiet  citizen 
and  friend  of  mankind  reading  of  these  doings  will  perhaps  execrate  the 
terrible  Solovief  and  call  him  a  barbarous  destroyer  of  men,  but  he  would 
change  his  opinion  on  learning  that  after  this  period  of  terrible  punislinieiit 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  never  again  dared  to  make  anotiiei 
attack  upon  the  Russians.  Would  he  not  acknowledge  that  such  measure! 
were  necessary  for  the  safety  of  future  voyagers?  Curious  to  know  hov 
Solovief  succeeded  in  his  enterprise,  and  how  ho  was  situated  subsequently, 
I  questioned  Ivan  Savich  Lapin  concerning  liis  fate,  and  i-eccived  the  follow- 
ing answer:  His  many  fortunate  voyages  brought  him  great  profits,  l)ut  as 
he  was  a  shiftless  man  and  rather  dissipated  in  liis  habitu,  he  expended  dur- 
ing evei-y  winter  passed  at  Okhotsk  or  in  Kamchatka  the  earnings  of  tlirec 
years  of  hardships,  setting  out  upon  every  new  voyage  with  nothing  but  debts 


SOLOVIEF'S  PROCEEDINGS. 


151 


Solovief, 
iet  citiwu 
icrate  tla- 
he  woiiltl 
luishnient 
anotlu'i 
mcasuri" 
now  \wv>' 
equeutiy, 
lie  follow - 
ts,  l)Ut  U.S 
ided  ilur- 
3  of  tlirt:i; 
but  dcljt3 


Solovicf  had  not  quite  finished  his  preparations 
when  the  savage  islanders,  made  bold  by  frequent 
victories,  attempted  the  first  attack,  an  unfortunate 
one  for  the  Aleuts.  The  ])romyshleniki,  who  were 
ready  for  the  fray  at  any  moment,  on  this  occasion 
destroyed  a  hundrt5d  of  their  assailants  on  the  spot, 
and  broke  up  their  bidars  and  temporary  habitations. 
With  this  victory  Solovief  contented  himself  until 
he  was  reiinforced  by  Korovin,  Kokovin,  and  a  few 
others,  when  he  divided  his  force,  leaving  half  to 
guard  the  ship  while  with  the  others  he  set  out  in 
search  of  the  "blood-thirsty  natives,"  who  had  de- 
stroyed Drushinnin  and  Medvedef. 

The  bloodshed  perpetrated  by  this  band  of  avengers 
was  appalling.  A  majority  of  all  the  natives  con- 
nected with  the  previous  attacks  on  the  Russians  paid 
with  their  lives  for  presuming  to  defend  their  homes 
against  invaders.  Being  informed  that  three  hundred 
of  the  natives  had  assembled  in  a  fortified  village, 
Solovief  marched  his  force  to  the  spot.  At  first  the 
Russians  were  greeted  with  showers  of  arrows  from 
every  aperture,  but  when  the  natives  discovered  that 
bullets  came  flying  in  as  fast  as  arrows  went  out,  they 
closed  the  openings,  took  down  the  notched  posts 
serving  as  ladders,  and  sat  down  to  await  their  fate. 
Unwilling  to  charge  upon  the  dwellings,  and  seeing 
that  he  could  not  do  much  injury  to  the  enemy  as 
long  as  they  remained  within,  Solovief  managed  to 
place  bladders  filled  with  powder  under  the  log  foun- 
dation of  the  structure,  which  was  soon  blown  into  the 
air.  Many  of  the  inmates  survived  the  explosion  only 
to  be  despatched  by  the  promyshleniki  with  muskets 
and  sabres.^^ 

behind  him.  He  lost  his  life  in  the  most  miserable  manner  at  Okhotsk.' 
Jieri),  Khronol.  Int.,  75-6.  Among  his  companions  Solovief  acquired  the 
nickname  of  'Oushasnui  Soloviy,'  the  'terrible  nightingale,'  a  play  upon  his 
name,  Solovey  being  the  Russian  for  nightingale.  Jiacr  and  Wramjdl,  Itiinsinche 
JitHfziingeii,  192. 

^-  Davidof  states  that  Solovief  put  to  death  3,000  Aleuts  (?)  during  this 
campaign.  Dviikr.  Pvrtenh.,  ii.  108.  Berg  writes  on  the  authority  of  Lapin  that 
'only' 200  were  killed.  Khronol.  ht.,  75.  Vcniaminof  discusses  the  deeds 
of  Solovicf  and  his  com^^anious  iu  a  dispassionate  way,  relying  mainly  ou 


FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 


'i 


At  the  end  of  liis  crusade,  Solevief,  having  suc- 
ceeded in  subjugating  the  natives,  estubhshed  *  friendly 
intercourse'  with  them.  A  few  of  the  chiefs  of  Una- 
Inska  tendered  their  submission.  During  the  winter 
his  men  suffered  from  scurvy,  and  many  died,*'^  Ob- 
servini;  wliich  the  savajjes  reijaincd  eoura<;c  and  be- 
gan  to  revolt.  The  people  of  Makushin  village  were 
the  most  determined,  but  Solovief  managed  to  en- 
trap the  chief,  who  confessed  that  he  had  intended 
to  overpower  the  Russians  and  burn  their  ship.  In 
.''  une  two  more  of  the  scurvy-stricken  crew  dietl,  and 
Solovief  was  only  too  glad  to  accei)t  of  the  offer  of 
Koroviu  and  his  companions,  who  had  only  just  ar- 
rived, to  join  his  expedition.  The  Cossack  Shevyriu 
died  on  the  third  of  Auofust  and  another  Ilussiau  iu 
Se|)tember.^* 

Late  in  the  autumn  Solovief  again  despatched 
Korenef  with  a  detachment  of  promyshleniki  to  the 
northern  part  of  the  island.  He  did  not  return  until 
the  30th  of  January  17GG,  and  was  immediately  or- 
dered out  again  to  ex[)lore  the  west  coast.  During 
the  first  days  of  February  a  young  Aleut  named 
Kyginik,  a  son  of  the  chief,  came  voluntarily  into  the 
liussian  camp  and  requested  to  be  baptized,  and  to  be 
permitted  to  remain  with  the  promyshleniki.  His 
wish  was  willingly  complied  with,  and  if  the  promysh- 
leniki claimed  a  miracle  as  the  cause  of  the  action,  I 
sh(juld  acquiesce.     Nothing  but  the  mighty  power  of 

wliat  he  licard  l)y  word  of  mouth  from  Aleut  eye-witnesses  of  the  \nrious 
transactions.  He  accused  Berg  of  attempting  to  make  Solovief's  career 
appear  less  criminal  and  repulsive,  and  declares  that  '  nearly  a  ccnturj'  has 
elapsed  since  that  period  of  terror,  and  there  is  no  reason  for  concealing  what 
was  done  l)y  the  lirst  promyshleniki,  or  for  palliating  or  glorifying  their  cruel 
outrages  upon  the  Aleuts.'  He  had  no  desiie  to  enlarge  upon  the  great  crimes 
committed  by  ignorant  and  mnvstrained  men,  especially  when  they  were  his 
countrymen;  hut  his  work  would  not  be  dorJo  if  he  faileil  to  tell  M'hat  people 
had  seen  of  the  doings  of  kSolovief  and  his  con>panions.  Veniaminof  stated 
on  what  he  calls  good  authority,  that  Solovief  experimented  on  the  penetra- 
tive power  of  musket-balls  by  tying  12  Aleutians  together  and  discharging  his 
rillo  at  them  at  .short  range;  report  has  it  that  tho  bullets  lodged  in  the  ninth 
man.  Zap.,  ii.  101. 

'•^  One  died  in  February,  five  in  March  and  April,  and  six  in  May;  all  these 
Were  Russians  with  the  exception  of  one,  a  Kamcliatkau.  A'eue  Nachr,,  141. 

"iViettc  A'ocAr.,  143. 


MIRACULOUS  COX\'EIlSION. 


153 


various 

rs   carfcv 

Itury  lias 

■ing  what 

Icir  cnu'l 

lit  criiiit'S 

Iwcrc  his 

|t  people 

jf  stilted 

[poiietni- 

Lgiiig  his 

Ihc  ninth 

lall  these 
Ir.,  141. 


God  could  have  sanctified  the  heart  of  this  beniffhtod 
OHO  under  these  bright  examples  of  Christianity.  In 
3  [ay  Solovief  began  his  preparations  for  departure,  col- 
kcting  and  packing  his  furs  for  the  voyage  and  repair- 
ing his  vessel.  He  sailed  the  1st  of  June  and  reached 
Ivamchatka  the  5th  of  July.^^ 

At  Okhotsk  there  was  great  disorder,  amounting 
{ilniost  to  anarchy,  under  the  administration  of  Cap- 
tiiin  Zybin,  up  to  1754,  when  the  latter  was  relieved 
hy  Captain  Nilof,  who  subsequently  became  known 
and  lost  his  life  during  the  famous  convict  revolt  of 
Jvanichatka  under  the  leadership  of  Benyovski.""  In 
17G1  Major  Plenisner  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  Kamchatka  for  five  years;  he  held  this  position  until 
relieved  by  Nilof  ^^ 

In  17G5  a  new  company  was  formed  by  Lapin, 
vShilof,  and  Orekhof,  the  latter  a  gunsmith  from  Tula. 
'i'hoy  built  two  vessels  at  Okhotsk,  naming  them  after 
those  excessively  honored  apostles  the  6'y  Pe</' and  the 
Su  Pavel,  and  crossed  over  to  Bolsheretsk,  where  they 
]-oniained  till  August, ^^  The  Sv  Petr  was  commapded 
l)y  Tolstykh  and  carried  a  crew  of  forty-nine  Itus- 
sians,  twelve  natives  of  Kamchatka,  and  two  Aleuts. 
Acting  under  the  old  delusion  that  there  must  be  land 
somewhere  to  the  southward,  Tolstykh  steered  in  that 
direction,  but  after  a  fruitless  cruise  of  two  months 
lie  concluded  to  make  the  port  of  Petropavlovsk  to 
winter;  but  on  the  2d  of  October  in  attempting  to 
anchor  near  Cape  Skipunskoi,  in  a  gale,  the  vessel  was 
cast  upon  the  rocks  and  broken  in  pieces.^'' 

^'  The  cargo  collected  during  this  murderous  expedition  consisted  of  oOO 
lilack  foxes  and  500  sea-otters,  a  portion  of  the  latter  having  hocn  brought 
into  tiio  joint  company  by  Korovin  and  his  companions.  Xeue  Xwhr.,  140. 

'■''^Morxkoi  Sboriiilc,  cv.  40;  Siiihnef,  in  Id.,  cii.  70. 

''  Plenisner  was  to  receive  double  pay  while  in  command,  and  he  was  in- 
structed to  send  out  the  naval  lieutenant  Synd  with  two  ships  to  explore  tlio 
American  coast,  and  also  to  send  another  expedition  to  explore  the  Kurilo 
Islands.  Sijibnef,  in  Mofslcoi  Sbormk,  cii.  37-8. 

^^  The  authorities  of  Bolsheretsk  asserted  that  the  party  sailed  only  after  all 
the  liquor  obtained  for  the  voyage  had  been  drank.  Berg,  Kliroiml.  J.st.,  70-7. 

'■'*  Xciie  A\irhi:,  49.  Jierg  mentions  that  iu  this  wreck  only  three  out  of  a 
en  \v  of  03  were  saved,  but  he  docs  not  state  whether  Tolstykh  was  among 
the  survivors. 


154   FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OP  THE  PROMYSHLENIKI. 

The  Sc  Pavel  was  coniinandod  by  blaster  Afanassiy 
Oclieredin,  and  carried  a  crew  of  sixty  men.  SaHin<( 
from  Bolsheretsk  the  1st  of  August  they  steered  for 
the  farther  Aleutian  Isles,  and  went  into  winter- 
quarters  the  1st  of  September  in  a  bay  of  Umnak. 
At  first  the  natives  were  friendly,  but  as  soon  as 
tribute  was  demanded  intercourse  ceased  for  the  win- 
ter, and  the  Russians  suffered  greally  from  hunger 
and  disease.  Scarcely  had  the  jjromyshleniki  begun 
to  overcome  the  dread  disease  in  the  spring,  with  the 
help  of  anti-scorbutic  plants,  when  Oclieredin  sent  out 
detachments  to  demand  tribute  of  the  natives.  In 
August  1767  a  peredovchik  named  Poloskof,  was 
despatched  with  twenty-eight  men  in  two  boats  to 
hunt.  HavinjTf  heard  of  the  njassacre  of  ^Medvedcf 
and  Korovin,  he  ])assed  by  Unalaska  and  estul)- 
lislicd  himself  at  Akutan,  distributing  small  detaeli- 
ments  of  hunters  over  the  neiijhboring  islands.  In 
the  following  Jaimary  he  was  attacked  and  four  of  his 
men  killed.  Onslaughts  were  made  by  the  natives  at 
the  same  time  upon  Ocheredin's  vessel  and  another 
craft  commanded  by  Popof,  who  was  then  trading  at 
Unalaska.  In  August  Poloskof  rejoined  Oclieredin, 
and  their  operations  were  continued  until  1770.*^ 

Ocheredin's  share  of  thv.  proceeds  was  GOO  sea- 
otters,  756  black  foxes,  1,230  red  foxes;  and  with  this 
rich  cargo  he  arrived  at  Okhotsk  on  the  24th  of 
July  1770."  The  partners  in  this  enterprise  received 
in  addition  to  a  large  return  on  their  investment 
gracious  acknowledgments  from  the  imperial  govern- 
ment.    In  1764,  when  the  first  black  fox-skins  had 

*"  In  tlie  month  of  September  1768  Ocheredin  was  notified  by  Captain 
Lcvaalief,  of  the  Krenitzin  expedition,  to  transfer  to  him  (Levashef)  all  tlie 
tribute  collected.  With  an  armed  vessel  anchored  in  Kapiton  Bay,  Popof 
and  Ocheredin  met  with  no  further  opposition  from  the  natives.  (Jntiliida 
to  the  south-west  of  the  Alaska  peninsula.  On  Cook's  atlas,  1778,  writttu 
Oonalasku;  La  P^rouse,  1730,  Oumdasica;  Sut'd  y  Mex.,  V'iage,  J.  Unalaska; 
Holmljerg,  /.  Unalaschka.  Cartoij.  Pac.  Coast,  MS.,  iii.  454. 

*^  Bcrij,  KhronoL  Int.,  app.  Two  natives  of  the  island,  Alexei  Solovicf 
and  Boris  Ocheredin,  were  taken  to  Okhotsk  on  the  Sv  Pavel  with  the  inten- 
tion of  sending  them  to  St  Petersburg,  but  both  died  of  consumption  on  thcii' 
journey  through  Siberia.  Xeue  Nachr.,  1Q2-3. 


m-r^ 


IW 


OTHER  VESSELS. 


165 


been  forwarded  to  the  empress,  gold  medals  were 
.'uvarded  to  the  merchants  Orokhof,  Kulkof,  Shapkin, 
Puiiof,  and  Nikoforof.  Desirous  of  obtainin;;^  a  more 
detailed  account  of  the  doings  of  her  subjects  in  the  far 
east,  Catherine  ordered  to  be  sent  to  St  Petersburg  one 
of  the  traders,  promising  to  pay  his  expenses.  When 
this  order  reached  Okhotsk  only  one  merchant  engaged 
in  tlie  island  trade  could  be  found,  Vassili  Shilof.  He 
was  duly  despatched  to  the  imperial  court,  and  on 
arriving  at  St  Petersburg  was  at  once  granted  an 
interview  by  the  empress,  who  questioned  him  closely 
upon  the  locality  of  the  new  discoveries,  and  'L  mode 
of  conducting  the  traffic.  The  empress  was  mucIi 
pleased  with  the  intelligent  answers  of  Shilof,  who 
exhibited  a  map  of  his  own  making,  repre  ( :iting  Mie 
Aleutian  Islands  from  Bering  to  Amlia.  Tlii^  the 
empress  ni'lered  to  be  deposited  in  the  aduiii.ilty 
cull 


ege.*^ 

Three  other  vessels  were  despatched  in  176G-7,  but 
of  their  movements  we  have  but  indefinite  records. 
The  Vladimir,  owned  by  Krassilnikof  and  commanded 
by  Soposhnikof,  sailed  in  1766,  and  returned  from  the 
Xear  Islands  with  1,400  sea-otters,  2,000  fur-^eals, 
and  1,050  blue  foxes.     In  the  following  year  the  >SV 

*'In  the  Shumal  Admiraltticstv  KoUeqhj,  under  date  of  Feb.  5,  1767,  the 
following  entry  can  be  fmind:  '  The  Oustioushk  merchant,  Siiilof,  laid  before 
the  college,  in  illustration  of  his  voyages  to  the  Kanichatkn  Islands,  a  cliart 
on  which  their  location  as  far  as  known  is  laid  dowTi.  He  also  gave  satisfac- 
tory verbal  explanations  concerning  their  inhabitants  and  resources.  The 
college  having  inspected  and  examined  this  cliart  and  compared  it  with  the 
one  compiled  by  Captiiin  Chirikof,  at  the  wish  and  will  expressed  by  Ilcr 
Imperial  Majesty,  and  upon  careful  consideration,  present  most  respectfully 
the  following  report:  The  college  deems  the  report  of  Shilof  concerning  navi- 
gation and  trade  insufficient  for  official  considemtion,  and  in  many  i-especta 
contradictory;  especially  the  chart,  which  does  not  agree  in  many  important 
points  with  other  charts  in  the  hands  of  the  college;  and  moreover  it  could 
not  be  expected  to  be  correct,  being  compiled  by  a  pei-son  knowing  nothing 
of  the  science  and  rules  of  navigation.  On  the  other  hand,  as  fur  ;us  this 
document  is  concerned  we  must  commend  the  spirit  which  instigated  its  con- 
ception and  induced  the  author  to  undergo  hardships  and  dangers  in  extend- 
ing the  navigation  and  trade  of  Russia.  And  we  lind  in  it  the  base  upon 
wiiich  to  build  further  investigation  and  discoveries  of  unknow  n  counti-ies, 
which  well  deserves  the  approbation  of  our  most  Gr  icious  Imperial  Majesty.' 
Two  imperial  oukazes  were  issued,  dated  respective^'  April  19  and  Ai)ril  20, 
1707,  granting  Shilof  and  Lapin  exemption  from  military  duty  aiid  conferring 
upon  each  a  gold  medal  for  services  rendered.  Btnj,  Khroiwl.  iit.^  TO-2. 


il 


i  K 


W::v 


Mm 


m^A^v 


156       FURTHER  ADVENTURES  OF  THE  PROMYSHLEXmi. 

Petr  i  Sv  Pavel,  owned  by  the  brothers  Panof,  sailed, 
and  returned  after  a  cruise  of  three  years  with  a  very 
rich  cari^o  composed  of  5,000  sea-otters  and  1,100  blue 
Ibxes.  The  locuin  Oiistioushki,  owned  by  Ivan  Popof, 
made  two  voyaj^es  between  17G7  and  1770,  returning 
tlic  second  time  with  3,000  sea-otters,  1,GG3  black 
foxes,  230  cross  foxes,  1,025  red  foxes,  and  1,1(52  blue 
foxes/^  The  merchants  Poloponissof  and  Popof  also 
sent  out  a  ship  in  17G7,  the  Joann  Predtecha,  which 
returned  after  an  absence  of  five  years  with  GO  sea- 
otters,  G,300  fur-seals,  and  1,280  blue  foxes.*^  This 
ends  the  list  of  private  enterprises  prior  to  the  resump- 
tion of  exploration  by  the  imperial  government. 

*'  The  cargo  as  given  by  Berg  seems  extraordinarily  large,  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  I'anof  cxpeilition  consisted  of  two  vessels,  for  Sgilinef  states  tliat  a 
Bhip-biiilder  named  Bubnof  constructed  in  1707  two  vessels,  the  galiot  So 
Pavel,  50  feet  long,  at  a  cost  of  5,737  rubles;  and  the  galiot  Sij  P<tr,  of  the 
same  length.  I'J  feet  beam  and  9  feet  depth  of  hold,  at  a  cost  of  (i,(i;t3  rubles;. 
The  ligging  for  these  siiips  was  lirougiit  from  Tobolsk,  and  oCX)  pounds  of 
iron  were  carried  all  tiie  way  from  Arkhaiigel,  being  two  yeai-s  en  route. 
Hffthnrj,  in  Mor.^koi  Shornik,  cv.  47-8.  Accf)rding  to  Cant.  Shnmlef  the  loann 
Ou-slioushsl't  made  a  thii'd  prosperous  trip  from  wnich  she  returned  in  1 77-  with 
a  cargo  yielding  a  net  prolitof  1,000  rubles  to  each  share.  lie)-<j,Khronol.ht., 
83;  I'aliux.  Xord.  Jkilmije,  i.  270;  Sanichcf  Patenh.,  ii.  37. 

**Ueiij,  Khro)wl.  Int.,  app.j  Grewiiiyk,  JJeUraye,  315. 


nip  1^ 


WM 


'■  'i  ;: 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


BIPERIAL  EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES. 

1764-1779. 

Syxd's  Voyage  ix  Bf.kixo  Strait— St.?:iilin's  PEcruAu  Repoht— TirK 
Grand  Goveunme.vt  Expeditiox— rROMOTio.vs  and  Rewards  ox  the 
Strength  of  Prospective  Achievemexts — Catiierixe  is  Sure  of  Di- 
vine Favor— Very  Secret  Ixstrcctioxs — Heavy  Cost  of  the  Exi'e- 
DiTiox  —  The  Loxg  Joirxey  to  Kamchatka  —  Dire  MisioiiTt'XES 
There — Results  of  the  Effort — Death  of  the  Commander— Joir- 
XALs  AXD  Reports — ^Iore  Mercantile  Voyages — The  Ships  'Sv 
Nikolai,'  'Sv  Andre?,'  'Sv  Prokop,'  and  Others — The  Free  and 
Easy  ZaTkof — His  Luck. 


I  WILL  briefly  mention  here  a  voyage  by  a  lieuten- 
ant of  the  imperial  navy  named  Synd,  or  Syndo, 
though  there  is  no  proof  of  his  having  touched  any 
jiart  of  Alaska.  Under  orders  of  Saimonof,  then 
governor  of  Siberia,  Lieutenant  Synd,  who  had  been 
one  of  the  youngest  companions  of  Bering,  sailed  from 
Okhotsk  in  17G4,  upon  a  voyage  of  discovery  in  the 
elirection  of  Bering  Strait,  in  a  vessel  called  by  way  of 
\aricty  the  Sv  Pa  eel.  During  the  first  season  Synd 
(lid  not  get  bej^ond  the  mouth  of  the  Kharinzof  River 
on  the  west  coast  of  Kamchatka  in  the  vicinity  of 
Tigil.  His  craft  proved  unseaworthy;  and  after  win- 
tering at  his  first  ancliorage  he  sailed  again  in  June 
1705,  in  the  ship  Sv  Ekaterina,  and  wintered  at  the 
Ouka  River  a  little  to  the  southward  of  Karagiii 
Island.^  He  sailed  northward  the  following  year, 
reached  the  vicinity  of  Bering  Strait  within  a  month, 
dotting  down  upon  his  chart  as  he  moved  along  a 

^  Zap.  JJydr.,  X.  70-3. 

( 1B7 ) 


158 


IMPERIAL  EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES. 


multitude  of  imaginary  islands  extending  up  to  lati- 
tude G4°  59',  and  reported  a  mountainous  coast  not  far 
from  the  land  of  the  Chukchi,"  between  latitude  G4° 
and  G6°,  which  he  conjectured  to  be  the  American 
continf>nt.  On  the  2d  of  September  he  began  his 
return  voyage,  following  the  coast  down  to  Nishc- 
kamcliat.  A,  but  not  until  1768  did  his  expedition 
return  to  Okhotsk.^ 


Another  and  far  more  important  expedition  under 
the  immediate  auspices  of  the  imperial  government 
was  organized  by  Chicherin,  governor  of  Siberia, 
under  instructions  of  the  admiralty  college.  As  early 
as  1763  Chicherin  had  reported  to  the  imperial  gov- 
ernment the  latest  discoveries  among  the  Aleutian 
Isles  by  Siberian  traders,  pointing  at  the  same  time 
to  the  necessity  of  having  these  discoveries  verified 
by  officers  of  the  navy,  who  might  be  appointed  as 

*  Sta,'lilin  in  his  Arconvt  of  the  New  Northern  Archipelago,  12-15,  gives  a 
strangely  garbled  report  of  this  expedition,  as  follows:  'The  empress. .  .erect- 
ing a  connncrcial  company  composed  of  Russian  merchants  for  trading  v.  ith 
the  new  islands,  and  to  further  promote  this  end,  the  admiralty  ottice  at 
Okhotskoi,  on  the  sea  of  I'eushinsk,  had  orders  from  her  Majesty  to  assist  this 
trading  company  of  Kamchatka  in  the  prosecution  of  their  undertaking;  to 
provide  them  with  convoys,  and  to  endeavor  to  procure  all  possible  infonna- 
tion  relative  to  tlie  islands  and  coast  they  intended  to  visit  to  the  north  and 
north-east  beyond  Kamcliatka.  In  the  year  1704  these  traders  accordingly 
sailed  from  the  harbor  of  Ochotskoi  with  some  two-masted  galiots,  and  single- 
masted  vessels  of  the  kind  in  Siberia  called  dostchcnnikof  (covered  barges), 
under  a  convoy  from  the  aforesaid  admiralty  office,  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Syndo.  They  passed  the  sea  of  Ochotskoi,  went  round  the  southern  cape  of 
Kamchatka  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  steering  along  the  eastern  coast,  keeping' 
northward,  and  at  last  came  to  an  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Peter-Paul,  ami 
wintered  m  the  ostrog  or  palisaded  village.  The  next  year  they  pursued  their 
voyage  farther  northward,  and  in  that  and  the  following  year,  1705  and  17U(i, 
they  discovered  by  degrees  the  whole  archipelago  of  islands  of  diflerent  sizes, 
which  increased  upon  them  the  farther  they  went  between  the  56th  and  07tli 
degrees  of  north  latitude,  and  they  returned  safely  in  the  same  year.  The 
reports  they  made  to  the  govcrmnent  chancellery  at  Irkutsk,  and  from  thence 
sent  to  the  directing  senate,  together  with  the  maps  and  charts  thereto 
annexed,  made  a  considerable  alteration  in  the  regions  of  the  sea  of  Anadir 
and  in  the  situation  of  the  opposite  coast  of  America,  and  gave  them  (juitc  ;i 
different  appearance  from  that  in  the  above-mentioned  map  engraved  in  the 
year  1758.  This  difference  is  made  apparent  by  comparing  it  with  the  amended 
map  published  last  year,  1773,  by  the  academy  of  sciences,  and  is  made  still 
more  visible  by  the  accurate  little  map  of  the  newly  discovered  northern 
archipelar  ->,  hereto  annexed,  which  is  drawn  up  from  original  accounts.'  The 
'accTirate  little  map'  referred  to  is  perhaps  the  most  preposterous  piece  of  ini- 
agiuary  geography  iu  existence,  a  worthy  companion  of  the  charts  of  t'royere. 


i  ':  il: 


:  !■  "!*■ 


EXTENSIVE  PREPARATIONS. 


159 


commanders  of  the  trading  vessels  and  instructed  to 
keep  correct  journals  of  their  exploring  voyages. 
This  report  was  duly  considered  by  the  empress  and 
resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  Krenitzin  expedi- 
tion.^ 

The  empress  issued  a  special  oukaz  instructing  the 
admiralty  college  to  detail  a  number  of  officers  of  the 
navy,  intrusting  the  command  to  the  most  experienced 
among  them  versed  in  the  science  of  navigation  and 
kindred  branches  of  knowledge.* 

The  expedition,  having  been  recommended  to  the 
special  attention  of  the  admiralty  college  with  instruc- 
tions to  keep  its  destination  secret,  was  at  once  set  on 
foot.  The  command  was  given  to  Captain-lieutenant 
Petr  Kumich  Krenitzin,  who  was  to  select  his  com- 
panions.'^ All  were  placed  under  the  immediate  com- 
mand of  the  governor  of  Siberia,  and  were  to  proceed 
to  the  newly  discovered  islands  on  the  vessels  of 
traders,  one  on  each,  without  assuming  any  command, 
turning  their  attention  solely  to  taking  astronomical 
observations  and  to  noting  all  they  saw.     At  the  same 


'  The  results  of  this  expedition  were  publisliecl  by  Coxe  in  1780.  He  oh- 
taincd  his  information  princinally  from  the  liistorian  Robertson,  who  Imd  been 
giantt'd  access  to  the  arcliives  of  the  navy  department  by  the  empress.  Pallas 
translated  Coxe's  account  into  his  Nordhche  liiltrwjp.  publishctl  in  1781;  and 
in  the  same  ycarr.  Russian  translation  appeared  in  the  Araihinic  Mont  hi  i/  nud 
\\i\s  republished  in  the  selections  from  the  monthly.  Robertson,  however, 
had  no  opportunity  to  look  into  the  details  of  the  organization  and  manage- 
ment of  the  expedition,  and  confined  himself  to  results;  conseipiently  the 
actual  details  of  the  enterprise  remained  unknown  until  Sokolof  investigated 
till' subject,  having  access  to  the  original  journals  and  charts.  Zap.  Jli/dr., 
x.  17-71. 

*  A  portion  of  the  oukaz  reads  as  follows:  '  We  promise  our  imperial  good- 
will not  only  to  the  commander  of  tlie  expedition  but  to  all  his  subordinates, 
and  assin-e  them  that  upon  tlieir  safe  return  from  their  voyage  every  participant 
shall  be  advanceil  one  step  in  rank  and  be  entitled  to  a  life  pension  in  propor- 
tion to  the  salary  received  during  the  voyage.  On  account  of  the  disUince  to 
bo  traversed  anil  the  hardships  to  be  encountered,  I  grant  to  each  meiidier  of 
the  expedition  double  pay  and  allowance  of  subsistence  from  tiie  time  of  de- 
parture to  the  day  of  return;  this  extra  allowance  to  continue  for  a  period  of 
two  years.'  Solcolof,  Irkiit.sk  Archirci^.  With  the  final  instructions  the  gra- 
cious sovereign  forwarded  to  Governor  Chicherin  a  gohl  watch  for  each  of  tho 
otticers  in  cimimand. 

'•'  In  order  to  mislead  the  public  with  regard  to  the  objects  of  the  expedi- 
tion tho  admiralty  college  gave  it  the  oflieial  name  of  'An  Expedition  for  tho 
Kxploration  of  tho  Forests  on  tho  rivers  Kama  and  Brela.  Sokolof,  Zap. 
J  J  yd,:,  75. 


160 


IMPERIAL  EFFORl'S  AND  FAILURES. 


time  the  fjovcrnor  was  informed  that  if  ho  deemed  it 
better  to  employ  government  vessels,  he  might  engage 
ships  of  the  promyshleniki,  or  build  new  crafts,  and 
despatch  Krenitzin  and  his  chief  assistant  on  two  of 
the  latter,  independent  of  the  trader's  fleet." 

Krenitzin  was  promoted  to  captain  of  the  second 
rank,  and  Lieutenant  Mikhail  Lcvashef,  whom  the 
commander  had  chosen  for  his  chief  assistant,  to  bo 
captain-lieutenant.  All  tlie  subalterns  were  advanced 
one  step  in  rank,  as  had  been  promised  thom.  The 
command  took  its  departure  from  St  Petersburg  the 
1st  of  July  17G4,  arriving  in  Tobolsk  the  I7th  of  Sep- 
tember.'' At  this  place  the  expedition  was  recnforced 
by  ten  cadets  from  the  local  school  of  navigation,  and 
also  provided  with  additional  supplies  and  stores.  They 
loft  Tobolsk  at  the  beginning  of  March  1765,  arriving 
at  Yakutsk  in  July  and  at  Okhotsk  in  October,  after 
a  difficult  journey  over  the  tundra  and  mountains  in- 
tervening between  Yakutsk  and  the  sea.*^ 

"Tlic  instructions  of  the  governor  began  with  these  words:  'Fully  aware 
of  your  knowledge  and  your  zeal  for  the  glory  of  her  Imperial  Majesty,  ami 
till!  benelit  of  your  country,  the  admiralty  college  expects  you  to  employ  all 
youi'  ardor  and  pcrsevijrauce  in  the  prosecution  of  this  enterprise. '  There  \\  as 
also  a  '  ."■■nrct  addition'  to  these  instructions.  Believing  that  the  expedition 
about  to  oe  despatched  along  tlio  Arctic  coast  of  Siberia  under  command  if 
Cliicha^of ,  to  search  f<jr  the  north-cast  passage,  would  llnally  reach  Kamchatka 
and  meet  there  the  vessels  of  the  Krenitzin  expedition,  the  admiralty  collc^'u 
thought  it  necessary  to  establish  a  code  of  signals  known  to  the  commanders 
of  both  squadrons.  These  signals  consisted  of  an  extraordinary  arrangenitiit 
of  the  sails,  frequent  lowering  .and  iioisting  of  Hags,  and  discharges  of  cannon. 
In  tlieir  endeavors  to  provide  for  all  contingencies  the  framcrs  of  these  instruc- 
tionsalso  suggested  that  in  times  of  fog,  and  in  thcabsence  of  lire-iirmsoraunnu- 
iiition,  the  vessels  siiould  approach  each  other  as  nearly  as  possible,  when  tiie 
command  was  to  shout  threetinu's  '  agai'!'  in  .a  manner  similar  to  the  shout  of 
'  JiiuTaii !  ■  by  troops,  and  if  the  other  vessel  should  answer  with  the  same 
cry,  tliico  times  re'  cated,  the  crew  of  the  first  was  again  to  shout,  '  15o:-lie 
pomogi  I '  (iod  help  you,  also  tiirco  times,  and  await  from  the  other  vessel  the 
reply,  '  I  >M,  pomoshet  i  nam  !'  yes,  he  will  help  us.  Then  when  all  these  sig- 
nals had  been  correctly  answere(l  the  crew  of  the  first  vessel  Wixs  to  shout, 
'  Umnak  Island!'  tiii'ee  times,  and  await  an  answer  from  the  other  crew  of 
'Onnckutiin  Island!'  three  times  repeated.  IrkuC-ik  Archives;  Sokolof,  Z(i/i. 
Ihjilr.,  X.  7ti-7.  Sokolof  also  mentions  that  the  expedition  was  fitted  out 
witli  Vl  (piadrants  and  the  charts  of  IJcring,  of  the  merchant  Shishkin,  and  of 
\'ertlu,',;(il';  those  of  the  last  two  covering  respectively  the  Aleutian  Islan>is 
and  north-eastern  Siberia  and  Japan. 

'  The  subaltern  olUcers  consisted  of  seven  mates,  Dudin  Ist,  Dudin  'Jd, 
Shcbanof,  Kraslieninnikof,  Chinenoi,  Stepanof,  and  Sralcf;  one  corporal,  and 
four  (luartermasters.  Zap.  Jlyili:,  x.  77-8. 

*At  Yakutsk  Krenit;;in  received  another  batch  of  instructions  from  the 


THE  ROYAL  BENEDICTION". 


ICl 


Uj^on  tl)o  receipt  of  full  reports  of  the  expedition, 
ilie  tlirieo  gracious  and  benignant  Catherine  ex- 
pressed her  thanks  to  Governor  Chieherin  i'or  all  his 
juTangon)ents  in  a  special  rescript,  hojiing  for  coni- 
jilete  success  of  the  undertaking.  The  empress  also 
thanked  the  governor  for  "  framing' such  v.ise  instruc- 
tii)ns."  In  alluding  to  the  departure  of  Krenitzin 
i'ov  the  coast  from  Yakutsk  she  wrote:  "May  llie 
Almighty  bless  his  journey.  I  am  sure  that  you  will 
not  slack'  n  your  zeal  in  promoting  the  enterprise, 
nnd  wha cover  occurs  during  the  jomuiey  worthy  of 
note  you  will  report  to  nie  at  once.  I  am  now  wait- 
ing with  impatience  news  of  his  farther  progress."  * 

When  Krenitzin  arrived  at  Okhotsk  ho  found  to 
liis  great  disappointment  that  the  vessels  intended  for 
his  use  were  not  ready,  the  keels  only  having  been 
laid  and  a  few  timbers  selected  for  the  franuss.  All 
labor  had  been  suspended  for  lack  of  tind)er.  When 
Cliicherin  was  inl'ormed  of  this  he  instructed  Kre- 
nitzin to  temporarily  supersede  Captain  litishchcf, 
second  in  command  of  Okhotsk,  and  to  superintend 
ill  ])eis()n  the  construction  of  his  vessels.  If  he  should 
liiid  it  impossible  to  complete  the  ships,  he  was  au- 
llinrized  to  engai;e  others  from  the  traders.  Throuiih 
Colonel  Plenisner,  Krentzin  also  encountered  obstiicles 
to  jiis  progress.^" 

liio!irK']icn  of  Cliicherin,  advising;  the  emnmandcr  toolitaiiifrom  the  men'hants 
will)  had  iih'cady  visited  the  Aleutian  Lsles,  a  detailed  deseiiption  <if  their 
•liscoveiics,  and  to  h)catc  them  on  iiia  ihartH;  to  turn  his  special  atleiitinii  to 
t!i(-  l;ir',-e;;nd  iinpulous  i.sland  of  Kadiak,  wliieh  should  he  eircniiuiavi^atcd  il 
]ii'-;-iMe  and  tliorouglily  explortd  in  order  to  aseertain  whether  it  wa.s  an 
i  land  or  niainlaml.  /r/.nltik  Airhiven;  Sokulof]  x.  7S-!I;  Snri/r/i' i\  ii.  .'!7;  /'"/- 
l:>,  X-nl.  nr!t,:,i.'2S2. 

'■' The  im^K.'rial  rcseripts  arc  in  /.■  '»/</.•  A rrfi'in s;  Ziipinhi  Ifi/ih: ,  dated  ( )et. 
11,  ITii!     A'Mii  •:!,  July  11,  and  Get.  !•_',  17(m. 

'"C.J  usner,  who  eonunauded  the  inilitary  station  at  Okhotsk,  quar- 

relled wiJi  Krenitzin  and  sent  eoinplaiiit^  to  Irkutsk.  The  governor  wrote  to 
Kreait;;!!!,  instead  of  replying  to  the  accuser,  as  follows:  '  I'erhajis  I'leiiisner 
Mid  cause  you  trouble.  Froin  my  knowledge  of  you,  and  I  had  the  lionur  of 
knnviir,'  you  for  Hoinu  time  at  Toliolsk,  I  conelud(!  that  you  will  give  him  no 
liin'.ocation;  hut  I  do  not  know  I'leuisnor  personally.  It  seems  to  me  tii.^t 
tiuro  ij  siimuthing  ia  the  airof  Okluitsk  that  causes  all  olHcern  stationed  tiiere 
111  i|iiarrcl.'  After  assuring  Krenit^in  of  his  Biueero  friendship,  the  goveiiicir 
adx  ised  him  to  avoid  all  petty  (|uarrels  in  order  not  to  displease  the  empress, 
and  concluded  as  follows:  '  If  I'loniauor  seriously  interferes  with  your  arrange- 
HlBT,  Alahka.    11 


■111 


4?  511 


1G2 


IMPERIAL  EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES. 


It 


At  last,  in  August  1700,  the  ships  were  coinpleti'd 
and  launched,  a  brigantine  called  the  Sf  Ekatcrinn 
and  a  hooker,  the  Sv  Pavel;  two  others,  old  vessels, 
had  also  been  fitted  out,  the  galiot  So  Pavel  antl  the 
(kivr'il}'^  The  squadron  sailed  from  Okhotsk  the  lOtli 
of  October.  The  third  day  out,  at  a  distance  of  oidy 
ten  leagues  from  Okhotsk,  all  the  vessels  became  sep- 
arated from  each  other.  On  the  17th  Krenitzin  iirst 
sighted  land  in  latitude  53°  45',  and  the  following  dny 
the  brigantine  was  discovered  to  be  leaking  badly, 
rendering  it  necessary  to  run  for  the  land.  A  gale 
arose,  and  the  result  was  a  total  wreck  twenty -five 
versts  north  of  Bolsheretsk,near  the  small  riverOntok, 
the  crew  reaching  the  shore  in  safety  the  24tli.  Lev- 
ash  ef,  on  the  hooker  Sv  Pavel,  sighted  the  coast  of 
Kamchatka  on  the  18th,  and  on  the  22d  approaehe.l 
the  harbor  of  l^olsheretsk,  but  waited  to  t;d<e  advan- 
tage of  a  spring  tide  to  cross  the  bar.  On  the  follow- 
ing day  a  storm  came  up,  causing  the  vessel  to  break 
from  her  cables.  Levashef  attempted  to  put  to  so;i, 
but  I'ailing  he  finally  ran  the  ship  ashore  on  the  24tli, 
about  seven  versts  from  ]3olslieretsk  Iliver.  The 
crew  and  the  greater  jiart  of  the  cargo  were  landed. 
The  Sc  Gavril  succeeded  in  entering  Bolsheretsk 
harbor,  but  was  overtaken  by  the  same  storm  and  cast 
upon  the  beach.  The  galiot  Sv  Pavel  drifted  out  of 
her  course  into  the  Pacific,  and  after  more  than  two 
months  of  agony  the  thirteen  survivors,  among  whom 
was  the  commander,  found  themselves  on  one  of  tlie 


mcnts,  I  give  yon  permission  to  report  diroctly  to  her  Imperial  lln  josty,  ami 
to  the  iidmiralty  eijllego,  Imt  I  hope  that  (!o<l  will  not  let  it  come  to  th.it, 
and  that  He  will  give  you  peace  and  gooil-will.  Such  ia  my  sincere  wi^li.' 
Jrhi'-k  Arrliires;  Zap.  Ily:l>:,  x.  80;  Mor-koi  ShorniL;  cv.  40-r)0. 

"The  expeditionary  force  was  distributed  as  follows:  the  Sr  Eknti'y'ttiti, 
commanded  by  Krenitzin,  carried  7'2  men;  the  hooker  .Vc  I'nrrl,  coinmandccl 
by  Levashef,  .5'2;  the  galiot  <S'(;  /'arc!,  commanded  by  Dudia  '2d,  4'i;  and  tho 
Si'  Gni'rit,  commanded  by  Dudin  1st,  '21.  The  cost  of  fitting  out  the  expedi- 
tion reached  the  sum  of  10.'),8;$7  rubles,  then  a  large  amount  of  money.  The 
f'm]n-ess  wrote  C'hicherin  on  the  subject  of  expense  under  date  of  ISIay  "2'^, 
17<>4:  '  Perhaps  the  exec'ition  of  my  plans  will  involve  some  expenditure  of 
money,  an<l  tiierefore  I  authorize  you  to  emph)y  for  tlio  purpose  the  linst  funils 
coming  into  your  treasury,  sending  a  strict  account  of  expenditure  to  the 
admiralty  college.'  Zap.  ihjdr.,  x.  81. 


m 


1.1  : 


THE  SQUADnoX  SCATTEKKD. 


103 


liiKled. 

I  cast 
)Ut  of 
u  two 
whom 
of  the 

■sty,  iiii'l 
to  t':int, 

hili'y'i'iii, 

liiniinil'il 

aiitl  th.! 

cxpi'ili- 

ly.     'I'liiJ 

(May  •2'^, 

Jlituie  of 

|-stfmi'l^ 

to   till) 


Kurilo  Islands  with  their  vessel  a  wreck.  Such  was 
the  heginuing,  and  might  as  well  have  been  the  end, 
of  the  empress'  grand  scientKic  expedition. 

The  shipwrecked  crews  passed  the  winter  at  Bol- 
sheretsk,  where  they  were  joined  during  the  following 
summer  by  mate  Dudin  2d,  and  the  survivors  of  the 
c!'ew  of  the  wrecked  galiot.  The  hooker  Sn  Pace!  and 
the  Sv  Gavr'd  were  re})aired,  Levaslief  taking  com- 
mand of  the  fonner  with  a  crew  of  lil'tv-eight,  while 
Krenitzin  sailed  in  the  latter  with  a  crew  of  sixty- 
six.  Each  vessel  was  provided  witli  a  large  bidar. 
Sailinsf  from  Bolsheretsk  the  17th  of  Auu'ust  17G7, 
the  expedition  arrived  at  Nisliekamchatsk  on  the  Gth 
(if  September.  Here  another  winter  must  be  passed. 
The  hv  Gavr'd  was  unfit  for  navigation,  and  Kren- 
itzin concluded  to  take  the  ^nWot  Sf  J!^katc'rina,  Synd, 
counnander,  just  returned.^^  Chicliagof,  about  the 
meeting  with  whom  the  admiralty  ct>l!ege  had  been 

"  For  a  description  of  biilars  .niid  bidarkas  see  Xat'ire  I?atd^,  vol.  i.,  tliia 
sorii'.i.  Tltc  galiot  So  Ekatvrina  had  ',\  mates,  1  second  mate,  3  cadets,  1 
liii:ils\vain,  1  boatswain's  mate,  '2  quartermasters,  I  cleik,  1  sui-yeon,  1  sliip'a 
cor]i(;ral,  1  blaeksinith,  1  carpenter,  1  bont-1)nililei',  1  sail-maker,  1  iiifanlry 
sdldier,  41  Cossacks,  9  sailors,  and  '1  Aleuts — a  total  of  "-.  The  iiooker  Sn 
I'liril,  carried  4  mates,  4 cadets,  4  (piartermasters,  1  surgeon,  1  siiip's  corporal, 

1  I'li'ksinith.  I  carpenter,  1  turner,  1  soldier,  IW  (^"ossacks,   '>  i.roiuysldeniki, 

2  Aleuts,  and  1  volunteer,  a  Sii)erian  nobleman.  Tlio  provisions  were  dis- 
tiiliiited  us  follows: 


fliiliot,  Si  Ebiterina. 

roUIulrf. 

Ilookor,  .S'  Vxrel 

I'lllllllls. 

Hard  bread 

470 
47 
5-2 

i;!4 

i:j 

280 
'JO 
27 
47 
8 
20 

riimr 

Klour 

.104 

•iroats 

Salt 

lOS 

Suit 

0.5 

lUitter 

Uutter 

UW    ' 

Meat 

1  )iied  fish,  bundles  of 

Sidt  lish,  barrels 

Meat 

Dried  lish,  bundles  of 

Salt  fish,  lia!  rels 

100 

201 

1.3 

l)i';nidy,  buckets 

ih'audy.  buckets 

( 'asks  of  water 

4") 

<  a.sk.-'  of  w.iter 

34 

Wood,  fathoms 

Wood,  fathoms 

(i 

Powder 

Powder 

17 

The  arm.ament  consisted  of  2  copper  half-ponnd  falconets,  2  small  iron 
fdeoncts  and  1  largo  iron  cannon,  ."W  nuiskcts,  0  nuisketoous,  and  13  rifles. 
li  kittslc  Arcliivea ;  Z  ip.  Ilydr.,  ix.  08-9. 


M 


m% 


!' 


i'': 


m  ft  hi  ■' 

m 


ill-': 


Ill 


I    :  :'  .  . 


i-  i, '  ■ 


i| 


i  'U 


1G4 


IMPERIAL  EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES. 


po  anxions,  liad  in  tlic  ine.ni  time  already  accompllslied 
two  jt)iii'noy.s,  17G5-G,  also  attended  by  inistbrtune. 
The  winter  was  passed  by  the  ineu  in  boilinj^  sea- 
v.ater  for  salt,  and  in  making  tar  out  of  spruce.  They 
also  constructed  two  large  bidars  and  some  watei- 
ciisks,  and  in  the  spring  all  hands  were  busy  fishing. 
l>y  tlic  fn-st  of  A])ril  the  ice  began  to  disappear  from 
the  river,  and  on  the  1st  of  July  both  vessels  were 
read}'  for  sea.  The  Krenitzin  expedition  was  not 
oidy  unlucky,  but  it  seemed  to  carry  a  curse  with  it. 
One  of  the  crew  of  the  Sc  ravel,  a  Cossack  named 
Taborukin,  landed  in  Kamchatka  not  quite  cured  of 
an  attack  of  small-pox  and  infected  the  v'hole  neigh- 
borhood. In  two  years  the  population  was  more  thai, 
decimated.'^ 

On  the  21st  of  June  tlie  ships  were  towed  out  of 
tlie  mouth  of  the  Kamchatka  Iviver,  and  on  the  2'2d 
they  spread  their  sails,  steering  an  easterly  course  and 
stopping  at  Bering  Island  for  water.  Owing  to  ct)!i- 
trary  W'inds  their  progress  was  slow,  and  on  the  lllh 
of  August,  in  latitude  54'  3;]',  the  two  ships  became 
separated  during  a  strong  south-south-west  gale  and 
thick  weather.  On  the  14tli  of  Au<j:ust  Krenitzin 
sighted  the  islands  of  Signam  and  Amuklita;  on  the 
2Uth  of  the  same  month  he  I'cached  the  strait  bctwec  u 
Umnak  and  Unalaska,  called  b}'  him  Oonalakslia. 
Here  he  met  with  the  first  Aleuts,  whom  he  was  to 
know  only  too  well  in  the  future.  These  natives  were 
rvidently  acquainted  with  Russians,  for  on  apj)roach- 
in^g  the  vessel  they  cried  "zdorovol"  good  health; 
they  also  asked,  "\Vhy  do  you  come?  Will  you  live 
quietly  and  peacefully  with  our  people?"  They  were 
assured  that  the  new  arrivals  would  not  only  live  in 
peace  but  make  many  presents.  This  was  the  1st 
of  November,  and  the  Aleuts  returned  to  Unalaska. 
On  the  22d  Levashef's  craft  also  appeared  and  both 
vessels  proceeded  together  to  a  bay  on  the  north  si^Ie 
t)f  Unalaska,  Captain  Harbor.     Here  they  laid  in  a 

"  Sgibnef,  iii  Ilorskoi  Sbornik,  cii.  4G-7. 


THE  RUSSIANS  AT  UNALASKA. 


168 


sui"t[)ly  of  fi'csh  water  with  the  assistance  of  tlio  na- 
tives. On  tlio  following  day  an  Aleut  reported  that 
the  Inhabitants  of  Akutan  and  Unal<^a  had  killed 
llftccn  of  Lapin's  crew  wlio  had  wintered  on  Unga. 
Witliout  investigating"  the  report  both  conunanders 
lioisted  their  anchors  and  proceeded  northward.  On 
the  []Oth  of  August  they  entered  the  strait  between 
Uniniak  and  the  peninsula.  The  hooker  grounded, 
hut  was  released  next  day  without  damage,  and  the 
search  for  a  wintering  harbor  was  continued." 

On  the  5th  of  September  the  two  ships  separated 
not  to  meet  again  until  the  following  spring.  On  tlio 
18th  of  September  Krenitzin  succeeded  in  finding  a 
beach  adapted  to  haul  uj)  his  vessel  for  the  winter  on 
tlie  island  of  Unimak,  while  Lcvashef  proceeded  to 
Unalaska  and  anchored  on  the  IGth  of  Septendjcr  in 
the  innermost  cove  of  Captain  Plarbor,  still  known  by 
his  name.^^ 

About  the  middle  of  October,  before  Krenit/in  had 
succeeded  in  erecting  winter-quarters  of  drift-wood, 
the  only  material  at  hand,  two  largo  bidars  appealed 
iilled  with  natives  who  demanded  presents.  They 
received  some  trifles  with  a  promise  of  additional  giit>4 
if  they  would  come  to  the  ship.  In  the  mean  time 
the  strangers  had  questioned  the  interpreter,  anxiout^ 
to  discover  the  strength  of  Krenitzin's  crew,  when 
suddenly  one  of  the  natives  threw  his  spear  at  the 
]vussians.  Nobody  was  injured  and  the  savages 
ic'treated  under  a  severe  fire  of  muskets  and  cannon 
iVoni   ship   and   shore.     Fortunately    the    cannonade 

"Krenitzin's  instructions  contained  a  statement  tliat  a  good  harbor  liad 
born  discovered  in  that  locality  by  Ueclievin's  vessel  connnanded  by  (lolodi  f 
iniii  Pu^hkarcf  in  I7(i-.  Keiie  Xnrhr.,  i>'2.  It  has  already  been  intini.i'n  d 
iiliovo  that  IJechevin  did  not  actually  reach  tlu>  peninsula,  then  called  Alid;s!:a 
Isliiiid,  liut  wintered  on  Unahiska,  which  ab  mnda  in  good  harboi-s.  Aec^rd- 
iii','  to  Cook,  Ooinnxik;  La  IVronse,  Oulniiuh;  Sutil  y  Mix.,  Vkoje,  I4ii  Uni- 
mill:;  llolmberg,  /.  Unimah.  Carlo;/.  I'ac.  Coiutt,  MS.,  iii.  4.")(). 

'■'Lcvashef  chose  for  his  wintering  place  an  anchorage  at  the  liead  of  tl.c 
inner  bay  of  Illiuliuk,  sheltered  by  two  little  islands  from  the  north  wind, 
and  mar  the  n^.outh  of  two  excellent  trout-streams.  The  location  of  his  cinip 
cm  still  bo  tr,"ced,  the  ground-plan  of  four  great  subterranean  winter-hiiuj 
being  still  plrinly  visible,  though  now  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of 
gr  .s:.es  and  shrubs. 


106 


IMPKRIAL  EITORTS  AND  FAILURES. 


proved  ns  linnuloss  nw  tlio  spear-tlmnviuij^,  Tnsionifi- 
c'liit  as  WMS  this  ciicoiinter,  it  proved  tlio  hoginiiiiig  of 
Litter  strife.  All  ilic  subsequent  ineetinLjs  with  the 
natives  were  of  a  hostile  eharacter.  While  cx])loriii'^^ 
the  peninsula  shore  two  Cossack.s  were  wounde*!  by 
sMcai-.s  thrown  by  hidden  savacfes,  and  one  nici:ht  a 
native  crawled  uj)  stealthdy  to  witlun  a  few  yards  of 
the  Russian  huts,  but  was  discovered,  and  lled.^** 

]n  the  month  of  December  scurvy  appeared,  the 
first  victim  being  a  Cossack  who  had  been  wounded 
by  the  savages.  In  January  17G9  the  nund)er  of 
sick  liad  reached  twenty-two,  and  in  April  only  twelve 
of  the  company  were  I'ree  from  disease,  and  those  were 
much  weakened  by  hunger.  The  whole  number  of 
deaths  during  the  winder  was  thirty-six.  During 
])ecend)er  and  January  the  savac^es  kept  awav,  but 
ill  F{>l)ruary  tliey  once  more  made  their  appeaiancc, 
and  a  few  traded  furs,  whale-meat,  and  seal-blubber 
for  beads."  On  the  10th  of  ^lay  some  natives  brouglit 
letters  from  Levashef,  and  the  messengers  received 
a  liberal  compensation.  On  the  24th  the  galiot  was 
launched  once  more,  and  on  the  Gtli  of  June  Levashef 
joined  Krenitzin's  luirty. 

Levashef  had  also  met  with  misfortune  during  the 
Avinter.  It  is  true  that  the  natives  did  not  attack 
him  because  the  promyshleniki  who  liad  passed  the 
] (receding  winter  at  Unalaska  had  left  in  his  hands 
thirty-three  hostages, the  children  of  chiefs, but  rumors 
v.'ere  constantly  afloat  of  intended  attacks,  making  it 


f-i{i  [ 

fir-' 

iinlffi'^Illi 

L.. 

"'  Krenitzin's  journal  states  that  durinj;  tbc  night  numerous  voice?  were 
hoanl  on  the  strait,  and  guns  were  twice  discharged  iji  the  direction  of  the 
c::iiip,  while  signals  could  be  distinguished  iniitaiing  the  cry  of  tlie  sca-li.  u. 
(.)n  account  of  the  impending  danger  live  sentries  were  posted.  JrkutnL  Ar- 
vluivs;  Zip.  Iliflr.,  ix.  01. 

''  The  daily  journal  of  Krenitzin  contains  an  entry  to  the  cfTcct  that  on  tin 
iiiylit  of  the  11th  of  April  several  bidars  were  discovered  in  the  strait,  an  I 
that  llicy  were  fired  upon  twice  by  the  Russians  with  canister.  Such  treat- 
incut  ccrt;iinly  did  not  serve  to  pacify  the  natives.  It  seems  that  durirg  tlio 
\\lioIc  winter  it  had  been  the  practice  to  fire  from  time  to  time  during  tlio 
night  in  order  to  'prevent  any  savages  skulking  about  from  attempting  iiii 
ullack. '  Three  times  during  the  winter  severe  shocks  of  eartliquake  weiv: 
felt— on  January  ir)lh,  February  20tli,  and  March  IGth.  KrenUziwa  Journul; 
JiLiiU/c  Aixhivets;  Zait.  Jji/dr.,  x.  91-2. 


END  OF  THE  GRAND  UNDERTAKING. 


107 


necessary  to  exorcise  vigilance.  Lack  of  food  and  fuel 
caused  great  sutlcring  among  the  crew;  it  was  inipos- 
sihle  to  live  comfortably  on  board  the  slii[),  and  the 
Jiuts  ccMistrncted  of  driit-wood  were  Irequentlj  thrown 
down  by  the  iurious  gales  of  winter.  The  weather 
was  very  boisterous  throughout  the  season,  and  in 
]\ray  the  number  of  sick  had  reached  twenty-seven.'^ 
Obviously  they  must  return;  so  on  the  2od  of  June 
bi)ih  vessels  left  their  anchorage.  During  the  voyage 
they  became  separated,  Krenitzin  arriving  at  Kani- 
ehalka  the  29th  of  July,  and  Levashef  on  the  24tii 
of  August.*' 

The  winter  was  passed  by  the  expedition  at  Nishe- 
kanu-hatsk,  but  as  there  were  little  provisions  and 
no  money  the  suffering  was  great.  The  only  avail- 
alilo  source  of  sui)i)ly  was  the  dried  fish  of  the  natives, 
wliieli  luid  to  be  purchased  at  exorbitant  prices.^^  On 
the  41.11  of  July  both  vessels  were  ready  for  sea,  when 
( 'a[)tain  Krenitzin  attempting  to  cross  the  river  in  a 
(hig-out,  the  frail  craft  capsized  and  he  was  drowned. 
]jL'vaslief  assumed  command,  anel  Jiaving  assigned 
])u(liii  2d  to  the  galiot  he  sailed  from  Kamcliatka 
iho  8th,  arriving  at  Okhotsk  the  Cd  of  August.  Le- 
vaslief  returned  to  St  Petersbur«'\  arrivinjij  there  the 
2Jd  of  October  1771;  seven  years  and  four 'months 
iVorn  his  departure.  The  expedition  was  a  })raise- 
worthy  effort,  but  miserably  carried  out. 

jMean  v.hile,  fresh  information  had  reached  St  Peters- 
burg of  the  successes  of  the  Russian  })romyshleniki 
ou  the  Aleutian  Islands,  telling  the  em[)ress  and  her 

'*  Lovashef's  journal  xuifler  date  of  Deccmlicr  Kith  contains  the  following: 
'XtailyaU  the  men  say  that  we  are  dooiniil  to  ptiriah.  that  we  have  been 
nli.uuluiiuil  by  God;  we  liave  bad  food,  anil  l)ut  little  of  that,  and  uecan  lind 
11  >  shelter  from  the  snow-storms  and  raiu.'  Livashc/'t  Juiirual;  IrLiiiKk 
A ixh' irs ;  Zap.  Ili/di:,  x.  93. 

^^  Zap.  IJjjdr.,  X.  1)4;  Coxe's  RusMun  Dh.,  300;  Pallas,  Xi>nl.  litUr.,  i. 
t-'TO. 

-'*  An  entry  iu  Krenitzin 's  journal  states  that  200  pounds  of  flour  were 
sent  froin  Uolshcretsk  to  his  relief,  but  it  spoiled  in  transmittal.  Nineteen 
l>;'j rels  of  salt  lisli  were  also  transported  oveiland  aero.«s  tlio  piiiinsuhi.  On 
t!io  'JSth  of  September  I7(>'*,  and  on  the  4th  i>f  May  ITT*',  heavy  cai>,hi;u:.ke3 
in-.u.Ttd.  and  on  tlie  latter  date  tlie  Kluehevakuia  volcano  was  iu  eiiiptiou. 
Kreiiilziii's  Jvunial;  Zap.  Jlydr.,  x.  1)4. 


i 

mi 


ill 


M 


'  ;;■ 


i»-i:) 


•lltffi..!. 


II 


1C8 


IMPERIAL  EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES. 


learned  society  a  liiiiulrofirold  inoro  of  Alaska  than 
tlicy  woro  over  to  ieai'H  Iroin  their  special  messengers. 
Tolstvkh  reported  that  tluriiiLT  a  ciuise  anion''  the 
islands  in  his  ship  Andreian  i  NaUil'id,  17G0  to  17('»4, 
he  subjugated  six  islands  and  named  them  the 
Andrcienof  group,  as  wo  have  seen.  Another  re- 
port stated  that  four  vessels  of  one  company  had 
hcen  despatched  in  1702  to  Unalaska  and  Umua':. 
(jli>ttof  reported  that  ho  had  wintered  at  Kadiak  in 
1 703.  In  1 7(50,  as  ah-eady  stated,  tho  merchant  Shilnf 
ariived  at  St  Petersburg  and  was  presented  to  tho 
emjiress,*' 

An  important  change  of  government  policy  now  to(  ik 
place  in  the  treatment  of  the  Aleuts.  Upon  Krenit- 
/in's  reprcsentati(»ns  the  collection  of  tribute  by  tho 
promyshleniki    and  Cossacks  was  prohibited   by  an 

•'  Tlio  iiiforniiition  furni.slicd  hy  Lcvashcf's  journal  was  divided  into  four 
heads:  A  description  of  the  island  of  L'nalaska;  t'lo  inlialiitanto;  triljute; 
traliic.  The  description  was  sujierficial,  addin,':^  scarcely  anything  to  previous 
aciMunts.  lu  re;;ard  totrilmtc  Levashcf  stated  that  it  was  paid  only  hy  thoso 
who  luul  given  tlieir  children  as  hostages.  Tho  proinysldeniki's  mode  of  car- 
rying on  trade  is  descrihcd  as  follows:  'The  Russians  have  for  some  years 
jiasL  ln'cn  accustomed  to  repair  to  these  islands  iuqu'-'stof  furs  of  whicli  they 
li.ive  imposed  a  tax  upon  the  inhabitants.  They  go  in  the  autumn  to  IJeriu'^ 
and  (Jo;)per  islands,  and  there  ]»ass  tlic  winter  employing  themselves  in  killing 
fi;r-s(ais  and  scadions.  The  flesh  of  tho  latter  is  prepared  for  food,  and  is 
cstccnieil  a  great  <lelicacy.  The  skins  of  the  sea-lions  are  carried  to  the  c  iste'.n 
islands.  Xiie  following  aunnner  they  sail  ea:-tward  to  the  Fox  Islands  and 
a;,'ain  haul  up  their  ships  for  the  winter.  They  then  endeavor  to  procure  I'y 
force,  or  by  persuasion,  children  as  hostages,  generally  the  sons  of  chiefs; 
this  accomplished  they  deliver  fox-traps  to  the  inhabitants  and  also  sea  lion 
skins  for  the  niannfacture  of  bidarkas,  for  which  they  expect  in  return  furs 
and  i>rovision3  during  the  winter.  After  obtaining  from  tho  savages  a  certr.in 
(|uaiitity  of  furs  as  tribute  or  tax,  foi  which  they  give  receipts,  the  promysh- 
leniki pay  for  the  remainder  in  beads,  corals,  woollen  cloth,  copper  kettles, 
liati.'liets,  etc.  In  tho  spring  they  get  b.ick  their  traps  and  deliver  the  hostages. 
'I'hey  ilire  iioc  linnt  alone  or  in  small  numbers.  These  people  could  not  cum- 
pi-ehcnd  for  sometime  for  what  purpose  tho  Russians  imposed  a  tribute  nf 
skins  which  they  did  net  keep  themselves,  for  their  wn  chiefs  had  no  revenue; 
nor  could  they  bo  ma  e  to  believe  that  there  were  any  more  Russians  in 
»  came  among  tliem,  for  in  their  own  country  all  tiio 
together.'  The  most  important  ])art  of  Lcvasliel's 
of  the  inhabitants,  wliich  furnishes  some  valaable 
See  Natire  liaceK,  passim,  this  series'.  The  hydro- 
dition  were  meagre.  The  navigators  of  this  costly 
ascertaining  tho  longitude,  and  consequently  tlieir 
itisfactory.  Tiiey  loc.itcd  Unimak,  Unalaska,  and 
53'  'ly  and  of  3S'.  Special  charts  were  made  of 
sfc  of  Unalaska,  and  tlio  harbor  of  St  Paul,  now 
known  as  Captain  Harbor.  Levax/ii-f's  Journal;  Irkutsk  Archives;  Zap.  Uydr., 
X.  t/7--03;  t'oxe'i  Human  Lis.,  '2J0-2. 


existence  than  those  w 
men  (if  an  island  go  o' 
rejioi't  is  the  descripti 
ethnological  iuformatio 
gra;)!iio  results  of  tlie  ex 
enterprise  h:id  no  means 
ol nervations  were  very  u. 
I'miKik  between  latitude 
Unimak,  the  northern  c 


if  !' 


SUBSEQUENT  EXPEDITIONS. 

iiii[)ciial  oukaz."  Tlio  businoss  of  flttinr^-out,  trading 
t\|)ciliti<)ns  lor  tlio  Aloutijui  Isles  continued  about  as 
usual,  notwithstanding  tlio  terrible  risks  and  niislbr- 
tuncs.  Of  hunting  exiJeditions  to  discovered  islands  it 
is  not  necessary  to  give  full  details. 

In  the  year  17G8  a  company  of  three  merchants, 
Zassypkin,  Orekhof,  and  ]\Ioukhin,  despatched  the 
sliij)  Sd  Kikolui  to  the  islands,  meeting  with  groat 
success;  the  vessel  returned  in  1773  with  a  cargo  con- 
sisting  of  2,450  sea-otters  and  1,127  blue  foxes.-^  The 
y-c  Amhri — Sv  AJi'ian  according  to  Berg — belonging 
to  Poloponissof  and  Popof,  sailed  from  Kamchatka  in 
17(J9.  In  1773  she  was  wrecked  on  the  return  vo}'- 
agc  in  the  vicinity  of  Ou(l'\  liivcr.  The  cargo,  con- 
sisting of  1,200  sea-otters,  l»i)G  black  foxes,  1,411)  cross 
i'oxes,  and  5D3  red  foxes,  was  saved.'*  The  same  year 
sailed  from  Okhotsk  the  Sv  Pro/cop,  owned  by  the 
merchants  Okosliinikof  and  Protodiakonof.  She  I'e- 
tui'ued  after  four  years  with  an  insignilicant  cargo  of 
L'JO  sea-otters,  20  black  and  40  cross  foxes.-'^  In  1770 
the  ship  Sv  Alcxundr  Nevski,  the  property  of  the  n)er- 
cliant  Seiebrennikof,  sailed  for  the  islands  and  returned 
after  a  four  years'  voyage  with  2,340  sea-otters  aixl 
1,130  blue  foxes.'"'  Shilof,  Orekhof,  and  Lapin,  in  July 
of  the  same  year,  fitted  out  once  more  the  old  ship  So 
Pucel  at  Okhotsk,  and  despatched  her  to  the  islands 
under  command  of  the  uotorit)us  Solovief.  By  this 
time  the  Aleuts  were  evidently  thoroughly  subjugated, 

'-Berg  claims  that  this  oukaz  was  not  issued  until  1779,  10  yoaia  nftor 
Kicnitziu  returned.  Khroiiol.  1st.,  80,  IScrg's  statements  coiici  rniii;^  tho 
Kienitzin  expedition  are  brief  and  vague.  The  best  authority  on  tlio  Kul)ject 
low  extant  is  Sokolof,  who  had  acecss  to  the  archives  of  Irkutsk,  and  who 
]iublishcd  tlie  results  of  liis  investigation  in  volume  x.  of  Zap.  U 'idr.  Tho 
(K'soription  of  Krcnitzin's  voyago  in  Co.ve's  /'itsslaa  Din.,  2'2l  et  s('i|.,  is  ba.'-cd 
to  a  certain  extent  on  questionable  authority,  but  it  was  tran.shitcd  vi:'1(,illy 
l>y  Pallas  in  his  iVon/.  Ji'itr.,  i.  249-7-.  Tho  wiine  account  w:is  cnjiicd  in 
•  iirinan  in  Biixrhlif/'s  Mwjw.hie,  vol.  xvi.,  and  strangely  enough  retranslated 
into  Russian  by  Sarychef. 

■^ lier<i,  Khronol.  Int.,  app.;  GrewhirjL;  Biitr.,  317. 

''* IJcnj,  KhroiioL  Int.,  04-0,  app.  Tho  nature  of  tho  cargo  proves  that  Uio 
voyai^o  extended  at  least;  to  Unalask.a. 

'''  llcnj,  Khnniol.  Int.,  07.  No  reason  for  the  ill-success  of  tins  venture  haa 
been  transmitted. 

'"^JJtru,  Khivnol.ht.,  86. 


170 


BIPERIAL  EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES. 


as  the  man  wlio  Jiad  slaughtered  their  brethren  hy 
hundreds  during  his  former  visit  passed  four  addi- 
tional years  in  safety  among  them,  and  then  returned 
v/ith  an  exceedingly  valuable  cargo  of  1,900  sea-otters, 
1,493  black,  2,115  cross,  and  1,275  red  foxes.  He 
claims  to  have  reached  the  Alaska  peninsula,  and  do- 
scribes  Unimak  and  adjoining  islands.-^ 

The  next  voyage  on  record  is  that  of  Potap  Zaikof, 
a  master  in  the  navy,  who  entered  the  service  of  the 
Shilof  and  Lapin  company,  and  sailed  from  Okhotslc 
on  the  22d  of  September  1772,  in  the  ship  Sv^  Vladi- 
mir. Zaikof  had  with  him  a  peredovchik  named  Shu- 
shin  and  a  crew  of  sixty-nine  men.-^  At  the  outset 
this  expedition  was  attended  with  misfortune.  Driven 
north,  the  mariners  were  obliged  to  winter  tlieroy 
then  after  tempest-tossings  south  ihey  finally  reached 
Copper  I    and,  where  they  spent  the  second  winter. 

Zaikof  made  a  careful  survey  of  the  island,  the  first 
on  record,  though  promyshleniki  had  visited  the  spot 
annually  for  over  twenty-five  years.  Almost  a  year 
elapsed  before  Zaikof  set  sail  again  on  the  2d  of  July 
1774,  and  for  some  unexplained  reason  twenty-throe 
days  were  consumed  in  reaching  Attoo,  only  seventy 
leagues  distant.  Having  achieved  this  remarkable 
feat  he  remained  there  till  the  4th  of  July  follow- 
ing. The  progress  of  Zaikof  on  his  eastward  course 
was  so  slow  that  it  becomes  necessary  to  look  after  a 
few  other  expeditions  which  had  set  out  since  his  de- 
parture. 

The  ship  Arhhangel  Sv  Mihlia'il,  the  property  of 
Kholodilof,  ,vas  fitted  out  in  1772,  and  sailed  i'rom  Bol- 
sheretsk  on  the  8th  of  September  with  IMaster  Dnnlii 
Polutof  as  coiiUnander,  and  a  crew  of  sixty -three  men. 
This  vessel  also  was  beached  bv  a  storm  on  the  coast 


- 


^^PcUnx,  Nonl  Deitr.,  viii.  .^2G-34;  St  Peten^himwr  Zelthiri,  1782— nn  ex- 
tract from  Solovief'a  journal.  Another  >S't'  J'avd,  despatched  in  1774  liy  a 
Tobolsk  ♦i-ader  named  Ossokin,  was  wrecked  immediately  utter  setting  sail 
from  OLiiotsk.     Grew'nKjk,  IJeitr.,  .319. 

"/jVr.'/,  Khronol.  Int.,  S7;  I'alioK,  Nonl.  Bcitr,,  iii.  274-88;  GrtwimiL; 
JJeitr.,  iii.  18. 


POLUTOF  AXD  ZAiKOF. 


Ill 


en  by 
addi- 
iirned 
.)ttcrs, 
.  He 
nd  dc- 

5aikof, 
of  the 
khotsk 

VlacU- 
d  Sho- 

outsct 
Driven 

tliercv 
reached 

inter, 
•he  first 
;hc  spot 
f  a  year 
of  July 
y-tliree 
cvonty 
arkal)le 
follow - 
course 
after  a 
his  de- 

3rty  of 

hni  Bel- 
iDniiln 

}0  men. 

Iio  coast 


V2— nn  cN- 
|l77t  I'V  a 
ctliug  sail 

Wrtwiii'lkt 


of  Kamchatka;  after  which,  passing  the  tardy  Zaikof, 
Polutof  went  to  Unalaska,  where  he  remained  two 
years, trading  peaceably,and  then  proceeded  toKadiak. 
On  this  last  trip  he  set  out  on  the  15th  of  June  177G, 
taking  with  him  some  Aleutian  hunters  and  inter- 
preters. After  a  voyage  of  nine  days  the  Sv  Mikhail 
anchored  in  a  capacious  bay  on  the  east  coast  of  the 
island,  probably  the  bay  of  Oojak  on  the  shores  of 
which  the  Orlova  settlement  was  subsequently  founded. 
The  natives  kept  away  from  the  vicinity  of  the  harbor 
for  some  time,  and  a  month  elapsed  before  they  ventured 
to  approach  the  Russians.  They  were  heavily  armed, 
extremely  cautious  in  their  movements,  and  evidently 
but  little  inclined  to  listen  to  friendly  overtures. 
Polutof  perceived  that  it  was  useless  to  remain  under 
such  circumstances.  He  finally  wintered  at  Atkha, 
{lud  the  follow  ing  year  returned,  landing  at  Nishekam- 
chatsk.  The  total  yield  of  this  adventure  was  3,720 
sea-otters,  488  black,  431  cross,  204  red,  901  blue  foxes, 
and  143  fur-seals.'^ 

Thus  Polutof  accomplished  an  extended  and  profit- 
able vo^^age,  \\\v\q  the  trained  navigator  Zaikof  was 
yet  taking  preparatory  steps,  moving  from  island  to 
island,  at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  miles  per  annum.^*^ 
The  latter  had  on  the  4th  of  July  1775  sailed  from 
Attoo,  leaving  ten  men  behind  to  hunt  during  his 
aljsence.  On  the  19th  the  Sv  Vladimir  reached  Um- 
nak,  where  another  vessel,  the  Sv  Yevpl,ov  St  Jewell, 
owned  by  the  merchant  Burenin,  and  despatched  in 
1773  from  Nishckamshatsk,  was  already  anchored. 
Aware  of  the  bloody  scenes  but  lately  acted  there- 
about, Zaikof  induced  the  commander  of  the  Sv  Yepii 

■*  ficrii,  Khronol.  Int.,  app. 

^"  From  papers  furnishcil  liim  by  Timofcif  Shtnalcf,  Bcrj*  heard  of  another 
vessel  l)elon;.;ing  to  t'le  ni't'cliants  (irifTor  anil  I'etr  I'annf,  wliieh  sjiilcil  top 
the  isLuuls  in  1/72.  KhroiioK  In/.,  i)0-7 ;  O'lriciinjl;  lic'Ur. , .'>1!».  Anollier  \oya;_,'o 
iiiulert.ikcn  in  1772  is  deseiiheil  liy  I'alliis  in  Soi-d.  JJii/r.,  ii.  ;i')S-'J4,  inicl.r 
till'  following  title:  'Des  IVredofschik's  Dimitry  ISragin  Berielit  von  ei.ier  iiu 
.lalire  1772  angctrctencn  ciiijillirigen  Seereisc  zu  ilen  zwisclien  Kanitsrliallva 
iiuil  Anierika  gelegenen  Inseln.'  iSinco  Gre\vinf;k  iliseribea  this  voyage  us  nc- 
eiijiying  the  four  yiaia  from  1772  to  177(i,  it  i.s  rather  doubtful  whether  tho 
Uescriptiou  applies  to  the  one  year  voyage  of  liragin. 


):;!■■!  i 


w. 


172 


IMPERIAL  EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES. 


iiRAiiiN's  Map. 


It 


GREAT  HARVEST  OF  FURS. 


173 


to  hunt  on  joint  account.^^  The  agreement  v.-as  that 
the  Sv  Yevpl  sliould  remain  at  Unniak  with  thirty- 
ilvo  men,  while  the  Sv  Vladimir,  with  sixty  men 
and  fully  provisioned,  was  to  set  out  in  search  of 
new  discoveries.  On  rejoining,  the  furs  obtairicd  hy 
the  two  parties  were  to  be  divided.  Zaikof  sailed 
eastward  on  the  3d  of  August,  and  in  three  weeks 
reached  the  harbor  where  Krenitzin  wintered  with 
the  Sv  Ekatcrina.  Here  the  commander  of  the  expe- 
dition considered  himself  entitled  to  a  prolonged  rest, 
and  consequently  he  remained  stationary  for  three 
years,  making  surveys  of  the  neighborhood  while  his 
crew  attended  to  the  business  of  hunting  and  tra[)- 
ping."- 

On  the  27th  of  May  1778  the  Sv  Vladimir  put  to 
sea  once  more,  steering  for  the  bay  where  the  com- 
[)anion  ship  was  anchored.  Upon  this  brief  passage, 
which  at  that  time  of  th'c  year  can  easily  be  accom- 
plished in  three  days,  Zaikof  managed  to  spend  lifty- 
llirec  da}"s.  At  last,  however,  the  juncture  of  the  two 
ships  was  effected  and  the  furs  were  duly  divided,  but 
after  attending  to  these  arduous  duties  the  captain 
concluded  to  wait  another  year  before  taking  his  linal 
departure  for  Okhotsk.  Not  until  the  Otli  of  i\Iay 
1770  did  Zaikof  sail  from  Unmak,  and  after  brief 
stoppages  at  Attoo  and  Bering  islands  the  Sv  Vladi- 
mir i'ound  herself  safely  anchored  in  the  harbor  of 
Okhotsk  on  the  Gth  of  September.''^ 

^' Tlio  Sv  Yfvpl  sailed  for  the  i.slaiula  in  1773,  and  returned  in  1770.  Tii 
the  caryo  v.'crc  G;J  land-otters,  the  lirst  shipiied  hy  the  proniyshlcnilvi,  and 
]iiciviny  that  this  vessel  must  have  readied  the  continent.  lUnj,  Klirottil.  I.-L, 
517,  app.  A  compari.ion  of  this  cargo  with  the  furs  carried  hack  liy  tlie  Sv  I  la- 
d'diiir  would  indicate  that  Zaikof  must  have  taken  the  lion's  share  on  closing 
the  partnership. 

"-  Jieri^  thought  it  improbable  that  Zaikof  should  have  known  any thinp;  of 
astrononiieal  ol)sefvation9  (he  was  a  master  in  the  navy  I),  but  he  iiekiiowl- 
e(l;^'cd  that  Zail;()f  did  discover  nn  error  connnittcd  by  Captain  Krcnitiin  in 
l)hkiii<x  his  anchorage  live  degrees  too  far  to  the  westward.   Klivovol.  J.<t.,  US. 

'■^■^  With  all  his  ap[iarently  unnecessary  delays,  Zaikof  in  his  leport  to  tlio 
o\vners  of  the  vessel  made  a  very  good  showing  compared  with  the  re!;ults  ot 
iitlier  voyages.  During  an  absence  of  more  than  7  years  he  lost  but  12  out  of 
lii-<  numerous  crew,  and  his  cargo  consisted  of  4,.')7-  sea-otters,  ;!,'J4'.)  ioxei  of 
ditlerent  kinds,  !)2  land-otters,  I  wolverene  and  'A  wolves — the  llrst  bnjn;:ht 
from  America — 18  minks,  l,7-o  fur-seals,  and  3o0  pounds  of  walrus  ivory,  tlio 


174 


niPERIAL  EFFORTS  AND  FAILURES. 


Two  of  the  owners  of  the  Sv  Vladimir,  Orekhof  and 
Lapin,  proceeded  to  St  Petersburg  with  a  preyent  of 
three  hundred  choice  black  foxes  for  the  empress. 
The  gift  was  graciously  received;  the  donors  were  en- 
tertained at  the  imperial  palace,  decorated  with  gold 
medals,  and  admitted  to  an  interview  with  Catherine, 
who  made  tlio  most  minute  inquiries  into  the  opera- 
tions of  her  subjects  in  the  easternmost  confines  of  her 
territory.  Th3  indebtedness  of  the  firm  to  the  gov- 
ernment for  nautical  instruments  and  supplies,  timber, 
and  taxes,  was  also  remitted. '^ 


i 


It  has  been  elsewhere  mentioned  that  the  promy- 
shleniki  and  traders  occasionally  ventured  upon  voy- 
ages from  the  coast  of  Kamchatka  to  the  eastward 
islands  in  open  boats  or  bidars.  Two  of  these  expe- 
ditions took  place  in  1772,  under  the  auspices  of  a 
merchant  named  Ivan  Novikof  The  voyage  of  over 
a  thousand  miles  from  Bolsheretsk  around  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  Kamchatka  to  the  islands  was  twice 
safely  performed,  the  whole  enterprise  netting  the 
owners  15, GOO  rubles.  Considering  the  higher  value 
of  money  in  those  times  and  the  insignificant  outlay 
required  in  this  instance,  the  enterprise  met  wuth  en- 


couraging success. 


From  this  time  to  the  visit  of  Captain  Cook,  single 
traders  and  small  conr  ^anies  continued  the  traffic  with 
the  islands  in  much  the  same  manner  as  before,  though 
a  general  tendency  to  consolidation  was  perceptible. 


n 
S3 


whole  valued  at  300,410  rubles.  Berg  declares  that  at  the  prices  establislud 
by  the  Russian-American  Company  at  tlio  time  of  his  writing,  1S12,  the  saiiio 
furs  would  liiive  been  worth  1,003,588  rubles.   Khronol.  Int.,  J)l-3. 

'•  Berg  also  states  that  this  present  was  made  after  the  return  of  the  N" 
Vladimir  from  the  islands,  but  he  speaks  of  the  journey  of  Orckliof  and  Lapin 
na  having  taken  place  iu  1770.  The  discrepancy  may  be  owing  to  a  typo- 
granhiciil  error.  Khronol.  1-4.,  93-4. 

'•''In  1774  the  merchants  Protodiakonof  and  Okoshinikof  fitted  out  the 
ship  Sv  I'rokvi)  for  the  second  time,  but  on  her  return  from  a  fourth  cruise 
the  owners  n  fused  to  engage  again  in  such  enterprises,  having  barely  covereil 
cxjoenses  during  a  period  of  eight  years. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

.     EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE. 

1770-1787. 

PoMTTCAL  Changes  at  St  pETERSBURa — Exiles  to  Siberia — The  Loko 
Weary  Way  to  ILvmchatka — The  Benyovski  Conspiracy — The  At:- 
TiloR  Bad  ENOuciH,  BrT  not  so  Bad  as  He  woflp  like  to  Appear — 
llxiLE  Regulations — Forgery,  Treachery,  Robbery,  and  Mirder — 
Escape  of  the  Exiles — Behm  Appointed  to  Sccceed  Nilof  as  Com- 

JIANDANT  of  KAMCHATKA — FlRTUER  HuNTIXO  VoYAGES— FiKST  TRAD- 
ING Expedition  to  the  Mainland— Potop  Za'ikof — Prince  William 
Sound—Ascent  of  Copper  River — Treacheroi's  Chcgaches— Plight 
OF  the  Russians — Home  of  the  Fur-seals — Its  Discovkry  by  Geras- 
siM  Prieylof — Jealousy  of  Rival  Companies. 


It  was  a  time  of  rapid  and  sweeping  political  cliangcs 
at  the  imperial  court.  All  along  the  road  to  Siberia, 
to  Yakutsk,  and  even  to  Okhotsk  and  Kamchatka,  one 
1>atch  of  exiles  followed  another,  political  castaways, 
piisoners  of  war,  or  victims  of  too  deep  diplomacy, 
as  much  out  of  place  in  this  broad,  bleak  penitcntiaiy 
as  would  be  promyshleniki  and  otters  in  St  Peter.s- 
biULT.  In  one  of  these  illustrious  bands  was  a  Polish 
count,  Augustine  Benyovski  by  name,^  who  had 
I'layed  somewhat  too  recklessly  at  conspiracy.  Nor 
was  Siberia  to  deprive  him  of  this  pastime.  Long 
bi'l'ore  ho  reached  Yakutsk  he  had  plotted  and  organ- 
i/.cd  a  secret  society  of  exiles  with  himself  as  chief. 
The  more  prominent  of  the  other  members  were  a 
J  )octor  Hoffman,  a  resident  of  Yakutsk,  Major  Wind- 
Ida  th.  Captain  Panof,  Captain  Hipolite  Stepanof, 
Colonel  Baturin,  and  Sopronof,  the  secretary  of  the 

'  Sgibnef  states  that  Benyovski  did  not  call  liimself  count  or  baron  in 
Kamchatka,  but  simply  bciuosk  or  beinak.  Momkoi  SOornik;  cii.  51. 

(175) 


176 


EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE. 


society,'^  'The  object  of  this  association  very  naturally 
was  to  get  its  members  out  of  limbo;  or  in  other  words 
mutual  assistance  on  the  part  of  the  members  in 
making  their  escape  from  Liberia.  The  chief  exacted 
from  each  his  signature  to  a  written  agreement,  done 
in  the  vicinity  of  Yakutsk,  and  dated  the  27th  of 
August  1770.  After  a  month  of  tedious  progress 
through  the  wastes  of  eastern  Siberia,  the  count's 
1  tarty  was  overtaken  by  a  courier  from  Yakutsk  who 
claimed  to  have  important  despatches  for  the  com- 
mander of  Okhotsk;  at  the  same  time  he  reported 
that  Dr  Hoffman  was  dead.  The  suspicions  of  Ben- 
yovski  and  his  companions  were  aroused.  Persuad- 
ing the  tired  courier  that  he  Jieedcd  a  little  rest,  they 
feasted  him  well,  and  after  nightfall  while  he  slei)t 
they  ransacked  his  satchel,  and  took  therefrom  a 
formidable-looking  document  which  proved  to  contain 
an  expose  of  their  plans,  obtained  from  Hoffman's 
papers.  Benyovski  was  equal  to  the  emergency.  Ho 
wrote  another  letter  upon  official  paper,  with  which 
he  had  provided  himself  at  Yakutsk,  full  of  the  most 
sober  recommendations  of  the  exiles  to  the  commander 
of  Okhotsk.  This  document  was  inserted  into  the 
pilfered  envelope,  and  carried  forward  to  its  destina- 
tion by  the  unsuspecting  messenger.^ 

The  forged  letter  did  its  work.  Wiien  Benj^ovsld 
and  his  companions  arrived  at  Okhotsk  they  were 
received  with  the  greatest  kindness  by  Colonel  Plcii- 
isner,^  the  commandant,  who  regarded  them  as  unfor- 
tunate gentlemen,  like  himself,  not  for  a  moment  to 
be  placed  in  the  category  of  criminals.  Hence  hu 
granted  them  every  privilege,  and  supplied  them  freely 
with  food,  clothing,  and  even  arms.  Being  a  man  o\' 
little  education  and  of  dissipated  habits,  Plenisner  was 


*  licnyov-'kVn  Memoin*  and  Traveh,  i.  07. 

-      *  liemjovskVH  Mrmoiri*  and  Trnveh,  i.  72;  Momlvi  Sbornik,  cii.  97. 

*  Tlii.i  nmn  was  probably  the  same  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  second 
expedition  of  l^erini,'  and  Sliestakdf's  campaign  in  the  Cliukchi  countiy,  uihI 
vlio  was  .ippointed  to  the  command  of  Kamchatka  in  January  1701,  for  n 
term  of  five  years.  Sijihiiff,  in  Momkoi  ShorniL;  cii.  37-8. 


.••'''. '.- 


THE  BOASTFUL  BENYOVSKI. 


177 


easily  (locclvod  by  the  plausible  tongue  of  the  courtly 
Polo,  who  quickly  perceived  that  he  had  made  an 
crcirious  mistake  in  framins?  his  forged  letter.  He 
saw  that  residence  at  Okhotsk  promised  favorable 
opportunity  for  escape  in  view  of  the  confidence  re- 
])oscd  in  him  by  the  commander,  though  he  had 
thought  that  Kamchatka  offered  the  best  facilities, 
and  had  urged  in  the  letter  early  transportation  ol' 
tlic  exiles  to  that  locality.  Though  willing  to  oblige 
his  new  friends,  in  every  possible  manner,  Colonel 
Plonisner  did  not  dare  to  act  in  direct  o^jposition  to 
Ills  orders,  and  in  October  a  detachment  of  exiles, 
embracing  all  the  conspirators,  was  sent  by  the  ship 
Sv  Petr  i  Sv  Pavel  to  Bolsheretsk,  Kamchatka,' 
Avhere  they  were  transferred  to  the  charge  of  Captain 
Nilof,  commandant  of  the  district.^ 


^Bonyovski  describes  this  craft  as  of  2(W  tons  burden,  armt'  with  8  can- 
ncms,  and  manned  with  a  crew  of  43,  commanded  by  Yesurin  and  Korostilof. 
T!it'  \esscl  was  laden  with  flour  and  brandy.  Benyovskis  Memoirs  and  TmveU, 
i.  70-80. 

''  Benyovski  claims  that  the  passage  was  an  exceedingly  stormy  one,  and 
that  the  ship  was  on  tlie  verge  of  destruction,  owing  to  the  incapacity  and 
drunkenness  of  both  oificersand  men,  when  he,  a  prisoner  in  iron.!,  took  coni- 
niiuid  and  by  his  '  superior  knowledge  of  navigation  succeeded  in  shortening 
siiil  and  bringing  the  vessel  into  its  proper  course,  tlius  saving  tiic  lives  of  au 
on  l)oard.'  As  the  passage  was  a  short  one  wc  may  doubt  the  statement  of 
tlu' lioastful  Benyovski.  The  count  also  claimed  that  the  privileges  snbse- 
fj'.icntly  granted  him  Ijy  Nilof  were  based  upon  his  heroic  action  on  this  occa- 
sion. Nilof  had  formerly  been  the  commandant  of  tlie  Cossack  ostrog  of 
Isliiga,  but  Zubritski  wlien  recalled  to  St  Petersburg  summoned  him  as  liis 
succt'ssor  in  1709.  He  was  given  to  drink,  and  easily  deceived,  and  hud 
ahcady  been  victimized  by  an  exiled  oiBcial  named  Kyslikof.  The  latter  hav- 
iiig  failed  In  various  attempts  to  trade  with  the  )iatives,  prevailed  upon  Nilof 
tip  Milvancc  sums  from  the  public  funds  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  agricult- 
ural experiments.  Of  course  the  money  wfis  lost  and  the  experiments  resulted 
in  failure.  Sijil»icf,m  Mornkoi  Sboriiik;  cii.  ill-G'J.  Shortly  after  their  arrival  tlie 
foUuwing  regulations  concerning  the  exiles  were  promulgated  at  Bolsheretslc: 
I. St.  The  captives  were  to  be  liberated  from  close  restriction  and  furnished 
V  ith  food  for  tiiree  days;  after  which  they  were  to  provide  their  own  sub.sist- 
ein'c.  '2d.  The  chancellery  was  to  furnish  each  exile  with  a  gun  and  lance,  one 
imund  of  powder,  four  pounds  of  lead,  an  axe,  some  knives,  and  other  utensils 
witli  which  to  l.uiild  themselves  a  house.  1'hey  were  at  liberty  to  select  a 
incation  within  half  a  league  of  the  town;  each  man  was  to  pay  to  the  gov- 
(.■ruiiient  100  rubles  during  the  first  year  in  consideration  of  the  advance, 
liaynients  to  be  made  in  money  or  skins  at  the  option  of  the  exiles.  IM. 
JOaoli  uxile  was  bound  to  labor  one  day  of  each  week  for  the  government, 
anil  they  were  not  allowed  to  absent  tliemselves  from  their  location  over  'J4 
hiiiirs  without  jiermission  of  the  commandant.  Each  was  also  to  fuinisJi  the 
treasury  of  Bolsheretsk  with  6  sables,  2  foxes,  50  gray  sqiunels,  and  24 
fiinhies  annually. 

HiBT.  Alaska.    12 


178 


EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE. 


H 


We  may  as  well  take  it  for  granted  before  proceed- 
ing further  that  three  fourths  of  all  that  Benyovsld 
says  of  himself  are  lies;  with  this  understanding  I 
will  continue  his  story,  building  it  for  the  most  part 
on  what  others  say  of  him. 

In  Kamchatka  as  in  Okhotsk  through  his  superior 
social  qualifications  the  count  was  enabled  to  gain  tlie 
confidence  and  good- will  of  the  commander,  so  that  the 
hardships  of  his  position  were  greatly  alleviated.  He 
was  not  obliged  to  join  his  companions  in  the  toilson.o 
and  dangerous  chase  of  fur-bearinjj  animals,  findin*; 
more  congenial  employment  in  Captain  Nilof  s  otBcc 
and  residence.^  The  count  accompanied  his  patron  on 
various  official  tours  of  inspection,  in  which  he  came 
in  contact  with  his  numerous  fellow-exiles  scattered 
through  the  interior  in  small  settlements.  Hisorifji- 
nal  plan  of  escape  from  the  Russian  domains  was  ever 
present  in  his  mind  and  he  neglected  no  opportunity 
to  enlarge  the  membership  of  his  secret  society.  In 
order  to  ingratiate  himself  still  more  with  Nilof  he  re- 
sorted to  his  old  trick  of  forgery,  and  revealed  to  the 
credulous  commander  an  imaginary  plot  to  poison  hin) 
and  the  officers  of  his  staff.  He  claimed  in  his  memoirs 
that  in  consideration  of  this  service  Nilof  formally  re- 
voked his  sentence  of  exile.^ 

While  still  travellinjr  with  Nilof  in  the  besfinning  of 
1771,  Benypvski  intercepted  a  letter  directed  to  the 
former  by  one  of  the  conspirators  betraying  the  plot." 

'  Eenyovski  goes  out  of  the  way  to  prove  himself  a  great  niscal.  Ho  ex- 
plains how  he  iiigiatiatccl  himself  with  Nilof  ami  his  family,  claiming  that  hi; 
was  employed  as  tutor  to  several  young  girls  and  hoys,  and  that  in  his  capa- 
city of  clerk  to  the  father  ho  forged  reports  to  the  imperial  government,  prais- 
ing the  conduct  of  the  exiles.  He  also  states  that  he  made  use  of  his  fascinntioiirf 
to  work  upon  the  feelings  of  one  of  tlie  young  daughters,  and  to  gain  control 
of  her  heart  and  mind.  Sgihnef,  however,  a  careful  and  industrious  inves- 
tigator, says,  iirst,  tliat  the  count  did  not  play  upon  t!>e  afleetions  of  Nilof':' 
daugliter,  and  secondly  that  Nilof  never  had  a  daughter.  Benyovski's  Meiiioii-.^ 
and  TniCi'U,  i.  IGO-'i;  Momkoi  Shornik,  cii.  51-09. 

^  JjciiyQVHkl'a  Memoirs  and  TraveU,  i.  135-7.  Sgibnef,  however,  states 
that  no  amnesty  or  special  privileges  were  granted  to  Benyovski.  Morxkoi 
Sbornik,  cii.  09. 

•Benyovski  gives  the  following  list  of  members  of  the  secret  society  of 
exiles :  Benyovski,  Panof,  Baturin,  Stepanof  Sohuauof,  Windblath,  Kruatiif, 
ami  \"asblli,  Beuyovski's  servant.  Later  u  largo  number  was  added,  among  them 


REVOLT  OF  THE  EXILES. 


170 


Tlio  traitor,  whose  name  was  Leontief,  was  killed  by 
order  of  the  court.  The  plan  settled  upon  for  final 
action  was  to  overcome  the  garrison  of  Bolsherotsk, 
iini)rison  the  commander,  plunder  the  public  treasury 
and  storehouses,  and  sail  for  Japan  or  some  of  the 
islands  of  the  Pacific  with  as  many  of  the  conspirators 
as  desired  to  go.^° 

Benyovski's  statement  of  his  exploits  at  Kamchatka, 
for  unblushing  impudence  in  the  telling,  borders  the 
sublime.  Arriving  at  Bolsheretsk  on  the  1st  of  De- 
comber  a  half-starved  prisoner  clothed  in  rags,  he  was 
advanced  to  the  position  of  confidant  of  the  acting 
governor  before  two  weeks  had  elapsed,  being  also  the 
accepted  suitor  for  the  hand  of  his  daughter.  During 
the  same  time  he  had  succeeded  in  rousing  the  spirit 
of  revolt  not  only  in  the  breasts  of  his  fellow-exiles, 
but  among  the  free  merchants  and  sjovernment  offi- 
rials,  who  he  claimed  were  ready  to  rise  at  a  moment  s 
warning  and  overthrow  their  rulers.  Within  a  few 
days,  or  weeks  at  the  most,  this  grand  conspiracy  had 
not  only  been  called  into  existence  but  had  survived 
s[)asms  of  internal  dissensions  and  attempted  treason, 
all  suppressed  by  the  strength  and  presence  of  mind 
of  one  man — Benyovski.  Then  he  tells  how  he 
cheated  the  connnander  and  others  in  games  and  sold 
his  influence  for  presents  of  furs  and  costly  garments. 
On  the  1st  of  January  1771  a  fete  took  place  at  the 
house  of  Captain   Nilof.     Benyovski  claims  that  it 

many  who  were  not  exiles:  Duinitri  Kuznetzof,  a  free  merchant,  Afannssiy 
Kunicn,  a  Cossack  captain;  Ivan  SilmiVf,  captiiiii  of  infantry;  Aloxci'  Tnito- 
pop,  urcli<leacon  of  the  church,  free;  Leonti  IVipof,  captiiin  of  infantry,  free; 
Ivan  Churin,  niercliant,  free;  Magnns  Minler,  aurgeon-ycncral  of  tlio  ndini- 
lalty,  exiled  for  20  years;  Ivan  Volkof,  hunter,  free;  Kasiuiir  Bielski,  Polish 
txile;  Grigor  Lobchof,  colonel  of  infantry,  exile;  I'liiieo  Hcraclius  ZadMkoi, 
exiled;  Julien  Brandoi-p,  exiled  Swede;  Nikolai  Serchrennikof,  captain  of  the 
f.'uards,  exile;  Andrei  liiatzinin,  exile.  All  the  incnihers  of  the  Russian  church 
joining  the  conspiracy  were  ol)ligc(l  first  to  confess  and  receive  the  sacrament 
in  order  to  make  their  oath  more  binding.  Bciiyov.iki'n  Mcmoh's  ami  Tracd't, 
i.  108-9. 

'"At  that  time  tho  province  was  estimated  to  contain  over  15,000  inhabit- 
ants classified  in  the  official  returns  as  follows:  2'2  infantry  officers;  422  Itus- 
sian  riflemen;  1,500  Cossacks  and  officers;  20  civil  otficers;  82  Rns.siaii 
merchants;  700  descendants  of  exiles  (200  females),  free;  1,000  exiles:  8,000 
males  and  3,000  female  natives  of  Kamchatka;  40  Russian  men.  Beiii/ornkl's 
Memoirs  and  Travels,  i.  301;  Morskui  Sbornik,  ciii.  81. 


^;i 


'J' 


T{  "! 


th 


ISO 


EXrLORATIOX  AXD  TRADE. 


had  been  arranged  to  celebrate  his  betrothal  to  Afan- 
assia  Nilof,  to  whom  he  had  promised  marriage, 
tliough  already  possessed  of  a  wife  in  Poland.  In 
his  diary  he  states  at  length  how  he  suppressed 
another  counter-conspiracy  a  few  moments  before  pro- 
ceeding to  the  festive  scene,  and  sentenced  two  of  his 
former  companions  to  death.  Meanwhile  Benyovski's 
cruel  and  arbitrary  treatment  of  his  associates  had 
made  him  many  enemies,  and  reports  of  his  designs 
reached  the  authorities.  He  succeeded  repeatedly  in 
dispersing  the  growing  suspicion,  but  finally  the  dan- 
ger became  so  threatening  that  he  concluded  to  pre- 
cipitate the  execution  of  his  plot. 

On  the  26th  of  April  Captain  Nilof  sent  an  officer 
with  two  Cossacks  to  Benyovski's  residence  with 
orders  to  summon  him  to  the  chancellery,  there  to 
give  an  account  of  his  intentions.  The  summons  of 
the  chief  conspirator  brought  to  the  spot  about  a 
dozen  of  his  associates,  who  bound  and  gagged  the 
captain's  messengers.  Then  hoisting  the  signal  of 
general  revolt,  which  called  all  the  members  of  the 
society  together,  he  proceeded  to  Nilof's  quarters, 
where  the  feeble  show  of  resistance  made  by  the 
trembling  drunkard  and  his  family  furnished  sufficient 
excuse  for  a  general  charge  upon  the  premises.  During 
the  niel(5e  the  commander  was  killed.  The  murder  was 
premeditated,  as  the  best  means  of  preventing  partici- 
pants from  turning  back. 

Before  resolving  upon  the  final  attack,  Benyovski 
had  secured  the  services  of  the  commander  of  the 
only  vessel  then  in  port,  the  Sv  Petv  i  Sv  Pavel, 
and  as  soon  as  the  momentary  success  of  the  enter- 
prise was  assured  his  whole  force  was  set  to  work  to 
repair  and  fit  out  this  craft.  The  magazines  and 
storehouses  were  ransacked,  and  not  satisfied  with 
the  quantity  of  powder  on  hand,  he  shipped  a  supply 
of  sulphur,  saltpetre,  and  charcoal  necessary  for  the 
manufacture  of  that  article." 

"Benyovski's  own  inventory  of  tlie   'armament'  of  the  Sv  Petr  i  Sv 


BENYOVSKI'S  JOURNEY. 


ISl 


riago, 
.     In 

ressed 
e  pro- 
of his 
Dvski's 
38  had 
lesigns 
adly  in 
le  dan- 
to  pre- 

.  officer 
;e  with 
here  to 
nons  of 
about  a 
ged  the 
gnal  of 
of  the 
uarters, 
by  the 
iifficient 
During 
der  wa« 
partici- 


Thc  interval  between  Benyovski's  aceessiou  to 
]  lower  and  his  departure  to  13olsherctsk  was  filled 
with  brief  trials  and  severe  punishments  of  recreant 
iiunibers  of  his  band  who  endeavored  to  open  the 
way  for  tiieir  own  pardon  by  the  old  authorities 
hv  betraying  the  new.  The  knout  was  freel}'  used, 
and  the  sentence  of  death  imposed  almost  daily.  At 
last  on  the  12th  of  May  the  Sv  Pctr  i  Sv  Pavel  sailed 
out  of  the  harbor  of  Bolsheretsk  midst  the  firing 
of  salvos,  the  ringing  of  bells,  and  the  solemn  te 
(leum  on  the  quarter-deck.  The  voyage  is  involved 
iu  mystery,  caused  chiefly  by  the  contradictory  re- 
ports of  Benyovski  himself.  He  says  he  anchored 
ill  a  bay  of  Bering  Island  on  the  lOtli  of  May,  after  a 
])assage  of  seven  days,  took  on  board  twenty-six  bar- 
rels of  water,  and  sailed  again,  after  a  brief  sojourn 
on  the  island,  during  which  he  claimed  to  have  fallen 
ill  with  a  Captain  Okhotin  of  the  ship  Elizaveta, 
whom  Benyovski  describes  as  an  exiled  Saxon  noble- 
man. 

On  the  7th  of  June  he  claims  to  have  communi- 
cated with  the  Chukchi  in  latitude  64°,  and  only 
three  days  later,  on  the  10th  of  June,  he  landed 
on  the  island  of  Kadiak,  over  1,000  miles  aw'av. 
Another  entry  in  the  count's  diary  describes  his 
arrival  on  the  island  of  Amchitka,  one  of  the  Andrian- 
ovski  group,  on  the  21st  of  June,  and  two  days  later 
tlio  arrival  of  the  ship  at  Ourumusir,  one  of  the 
Kurile  Islands,  is  noted.  In  explanation  of  this  re- 
markable feat  he  gives  the  speed  of  his  vessel  at  ten 
and  a  half  knots  an  hour,  which  might  be  true,  driven 
by  a  gale.    The  only  part  of  this  journey  susceptible 


Piivrl  was  as  follows:  '96  men,  9  of  them  females;  8  cannon;  2  howitzers;  2 
nuiitars;  120  muskets  with  bayonets;  80  saln-es;  GO  pistols;  1,(J(X)  pounds  ot 
powder;  2,000  pounds  of  lead;  800  pounds  of  salt  meat;  1,200  pounds  of  salt 
tisli;  3,000  pounds  of  dried  fish;  1,400  pounds  of  whale-oil;  200  pounds  of 
Hu^iar;  500  pounds  of  tea:  i.OOO  pounds  of  spoiled  Hour;  40  pounds  of  Imtter; 
1 1. '{  pounds  of  cheese;  6,000  pounds  of  iron;  120  liand-gi'enades;  U(X)  cannon- 
Italls;  50  pounds  of  sulphur;  200  pounds  of  salti^etre;  sevei-al  barrels  of  char- 
coal; 36  baiTcls  of  water;  138  barrels  of  brandy;  126  cases  of  furs;  14  anchors; 
sails  and  cordage;  one  boat  and  one  skiflf.'  Memoirs  and  Trawls,  i.  271. 


182 


EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE. 


of  proof  is  the  arrival  of  tho  survivors  in  the  harbor 
of  Macao  on  the  Chinese  coast.^'^ 

The  successor  of  the  nmrdered  Nilof  was  Major 
Magnus  Carl  von  Bohni,  who  was  appointed  to  the 
full  command  of  Kamchatka  by  an  imperial  oukaz 
dated  April  30,  1772,  but  he  did  not  assume  chargL' 
of  his  district  until  the  15th  of  October  of  the  follow- 
ing year,  having  met  with  detention  in  his  progress 
through  Siberia. ^^ 

In  177G  the  name  of  Grigor  Ivanovieh  Shelikof 
is  first  mentioned  among  the  merchants  engaged  in 
operations  on  the  islands  and  coast  of  north-west 
America.  Tliis  man,  who  has  justly  been  calh.'d  the 
founder  of  the  Russian  colonies  on  this  continent,  fir.^t 
came  to  Okhotsk  from  Kiakhta  on  the  Chinese  fron- 
tier and  formed  a  partnership  with  Lebedef-Lasli- 
tochkin  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  and  trading  on 
the  Kurilc  Islands.  This  field,  however,  was  not 
large  enough  for  Shelikof's  ambition,  and  forming 
another  partnership  with  one  Luka  Alin,  he  built  a 

•'Sgibnef  states  that  Benyovski  was  informed  after  his  departure  from 
Bering  Island  that  a  party  of  liia  associates  had  laid  plans  to  detain  the  ves.st  1 
and  return  to  Kamchatka.  Several  of  the  accused  were  punished  by  flogging, 
while  Ismailof  and  Paranchin,  with  the  latter's  wife,  were  put  ashore  ou  an 
inland  of  the  Kurile  group,  whence  they  were  brought  back  by  Protodiakonof, 
a  trader,  in  1772.  This  Mould  explain  the  circumstance  that  Cook  could  not 
cilftain  any  definite  information  concerning  Benyovski's  voyage  from  Ismailof 
when  he  met  the  latter  at  Unalaska  in  1778.  Sgibnef,  in  Morskoi  Sboniil:,  c. 
ii.  02-3.  From  Macao  Benyovski  managed  to  reach  the  French  colony  o:\ 
^ladagascar  Island,  and  finally  he  proceeded  to  Paris  with  the  object  «f  ob- 
taining the  assistance  of  the  French  goveniment  in  subjugating  the  natives 
of  Madagascar.  Here  he  met  with  only  partial  success,  but  definite  informa- 
tion is  extant  to  the  efl'ect  that  on  th'".  j  4th  of  April  1774  Benyovski  emlwrked 
for  Maryland  on  the  ship  llobcrt  niid  A>me.  He  was  accompanied  by  his 
family  and  arrived  at  Baltimoi-"!  on  .1  ul':  8th  the  same  year,  with  a  cargo  of 
merchandise  for  Madagascar  valucl  at  i'4,000.  In  Baltimore  he  succeeded 
in  obtaining  assistance  from  rc'.iutii'.  merchants,  who  chartered  for  him  a 
vessel  of  about  450  tons,  the  IiitrtjjiJ,  armed  with  20  guns,  and  with  this  craft 
he  sailed  from  Baltimore  on  October  2.5,  1784.  The  last  letter  received  from 
the  count  was  dated  from  the  coast  of  Brazil.  A  few  months  later  he  reaclu'il 
his  destination  and  at  once  organized  a  conspiracy  for  the  purpose  of  setting 
up  an  independent  government  on  the  island  of  Madagascar,  but  in  an  action 
with  French  colonial  troops  he  was  killed  on  the  23d  of  May  1786. 

'^  Major  Behm's  salary  was  fixed  at  OOO  rubles  per  ammm,  and  his  jurisdic- 
tion was  subscquentlj'  extended  over  the  Aleutian  Islands  by  an  oukaz  of  the 
governor  general  of  Irkutsk.  S(jibne/,  in  Momkoi  Sbomik,  iii.  7. 


ADVENTURES  OF  THE  SIBERIAN  TRADERS. 


1S3 


vessel  at  Xishokamcliatsk,  named  it  of  courwe  tlio  Sii 
Pavel,  and  despatched  it  to  the  islands."  Another 
vessel  of  the  same  name  was  fitted  out  hy  the  most 
Ini'timate  of  all  the  Siberian  adventurers,  Orckhof, 
J  .apin,  and  Shilof  The  command  was  given  to  Master 
(Jeiassim  Grigorovich  Ismailof,  a  man  who  subse- 
(|uently  figures  prominently  in  explorations  of  Alaska, 
and  of  whom  Cook  speaks  in  terms  of  high  commenda- 
tion.'" 

Leaving  the  discussion  of  the  voyages  of  English 
and  French  explorers,  which  took  place  about  this 
time,  to  another  chapter,  wo  shall  follow  the  move- 
ments of  Siberian  traders  and  promyshleniki  up  to 
the  point  of  final  amalgamation  into  a  few  power- 
1'iil  companies.  In  1777  Sholikof,  Solovicf,  and  the 
l^uiof  brothers  fitted  out  a  vessel  named  the  Bar- 
fiil.omei  i  Varnabas,  which  sailed  from  Nishekam- 
chatsk  and  returned  after  an  absence  of  four  years  with 
a  small  cargo  valued  at  58,000  rubles.'^  In  the  same 
}car  another  trader,  who  was  to  play  a  prominent 
])art  in  the  development  of  the  Russian  colonies  in 
t'le  Pacific,  first  appears  upon  the  scene.     Ivan  Lari- 


'*It  was  commanded  by  Sapochnikof,  of  whom  Cook  spcaka  in  terms  of 
]naisc.  This  vessel  returned  m  1780  with  a  cargo  valued  at  75,240  rubles. 
Jli rij,  Khronol.  Id.,  101,  app. 

'■"t'ook  spells  his  name  Erasim  Gregorieoff  Sin  Ismyloff.  Cook's  Voy.,  ii. 
407.  Orcgoricf  Sin  is  an  obsolete  form  of  Grigorovich,  both  signifying  '  sou 
(if  Grigor.'  Ismailof  was  considered  one  of  the  most  successful  navigators 
imiong  tlie  Russian  pioneera.  Much  of  this  reputation  he  doubtless  owcil  to 
the  information  received  from  Cook,  who  speaks  of  his  intelligence  andacutc- 
ncss  of  observation.  Concerning  his  escape  from  Benyovski,  see  note  ]-2. 
'I'Ik;  name  of  Ismai'lof's  vessel,  the  Sv  Pavel,  led  Coi-poral  Ledyard,  of  Cook':j 
murine  guard,  and  subsequently  a  self-styled  American  colonel,  into  the  niis- 
t:iko  (jf  reporting  that  ho  saw  at  Unalaska  the  very  vessel  in  which  Bering  mudo 
Ins  voyage  of  discover^',  the  corporal  being  nn.aware  that  that  craft  had  been 
destroyed.  Life  of  Ledyard,  80;  Piitkrrton'.'t  Voy.,  xvi.  781-2;  CoolSs  Third 
Voy.,  ii.  404,  523.  Berg  states  that  he  could  find  no  accounts  o'  the  present 
voyage  beyond  a  brief  notice  of  Ismailof 's  return  in  1781  with  ;»  very  licli 
i;irgo  valued  at  172,000  rubles.  Khronol.  /^^,  101.  His  percilovcliik  was 
ivan  Lukanin.  He  commanded  the  7Wlh  Sviatitdi  in  1783,  the  vessel  on 
M  hich  Shelikof  himself  embarked,  the  Simeon  in  1793,  on  which  occasion  ho 
met  Vancouver's  officers,  without  telling  them  of  his  iutcrcoui'se  wita  Cook, 
and  the  Akxandr  in  1795.  Benj,  Kronol.  Id.,  Table  ii.,  app. 

'"Berg,  Khronol  Isf.,  mentions  the  despatch  of  the  ship  A lexmid  Xcvdi 
by  the  brothers  Panof  in  1770,  and  its  return  in  1770,  but  gives  no  details  of 
tlie  voyage.    This  is  probably  on  error.     See  p.  109. 


I    i-»n 


IS4 


EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE. 


novich  (Tolikof,  a  mcrcliant  of  the  town  of  Kursk, 
who  held  the  office  of  collector  of  the  spirits  tax  in 
the  province  of  Irkutsk,^^  formed  a  partnership  with 
Shelikof  At  joint  expense  they  built  a  ship  named 
Sv  Andrei  Pervosvannui,  that  is  to  say  St  Andrew 
the  First-called,  Vvhicli  sailed  from  Petropavlovsk  for 
the  Aleutian  Islands.  This  vessel  was  subsequently 
wrecked, but  the  whole  cargo,  valued  at  133,450  rubles, 
was  saved.'^  Another  ship,  the  Zo.ssirna  i  Savatin, 
was  despatched  in  the  same  year  by  Yakof  Protas- 
sof,  but  after  remaining  four  years  on  the  nearest 
Aleutian  isles,  the  expedition  returned  with  a  small 
cargo  valued  at  less  than  50,000  rubles.  In  1778 
the  two  Panof  brothers  associated  themselves  with 
Arscnius  Kuznetzof,  also  one  of  the  former  com- 
panions of  Benyovski,^"  and  constructed  a  vessel 
named  the  Sv  Nikolai,  which  sailed  from  Petropa\  - 
lovsk.  This  craft  was  absent  seven  years  and  iinally 
rewarded  the  patience  of  the  owners  with  a  rich  cargo 
consisting  of  2,521  sea-otters,  230  land-otters,  and 
3,300  foxes  of  various  kinds.^  The  same  firm  de- 
sj)atched  another  vessel  in  tlic  same  year,  the  Klinwut, 
which  returned  in  1785  with  a  cargo  of  1,118  sea- 
otters,  500  land-otters,  and  830  foxes.  The  com- 
mander of  this  expedition  was  Ocheredin.^^ 


^''  licrg.  Khrnnot.  1st.,  102. 

^^  J!rr(i,  K/ininol.  Inf.,  app. ;  Grcvimil;  Ddlr.,  321. 

^*  li<r<l,  KhruiKil.  J.st.,  KW;  Si/ii  Olrr/t<-slr<i,  1S..'1,  Xo.  27. 

""  lt<  rij,  K/iroiiol.  ht.,  I0.">.  Tlic  iiatiiro  of  the  cargo  would  indicate  that  at 
least  a  portion  of  the  cruise  was  spent  iii  the  vicinity  of  the  luamlaiid  of 
Alaska. 

'•"  Though  Polntof  appears  to  have  brought  it  home,  lierg  during  liis 
Fojouni  at  Kudiak  had  an  opportunity  to  converse  with  a  hunter  named 
Tuyurj^koi,  wlio  had  hcen  one  of  Ocheredin".s  crew.  This  man  stilted  th:it 
the  exjiedition  had  pa.s.ied  the  winter  of  1779  at  Kiidiak,  and  that  they  hiid 
with  them  00  Aleuts  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  sea-otters.  Tlie  Kadi.",k>, 
however,  wouUl  not  allow  these  men  to  hunt,  scarcely  permitting  tlicm  to  land 
even.  During  the  whole  winter,  whicli  was  passed  under  const'int  ap]iiv- 
hension  of  attacks,  only  100  sea-otters  were  secured,  and  20  of  the  crew  dicil 
of  scurvy.  In  the  spring  the  promyshleniki  nuide  all  haste  to  proceed  to 
Uiialaska.  liir;/,  Khronol.  1st.,  101-7.  Berg  also  states  that  another  craft  of 
tlie  same  name,  .^('  Xikohii,  the  property  of  Shelikof  and  Kozitziu,  sailed  \''<v 
tlie  ishmds  in  1778,  but  he  could  find  no  details  conccruing  the  voyage  in  the 
archives  beyond  the  statement  that  the  same  vessel  maile  three  successive 
voyages  iu  the  same  direction.     Kadiak;  cast  of  the  Alaska  peninsula.     On 


\l 


JIOVEMENTS  OF  VESSELS. 


183 


ursk, 
ax  ill 

witli 
amed 
idrow 
sk  for 
leiitly 
■ublcs, 
ivatln, 
'rotas>- 
carest 

small 
L  1778 
s  with 
*  com- 

vessc'l 
:ropa\- 

linally 
1  car^"<  > 
^s,  and 
nu  dc- 

ViiU'iit, 

8  sea- 
coiii- 


Itc  that  nt 
knliuul  lit 

|nring  liis 
It  uunii'il 
litiMl  tliat 

Ithoy  lui'l 
Jlviulir.U-^, 
li  to  liiiul 
lit  iiiil'ii- 
Irow  «li'''l 
Vooei'il  to 
cm  ft  of 
lailo.l  f<n' 
Le  in  tlio 
liccessive 
Ilia.     Oil 


The  ship  Sv  loann  Predtecha,  or  St  John  the  Fore- 
runner, belonging  to  Shelikof  and  Golikof,  sailed 
i'roni  Petropavlovsk  in  1779,  and  remained  absent  six 
A  oars  without  proceeding  beyond  the  nearest  Aleutian 
islands,  finally  returning  to  Okhotsk  with  a  cargo  of 
little  value.  In  the  following  year  the  brothers  Panof 
fitted  out  once  more  the  Sv  Yevpl.  This  old  craft  was 
Vv  recked  on  her  return  voyage  not  far  from  Kam- 
chatka, but  the  cargo,  valued  at  70,000  rubles,  was 
saved  and  brought  into  port  by  another  vessel."^ 

With  the  funds  realized  from  the  sale  of  the  cargo 
ol'  the  Sv  Pavel  Shelikof  had  constructed  another  craft, 
with  the  intention  of  extending  his  operations  among 
the  islands.  The  vessel  was  named  the  Sv  loann  Rijl- 
.^Lvi,  St  John  of  Rylsk,  and  sailed  from  Petropavlovsk 
ill  1780."^^ 

The  Sv  Prol'op,  fitted  out  by  the  merchants  Shu- 
I'alof  and  Krivorotof,  also  sailed  in  1730,  but  was 
^\ locked  on  the  coast  of  Kamchatka  soon  after  leav- 
ing Okhotsk.  Four  vessels  sailed  for  the  islands  in 
1781,  the  Sv  Pavel,  despatched  for  the  second  time  by 
Shelikof  and  Alin;  the  Sv  Alexe'i,  despatched  by  the 
merchant  Popof;  the  Alexandv  Nevshi,  belonging  to 
tlu;  firm  of  Orekhof,  Lapin,  and  Shilof;-*  and  Sv 
^icovcj'nj,  fitted  out  by  Lebedef-Lastochkin  and  Sheli- 
kof, wherein  Prib^dof  made  the  all-important  discovery 
of  the  Fur  Seal  Islands  in  1780,^'*  which  will  be  duly 

Cook's  AtJai^,  1778,  P'^  Kadjar;  L.a  Pi''i'onye,  17S(),  J.  Khihtuk;  Dixon,  17fSf), 
/.',.';•■,■  Vancouver,  HiX)-!)."),  KmHuI  SntU  y  JAu-.,  V'iu<jc,  Isla  Kadiuv; 
lloliiiiicrg,  Kndjak.  Carto;/.  I'ar.  <'oaxf   .iIS.,  iii.  i'M. 

-'Ben/,  Khronol.  /.si.,  107;  (<'rririii;f.',;  Jiiitr., ',]S,i. 

'"  After  an  aliscncc  of  six  years  this  vessel  returned,  hut  was  wrecked  on 
the  coast  of  KaiiicJKitka.  The  c;iigo,  however,  conijirising  !KJO  sea-otters  and 
<Air  KS,()(X1  fur-seals,  was. saved.  Shelikof  seems  to  have  l)eeii  the  fust  among 
the  trailers  to  deal  more  extensively  in  fur-seals.  Up  to  1780  he  had  imported 
70.(H!0  of  these  skins.   Bfinj,  Khrnml.  IM.,  10()-7. 

-'Tlic  Si)  I'ani  returned  after  a  fiv^;  years'  cruise  with  a  cargo  valued  at 
.f'l.OOO  rubles;  the  Sv  Ahxi'i  also  returned  after  an  absence  of  live  years  and 
iiiit  with  great  success;  the  Akxniidr  Nn'Kkl,  which  had  just  nmde  a  cruise 
tn  the  Kurile  Islands  under  the  command  of  the  Greek,  Eustrtito  Delarof,  wa« 
lihiced  unde-  '  i  command  of  Stepan  Zaikof  for  this  expedition,  and  returned 
in  live  yea;.  ■  .i.h  a  rich  assortment  of  furs,  valued  at  283,000  rubles,  l!<rij, 
Khi-otiol.  Ixf.,  .S07-9.     See  note  19. 

- '  .\fter  au  eight  years'  cruise  Pribylof  rcttirncd  to  Okhotsk  with  a  oarj^o  ot 
-,7-0  sea-otters,  31,100  fur-seals,  nearly  8,000  foxes,  ojid  a  large  quantity 


' !  :f  >■ ' 


i  k '  : 


\H 


ISG 


EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE. 


discussed  in  its  clironological  order.  For  1782  onl}' 
one  departure  of  a  trading-vessel  for  the  islands  has 
been  recorded.  This  vessel  was  fitted  out  by  Yakov 
Protassof  at  Nishckamchatsk.^  Lebedef-Lastochkin 
organized  a  special  company  in  ±,83  for  the  purpose 
of  extending  his  operations  on  the  islands.  The  capital 
of  this  enterprise  was  divided  into  sixty-five  shares, 
most  of  them  being  in  Lcbedef's  hands."^ 

In  1783  the  first  direct  attempt  was  made  by  the 
Russian  traders  to  extend  their  operations  to  the  main- 
land of  America,  to  the  northward  and  eastward  of 
Kadiak.  The  fur-bearing  animals  had  for  some  years 
been  rapidly  disappearing  from  the  Aleutian  Iskuids 
and  the  lower  peninsula,  and  despairing  of  further 
success  on  the  old  hunting-grounds  the  conmiandevs 
of  three  vessels  then  anchored  at  Unalaska  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  it  was  best  to  embark  on  new  dis- 
coveries. They  met  and  agreed  to  submit  themselves 
to  the  leadership  of  Potap  Zaikof,  a  navigator  of  some 

of  walrus  ivory  and  whalebone.  Bcrq,  Khronol.  Jit.,  107;  Vcniamiii"/,  i.  l."!--; 
Saucr'n  A/ilron.  and  (Ji-oij.  L'xjml.,  '2-U'i;  Grcwhi'ik,  Bcitr.,  li'I'S. 

-'"  IVotassof's  vcMsol  retiuiR'tl  in  ]T>S<i,  ami  according  to ]Jei}»  hia  cargo  con- 
sisted cliielly  of  fur-seals.  JJ'r<i,  K/iroiiol.  Inf.,  111.  As  the  discovery  of  the 
8^'al  Ishinds  occurred  iu  that  year  tho  sklus  must  have  bccu  obtained  at  the 
Commander  Islands. 

*'  licrg  furnishes  a  full  list  of  the  share-holders,  which  may  serve  to  demon- 
strate how  such  affairs  were  managed  in  those  c\.iy  times.  The  (i.")  sharc.i 
Were  divided  aft  follows:  The  niercluint  Lcbedcf-Lastoeldiin,  .14  shares;  Vo- 
fiiu  l\)i)of,  1  share;  Grigor  Deslnirinskoi,  1  share;  Elias  Zavialof,  1  sh;ir> ; 
Ivan  Korotaief,  1  share;  \"assili  Neviashin,  1  share;  ^likhail  Issaief,  I  kIiuil; 
Vassili  Shnpkiu,  2  shares;  Vassili  Kulof,  1  shai'c;  Mikhail Tid)iiiskoi,  1  share; 
Fcodor  Nikulinskoi,  '2  shares;  Arseni  Kuznetzof,  1  share;  Vassili  Krivi.shin, 
1  share;  Mikhail  l.)ushakof,  '2  shares;  Ivan  Lajiin,  2  shares;  Alexei  I'okvoi, 

1  share;  Ivan  Ikdsheretsk,  '2  shares;  Dmitri  Lorokin,  1  sliare;-  the  maui!- 
fac'aircr,  Ivan  Savclief,  o  shares;  the  citizen,  Ssava  C'liebykin,  l|sharc;  tlie 
citizen,  Spiridon  IJurakof,  1  share;  and  Court  Counsellor  Peter  Budishcin  f, 

2  shares :  total,  (i5. 

In  the  division  of  profits  there  were  to  be  added  to  tliis  nundjer  1  share 
for  the  eluircli,  and  the  orplians  in  the  school  of  Okhotsk;  1  sliarc  b>  tin; 
pcrcdovchik,  Petr  Koloiiiin,  1  share  to  the  l)oatswain,  Durygin,  1  siiarc  to 
the  navigator,  Potiip  Zaikof,  and  '2  shares  to  such  of  the  crew  asdistingiiishnl 
themselves  during  tlie  voyage  l)y  industry,  bravery,  or  otherwise,  making  tlio 
value  of  1  share  at  tho  division  of  jirotits  one  seventy-first  of  the  whole  ])rii- 
cccds.  JJinj,  Khroiml,  lit.,  109,  '211;  GrewiiKjk;  Ikltr.,  .T24; /'((//fw,  y«fl. 
Jiiilr.,  vi.  105,  175.  At  the  end  of  the  cruise  the  lirst  vessel  sent  by  thi^ 
company  was  wrecked  on  the  isknd  of  St  Paul,  The  ciri^o  was  saved,  but 
j)rovcd  barely  suilicicut  to  cover  expenses. 


i 


1  !   '> 


IP  t; 


ZAIKOF,  DM.AROF,  AND  POLUTOF. 


m 


2  only 
ds  has 
Yakov 
oclikin 
lurposo 
capital 
share:-, 


by  the 
cmain- 
vard  «)f 
le  years 
Islands 
further 
jianders 
came  to 
now  dis- 
)mselves 
of  some 

./,  i.  mi-L'; 

Is  cargo  cnu- 
vcry  of  tlio 
ined  at  tlio 

le  to  iloinou- 

lo  (M  sliai'e.-) 

jsliarcs;  \o- 

if,  1  sli.'u> : 

ii'f,  1  shua; 

Loi,  1  sliaiv; 

Kiivislmi, 

fc'i  I'ukvui, 

tlio    iiiaiiu- 

Isliarc;  tin; 

ljU<Usli<-'li>'f. 

llxT  1  shavo 
liarc  to  tlio 

1  share  to 
|stiii,miisluil 
Tmakiiig  tlio 
jvliolo  Jii"- 
|//a«,  y<'r'l. 
uiit  by  tlii^! 

Buvcil,  but 


reputation,  and  leave  to  him  the  selection  of  now  hunt- 
iiin-grounds.  These  vessels  were  the  Sv  Alexe'l,  com- 
ma tided  by  Eustrate  Delarof;  the  Sv  Mikhail,  under 
]'()lutof,  and  the  Alexandr  Nevshi,  connnanded  b}^ 
Zaikof  The  latter  had  learned  from  Captain  Cook 
and  his  companions  during  their  sojourn  in  Kam- 
chatka that  they  had  discovered  a  vast  gulf  on  the 
coast  of  America  and  named  it  Prince  William  Sound.'^^ 
To  this  point  he  concluded  to  shape  his  course. 

On  the  27th  of  July  the  three  ships  were  towed  to 
anchorage  in  a  small  cove,  probably  on  the  north  side 
of  Kayo  Island,  which,  as  they  subsequently  discov- 
ered, was  named  Kyak  by  the  natives.  Boats  and 
liidarkas  were  sent  out  at  once  in  various  directions 
ill  search  of  game  and  of  inhabitants — the  few  natives 
observed  on  entering  the  bay  having  fled  to  the  hills 
at  sight  of  the  Russians.  On  the  third  day  one  of 
tlie  detached  parties  succeeded  in  bringing  to  the 
ships  a  girl  and  two  small  children,  but  it  was  not 
until  the  middle  of  August  that  anything  like  friendly 
intercourse  could  be  established,  and  the  natives  in- 
(hieed  to  trade  peltries.'^' 

On  the  18th  the  bidarchik  Nagaief  returned  to  the 
anchorage  with  quite  a  number  of  sea-otter  skins,  all 
made  into  garments,  and  reported  the  discovery  of  a 
large  river — the  Atnah,  or  Copper — which  he  had 
ascended  for  some  distance.  He  had  met  with  a  lari^o 
body  of  natives  in  a  bidar  and  traded  with  them,  l)oth 
pa) ties  landing  on  the  beach  at  a  distance  of  six 
)ini;<!r!  VL  fathoms  from  each  other  and  then  meeting 
:  ah  v/,iy.  These  people  informed  him  tliat  at  their 
b'tuic   vas  1  safe  Iiarbor  for  ships,  referring  of  course 

""  Zaikof  had  obtained  rc'.gh  tracings  of  some  of  tlio  chart.s  compiled  by 
Cook  in  exchange  for  favors  extended  to  the  luiulish  dincovirer.  Tihlimcixf, 
i.  II.'!.  It  is  supposed  that  the  Sv  Ycr/il,  177.'>-7t',  reached  the  eontuient, 
and  prol)al)ly  the  So  Nikolai  ami  others,  but  this  was  uccidentiil. 

'-"'J'wo  natives  who  Were  kept  as  hostages  on  Zadiof's  vessel  st-ii ted  that 
Kyak  was  not  a  permanent  place  of  resilience,  but  was  visited  only  in  si'.'irch 
(if  ^innc  by  the  people  seen  by  the  Russians,  their  homes  being  to  the  v  est- 
wiM(l,  at  the  distance  of  'two  days'  jiaddling,'  from  which  statement  we  may 
I  iiciud,-  that  they  were  frimi  Nuchek  or  llinchinbrook  Island.  /^iiikv/'sJonr- 
.    '.  in  miku  Anhiixs,  M.S.,  iv.j  Tikhihcitvj',  Id.  Obon.,  ii.,  app.  3. 


1S8 


EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE. 


y  !■ ;, 


'i 


to  Niichck,  where  both  Enghsh  and  Spanish  ships 
liad  already  called.  Many  days  were-  spent  by  Zaikof 
in  futile  attempts  to  secure  a  native  guide  to  the  safe 
harbor  mentioned  as  having  already  been  visited  Ijy 
ships,  but  bribes  and  promises  proved  of  no  avail, 
and  at  last  he  set  out  in  the  direction  of  the  island 
of  Khta-aluk  (Nuchek),  plainly  visible  to  the  west- 
ward. The  commanders  of  the  two  other  ships  nmst 
have  sailed  before  him  and  cruised  about  Prince  Will- 
iam Sound — named  gulf  of  Chugach  by  the  Russians 
— in  search  of  hunting-grounds,  and  this  scattering  of 
forces  beyond  the  bounds  of  proper  control  jiroved 
dangerous,  for  the  Chugatsches  were  not  only  fiercer 
than  the  ^-  ( '  '  but  they  seemed  to  entertain  posi- 
tive ideas  of  ^       rietary  rights. 

The  combine  .  crews  of  the  three  vessels,  number- 
ing over  three  hundred,  including  Aleut  hunters, 
would  surely  have  been  able  to  withstond  any  attaclc 
of  the  poorly  armed  Chugatsches  and  to  protect  their 
hunting  parties,  but  they  wandered  ab(  ut  in  small  de- 
tachments, committinor  outrafjes  whenever  thcv  came 
upon  a  village  with  unprotected  women  and  children. 
The  Russians,  who  had  for  some  time  been  accus- 
tomed to  overcome  all  opposition  on  the  part  of  the 
natives  with  comparative  ease,  imagined  that  theu* 
superior  arms  would  give  them  the  '  me  advantage 
here.  They  soon  discovered  their  mistake.  The  Chu- 
gatsches, as  well  as  their  allies  from  Cook  Inlet,  ami 
even  from  Kadiak,  summoned  by  fleet  messengers  for 
the  occasio  1,  showed  little  fear  of  Russian  guns,  and 
used  I  heir  own  spears  and  arrows  to  such  advantauv 
that  tliL!  invaders  were  themselves  beaten  in  several 
cno-aijements. 

In  the  harbor  of  Nuchek  Nagaief  met  twenty- 
eight  men  from  the  Panof  company's  ship,  the  Alexc'i, 
fourteen  of  whom  had  been  wounded  by  the  Chn 
gatsches  during  a  night  attack.  They  had  left  tli  ir 
ships  on  the  15th  of  August,  a  month  previous,  in 
search  of  this  bay,  numbering  thirty-seven  men,  bc- 


I '  (;■ 


THE  TANOF  COMPANY. 


189 


.ciflos  pcredovcliik  Lazaref,  who  was  in  command,  but 
had  searched  in  vain.  One  dark  night,  while  encamped 
on  an  island,  their  sentries  had  been  surprised,  nine 
men  killed,  and  half  of  the  remainder  wounded.  With 
the  greatest  difficulty  only  had  they  succeeded  at  last 
ill  l)eating  off  with  their  fire-arms  their  assailants 
armed  merely  with  spears,  bows  and  arrows,  and  clubs. 
Other  encounters  took  place.  On  the  18th  of  Septem- 
ber one  of  the  parties  of  Russians  surprised  a  native 
A  illage  on  a  small  island;  the  men  fled  to  the  moun- 
tains, leaving  women,  children,  and  stores  of  provisions. 
Tlic  cimsiderate  promyshleniki  seized  "  only  half"  the 
I'niiales — probably  not  the  oldest — and  some  of  the 
food.  During  t!:o  next  night,  however,  the  men  of 
the  village,  Avith  reJiiforcements  from  the  ncio-hbor- 
jiood,  attacked  the  Russian  camp,  killing  three  Rus- 
sians and  a  female  interpreter  from  Unalaska,  and 
woundinsjf  nine  men.  D  jring  the  struo'ii'le  all  the  hos- 
tages  thus  far  obtained  by  capture  escajied,  with  the 
exception  of  four  women  and  two  small  boys.  The 
Ihissians  now  proceeded  to  the  harbor  selected  as 
winter-quarters,*'  and  active  operations  ceased  for 
the  time. 

The  favorable  season  had  been  so  foolishlv  wasted 
ill  roaming  about  and  c|uarrelling  with  the  natives, 
\\ho  took  good  core  not  to  reveal  to  their  unwel- 
come visitors  the  best  fishing  and  hunting  grounds, 
that  food  became  scarce  early  in  the  winter.  Be- 
si<les  this  it  was  found  necessary  to  keep  one  third 
of  the  force  continually  under  arms  to  guard  against 
Mulden  assaults;  and  this  hostility  naturally  inter- 
I'cied  with  the  search  for  the  necessary  supplies  of 
lisli,  game,,  fuel,  and  water.  The  result  was  that  scurvy 
of  a  very  malignant  type  broke  out  among  the  crews, 
and  nearly  one  half  of  the  men  died  beibre  spiing  re- 
leased them  and  enabled  Za'ikof  to  refit  his  vessel  and 


'"Tlio  description  of  tliia  harbor  is  not  very  clear,  Init  tlic  ^irobaljility  ia 

"jays       "         _ 

M  aich  is  named  Zaikof  Harbor  on  Russian  maps.     Tliis  is  also  conlirnied  by 


the  prohatJility  la 
that  it  was  one  of  the  liays  on  the  north  end  of  Montagu,  or  Sukluk.  Island, 
M  iiich  is  named  Zaikof  Harbor  on  Russian  maps.     Tliis  is  al 
tnulitiuns  of  the  natives  collected  on  the  spot  by  Mr  I'ctrof  in  liiSl. 


100 


EXPLORATION  AND  TRADE. 


i-i:  * 


iii^.. 


Sf  u; . 


sail  for  the  Aleutian  isles,  after  an  experience  fully  a^i 
dismal  as  that  encountered  a  few  years  later,  in  nearly 
the  same  locality,  by  Captain  Meares,  who  might  haw; 
saved  himself  nmch  misfortune  liad  he  known  of  Zai- 
kof's  attempt  and  its  disastrous  result. 

Thus  unfortunately  ended  the  attempt  of  the  Rus- 
sians to  gain  a  foothold  upon  the  continental  coast  of 
America.^^ 

The  only  subordinate  commander  of  this  expedition 
who  seems  to  have  actually  explored  and  intelligently 

"'  Eustrate  Delavof  subsequently  gave  Captain  Billings  the  followin;^  ac- 
count of  this  expedition:  'On  arriving  at  I'rincc  William  Sound  a  nuinbur  df 
canoes  surrounded  the  vcssiel  and  on  one  of  them  they  displayed  some  kind  of 
a  flag.  I  hoisted  ours,  Mlien  the  natives  paddled  three  times  around  the  shijt, 
one  man  standing  up  waving  his  liunds  and  c'vnting.  They  came  on  IkuiiiI 
and  I  obtained  fourteen  sca-ottcr  skins  in  exchange  for  some  glass  beads;  tiny 
would  accept  no  shirts  or  any  kind  of  clothing;  they  conducted  thcnisulvts 
in  a  friendly  manner,  and  we  ate,  drank,  and  slept  together  in  the  greatest 
hanriony.  'i  hey  said  tliat  two  ships  had  been  there  some  years  previously, 
and  that  they  had  obtained  beads  and  other  articles  from  them.  According  to 
their  description  these  vessels  must  have  been  Knglish  (they  referred  of  coiu'se 
to  Cook't,  (..qieditiiMj) ;  the  nati\;es  had  knives  and  copper  kettles  whicli  they 
said  they  obtained  by  making  a  14  days'  journey  up  a  large  river  ami  trading 
with  other  natives  who  brought  these  goods  from  some  locality  still  fartlu  r 
inland  (a  Hudson's  Bay  Company  post?) — Suddenly,  on  the  8th  of  SepteuilH  r, 
the  natives  changed  tlicir  attitude,  making  a  furious  attack  on  my  peoitlc 
I  knew  of  no  cause  for  this  change  until  one  of  my  boats  returned,  when  t 
learned  that  there  had  been  quarrelling  and  lighting  between  the  boat's  crow 
and  the  natives.  I  have  no  doubt  that  my  people  were  t!ie  aggrtssors. 
I'olutof's  vessel  was  at  that  time  in  tiie  vicinity  and  I  left  him  there.'  Snin/H 
(•'(o;;.  and  Antron.  Expcd. ,  197.  Martin  Sauer,  the  secretary  of  CaptJiiu  Joseph 
Billings,  states  that  Mliilc  at  Prince  William  Sound  in  1700  he  fell  in  with  a 
woman  who  had  been  forcibly  detained  by  I'olutof  and  had  subsequently 
become  acquainted  with  Zaikof.  She  praised  the  latter  as  a  just  num  mA 
related  how  her  people  revenged  themselves  on  I'olutof  for  his  ill-treatuieiit. 
A  wood-cutting  party  had  been  sent  ivsliorc  from  each  vessel  and  had  pitelied 
their  tents  a  short  distance  from  each  other.  It  was  very  dark  and  only  (nie 
man  was  on  the  watch  near  a  fire  on  the  beach.  The  natives  crawled  up 
umiotiecd  by  the  sentry,  killed  him,  and  then  stealing  into  Polutof's  tent 
nuissacrcd  him  and  his  companions  without  molesting  Zaikof'a  tent  or  any  nf 
his  people.  Bitter  complaints  were  made  by  the  Chugatsche  people  of  the  do- 
ings of  Tolutof  who  had  seized  their  furs  wit)iout  paying  for  them  and  iuul 
carried  oil'  by  force  many  of  the  women.  Savei-'x  Gcaij.  <uid  Anfron.  Kxind.,  i. 
187,  I'.M;  Girtriiiijk;  Diitr.,  ',i23;  I'dlhi.i,  Nord.  Bcilr.,  i.  2\i.  In  the  liistoricid 
review  attached  by  Mr  Dall  to  his  Alaska  and  its  Ilc.'ioiirri.i,  the  author  li:n 
committed  blunders  which  can  be  ascribed  only  to  his  inability  to  xmdei'stand 
the  llussian  authorities.  Under  date  of  1781  he  remarks  that  'ZaiUof  ex- 
plored in  detail  Chugach  Gulf  and  wintered  on  Bering  Island... A  vessel, 
called  the  St  Aex'itis,  commanded  by  Alexeief  Popof,  was  attacked  by  nativi  s 
in  I'rince  William  Sound.  Zaikof  explored  Captain's  Harbor,  UiuiUiska.  J  iily 
1-13,  1783.'  /(/.,  307.  Mr  Uall's  Zaikof  expedition  of  1781  is,  of  course,  the 
same  with  that  of  1783,  when  he  wintered  on  Montagu  (not  Bering)  Island,  in 
a  bay  still  bearing  his  name.  Thc.4/ca;ti,  us  wo  havo  seen  above,  was  cufn- 
manilcd  by  Delarof. 


FUR-SEALS  AXD  OTTEB.S. 


191 


illy  as 
learlv 
tluivc 
f  Zai- 

D  Rus- 
jast  of 

cditit)u 
ntlv 


igc 


iiinnlji'i'  ( if 
no  kiiul  (if 
a  thu  sliip, 
e  ou  IkiiiiiI 
)cails;  tluv 
theinsulvis 
m  groati'st 
prcviousily, 
.cconlinj,'  to 
ed  of  coju'so 
which  thoy 
ami  t^lllill.^' 
still  fartlui' 
Septeiiihi'v, 
my  itcopU'. 
iicil,  wlu'u  I 
[boat's  lti'W 

ii'o.'  >V(»i  I'-t 

(tain  Josi'iih 

■11  in  with  a 

[ibsL'(]m-'iitly 

ist  man  aii'l 

-tvcatnii-'nt. 

luul  piti  hill 

ml  only  ""i-' 

lcvawU"<l  np 

|lutof"s    tl'Ut 

it  or  any  "f 

loot'  UumIh- 
|m  ami  had 
..  Kxi'f'l..  i- 
[ic  historiciil 
atithorh:M 
lumlrvstaii'l 
Zaikof  lA- 
.A  vi's*^«'l. 
1)V  native  s 
laska.Jv.'.y 
couvsc,  t,li' 
)  Islaml,  in 
was  cufa- 


flcscrlbed  those  unknown  regions,  was  Nagaiof,  tlio 
discoverer  of  Copper  River.  Nearly  all  the  valuable 
iiilbrniation  contained  in  Zaikofs  journal  came  from 
this  inan.^^ 

This  failure  to  extend  their  field  of  operations  seri- 
ously checked  the  spirit  of  enterprise  which  had  hitli- 
crto  manifested  itself  among  the  Siberian  merchants, 
and  for  some  time  only  one  small  vessel  was  despatched 
IVom  Siberia  for  the  Aleutian  Islands.*' 

The  year  178G,  as  already  mentioned,  witnessed  the 
discovery  of  the  Fur  Seal  Islands,  the  breeding-ground 
(.f  the  seals,  and  therefore  of  the  liigliest  ini[)ortance. 
The  Russian  promyshleniki  who  first  visited  the  Fox 
Islands  soon  began  to  surmise  the  existence  of  some 
islands  in  the  north  by  observing  the  annual  migra- 
tion of  the  fur-seals  through  the  passes  between  cer- 
tain of  the  islands— northward  in  the  spring  and 
sdutlnvard  in  the  autumn,  when  they  were  accom- 
panied by  their  young.  This  surmise  was  confirmed 
by  an  Aleut  tradition  to  the  effect  that  a  youn<jj  chief- 
tain  of  U'limak  had  once  been  cast  away  ou  a  group 
(if  islands  ii.  the  north,  which  tliey  called  Amik.^^    The 

^-Nagaief  t  jld  Zaikof  that  the  natives  ho  liad  ciicountored  calle<l  tliem- 
srlvis  (.'hngatclies,  ai;d  that  tlicy  met  in  war  and  trade  tlvo  other  tril)es;  1st, 
the  Koniagas,  or  people  of  Kadiak;  '2d,  a  tribe  living  on  a  gulf  of  the  main 
ImIiiI  between  Kadiak  and  tlie  Clingatsche  country,  named  tlie  Kinaias;  ;{d,  tlie 
\'ullits,  living  on  the  large  river  discovered  l)y  Nagaief;  4th,  a  tribe  living  on 
tln'  eiiast  of  the  maiidand  from  Kyak  Island  eastward,  culled  Lakhamit; 
ami  ."itli,  beyond  these  iigain  the  Ivaljush,  a  warlike  tribe  with  largo  w'ooden 
lieats.  This  description  of  the  tril)es  and  tlieir  location  was  doul)tles8  cor- 
rect at  the  time,  tliough  the  'Lakhamite'  (the  Aglegmutes)  have  since  been 
pusheil  eastward  of  Kyak  Islan<l  by  the  ]"Caljnshes,  or'ridinkeets.  Niigaicf  also 
cdiieetly  Ht{ite<l  that  the  Ynllits,  or  (."ojipcr  River  natives,  li\  ed  only  on  the 
r,i  per  river,  but  traded  copper  and  land-furs  with  the  coast  people  for  seal- 
skins, drieil  lisli,  and  oil.  Zaikofs  Joiinitd,  MS.;  Sitka  Arrhinn,  iv. ;  Tikmc- 
!!'■/,  /.'•^,  llbonr.,  it.,  app.,  7,  S.  Zaikofs  own  description  of  tlie  country,  it.i 
resources,  its  people,  and  tlie  nutnners  and  customs,  is  both  mimile  and  cor- 
rect. His  manuscript  journal  is  still  in  existence,  and  it  furnishes  proof 
iMisitive  that  his  visit  to  Prince  William  Sounil  in  MS',]  was  the  iirst  made  liy 
him  or  any  other  Kussian  in  a  sea-going  ves.sel. 

'■•The  So  Ocorjii/  left  Nishi^kamchatsk  on  Panof'a  account,  and  returned 
in  two  years  witli  a  little  over  1,000  fur-seals  and  less  tlian  '200  blue  foxes, 
liiiving  evidently  confined  its  operations  to  tiie  (!ennuander  Islands.  Tlie 
siiiue  vessel  made  another  voyage  in  17S7,  remaining  absent  six  years,  but 
witli  ,iu  equally  unsatisfactory  result.  Uirn,  Khroiiul.  /,s<.,  114-15. 

^'A  tei'in  and  incident  commemorated  in  a  native  song.  Vciuamliwf,  Za- 
VUi,  ii.  '209;  i.  17;  Sarychif,  Putesh.,  i,  '28. 


I ',','8 


190 


EXPLORATIOX  AND  TRADE. 


I'-^'f 


n}H'l\ 


a  ii 


f,'- 


high  peaks  of  his  native  place  had  guided  hini  back 
after  a  short  stay.  While  furs  remained  abundant  on 
the  groups  already  known,  none  chose  to  expose  him- 
self in  frail  boats  to  seek  new  lands;  but  in  and  after 
1781  the  rapid  depletion  of  the  hunting-grounds  led 
to  many  a  search  for  Amik;  yet  while  it  lay  within 
two  days'  sail  from  the  southern  isles,  a  friendly 
mist  long  hid  the  home  of  the  fur-seals  from  the 
hunters. 

In  178G  this  search  was  joined  by  Master  Gerassim 
Pribylof,'*'  who  for  five  years  had  been  hunting  and 
trading  with  little  profit  on  the  islands,  in  the  So 
Georgiij,  fitted  out  by  Lebedef-Lastochkin  and  his 
partners.  Although  reputed  a  skillful  navigator,  he 
ci'uised  for  over  three  weeks  around  the  Amik  grouj) 
without  finding  them,  though  constantly  meeting  with 
unmistakable  evidence  of  the  close  proximity  of  land. 
At  last,  in  the  first  days  of  June,  fate  favored  the 
persistent  explorer;  the  mantle  of  fog  was  lifted  and 
before  him  loomed  the  hiijh  coast  of  the  eastern  end 
of  the  most  southern  island.  The  discovery  was 
named  St  George,  after  Pribylof's  vessel;  but  finding 
no  anchorage  the  connnander  ordered  the  peredovchik 
Popof  and  all  the  hunters  to  land,  with  a  supply  »it' 
provisions  for  the  winter,  while  he  stood  away  again 
for  the  Aleutian  Islands,  there  to  spread  such  reports 
as  to  keep  others  from  following  his  path. 

The  sliores  of  St  George  literally  swarmed  witli 
sea-otters,  which  undisturbed  so  far  by  human  beings 
could  be  killed  as  easily  as  those  of  Bering  Island 
during  the  first  winter  after  its  discovery.  Largo 
numbers  of  walrus  were  secured  on  the  ice  and  upon 
the  adjoining  small  islands;  arctic  foxes  could  be  caught 
by  hand,  and  with  the  approach  of  sunmier  the  lur- 
seals  made  their  appearance  by  thousands. 


30 


'^His  name  was  Gerassim  Gavrilovieh  Pribylof.  Vcniaminof  gives  his 
name  as  Gavrilo  on  one  occasion.  Znpixki,  ii.  271.  He  wiis  ii  master  in  thu 
navy,  connected  with  the  port  of  Okhotsk,  but  entered  the  employ  of  LeVeikl- 
Lastochkin  and  his  partners  in  1778.  Id. 

*"Shcli!cof  in  a  letter  to  Delarof,  dated  Okhotsk,  1789,  stated  that  during 


THE  LEBEDEF-LASTOCHKIX  COMPANY. 


m 


\  bade 
ant  oil 
10  liini- 
d  after 
ids  led 
within 
ricndly 
jm  the 

erassim 
ing  and 
the  So 
and  his 
ator,  he 
k  grou\) 
ing  with 
of  land. 
3red  the 
[fted  and 
orn  end 
ery  was 
t  tinding 
dovchik 

iipply  <'t' 
jay  again 
reports 

led  with 
[n  beings 
Island 
Large. 
Ind  n\)on 
]c  caught 
the  fuv- 


lof  givea  Ins 
liaster  in  tho 

■  of  LeVuil*^'- 

1  that  duiiiig 


On  the  20th  of  June,  1787,  an  unusually  clear 
atmosphere  enabled  the  jironiyshleniki  to  see  for  the 
iirst  time  the  island  of  8t  Paul,  thirty  miles  to  the 
northward;  and  the  sea  being  smooth  a  bidar  was  at 
once  (les[)atched  to  examine  tlio  new  discovery.  The 
jiaity  landed  upon  the  other  island  the  same  day,  and 
named  it  St  Peter  and  St  Paul,  the  saints  of  the  day.^' 
The  hrst  half  of  the  name,  however,  was  soon  lost  in 
]!oj)ular  usage  and  only  St  Paul  retained.  The  group 
A\as  known  as  the  Pribylof.^ 

While  Shelikof  was  one  of  the  partners  who  had 
fitted  out  the  Sv  Georgiy,  he  does  not  apjoear  to  have 
held  a  largo  interest  and  looked  with  no  little  envy 
on  the  success  achieved  by  what  must  be  regarded  as 
ilvals  to  his  own  com])any.  He  did  not  waste  much 
time,  however,  in  un})leasant  sentiments,  but  set  about 
at  once  to  secretly  buy  up  more  shares  in  the  Lebedef 
(•omi)anv.  In  this  undertakin<]f  he  succeeded  so  well 
that  lie  could  look  with  equanimity  u[)on  the  fierce 
]I\ah'y  growing  up  between  the  two  large  firms;  no 
nia.tter  which  side  gained  an  advantage,  he  felt  secure. 
J le  was  certainly  the  first  who  fully  understood  the 
actual  and  prospective  value  of  Pribylof's  discovery. 

t!io  first  year  the  liuntcrs  obtained  on  the  nlcwly  iliscovorod  islands  -lO.OOO 
fiir-siiil  ^kins,  '2,()00  soa-ottors,  400  pounds  (14,4(K)  llis. )  of  walrus  ivory,  nnd 
innrc  whalebone  than  the  ship  could  carry.  Shelikof  ujiliraideil  Dehirof  for 
ii'it  hiiviiiy  anticipated  this  discovery,  with  two  good  ships  at  his  conmiiind. 
TithiiKiiij,  Ixt.  (thoT.r.,  ii.  npp.  "21. 

■'■  OwiiiL,'  to  the  constant  fog  and  murky  atmosphere  that  envelopthe  islands, 
Xh.v  less  elevated  St  I'aul  is  rarely  ficcii  from  St  (leorge,  while  tlie  liiUs  of  tlie 
Litter  are  frc(|nenlly  visible  from  St  Paul. 

•''The  claim  of  Pribylof  to  their  Ihst  Ihiropeaii  discovery  was  thrown  into 
doubt  by  the  report  that  the  Pussians  on  rcacliinj.'  the  idand  of  St  Paid 
fiimd  the  brass  hilt  and  trimuiinij;  of  a  sword,  a  clr.y  pipe,  and  the  rem.'iins  of 
!i  lire.  The  statement  was  coufirmecl  by  all  who  etlci'ted  t!ie  Iirst  lam'iuu'  on 
St  Paul,  W'liiamiiiiif,  Zayiski,  ii.  'J(iS.  P>erg,  who  has  traced  the  couisr  (if 
luaily  every  other  vessel  in  these  waters,  statis  that  notluML,'  w;is  kuowi.  (;f 
l'iili\  lot's  present  voyage  beyond  his  return  with  a  rich  cargo.  K/iiiuin/,  J.it., 
101.  Oiif  reason  for  this  was  the  secrecy  observed  foi'somc  time.  La  POrouse 
luct  Pribylof  shortly  after  Ida  return,  but  learned  nothing. 


Hist.  Alabka.    13 


lip 


rh!:. 


\m 


CHAPTER  X. 

OFFICIAL   EXPLORATIONS. 

1773-1779. 

Russian  Sfpremacy  in  the  Farthest  North-west — The  Other  Ehropeax 
Powers  would  Know  what  it  Means — Perez  Looks  at  Alaska  for 
Spain— The  'Santiago'  at  Dixon  Entrance — Cuadra  Advances  to 
Cro.-s  Sound— Cook  for  England  Examines  the  Coast  as  ear  as  Icy 
Cape — Names  Given  to  Plince  William  Sound  and  Cook  Inlet-- 
Revelations  and  Mistakes  —  Ledvard's  Journey — Again  Spain 
Sends  to  the  North  Arteaga,  who  Takes  Possession  at  Latitude 
59"  8'— Bay  of  La  Santisima  Cruz — Results  Attained. 

The  gradual  establishment  of  Russian  supremacy 
in  north-westernmost  America  upon  a  permanent  basis 
had  not  escaped  the  attention  of  Spanish  statesmen. 
Within  a  few  years  after  the  disastrous  lailure  of  the 
Russian  exploring  expeditions  under  Krenitzin  and 
Levashef,  a  succinct  account  of  all  that  had  been  ac- 
complished by  tlie  joint  efforts  of  the  promyshlcniki 
and  the  naval  officers,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
imperial  government,  had  been  transmitted  to  tlio 
court  of  Spain  by  its  accredited  and  secret  agents  ;it 
St  Petersburg.^ 

Alarmed  by  tidings  of  numerous  and  important 
discoveries  along  the  extension  of  her  own  South  S' -a 
coast  line,  Spain  ordered  an  expedition  for  exploring' 

'The  communications  conrcniing  Russia's  plans  of  conquest  in  Asia  ami 
America,  forwarded  to  the  court  of  Spain  from  St  Petersburg,  mak(!  niciitioii 
of  an  expedition  organized  in  1704.  Two  captains,  named  Cweliiicow  ;uid 
Ponohasew  in  the  document,  M'ere  to  sail  from  Arkhangel  in  tlie  \Vhito  Si  a, 
and  meet  Captain  K-enitzin,  who  was  to  sail  from  Kamclialka.  This  is  :^ 
somewhat  mixed  account  of  the  Krenitzin  and  Levaslief  expedition,  whicli 
did  not  finally  sail  till  1708,  hut  was  expected  to  full  in  with  licuti-'iKiDta 
Ciiichagof  and  Ponomaref,  who  were  instructed  to  coast  oast'vard  along  Silx  liii 
and  to  pass  through  liering  Strait. 

( 194  J 


SECRET  INSTRUCTIONS. 


105 


ErnopEAX 

LASK.V  I-<ill 
iVAN'C'KS  TO 
FAU  AS  I<V 
.K  Im.KT-- 
AIX     Sl-AIN' 

:  Latiti  i>i^ 


nrcumfy 
lit  basis 
tesim'ii. 
e  of  tlio 
zin  and 
boon  ac- 
sblcniki 
of  the 
to  the 
rents  at 

iportaiit 

luth  Sea 

LploriuL,' 


lin  Asia  mi'l 
Ikt!  mcntiiiu 
l;li;ico\v  iunl 
lAVhito  S.a, 
This  i^  :k 
Ition,  wlii'  li 
lliuiitfiKiii'-* 
Idii;'  Sibf ii:v 


and  soizinL,'  the  foast  to  the  nortliward  of  Cahfornia. 
In  1773  accM^rdingly  the  viceroy  of  ^Texieo,  llevilla 
(livedo,  assigned  for  this  pur[)ose  tlic  new  transjjort 
Sniitiago,  conunanded  by  Juan  Perez,  wlio  was  asked 
to  j.Toparc  a  plan  of  operations.  In  this  lie  expressed 
his  intention  to  reach  the  Nortlnvest  Coast  in  latitude 
45^  or  50°;  but  his  orders  to  attain  a  higher  latitude 
were  peremptory,  and  it  is  solely  owing  to  this  that  the 
voyage  falls  within  the  scope  of  the  present  volume. 
!Mimite  directions  were  furnished  for  the  ceremonies 
of  claiming  and  taking  possession.  The  wording  of 
the  written  declaration,  to  be  deposited  in  convenient 
and  prominent  ])laces,  was  prescribed.  The  commander 
was  instructed  to  keep  the  object  of  his  voyage  secret, 
but  to  strike  the  coast  well  to  north,  in  latitude  GO" 
if  possible,  and  to  take  possession  above  any  settle- 
inonts  he  might  find,  without,  however,  disturbing 
the  Kussians.  Appended  to  his  instructions  was  a 
full  translation  of  Staihlin's  Account  of  the  New 
Northern  Archij)eIaf/o,  together  with  the  fanciful  map 
accompanying  that  volume.  Each  island  of  the  Aleu- 
tian group  was  described  in  detail,  besides  many 
otliers,  the  product  of  the  fertile  imagination  of  such 
men  as  Stsehlin  and  De  I'lsle  de  la  Croj'ore.  Even 
the  island  of  Kadiak,  which  had  then  only  been  twice 
visited  by  prorayshleniki,  was  included  in  the  list. 

The  Santiago  sailed  from  San  Bias  January  24, 
1774,  with  eighty-eight  men,  including  two  mission- 
aiies  and  a  surgeon.  The  incidents  of  nearly  the 
whole  of  this  voyaije  occurred  south  of  the  territory 
embraced  bv  this  volume;  but  between  the  15th  and 
]7t]i  of  July  Perez  and  his  companions  sighted  two 
cn])es,  the  southernmost  of  whicli  he  thouglit  was  in 
latitude  55°,  and  the  other  about  eiLjht  lea<>ues  to  the 
noitli.  These  points  were  named  Santa  Margarita 
and  Santa  Magdalena,  respectively." 

^  The  latitude  given  by  Perez,  if  correct,  would  make  it  difficult  to  locate 
tlii'sc  capes  so  as  lo  agree  willi  the  minute  and  circumstantial  descriptiun  of 
the  contours  of  the  coast;  but  allowing  for  an  error  which  might  easily  arise 


I) 


« 


if 


Ih,' 


inc 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


Tlioso  capus,  the  soutliornmost  point  (»f  Prince  (S 
"WiAvH  Island,  and  the  nortli  point  of  Queen  Charlotte 
Isl md,  liu  on  both  sides  of  the  present  boundary  of 
.Maska,  but  Perez  and  his  men  had  intercourse  wit'i 
the  inhabitants  of  the  latter  caj)e  oidy.      The  mere 
f  i^htinj^  <jf  one  of  the  southern  eaj)es  of  Alaska,  and 
its  location  by  rough  estimate,  would  scarcely  just ifv 
a  discussion  of  the  voyaj^e  of  Juan  Perez  in  the  annals 
(»f  Alaska,  were  it  not  for  an  a|)[)arently  trilling  incident 
mentioned  in  the  various  diarios  of  this  ex})edition.    In 
the  hands  of  the  natives  v/ere  seen  an  old  bayonet  and 
j)ieces  of  other  iron  implements,  which  the  pilot  con- 
jectured must  have  belonged  to  the  boats'  crews  lost 
f.om  Chirikofs  vessel  somewhere  in  these  latitudes  in 
17-U."     In  the  absence  of  all  knowledge  of  any  civ- 
ili::ed  visitor  to  that  section  durin^f  the  interval  be- 
twecn  Chirikofs  and  Perez'  voyages  we  cannot  wi  II 
criticise  the  conclusion  arrived  at.     It  could  scarcely 
be  presumed  that  at  that  early  date  a  Russian  bayit- 
iiet  i-liould  have  passed  from  hand  to  hand  or  froia 
tril)e   to  tribe,  around   the   coast   from  the  Aleutiai 
Islands,  or  perhaps  Kadiak,  a  distance  of  from  eiglu 
hundred  to  one  tluiusand  n)iles.     It  appears  higlily 
]>r(jbablc  that  Chirikofs  mishap  occurred  in  this  vicin- 
ity, the  Prince  of  Wales  or  Queen  Charlotte  Islands, 
and    in  that  case  the  present   boundary  of  Alaska 
Avould   be   very  nearly  identical   with    the   nortlieru 
limit  of  the  territorial  claims  of  Spain  as  based  upon 
the  right  of  discovery.     The  avowed  objects  of  this 
vova'jfe  had  not  been  obtained  by  Perez;  he  did  not 
ascend  to  the  latitude  of  GO";  he  did  not  ascertain  the 
existence  of  permanent  Russian  establishments,  and 
he  made  no  discoveries  of  available  sea-j)orts.     His 
intercourse  with  the  Alaskan  natives,  if  such  they 

from  the  imperfect  instruments  of  the  times,  wc  must  come  to  the  conchisinu 
tliat  Perez  discovered  Dixon  Sound.  The  allusion  to  an  island  situatid  V> 
tl;c  west  of  the  northernmost  cape,  the  Santa,  (jhristina  or  Catalina  of  the  r.- 
coi-ders  of  the  voya;^'e,  can  scarcely  refer  to  any  point  but  the  FoiTester  Ishmd 
of  our  modern  map.^. 

^  Maurellc,  C'om2>cndio  (le  JS'olkian,  yiS.,  Hid. 


SECOND  .SPANISH  KXl'EDITK  )N. 


197 


\V(r(\  was  can-icd  on  witlioiit  nncliorliiL:;.  Tlie  details 
ot'  tlu.'  t'Xprdition  of  Pl-ivz,  .so  far  as  they  relate  to 
i:i(i(leiits  that  oeeurred  .south  of  tho  line  of  04°  40', 
iiie  Uiscu.ssed  ill  my  History  if  the  Nvftliwcst  Coast.* 

The  second  Spanish  expodition  which  extended  its 
()|)orations  to  Alaskan  waters  was  orj^^anized  in  tho 
following  year,  1775.  The  eonimand  was  intrusted 
to  ]3run()  Ileceta,  a  lieutenant  and  acting  captain, 
who  selected  the  Santiago  as  his  flag-shij).  Juan 
]\rez  sailed  with  Heceta  as  pilot  and  second  in  eoni- 
mand. The  small  schooner  Sonora,  or  FcliciJnd, 
accompanied  tho  larger  craft  as  consort,  connuanded 
l)y  Lieutenant  Juan  Francisco  do  Bodega  y  Cuadra, 
with  Antonio  Maurel'.e  as  pilot." 

The  cx})edition  sailed  from  San  Bias  March  lOth. 
After  mjino:  far  out  to  sea  and  returnini^  to  tho  coast 
a''ain  in  latitude  48°  on  tho  14tli  of  Jul\ .  takini;  pos- 
session  of  the  country,  and  after  a  disastrous  encounter 
with  the  savages  of  that  region,  tho  two  ves.sels  he- 
came  separated  during  a  northerly  galo  on  the  OOtli 
of  July.« 

The  Sonora  alone  made  discoveries  within  tho  pres- 
ent boundaries  of  Alaska.  After  tho  separation  tho 
little  craft,  only  3G  foot  in  length,  was  boldly  headed 

*  Not  less  than  four  journals  or  diaries  of  the  voj'age  are  extant.  Two  of 
ttii'se  were  kept  by  the  missionaries  or  cliaplains  of  tlie  expedition,  Cresj)! 
iiiid  IVniv;  the  first  has  been  printetl  in  J'dloii,  Xi'lkki.i,  i,  C'_'4~8H,  and  t!ic 
(itlicr  was  copied  from  tho  manuscript  Vintie-i  al  Norlc  tie  L'aUj'oriiia,  etc.,  in 
tlm  .Spanisli  Archives.  The  third  journal,  entitled  I'tnz,  lieiucion  dil  V'unjf, 
etc.,  177.'i,  is  contained  in  the  Mayer  manuscript.')  and  also  in  Maur<l!i\  Com- 
]ii-ii.lio  de  Koticia-i,  MS.,  159-7.").  Tho  fourth  journal  i.i  also  a  iiianuscrijjt 
Tindir  the  title,  Perez,  Tnbla  Dinritt,  etc.,  confciined  in  Munrelle,  ('umjuHdin, 
1711-S.").  Brief  mention  of  tliis  voyage  can  also  be  found  in  Xamrrete,  S'l/il  y 
Mix.,  I'lar/e,  0*2-.S;  llumbohlt,  Exual  Pol.,  ^'M-'2;  M<ijra.f,  L'jc/ilor.,  i.;  Xuvir- 
r<l''.  V'laijnt  Ajidc,  53-4;  Grreiihoir'n  Mem.,  (i!);  /'/.,  Or.  and  ('a/.,  114-17; 
TiriKs'  llixt.  Or.,  55-0;  /(/.,  Or.  QiiesHnii,  ()(}-7;  F(droiier\i  Or.  (Jiiex'ioii,  lit; 
/'/.,  JjM-or.  j\Iiss.,  ()'2;  BuKtamuute,  in  Cavo,  Trm  Sii/fo.^,  iii.  ll!l;  l'<ili,ii, 
r.'hi,  10()--.';  Forbes'  ilixl.  Ccff.,  114-10;  Calvo,  Col.  Trut.,  i.  .'WS;  Xirobn/'.'^ 
Orrijiiii  Tir.,  30-2;  Fhidhn/s  Directory,  i.  .34!)-.50;  Puifishi,  Question  de  I'Or'- 
U-'ii,  31^0;  Mnr.Orefjor's  I'ro'j.  Amer.,  i.  b'.Vt;  Tikhmeiiej,  htor.  Obosr.,  i, 
lirit'.icc;  Jiaruiio/,  in  Sitka  Areliiv>'.i,  MS.,  i.  Nos.  5  and  0. 

'See  llit'f.  NorthresI,  ('oa.fl,  i.  l.'iS,  this  series. 

''  '1  lie  outward  and  homeward  voyage  of  tlie  Saidiajo  has  been  fully  re- 
h.iA  in  IJist.  Xorlhictst  Vout-t,  i.,  this  series. 


lOS 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


:  f  if  i 


i-M 


Cuadra's  Voyage. 


m-} 


CUADRA  TAKES  POSSESSION. 


199 


seaward  and  kept  upon  a  general  north-westerly  course. 
On  the  13tli  of  August  indications  of  land  were  ob- 
t^erved,  though  the  only  chart  in  their  possession,  that 
of  Bellin,  based  upon  Russian  discoveries  and  to  a 
L;reat  extent  upon  imagination,  placed  them  at  a  dis- 
tance of  one  hundred  and  sixty  leagues  from  the  con- 
1 'mental  coast.  Cuadra's  latitude,  by  observation,  on. 
that  day  was  55°  40'.  During  the  next  two  days  the 
signs  of  land  became  stronger  and  more  frequent,  and 
tlic  navigators,  in  the  belief  that  they  were  a[)proa('li- 
iiig  the  Tumannoi  or  Foggy  Islands  of  Chirikof,  ob- 
served the  greatest  caution. 

At  last,  on  the  IGth,  came  in  view  a  mountainous 
coast  among  wliose  many  |)eaks  was  one  tlicy  called 
San  Jacinto,  and  the  prominent  cape  jptting  from  it 
the  Cabo  de  Engaho.  Their  description  of  both  cape 
and  mountain  is  so  clear  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  their 
identity  with  the  Mount  Edgecumbo  of  Cook  and  the 
capo  of  the  same  name.  That  the  original  nomencla- 
ture has  not  been  preserved  is  owing  to  S[)ain's  ncglo-.'t 
in  not  publishing  the  achievements  of  her  explorers. 
On  the  following  day  the  goleta  put  to  sea  again, 
weathering  Cape  Engan(>  and  following  the  coast  in  a 
north-westerly  directior.  until  another  wide  estuary  was 
discovered  and  named  the  bay  of  Guadalupe,  subsc- 
(|uently  known  as  Shelikof  Bay  or  Port  Mary.  Here 
Cuatlra  anchored  for  tlie  day,  observing  the  wooded 
shores  rising  at  an  acute  angle  from  the  sea.  In  the 
niorniniif  of  the  18th  two  canoes,  contaming  two  men 
and  two  women,  emerged  Irom  the  head  of  the  bay, 
but  at  the  sight  of  the  vessel  they  hurriedly  landed 
and  ilod.  The  explorers  then  put  to  soa  again  an<l 
jiroceeded  in  a  northerly  direction  until  a  good  anchor- 
age was  found  in  latitude  57°  20',  with  a  good  sandy 
heaeli  and  convenient  watering-] Places. 

A  landing  was  effected  at  the  mouth  of  a  stream, 
near  a  deserted  hut  and  a  rtoc'caded  enclosure,  j)i"oba- 
biy  used  for  defence  by  the  natives.  The  instructions 
ol'the  viceroy,  concerning  tho  foinis  of  taking  p()s.>es- 


200 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


sion,  were  carried  out  so  far  as  circumstances  would 
permit." 

Durinsx  the  cercmoiiles  no  natives  were  in  si^^ht, 
but  after  returning  to  their  vessel  the  Spaniards  saw 
the  savages  take  up  the  cross  which  they  had  planted 
and  place  it  before  their  hut,  as  if  to  say  "this  is  the 
better  place." 

On  the  19th  another  landing  was  made,  wlien  the 
natives  emerged  from  the  forest  waving  a  white  cloth 
attached  to  a  pole  in  token  of  peaceful  intentions.  The 
signal  was  answered  by  the  Spaniards  and  the  savages 
advanced  slowly  to  the  opposite  bank  of  the  stroani. 
They  were  unarmed  and  accompanied  by  women  and 
children.  A  few  trifling  presents  were  offered  and 
received  by  one  of  the  natives  who  waded  into  tlie 
middle  of  the  stream.  This  friendly  intercourse  was, 
however,  suddenly  interrupted  when  the  Spaniards 
bcGjan  to  fill  their  water-casks.  The  women  and  chil- 
dren  were  at  once  sent  away  and  the  men  assumed  a 
threatening  attitude.  The  Spaniards  prepared  for 
defence  while  preserving  an  unconcerned  air,  and 
finally  the  savages  retreated. 

The  place  of  this  firat  landing  of  Spanish  explonrs 
ujjon  Alaskan  soil  was  called  the  ancliorage  "do  los 
liemedios"  and  can  be  nothinsjf  else  than  the  entranci' 
to  Klokachef  Sound  between  Kruzof  and  Chichagof 
islands.'* 

'  The  entry  in  tlio  jnnrnal  r'^fcrring  to  this  event  was  ns  follows:  '  Kl  niisino 
<lia  hajaron  li  tierra  con  los  prciarativos  qne  ofrecia  su  poco  tripiil:ii  ioii  y  a;- 
ri')^la(h)s  i'l  la  iiistniccion  toniaron  pososion,  tlejaiulo  los  (IcKunicntos  y  la  cniz 
Cdliii'ados  eim  la  8i't;iiri(la<l  posilili',  lialiiemlo  arlMdailo  on  atjuel  piiesto  la.s  liaii- 
ileras  del  ]!ey  nnesti-o  Softor. '   Vidjix  iil  Anrff,  MS.,  'J.'). 

*■  111  the  joimial  of  tliii  voyaf^e  oont^iined  in  the  Viiijin  <d  Narle,  tlio  ciniiitiy 
is  dis(  rihed  as  full  of  mountains,  their  liasi;  covired  >\  ith  pines  lik>-  tlio.-e  nt 
Trinidad,  Imt  liarren  or  eovored  with  snow  toward  the  siininiit.  The  '  Vi;- 
di'ps,' naid  to  ri'senilile  those  met  with  ill  latitude  41',  were  elothed  cliietly 
ill  furs.  The  latitudes  as  o))served  by  ('uadra  at  Cape  Kngario,  iJnadalu]  n 
Bay,  and  the  ICntrada  de  los  liemedios,  n;.;refs  with  our  positions  for  Capo 
Kdgeeuiiilie,  Shelikof  l^iy,  and  the  soutliern  shore  of  Klokaehef  Sound,  Imt 
tlie  Sjianish  explorer  places  the  lonuitilde  of  the  last  anelioiage  some  twelve 
miles  to  the  westward  of  Calio  de  Kiigano,  This  would  lead  to  the  eonelr.sinu 
tiiat  the  oen  niony  of  taking  po.-^scshiou  took  jihu'e  just  inside  of  Sia  liiii 
roilit,  a  very  exposed  jiositicn,  while  the  deseription  of  the  eountry  eoineidi  n 
lieiter  with  Kalinin  eipvi,  ii  few  miU's  to  tin;  eastward.  See  Karta  Vkhoduo 
Auvo  Ark/iaitiji:lskoiHii  I'orln,  etc.,  IS09,  1SH3,  uuil  184S. 


.m  iSf2lf  k'       V'A 


TRACK  OF  THE  'SONORA.* 


201 


lie 


The  weather  was  cold  and  thrcatenini^  during  the 
sojourn  of  the  Sonora  in  this  bay,  and  both  otiiccrs 
iuid  the  poorly  clothed  and  sheltered  crew  began  to 
suft'er  from  scurvy.  They  took  a  west-north-westerly 
direction  on  the  21st,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether 
tlu'ir  discovery  was  located  on  the  west  or  east  slioro 
(it"  the  Pacific,  a  doubt  engendered  by  the  great  dilfer- 
( uce  in  longitude  between  the  Ilnssian  discoveries  as 
indicated  on  Bellin's  chart  and  their  own;  and  having 
l)y  that  time  reached  a  latitude  of  57'  08',  or  the 
\icinity  of  Cross  Sound,  they  changed  their  course 
to  the  southward  to  examine  carefullv  all  the  inlets 
of  the  coast. 

On  the  24th  of  August,  in  latitude  55°  14',  the  ex- 
iildicrs  entered  a  maLjnificent  sound  extendinix  far  to 
llie  northward  and  abounding  in  sheltered  anchoniges. 
Cuach-a  was  ill,  but  he  ordered  the  i^Uoto  to  take  pos- 
session in  the  name  of  Spain,  and  for  the  second  time 
the  roval  banner  of  Castile  waveil  over  Alaska.  The 
snund  was  called  Bucareli,  a  name  still  preserved  on 
many  maps.  It  is  located  on  the  west  coast  of  the; 
island  subsequenily  named  after  the  |)rince  of  Wales." 

After  a  careful  inspection  of  the  bay,  duiing  w!.. -h 
Hot  an  aboriginal  was  to  bo  seen,  the  Sonora  once 
iiioi'c  stood  out  to  sea,  sighting  six  leagut--  from  the 
harbor  an  island  which  was  named  San  I  lias,  the 
sune  seen  in  1774  by  Juan  Perez  from  Ca[H'  Santa 
^laigarita,  and  named  by  him  Santa  Cristina.  It  is 
iiow  known  as  Forrester  Island.  A  landing  was 
tUccted  and  water  obtained,  while  the  south  point  of 
Piince  of  Wales  Island,  named  Santa  ^lagdalcna  by 
1*1  rcz,  was  pialuly  in  view.^"  CVmtrary  winds  ke[)t 
i1h'  little  craft  beating  about  until  the  navigators  suc- 
ct'cded  in  again  making  the  coast  in  latitude  55°  50', 


'The  pilnto  expreHged  the  opinion  that  tliis  liny  wns  the  Hceiicof  Cliiiiknf'u 
'liiiiill'.iU.'iiiid  the  pliK't'  wlu'i((  liis  lioiitV  ci'cw  ii<i'i>lic(l  was  one  of  tliv  imrtluiu 
niiiis  iif  the  l)iiy  in  tlie  lutitiulu  iiiiiued  liy  tlie  KuNsiuu  discoverer,  'i'lio  Sp;in- 
iiiiil  iliil  not  Heein  to  tiike  longitiulo  into  tlie  noe<niiit  lit  nil.  I'fVnVx  ti(  Xnrtr, 
M>.,  :t(). 

'"  yidjex  al  Norte,  MS.,  31.    Cuadra  iiuincil  it  t'abo  do  San  Agustiu. 


202 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


f 


^vllcrc  a  deep  indentation  was  observed,  with  its  western 
point  in  latitude  5G°  'S\  Thence  a  high  mountainous 
coast  was  seen  extending  north-westerly  to  .a  point 
marking  the  southern  limit  of  the  broad  estuary 
boundeil  by  Cabo  do  Engafio  in  the  north." 

From  the  28th  of  August  to  the  1st  of  September 
the  winds  compelled  the  navigators  to  hug  the  shoie 
in  the  vicinity  of  latitude  50"  30'.  The  crow,  weak- 
ened by  scurvy,  were  unable  to  combat  the  adverse 
winds.  The  vessel  \\as  swept  by  tremendous  seas; 
spars  and  j)ortions  of  the  rigging  were  carried  away; 
and  when  at  last  a  steady  strong  north-wester  began 
to  blow,  both  conmiander  and  pilots  concluded  that 
furtlier  efforts  to  gain  the  desired  latitude  were  use- 
less.  The  prow  of  the  Sonora  was  turned  southwanl 
and  the  swelling  sails  soon  carried  her  far  away  from 
Alaska.  ^- 

Orders  for  another  Spanish  expedition  to  the  north 
coast  were  issued  in  177(5,  but  preparations  were  Udt 
com])leted  till  1779,  or  until  alter  Cook's  important 
English  ex{)lorations  in  this  quarter. 

The  voyage  of  Captain  Cook  with  the  shijis  Jicsn- 
lution  and  IJiscorcri/  has  been  discussed  at  length  in 
an  earlier  voluuK^,  with  refej-ence  to  discoveries  on  tin; 
Northwest  Coast  south  of  the  present  boundary  of 
Alaska.  It  is  only  necessary  here  to  repeat  brieliy  a  il-w 
paragraphs  from  Cook's  secret  instructions  from  the  ad- 
miralty and  to  take  up  the  thread  of  narrative  \^heie 
I  dro})ped  it  in  the  historic  jn^ecincts  of  Nootka.*' 


■    —  f      n 


"Tlie description  furnistlicd  l)y  tlip  journal  of  these  discovcrii'S  is  iiotcli.iv, 
ll)iit  the  iiisi'iiiKlii  may  probably  be  iJeiitilieil  with  Chriiitiau  Sound,  or  L'lanih  o 
iSound,  on  our  modern  maps. 

'■'  'J'lie  lot;  of  the  Snnonina  copied  in  the  Vinji'^  ul  Norte  places  the  expcli 
lion  in  latitutle  Tm^  4'  on  the  14tii  of  AugiiHt,  and  from  tliat  date  till  the  ^\\i 
cif  Septeiiibir  (^uadra's  operations  veir  eoulined  to  present  Alasii.in  \v;il.  i>. 
'J'iie  hijiiiest  latitude,  ."i7'  o7',  was  reaeheil  the  •_''_M,  in  the  vi<inity  if  l'ii|"-' 
Cross,  or  the  soutji  point  of  Vacoiii  Island.  I'/iyVs  ((/  Xortf,  MS.,  ."((i  8.  Ai- 
ro'ints  of  this  voyage  can  also  l>e  found  in  Jlrrr'n,  Sniiiiiila  J:'r}il(irw>"ii; 
J\/(iiiri'l/i',  Jiiiiiii)  ill  I  \  iii'/ii  lie  hi  Simoi'd,  J77'i,  No.  M  of  \'iit<iix  ul  Ai'/'i; 
2lii:irilli'n  ,liiiini(d  i)f  a  Vinj'vir  in  7,",'./",  J^ondon,  ITiSI.  in  li'irr'nnjl'iii'.-i  .I//-"'- 
linii<<.  See  also  llht.  Noilhifixt  Civinl.  Vid.  !.,  this  heries.  .luan  l'(  I'tn 
C'lUvdr.'i's  pilot  died  bri'ore  i-eaehin;,'  San  Ulas. 

'■•Tile  iiiulrucUuu.'i  v.ero  sigiitd  by  the  '  (Jonniiisaioners  f:'r  executing  llio 


I   ' 


MORE  SECRET  INSTRUCTIONS. 


203 


storu 
mous 
point 
tuary 


blioru 
weak- 
Ivciisc 
,  seas; 
aw  ay ; 
boj^aii 
a  that 
ro  use- 
tliwavil 
y  iroui 

o  north 
ero  ui»t 
iportant 

iS  /iVw>- 
[•ngth  HI 
on  tht! 
davy  "^' 
Illy  a  \'vw 
1  the  ail- 
c  where 
ka.^' 

lirt  not  *■!'  ;"'• 
loi-e'lunuLO 

1  the  <>xi>('li 
jtill  tlu'  Mil 

|iiiv  >  f  evi'o 

I,.s  ..<  .\--''; 

Xtiiii'n  .'/'""  '■ 

luaji  l'""' 


Lccutiiig 


UlD 


After  ordering  tlio  commander  to  go  from  New 
Zealand  to  New  Albion  and  avoid  touching  Spanish 
territory,  the  document  goes  on  to  say:  "And  if,  in 
your  farther  progress  to  the  northward,  as  hereafter 
directed,  you  find  any  subjects  of  any  European  piince 
or  state  ujion  any  part  of  the  coast  you  may  think 
]iroper  to  visit,  you  are  not  to  disturb  them,  or  to  give 
them  any  just  cause  of  offence,  but  on  the  contrary  to 
treat  them  with  civility  and  friendship.     Upon  your 
arrival  on  the  coast  of  New  Albion  you  are  to  put 
into  the  first  convenient  port  to  recruit  your  wood 
and  water,  and  procure  refreshments,  and  then  to 
])i'oceed  northward  along  the  coast,  as  far  as  the  lati- 
tude of  G5,°  or  farther,  if  you  are  not  obstructed  by 
lands  or  ice;    taking  care  not  to  lose  any  time  in 
ix|iloring  rivers  or  inlets,  or  upon  any  other  account, 
mitil  you  get  into  the  before-mentioned  latitude  of 
Gf)"."     After   being   enjoined   at  length  to  make  a 
thorough  search  for  a  navigable  passage  into  Hudson 
or  Baflin  bays,  Cook  is  further  instructed  as  follows: 
"You  arc  also,  Avith  the  consent  of  the  natives,  to 
take  possession,  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  Great 
Diitain,  of  convenient  situations  in  such  countries  as 
you  may  discover,  that  have  not  already  been  discov- 
cnd  or  visited  by  any  other  European  jiowi'r.  .  .but 
i!'  you  find  the  countries  so  discovered  are  uninhabited, 
you  are  to  take  possession  of  them  for  his  ^lajesty,  by 
setting  up  proper  marks  and  inscriptions,  as  first  dis- 
coverers and  possessors."     During  the  discussion  of 
Cook's  progress  in  viewing  the  c(»asts  of  Alaska  I 
sli.ill  have  occasion  to  refer  to  these  instructions." 

On  the  2Gth  of  April  1778  the  expedition  saiU'd 
out  of  Nootka  Bay  on  its  northwanl  course,  but  vi(t- 
liiit  gales  drove  it  from  the  land  which  was  not  made 
iiuain  until  the  evening  of  May  1st  in  latitude  jj" 

OiI'm'c  itf  Lord  High  Admiral  of  Orcat  Britian  and  Trclaml,  etc.,  Samlwirli, 
<'.  S|i(;ioi'r,  jirid  II.  I'lilliscr,  tlir()U;;li  tliuir  Hi-nvtiiry,  lii.  Stcphtna,  on  ilif  tiUi 
lit  ■luly  177'!.'  C'lmiyn  I'ot/.,  i.  introd.  .xxxiv.-xxxv. 
^'Cook'n  \'oi/.,  i.  iiitnjd.  x.sxii.-xxxv. 


204 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


'a 
H  f 


>lf> 


Mi's 


Brf. 


■  (' 


!r,r  i 


I    1 


If^'ir 


m  iii 


t.    4 


20',  in  the  vicinity  of  Port  Bucarcli,  discovered  hy 
Cuadra  three  years  before. 

On  the  2d  and  3d  of  INIay  Cook  passed  along  the 
coast  included  in  Cuadra's  discoveries  of  1775,  giving 
to  Mount  San  Jacinto  and  the  Cabo  do  Engano  the 
name  of  Edgecunibe.  Puerto  de  los  Remedios  was 
named  bay  of  Islands,  and  Cook  correctly  surmised 
its  connection  with  the  bay  lying  eastward  of  Cape 
Edgecunibe.  In  the  morning  of  the  3d  the  two  sloops 
had  reached  the  highest  latitude  attained  by  Cuadra; 
a  high  mountain  in  the  north  and  a  wide  inlet  wore 
called  Mount  Fairweather  and  Cross  Sound  respec- 
tively, by  which  names  both  are  known  to  this  day.^' 
Cape  Fairweather  has  since  been  named  Cape  Spenetr. 
On  the  5th  Mount  St  Elias  was  sighted  above  llio 
northern  horizon,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  away, 
and  the  following  day  the  broad  opening  of  Yakutat, 
or  Bering,  Bay  was  observed.^* 

Proceeding  slowly  along  the  coast  with  baffling 
winds,  he  on  the  10th  gave  the  name  of  Cape  Suck- 
ling to  the  cape  forming  the  southern  extrenn'ty  r,f 
Comptroller  Bay,  but  owing  to  'thick'  weather  Kyak 
Island,  named  Kaye  by  Cook,  was  not  discovered  until 
two  days  later. ^'  At  the  foot  of  a  tree  on  the  south 
point  of  Kaye  Island  a  bottle  was  deposited  contain! 
a  paper  with  the  names  of  the  ships  and  date  of  'di> 
covery,'  and  a  few  coins.  For  some  reason  the  cere- 
mony oF  taking  possession  was  omitted,  though  Cook 
must  have  believed  in  the  existence  of  all  the  condi- 
tions mentioned  in  his  instructions  and  relating  to 
'  uninhabited '  discoveries.^^ 

The  name  of  Comptroller  Bay  was  also  ap[)lied  t  > 
the  indentation  bearing  that  designation  to-day.    Tin.' 

'*The3il  of  Mny  is  marked  in  the  calendars  as  '  Findinj;  of  the  Liuss;' 
hence  tlio  name  applied  to  tlie  sound. 

"''('(M)k  discusses  at  length  tlie  identity  of  this  with  Boring's  landing,  ifo 
does  not,  however,  ntlviince  any  very  cogent  reasons  for  his  belief. 

"  In  another  eliapter  of  tins  volume  I  have  stated  my  reasons  for  helieviii^' 
tliis  to  hiive  heen  tile  scene  of  Bering's  discovery  and  Steller's  brief  exploia- 
tion  of  tlie  country  in  1741. 

"■  Coo//iy  J  oy.,  ii.  3J1-3. 


n 
s- 


1     "   '" 


COOK'S  VOYAGE. 


203 


I  by 

the 

i  the 

nise:l 
Cape 

atlra ; 
were 
:spec- 
day.^' 
eiKxr. 
,-c  the 
away, 
ikutat, 

)afflin,c^ 

1  Suclv- 

lily  r,f 

Kyak 
(I  until 

soulli 

:\inin,^' 
|,f  Mis- 

0  ceix'- 
Cook 
ooiuli- 

jiinr    to 

llied  to 

The 

le  Lioss;' 
llitliovin:^ 


sight  of  the  .south  point  of  Xuchck  Island,  named  l)y 
liim  Cape  Hinchlnbrook,  led  Cook  to  indulge  in  liopes 
of  finding  a  passage  to  the  north  beyond  it,  the  tower- 
ing heights  that  border  Prince  William  Sound  not 
being  visible  at  the  time.     A  leak  in  the  liesolution 
induced  the  commander  to  seek  shelter,  and  the  ships 
were  anchored  in  one  of  the  coves  of  Nucliek  Bav, 
the  Port  Etches  of  later  nui;)S.     A  boat's  crew  sent 
(tut  to  hunt  met  with  a  number  of  natives  in  two  skin 
canoes,  who  followed  them  to  the  iimnediate  vicinity 
of  the  ships,  but  would  not  go  on  board.*'     On  the 
following  day,  the  13th,  Cook  sailed  again  in  search 
rX  a  safer  anchoraije,  without  discovering:  tlie  land- 
locked  cove  on  the  north  side  of  the  bay  subsequently 
f-elected  by  the  Russians  ft>r  their  lirst  permanent 
establishment  in   this  reunion.     The  next  anchorage 
was  found  some  ci<ifht  leaii'ucs  to  the  northward  at 
Snug  Corner  Cove,  still  known  by  that  name.     Here 
considerable  intercourse  with  the  natives  took  place. 
Tliey  were  bold,  inclined  to  thievery,  and  apparently 
uiiac(puiinted  with  lire-arms.'^" 

After  several  vain  attempts  to  find  a  northern  pas- 
sago  the  two  ships  turned  southward,  and  the  largest 
island  in  the  sound  was  discovered  and  named  jMon- 

''■•  The  natives  made  the  same  si;»ii  of  friendship  (lescrilicd  l)y  tho  Spanish 
explorers  in  connection  witli  the  Alexander  Archipelago,  disphiyini;  a  white 
(.Miinent  or  shin,  and  cxtcndin;^  their  anv.a.  The  people  were  evidently  of 
Iniiiiit  extraction,  bnt  liad  adopted  some  of  the  i)raetice3  of  their  Thlinkeet 
ntiuliltors  in  the  oast,  such  aa  pawdcrini^  the  hair  with  down,  etc.  C'lm/i- 
ti-i  Hi  r  /id/i,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Atnah  or  Copper  lliver,  so  called  hy  (.'ook 
i.i  his  Alias,  177S,  and  also  by  Dixoii  and  N'aneouver;  La  IVroiise,  ITS.i, 
j:' ihi  Cdiilrok;  Siitil  y  Mix-.,  Vhi'/r,  ]!.  Coiitrollcu.:  Cartmi.  Par.  ('out, 
MS.,  iii.  ai(4. 

'-" 'I  hesc  natives  not  only  attempted  to  take  away  a  boat  from  the  ship's 
side,  Imt  npon  the  report  of  one  of  tin  ir  iiundicr,  wlio  had  exaiiiinrd  the 
J,'i,ii;,ri'i>i,  that  only  a  man  or  two  were  visiMe  on  her  decks,  the  whole!  haml 
of  visitors  Iiastily  paddled  over  to  the  other  ves.icl  with  the  evident  intention 
et  lakiiiLi  pos3esi;ion  of  her.  The  apjiearance  of  the  eiew,  w  ho  lia<l  Keen  en- 
f.iL'e<l  on  some  duty  in  the  hold,  causecl  tiie  savages  to  chan;,'o  their  mind. 
<■",/■'.<  !'(;//.,  ii.  3.j1).  Cook  lierc  also  noticed  for  the  lirst  time  th.it  tliese 
ii;itives  had  a  few  glass  heads  of  light  blue,  a  circumstance  he  wpae^^ly  con- 
f  lereil  as  an  indication  of  intercourse  with  other  trilies  visiting  the  Hudson's 
J'.iy  ( 'oinjiany'a  posts  in  the  far  north-west,  lllue  glass  beads  were  among  the 
tivv  iirticiea  of  trade  in  the  handset  the  Russian  promysldeniki,  and  doubtless 
f  und  their  way  to  Priiico  William  Sound  from  Kiwliak  by  way  of  Cook 
lulet. 


'\ 


200 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


h 


1,^ 


taGfu,  the  Sukluk  of  tlic  natives.  The  natac  of  Prince 
William  Sound  was  then  applied  to  the  whole  inlet. 

On  the  21st  Capo  Elizabeth,  the  south-eastern  point 
of  Cook  Inlet,  was  first  sighted  and  named;  and  as 
the  western  shore  of  that  great  estuary  was  not  vis- 
ible, the  hopes  of  finding  an  open  passage  to  the 
northward  were  once  more  revived.  A  gale,  how- 
ever, prevented  the  explorers  from  rounding  the  cape, 
and  necessitated  a  southerly  course,  which  brought 
into  view  the  point  of  land  named  Cape  St  Ilonno- 
gcnes  by  Boring — the  eastern  cape  of  Marmot  Island. 
Thence  the  course  was  northward,  which  opened  he- 
fore  the  eyes  of  the  explorer  the  broad  estuary  still 
bearing  the  name  of  the  commander.  BelievinLrthat 
Kudiak  and  Afognak  islands,  with  Point  Banks,  formed 
but  a  part  of  the  mountainous  coast  to  the  westward, 
with  Cape  Douglas  in  the  foreground,  Cook  entered 
the  inlet  full  of  hope.  Was  not  the  Aliaska  of  Rus- 
sian maps  represented  as  an  island?  And  must  not 
this  wide  passage  lead  the  navigator  into  the  Arctic 
Ocean  between  this  island  and  the  continent  ?  The 
discovery  of  an  extension  of  the  high  mountains  to 
the  north  of  Cape  Douglas  did  not  discourage  liini."^ 
On  the  same  day,  however,  the  27th  of  May,  these 
high  hopes  were  crushed,  as  far  as  Cook  himself  was 
concerned.  The  haze  hamxingf  over  the  land  in  the 
v.'cst  suddenly  disappeared,  and  what  had  been  taken 
I'or  a  chain  of  islands  stood  revealed  as  the  summits 
of  a  mountain  range,  connected  everywhere  and  show- 
ing every  characteristic  of  a  continent.. 

Though  fully  convinced  of  the  futility  of  the  attempt 
Cook  continued  to  beat  his  vessels  up  the  inlet." 
The  strong  ebb-tides,  running  at  a  velocity  of  four 
or  five  knots,  greatly  retarded  their  progress,  and  as 

'•  '  As  it  was  supposed  to  be  wholly  unconiiocted  with  the  land  of  C:t]'0 
Elizabeth,'  says  Cook;  '  for,  in  a  v.  N.  E.  direction,  the  siyht  waa  unliuiitMl 
by  everything  but  the  horizon.'  Cook'ti  Voij.,  ii.  oSlJ;  Juvenal,  Jour.,  MS., 
31-J. 

'*  'I  wns  now  fully  persuaded  that  I  should  find  no  pass-age  by  this  inltt; 
and  my  jjcrs'-vering  in  the  search  of  it  liere,  was  more  to  satisfy  other  pcoiile, 
tlian  to  coiilii'm  my  own  opinion.'  Cook's  \'oi/,,  ii.  35(3. 


AT  COOK  INLET. 


207 


rincc 
inlet, 
point 
:kI  as 
it  vis- 
o  the 

liow- 

capo, 
ought 
!crtnc)- 
[yland. 
0(1  he- 
fy  still 
ifrthat 

1 

forined 
it  ward, 
Altered 
3f  Ilus- 

List    U'tt 

Arctic 
?  The 
ains  to 

him.-' 
%  the^-e 
elf  Nvas 

in  the 
\  taheii 
unnnits 
1  show- 

ittciupt 

of  foi'.r 
and  ai 

\u\  of  Cnpo 

uiiliiiiitMl 

jour.,  M^'i 

this  iiil't; 
Ihcr  iicoi'li-'i 


the  winds  were  cither  light  or  unfavorable,  it  became 
necessary  to  anchor  the  vessels  every  time  the  tide 
turned  against  them.  The  muddy  water  and  the  largo 
quantities  of  floating  trees  led  Cook  to  believe  him- 
self within  the  mouth  of  a  large  river,  and  without 
fully  ascertaining  the  fact,  he  sailed  away  from  liis 
new  discovery  unchanged  in  his  opinion.-^ 

The  lirst  natives  were  encountered  on  the  30th,  and 
a  larger  party,  including  women  and  children,  visited 
the  ships  the  following  day.  The  scene  of  this  meeting 
was  in  the  vicinity  of  West  Foreland,  or  the  j)resent 
village  of  Kustatan.  These  sav'ages  were  described  by 
Cook  as  rcsemblinc;  the  natives  of  Prince  William 
Sound,  speaking  the  same  language  and  using  the 
same  kind  of  skin-covered  canoes.  From  this  fact 
we  must  infer  that  the  Innuit  in  those  days  occu- 
]iiL'd  more  of  the  coast  of  Cook  Inlet  than  they  do 
t!>-day.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  these  people 
wore  not  permanent  residents,  but  engaged  in  a  hunt- 
ing expedition  away  from  their  home.'*  Blue  bea«l3 
and  long  iron  knives  were  found  in  the  possession  of 
all  these  peoples.  Wo  know  that  these  articles  came 
from  the  Russians,  l)ut  Cook  was  loath  to  acknowl- 
edge the  presence  of  another  European  power.''' 

On  the  first  of  June  the  boats  sent  out  to  explore 
returned  after  having  entered  the  Turn-again  arm  of 
the  inlet  and  the  mouth  of  the  Kinik  River,  and  in 

-'The  coast  of  Cook  Inlet  rests  upon  a  base  of  blue  clay  waslieil  by  tl'o 
tiilcs,  and  thia  fact  contributcil  more  to  the  discoloration  of  tlic  water  tlian  ^iio 
lew  I  ivcrs  emptying  into  the  inlut. 

'■"Still  higher  up  the  inlet  Cook  saw  a  native  propel  liis  kyak  witli  a  double- 
li!:idc(l  paddle,  and  as  tiiis  imjileiricnt  is  used  only  by  the  natives  of  tlie  Alcu- 
ti;in  I  lands,  antl  occasionally  by  those  of  the  nurthiru  shores  of  Derin.;  Sea, 
ii  licomes  all  the  more  probable  that  the  advanco  of  the  Kiissians  to  Kadiak, 
at'd  tlicir  presence  among  the  Shunia^^'iii  Jslaiuls,  had  alrcatly  inLstigatcd  tho 
scii-otter  hunters  to  undertake  lonu  journeys  in  search  of  thi'ir  (piairy. 
'i/o'.'s  \')t/.,  ii.  389-92.  On  the  other  hanil,  the  natives  e.u'ounteiod  on  tlio 
Ki  nai  IVninsnla,  on  tho  occasion  of  taking  possession  of  tlio  country,  were 
evidently  Tiniichs,  or  Kciiai  jiroper,  to  judj.'o  troni  the  description  of  their 
oinaiiicnts,  clothes,  and  Wt-apons,  and  from  the  fact  that  they  had  dogs  and 
Men" apparently  without  canoes. 

'•"Cook  mentions  tliat  the  natives  called  iron  (joone.  Xow  i-h'ti/un,  or 
rather  chuijnnii,  is  Russian  for  ca«t-iron,  though  also  used  for  uU  irou  btticlea 
I'v  till'  ignoniut  classes.  Cook's  \'<>y.,  ii.  39'2. 


208 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


^    i  .11' 


the  afternoon  Lieutenant  Kinj^  was  despatched  to 
take  f)ossession  of  the  point  at  whieli  the  above- 
mentioned  arm  brandies  off  to  the  eastward.  Some 
lords  ahoiij^inal  were  present,  but  it  is  nowhere  written 
that  Kini^  asked  their  permission  to  take  possession 
of  the  country,  as  the  admiralty  had  ordered. 

On  the  4th  of  June  the  latitude  of  the  Iliainna 
volcano  was  ascertained,  but  the  mountain  was  not 
named.'^  On  the  5th  of  June  the  two  ships  emerf,'ed 
from  the  inlet  that  had  been  entered  with  such  flatter- 
in;L^  hopes,  and  ])roceeded  southward  alonj^  the  coast 
of  the  continent  in  search  of  an  opening  to  the  west- 
v.ard  and  northwanl.  The  season  was  fast  advancin;^ 
and  much  remained  to  be  done,  so  they  hastened 
forward.  Shuiak  Island,  Afognak,  and  Kadiak  were 
placed  on  their  chart  as  one  contiimous  coast  and  part 
of  the  continent,  while  names  were  given  only  to  the 
])roniinent  headlands.'*''  On  the  IGth  Foggy  Island, 
the  Tumannoi  of  Bering,  was  made,  and  on  the  lOtli 
the  two  ships  were  passing  through  the  Shuniagin 
group,  tlie  largest  island  of  which  Cook  erroneously 
juit  down  as  Kadiak  on  his  chart.  In  this  vicinity 
the  Discovery  was  approached  by  several  canoes  and 
a  letter  enclosed  in  a  case  was  delivered  by  one  of 
the  natives,  who  bowed  and  took  off  his  cap  in  good 
European  I'ashion.  The  document  was  written  in 
Itussian   and  dated  1778.^^      Unable  to  understand 


'■"'Tlie  only  local  ii.imes  about  the  inlet  which  we  can  trace  to  Cook  arc: 
Cape  Douglas,  Mt  St  Augustine  (Chnrnobira  Island),  Tnrn-again  Itivev,  I'oiiit 
I'oshus.sion,  Anchor  Point,  I'oint  IJcile,  Cape  Elizabeth,  Ikirron  Islanils,  Tlie 
inlet  was  named  CiX)k  IJiver  by  order  of  Lord  Sandwicli,  the  explorer  having 
left  a  blank  in  his  journal.  Vook\t  Voy.,  ii.  3!K). 

''''  'J'lic  nortli  point  of  Shuiak  was  named  Point  Banks;  the  easterly  point 
of  Afounak,  Cape  Wiiitsnnday,  and  the  entrance  to  the  strait  between  the 
latter  island  and  Kadiak,  Whitsuntide  Ikiy.  The  description  of  this  locality 
does  not,  however,  agree  with  the  published  sketch.  Cookx  ro//.,ii.  4(.)4,  and 
C'hnrt  oJ'Ci'iik  lUnr.  3.">3.  Cape  Chiniatsk  was  named  Cape  (Treville  itinl  i< 
Still  thus  indicated  on  English  and  American  sailing-eliarts.  Cape  ]$arnali;i.s 
atvl  Two-headed  Cape  correspond  with  the  east  point  of  Sitkhulidak  island 
and  Nazigak  Island  at  the  entrance  of  Kaguiak  Hay.  The  island  Sitkiiin;.!; 
wa.<<  named  Trinity  on  the  14th  of  June,  and  subsetpiently  the  south  jioint  of 
Kadiak  obtained  the  same  designation,   t'ook's  I'oif.,  ii.  407-9. 

'•'*'In  the  Iwdy  of  the  note  there  was  also  a  reference  to  the  year  1770,  the 
date  of  a  Ilussiau  expedition  to  Ivadiak.  Cook'a  Voy.,  ii.  414. 


NO  STRAIT  THERE. 


209 


jd  to 
bove- 
Soiuc 
rittcu 

essiuii 

iainna 

IS  not 
lorf^cd 
lattor- 
I  coast 
!  west- 
anciiij4 
Lstcned 
k  Nvcro 
lid  part 
to  the 
Island, 
10  19th 
luniagin 
iicously 
^•icinity 
DCS  and 
one  <»i" 
n  good 
ten    in 
n-stand 

Cook  ari-': 
Ivor,  I'oint 
(mis.  'I'lw 
Ircr  luiviiii,' 

lerly  point 
Jtwoou  tli>; 
|iis  locality 
4t)4,  ainl 
lull-  iincl  i * 
Biinialia^i 
llak  Island 
1  isitkUiii;.'^ 
|thiioiiit  I'f 

1770,  tlio 


its  contents,  Cook  paid  no  attention  to  it.  These 
ii.itives  as  well  as  those  subsequently  met  with  at 
Ihdibut  (Sannakh)  Island  used  the  double-bladed 
])addle,  a  certain  indication  that  they  were  Aleuts, 
liiuitinjif  for  the  Russians. ^^ 

Passing  Uniniak  with  its  smoking  volcanoes  and 
fiiiling  to  notice  the  best  pass  into  Bering  Sea,  be- 
tween Unimak  and  Akun,  the  exjdorers  at  last  man- 
aged to  cross  into  the  narrowest  and  n.iost  dangerous 
of  all  these  passes,  between  Unalga  and  Unalaska. 
After  a  long  search  for  an  anchorage  the  vessels  were 
safely  moored  in  Samghanooda  Uay,  opening  into 
Uiialna  Strait.  Intercourse  with  the  natives  was  at 
once  opened,  and  one  of  them  delivered  another  Rus- 
sian note.  The  principal  object  in  seeking  this  anch- 
orage was  water,  and  hence  the  stay  there  was  brief; 
hut  from  the  manners  of  the  peoj)le  and  articles  in 
their  ])<)ssession.  Cook  felt  assured  at  last  that  he  was 
on  gi'onnd  occupied  by  the  Russians.  The  necessary 
hiisiiiess  was  quickly  desjjatched,  and  on  the  2d  of 
July  the  two  ships  stood  out  to  sea  again  with  every 
])r()spect  of  an  open  field  of  exploration  in  the  north. 
The  north  coast  of  the  Alaska  peninsula  was  followed 
till  the  north  shore  of  Bristol  Bay  loomed  before 
tlieni,  and  made  another  change  of  course  necessary. 
("ook's  disappointment  was  great.  Xot  until  the  Kith 
of  'Inly  was  hope  again  revived  l)y  the  sight  of  Cape 
N(  wcidiam,  the  southern  point  of  the  estuary  of  the 
Kuskokvim.** 

Without  imacjininof  himself  in  the  mouth  of  a  river, 
Cook  pushed  forward  until  stop])ed  by  shoals,  which 
to  his  dismay  extcndo<l  in  every  direction  but  that 
from  which  he  had  come.     After  a   brief  interview 

-•("ook  also  mentions  that  they  did  not  undei-stand  thi;  laii.!;ua<,'C  of  the 
natives  of  riince  William  Sound,  and  that  one  of  them  wore  a  Mack  elotli 
jarkct  and  j^reen  breeches.   Cituk'x  Vi)>i..  Vi.   417. 

"Here  Lieutemuit  Willianitwjn  wa.s  sent  ashoro  to  oacend  a  mountain  an<l 
•  ilitain  a  view,  lie  .saw  no  land,  exee]it  in  the  noiJi,  and  after  takiu',;  fornuil 
Jiiis  (.ssion  returned  t*  the  ship.  Cook  fj.ive  tlie  name  IJrifstol  Ikiy  to  the 
wUnV'  liend  (*f  the  uoast  ]»ctwcn  Unimak  Islaud  and  the  cape  just  discovered. 
W'll.,  ii.  ■j:!i)-4. 

IIiKT.  Alaska.    14 


810 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


!i    J 


'&"- 


with  some  natives,  who  also  wore  fount!  in  posses- 
sion of  iron  knives,  all  haste  was  niailc  to  extrieatt.'  the 
vessel  from  the  network  of  shoals.  At  last,  on  the 
2Htli,  the  soun(liii<4s  made  a  westerly  couise  possiMc, 
which  was  on  the  followiiii^  day  ehan;^ed  to  the  north- 
ward, ami  on  the  3d  of  Au<>^ust  land  was  made  ai,'aiii, 
and  the  shlfjs  anchored  hetween  an  island  and  the 
main.  Tiie  former  was  named  Sledjj^e  Island,  from  a 
Wooden  .sledge  with  hone  runners  fouml  Uj)on  it.  I'he 
next  (liscovery,  named  Xintif  Island,  was  made  on  the 
7th,  and  at  last,  on  the  9th,  the  western  extremity 
of  the  American  continent  lay  clearly  before  tluiii, 
the  coast  beyond  recedini;  so  far  to  the  eastward  a.s 
to  leave  no  room  for  doubt."' 

Alter  a  brisk  run  across  to  the  coast  of  Asia  the 
ships  returned  to  the  Alaskan  shore  and  located  Icy 
Ca[ie,  the  eastern  limit  of  the  arctic  cruise,  ('aj)e  Msil- 
grave,  and  Cape  Lisburne,  but  ice  barred  further  \>v>>if- 
ro.ss  on  the  American  coast  as  well  as  on  that  of 
Asia.  On  the  21)th  Cook  namtul  Cape  North  and 
coiK-huled  to  ieturn  southward,  \  ')stponini>f  a  further 
examination  of  the  Polar  Sea  for  another  season^ — 
which  never  came  for  him.  On  the  eveniiiLj  of  the  i^d 
of  Se])tember  the  ships  passed  East  Cape.  The  f'»l- 
lowini^  day  St  Laurence  Bay  was  revisited  and  ex- 
amined,^'-and  on  the  5th  the  ships  were  aufain  headed 
f(»r  the  American  coast.  Durinij  the  followini^  ilay 
Norton  Sound  was  entered  and  names  were  applied 
to  Ca[)e  Derby,  at  the  entr'ance  of  Goloni  Bay,  and 
Caj)e  Denbi,iL>h. 

Cook  ivmained  in  this  sound  until  the  17th  of  Sep- 
tend>er  hi  order  to  full}'  a.scertain  the  I'act  of  his  Ixiiii^ 
then  on  the  coast  of  the  Ameiican  continent  and 
not  on  the  fabulous  island  of  "Alaschka"  represented 

^' ^'o''/''x  Votf.,  ii.  444. 

^-'riic  cditoi- of  <'ooh-'s  Voyn,?,  in  vol.  ii.  473,  commt-nta  upon  the  cnrions 
coineidfiK'c  that  I'criiig  passccl  hctM-ecn  St  l^invrcnce  I'ay  and  St  I^iwrnicc 
Lsland  on  Aiiguft  10,  17'2S,  and  50  y>'iii's  hiti'i',  on  August  1(»,  I77H.  •■,«,k 
pa.ss<.(l  the  siinio  8])ot,  naming  the  hay  aftor  tlio  patron  wiint  of  that  day  iii  tiie 
calendar.  Due  allowance  for  the  dillcrencc  between  dates  in  the  Julian  niiA 
Gregorian  calendars,  however,  spoils  this  nice  little  'coincidence.' 


JOHN  LEDYARD  IX  ALASKA. 


m 


wynh  Sta^liliii's  map  of  t\w  Xcw  Xorf/tcnt  ^Inhipcliir/o. 
Ciiptaiii  Kiiijjf  luul  U'cn  intrusted  with  tln'  cxamiiia- 
tiitii  >t'  Norton  Buy,  the  only  point  wliero  the  exi.stcnco 
(il'a  cliannel  was  at  all  probal'le.'" 

On  Icavinj^  Norton  Sound  it  was  Cook's  intention 
to  stt'er  directly  south  in  order  to  survey  th(>  eoast  infi'i- 
vt ninu'  between  his  last  discoyerv  ;'.nd  the  point  he  had 
iiiiiiied  Shoaliiess  on  the  Kuskokvini;  hut  the  shallovv- 
ncssof  that  j>art  of  lierin^jf  Sea  compelled  him  to  iim 
llir  to  the  westward,  and  prevented  him  from  si-einj^ 
jinything  of  the  Yukon  mouth,  and  the  low  country 
lictween  that  riyerand  the  Kuskokvim,  and  the  island 
Alter  ohtainin<^^  anothei'  si^lit  of  St 


X 


unival 


Lawrence  Island,  which  he  named  Clark,  Cook  steered 
s(tuth-soulh-we  <  and  on  the  20d  sighted  St  Matthew 
].-l;nid,  which  l;e  named  Gore.^' 

On  the  2d  of  October  Unalaska  was  sighted,  and 
jiassiiig  Kalekhtah  Bay,  called  Kgoodishac  by  Cook, 
tlie  two  ships  anchored  in  Samghanot)da  Bay  on  the 

)nce  oyerhauled 
d 


(1  of  October.     Both  vessels  wer< 


I'cssel 
by  the  carpenters  for  necessary  re})airs,  and  a  portion 


Ol 


the  cargo  was  landed  for  the  purpose  of  restowini 


30 


'"'('niih'n  F'oi/.,  ii.  482-3.  I  fiiiil  tlint  Captain  Codk  iiiakos  mention  of  the 
f.ii  t  tli.it  one  of  the  natives  in<]uire(l  for  him  l>y  tlie  title  oi  'e;ijiitane,'  wliieh 
111  ( i.nsiilt  r.s  a  ease  of  niiaunderstaiulin},'.  It  is,  however,  not  at  all  iniprohaMo 
tl:  '  the  llu^siiin  word  I'ti/iitnii  lia<l  Ijeen  pre.serveil  among  the  natives  of  the 
vitiiiity  of  IJeiing  Strait  since  Bering's  ami  (.ivoztlef  m  tin'e. 

"  Cook  Kupiioseil,  however,  the  existenee  of  ii  large  river  in  that  vicinity, 
r.s  ti'.e  vjiter  v.a.i  eoinparativeiy  fresh  and  very  niiiJdy.   ('otd■'■^  In)/.,  ii.  4!)|. 

''■'CiMik  elaini.M  to  have  seen  sea-otters  here,  Init  ua.s  prohaldy  mistaken, 
f'li'  thi  i  iininiiil  was  ni'ver  found  there  hy  siiliseiiuent  vi.sitois,  ami  the  phuo 
III  :;]■/  iiiiinliiiliited,  there  was  nothing  to  drive  them  away.  The  I'rihylof  group 
V  I  !■  I  lie  northernmost  ]H)int  from  which  sea-otttrs  were  iver  procuied,  and 
til.  :<  t!iey  heeame  (piickly  exterminated. 

■''  l)iiriiig  a  visit  of  Mr  Ivan  I'etrof  to  Samghan<K)(la  I>ay  on  the  ,3d  of 
tiriuix  r  IliTiS,  the  UKJth  annivei-.sary  of  Cofik's  laiuling.  he  oht.iineil  from  the 
l;ili\('s  a  few  traditions  relative  Vo  Cook's  \  i.sit.  One  old  ehief  stated  t!i;it 
lii  t.itiier  had  tohl  him  of  two  Kngli.-h  shijis  <hat  hail  ai'ehored  in  Sam;  li,i- 
iiii'  ila,  \\liicli  is  now  known  as  'Kngli.sh  llr.khla.'  'Ihe  tinieol  their  iW.y  had 
111  111  Somewhat  lengthened  in  tranhmittal  from  father  to  son,  for  it  was 
il,.iini  il  tliat  the  ships  wintered  theie,  that  the  people  caught  liiih  and  killed 
|■l;ll^;  for  the  visitors,  and  that  several  of  them  'kept  native  women  witii  tiiem.' 
S..'  r,.„l,:s  Vny.,  ii.  ,721.  The  old  ehief  also  sUite.l  that  the  'Knglish'  i:!id 
I'lM !t  houses  and  jiointed  out  a  spot  where  an  excavation  had  evidently  hem 
II -I  II  liiiiv  years  ago.  This  last  I'eport  referred  of  co\irse  only  to  soine  ti  iii- 
)  ii'ary  ihclter  for  j)rotecting  the  landed  cargo.  The  sar.ie  man  ])ointid  out 
tu  .Mr  i'etrof  tlie  positiuu  in  which  the  tiLij_)S  liutl  bueu  moored,  uccurdiug 


\   ■ 


m 

Ii; 


^1 


21*: 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


im 


Wliile  the  nhip's  (MMnpaiiics  wore  engaged  in  v.ater- 
ing,  repairing,  lisliing,  and  gathering  berries  as  an 
anti-scorbutic,  a  messenger  airived  on  the  8th  with  a 
note  written  in  llussian  for  the  coninjander  of  each 
vessel,  and  a  gilt,  consisting  of  a  salmon  pie,  baked  of 
jyc-meal.  There  was  no  one  able  to  read  the  notes, 
but,  l)eing  now  sure  that  some  Russians  resided  in  tlic 
immediate  vicinit}',  Cook  caused  a  suitable  return  <n 
be  made  in  the  shape  of  sundr}'  bottles  of  li(|UOf.  i'or- 
poral  John  Lcdyard  was  sent  with  the  returning 
messenger  to  find  the  Ilussians,  invite  them  to  the 
anchorage,  and  obtain  all  available  iid'ormation  con- 
cerning their  discoveries  in  American  waters.''" 

Lcdyanl's  experience  on  this  occasiim  has  been  de- 
scribed by  hin)sclf  and  transmitted  to  posterity  bv  liis 
biographer.  He  succeeded  in  liis  mission,  passed  a 
few  days  at  the  settlement  of  Illiuliuk,  and  brouglit 
back  three  l^ussian  hunters,  who  were  well  received, 
and  who  freely  imj)artcd  such  information  as  could  be 
conveyed  by  signs  and  numerals.^^     They  promised  to 

to  tiio  recollection  of  liis  father,  a  jKisition  which  ngr»!e<l  exactly  with  tlin, 
iiiilicated  on  (.'ooks  uluirt  of  Suni^'liunutHhi,  which  the  chief  certainly  ncvir 
hail  seen. 

'■"  ('(H>k'ii  Voii.,  ii.  4n").  Cook  merely  says  that  he  sent  I^ulyard,  hut  in 
(S/>" /•/■■('  Life  ot  Jjrtlifanl,  TO-SO,  it  is  elaiineil  that  he  volunteered  anil  tluivliy 
relieved  Cook  from  the  dileinin.'i  of  Heleetin^'  i\\\  oHicer  for  hiicIi  a  'ilau^'erniis' 
expedition.  The  preMeiit  of  hread  was  in  accordance  w-ith  an  ancient  Kussiiin 
custoni,  still  obs'ived,  of  presenting  lircatl  and  SJiIt  to  new  arrivals  in  ii  tnwii. 
dwelling,  or  neighlKtrluKHl,  end)leniatic  of  the  wish  that  the  recipient  niiiiiit 
never  want  for  the  neeessaries  of  life.  Aiuong  the  wealthy  the  most  eliilMi 
iiit<!  vOi.fectionery  and  silver  or  gold  receptacles  tiikc  the  place  of  IntMid  i.ijil 
B4ilt  on  Kueh  oceaxions. 

'■^*  Li'dyard's  nairutive  of  this  exeui'sion  seems  to  mo  somewhat  l>',';idy  '"I- 
oivd.  though  I'vidently  written  in  ji  od  fiiith.  The  nuui  wiiv  •  Hciisatirniil '  l.v 
nature.  His  native  guidi's  evidenllj'  did  not  take  him  t»  his  destination  l^y 
the  shortest  route.  There  is  anil  was  at  that  time  an  easy  path  only  \'l  luilr.s 
in  length  from  tiiehead  of  SamghaniMMla  ]>iiy  to  <  'a|ttain  liarlHir,  vthcri'  l;iy  tlu' 
ItuK.xian  settlement.  J.iedyarii  was  made  to  walk  '  ITi  miles  into  the  interior '<j. 
the  lirst  di.'y,  toa  native  village,  where  Ik-  passed  the  night,  and  where  'a  jmin;; 
Woman  sei'med  very  Inisy  to  p.lease  '  him,  and  on  the  following  day  he  a;.;;nii 
Walked  until  three  hours  hefore  dark  ere  reaching  Caiitain  llarl>or,  wlii>  li  In' 
ealUd  'four  kyigiu's  ov«'r.'  It  is  aliout  live  noles.  'liie  distance  he  ilainis  iu 
hav  '  walked  after  this  was  >  lea^ured  hy  '  tilled  .nnd  swollen  feet,' hut  tiindly  >^- 
was  carried  acn>.M8  to  the  '  .'ttleuient,  sipiee/ed  into  the  '  l»ole  '  of  a  two-hni'li 
liiilarka.  lie  wi>-  !.,.., ,;iial>ly  entertained  aftfr  due  exehanu'o  of  livilitir.-* ;  i;  I 
delivery  of  ''.Kik's  present.^.  The  ncNt  morning  the  ri'|M'llent  odois  i'  .1 
matuiinal  meal  eoniijosed  of  'whale,  tc;i-liorse,  and  l>ear'  upset  l.eily.'ii.l  ■- 
btomuch,  though  IxnrH  and  walruMCH  are  unknown  in  Unulaska.    The  weatii'  r 


INTERCOURSE  WITH  RUSSIANS. 


SIS 


I  v;atcr- 
i  as  an 
I  with  n 
of  each 
>ake(l  of 
e  notes, 
(I  in  the 
L'turn  to 
ir.     t'or- 
eturniiijj; 
;i  to  the 
ion  oon- 

boon  do- 
ty 1)V  his 
passed  a 
l)rou«j>ht 
received, 
^  eould  he 
innisod  to 

\y  with  thai 
irtiiiiily  mvir 

lyanl,  Imt  '» 
|l  and  th» iil'V 
ihiDpniii-' 
Icient  UufsiiH" 
l\la  ill  11  t>>\\ii. 
kiliifU*  iiiiiilit 
\i  most  I'liiliii 

of  \>VVin\  I'l'' 

lit  li'pily  ;■"'• 
LiRiitiiiiii! '  ly 
I'Mtiiiiuioii  '■>' 
liiilv  CJiiii'"^ 
l,h,'ivh<yt!..' 
•  iiitfiior"!  1. 
|iiT<'  •!vy<"i"i.^ 

Ihiy  1"'  "!■■'"" 
or,  Mhiili  111' 

I  hi'  tliiii""' '" 
.mtliiiiilly  "'• 
1  „  t\v(>-li:i'''' 
livilitii!*'  i:  I 
««li»rs  I '  :• 
It  Ui'iUiii.i  ■• 
iTUt'  wcutiii  I" 


]yw.<X  «T  i"-'ip  showing  all  the  Russian  discoveries.  On 
the  14th  the  conunander  of  the  Russian  expedition  in 
this  (juartor  arrived  from  a  journey  and  landed  near 
S;iinu,hanooda.  H's  name  was  Gerassim  Grigorovich 
Isniailof.** 

The  usual  civilities  were  exchanged  and  Cook  had 
every  op[)ortunity  of  fjuestioning  his  visitor,  but  it  is 
ovide'nt  that  the  advantage  was  with  the  Russian,  who 
Iriirned  fiom  the  Englishman  what  was  of  the  utmost 
iiii])ortance  to  the  f^iberian  merchants,  while  he  told 
wliat  he  chose,  holding  back  nuich  information  in  his 
])()ssession,for  instance  the  visit  of  Pol  itof  to  Kadiak 
ill  177G  and  the  lonjr  residence  at  Unimak  Strait  of 


hcini,'  1mi<1  he  remained  another  tiny  and  examined  the  settlement,  conutinff 
tliiiiy  KuM»iiiiis  and  seventy  Kaniclmtkuns.  He  alsu  '  isitcd  a  »niall  Klijop  <>l 
31)  tiin»,  lying  near  the  village,  and  tliui)  describes  hi ,  feelings  on  that  ucca- 
siiiii:  '  It  is  natural  to  an  ingenuous  mind,  when  it  ei  ters  a  town,  a  hoii.so,  or 
(iliip,  that  has  heen  reiulertd  famous  liy  any  i)art\;ular  event,  to  fei'l  the 
lull  liino  of  that  pleasure,  whieh  results  from  grs  iiying  anohle  curiosity.  I 
WiiM  no  Ko  iiier  informed  that  this  sIiM)p  was  tli'  siimc  in  which  the  famous 
Htriiig  ha  '  ]Mirformed  those  discoveries  whiciuiid  him  soiniu'h  iijiior,  and  his 
I'liuntry  t  i  much  service,  than  I  was  dctermineu  to  go  oii  board  of  her  i  nd 
iiiihili;!'  in  tho  generous  feelings  the  occasion  inspire<I.'  He  remaiiied  an  ho'ir, 
ciijiiying  hini.sclf,  1  trust,  without,  the  slightest  suspicion  of  the  fact  that 
tlic  initt  he  had  in  his  mind  had  been  broken  up  on  liering  Island,  iiiid 
tli.it  the  sltKip  constructed  from  the  remains  was  at  tliut  time  lying  fathoma 
ilctp  iiiiilir  the  .surface  on  the  Asiatic  shore.  Tlie  sentimental  YanUeu 
ii'tuiiic'd  to  the  ships  in  lesii  than  one  day.  Siiurkx'  Lij'f  o/ Ltih/<iri/,  8.V-1K). 

"''TIk'  report  given  by  Ismuilof  of  Cook's  visit  was  received  by  Major 
IWIini,  commander  of  Kc.mchutku  in  April  177!K  The  document  simply  stutcd 
tli!!t  two  Kngli.sli  ships  hud  anchored  on  the  north  side  of  Uimlaska;  that  ho 
(Ihtiiailof)  I'.ud  reni!cr"d  the  visitors  every  assistance  in  obtaining  food  and 
watt  r,  and  that  they  had  communicated  by  signs  only,  owing  to  his  ignorancu 
of  tile  Knglish  language.  Snilini/,  in  Moi-xlot  SloruiL;  ciii.  7,  21.  Ismailof 
c.iiliiitly  took  a  mon-  sensible  view  of  Cook's  e.\{)editioii  than  did  the  autlior- 
iliis  ill  Kanichntka.  At  the  time  of  the  presence  of  the  two  shins  in  Avatchu 
lliiy,  IJcliiii  was  on  the  ]Mjintof  leaving  for  Ii'kutsk,  but  in  view  'if  the  '  critiijil 
ii'inlitidii  of  the  country'  he  consented  to  remain  at  the  head  of  allaiis.  Tlio 
pi'iuial  iiii])ression  was,  that  the  vessels  hut!  come  .it  the  instigation  of  I't  n- 
yiiv^ki  Mith  hostile  intent.  A  deputation  of  men  not  coiinectetl  with  tlio 
imlilif  si'iTice  was  first  sv'iit  to  meet  Ihc  strangers,  probidly  tt)  'ilraw  liic,' 
fiiiisi.-iting  of  lU'hm's  servant,  a  merchant,  ami  a  cleik.  At  the  same  tiiiio 
niiiiuis  and  messengers  were  despatched  to  all  the  forts  .'iiicl  ostrogs  to  put 
the  f'arri.'ioim  uptm  their  giianl.  The  sub.sei|uciit  frientliy  intt'icoiirsc  wjili 
the  .sti!iii!/ers  was  carried  on  under  constant  apprehen.sion.  'I'he  desiinl  :  iip- 
lilits  were  fiirnislied  free  of  charu'e,  because,  as  Sliniulef  wrote,  '  the  hi;^h 
i'liif  We  must  have  nsked  woulil  liavt  inceiiseil  them.'  Shnuilt  f  never  l.c- 
licvt.l  in  the  scientific  objects  of  tlie  expeilition  aiitl  urireil  the  forwaitliiii;  <  f 
ret'iiforccments.  The  presents  of  i-uiiosiiies  niatie  to  llehiii  were  all  by  iiiiii 
trail  niiltetl  to  (lie  imperial  academy,  in  tutler  tnpurjL'f  liir.iself  of  all  i  <is|,iciou 
el  having  been  bribed  by  tiiu  enemy.  HijibiKj',  in  JiortiLoi  SOornik,  ciii.  'i,  «J-0. 


214 


OFFICIAL  EXPLOFvATIOXS. 


Zailcof,  who  was  even  then  at  Umnak,  dose  by.  Tlio 
coiTcc'tcd  map  of  the  islands  sliown  to  Cook  was 
probably  the  work  of  this  same  Potap  Zaikof  ^^  The 
most  important  correction  lie  received  for  his  own 
work  was  the  existence  of  the  island  of  Unimtilc, 
which  had  been  laid  down  on  Cook's  chart  as  part  »it' 
the  continent.  I smailof  remained  near  Samghanooda 
until  the  21st  of  October,  and  on  his  departure  was 
intrusted  with  despatches  for  the  lords  commissioners 
(»f  the  British  .admiralty  which  he  promised  to  for- 
v'ard  the  following  spring  to  Okhotsk  and  thence  to 
St  IV'tersburtif  bv  way  of  Siberia. 

Another  intelligent  Russian  whom  Cook  mentioned 
in  his  journal  was  Yakof  Ivanovich  Saposhnikof,  in 
command  of  a  vessel  then  lying  at  Unga." 

The  accompanying  reproduction  of  the  chart  shov- 
ing Cook's  discoveries  and  surveys  as  far  as  they  fill 
v.ithin  the  scope  of  tiiis  volume  will  convey  an  ade- 
quate; idea  of  how  much  wc  owe  to  this  eminent  navi- 
jjfator. 

On  the  2nth  of  October,  after  a  sojourn  of  twenty- 
three  days,  the  Ucaolution  and  Discovn'j/  sailed  fr n  i 
Samghanooda  Harbor  for  the  Hawaiian  Islands, 
where  the  gallant  connnander  was  to  end  his  cxplora- 
tio  ^  a!id  his  life. 

In  the  following  year  the  expedition  returned  tn 
Kamchatka  under  command  of  Captain  Clarke,  next 
to  Cook  in  rank,  and  thence  proceeded  to  explon; 
beyond  Jeering  Strait  for  a  north-east  passage  tn 
the  Atlanti(^  After  reaching  latitude  70"  {V,V  near 
the  Ann  rican  coast  the  \essels  were  obliged  by  ire 
to  turn  back.  The  conclusion  arriveil  at  was  that  no 
passage  existed  south  (.f  latitude  (55°,  and  that  it  nui.-t 

^'Witli  roforcncc  to  n,  I'nsRinn  note  received  on  lioard  the  Diicovi'r;/  in  V.'i' 
vicinity  nf  tlio  iSliiniia<,'iii  IsIiiihIs,  (Vx)k  uiidorHtood  Isinivjlof  to  Hiiy  that  it 
had  I'ff'n  \Mitl''n  nt  I'lniuik,  Imt  it  ii  wife  to  UKSiiinu  that  he  kuiI  tin-  \\v'\t>  r 
\Yi\i  then  at  riiiiiaU,  and  tliat  Zaikof  had  extended  hit)  expluiutions  to  tlio 
Miuiiiairin.   ^'iinL-'n  I'l.i/.,  ii.  -I'M. 

"  lier;,'  ineiilioiis  the  h1o<<1)  iMiiied  /'»(('•/,  or  St  I'aul,  (■oinniuiidiil  liy  tho 
j^introii  (.yiilDi)  SaiMKiIiKikof,  which  returned  to  Okiiottik  iu  1780.  K/iroiit, 
ItK,  Tubli'  i. 


THE  CHART. 


215 


Tho 

The 
^  own 
limak, 
•art  of 
.nooda 
re  was 
iionovs 
bo  Ibr- 
(nce  to 

itionc'l 
ikot',  ill 

b  sliow- 
bcy  t-'.U 
[111  adc- 
Lit  iiavi- 

:\vcnty- 
(l  fro^ii 
•;lautl>, 
jxplova- 


c(l  t. 


rii 


ko,  11" 


'XI 


lion 


a'jje 


to 


;y  luar 

that  H" 
lit  iiui:-t 


lrf»7/  111 


tho 


ly   tliiil  It 

I  till-  Nvtittr 

to  tlio 

llc.l  l>y  tho 


Klii'oii- 


I!i '  I 


:  11 


I 


216 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIOXS. 


be  sought  north  of  Boring  Strait,  beyond  ley  Cape, 
leading  probably  to  Baffin  Bay;  yet  it  would  be  mad- 
ness to  attempt  the  passage  during  the  short  time  the 
route  might  be  free  from  ice.  Hardly  less  hopeful 
appeared  the  prospect  for  sailing  westward  along  the 
northern  coast  of  Siberia.  The  sea  nearer  the  polo 
would   probably  be  less  obstructed  by  ice.     Clarke 


Cook's  Voyaoe— Noiitiierx  Section. 


died  August  22d,  as  the  vessels  approaclied  Peti'o- 
])avlovsk,  and  here  he  was  buried.  Captain  (xoiv 
took  the  expedition  home  by  way  of  Jnpan,  Chiii.i. 
and  Ca[)o  of  (rood  Hope.  While  in  Ciiina  sevci.il 
small  lots  of  sea-otter  skins  were  disjtoscd  of  by  nun 
and  officers  at  prices  whicli  seemed  fabulous,  and  tho 


AXOTHER  SPANISH  EXPEDITIOX. 


217 


excitement  created  by  this  success  resultetl  in  quite  a 
rush  of  vessels  to  the  Northwest  Coast,  and  a  hrisk 
competition  sprang  up  with  Russians  in  the  purchase 
tit'  furs  there  and  in  their  sale  in  China," 


<  Capo 


Tetro- 
[i  Oort! 

Chin:i, 
I  several 

by  nuii 
lud  tho 


In  1776  orders  were  issued  in  Spain  to  fit  out 
another  expedition  to  the  north,  to  continue  and  com- 
j)lete  the  disccjveries  of  Cuadra  made  the  previous 
year,  but  the  execution  of  the  })lan  was  delayed,  and 
not  until  February  11,  1779,  did  two  vessels,  the 
Prince.sa  and  the  Fnvorlta,  sail  from  San  IJlas,  with 
Lieutenant  Ignacio  Arteaga  in  connnand,  and  Cuadra 
as  second.*^ 

On  the  28th  of  April  the  expedition,  which  had 
orders  to  attain  a  latitude  of  70°,  found  itself  in  lati- 
tude 54^  45',  and  on  the  2d  of  May  the  vessels  entered 
IJucareli  Sound,  Arteaga  anchoiing  in  a  sheltered 
bay  on  the  south  side,  which  he  named  Santa  Cruz, 
and  Cti^dra  exploring  the  north  side  of  the  sound, 
but  finally  joining  his  connnander  in  the  Puerto  do 
Santa  Cruz  on  the  5th.  As  soon  as  Cuadra  had  re- 
ported to  Arteaga  for  orders,  it  was  resolved  to  fit 
out  an  expedition  of  two  boats  for  a  thorough  ex[>lora- 
tion  of  the  interior  of  the  sound.  The  crews  of  both 
vessels  were  constantly  employed  in  preparing  the 
boats,  supplying  wood  and  water,  and  assisting  the 
ollicers  in  their  astnmomical  observations.  On  the 
i;>th  a  solenm  mass  was  celebrated  on  shore,  with 
accompaniment  of  music  and  artill(>ry,  a  cross  was 

"Ciiptnin  King,  who  wrote  tlio  Inst  volume  of  C<nik''i  I'oi/n'j'',  i»)iiitcil  out 
the  iidvi'iitagoa  of  this  trade,  iiiid  BUggostcd  iiietlioda  to  be  observi  d  tliei-cin. 
L\,oL■^.^  Vol/.,  iii.  4.'«)  8. 

"See  t/inl.  Xortfiirrnf.  Coaiif,  pnssiin,  tlUH  scries.  Also,  Arip'oin,  Trrrrra 
I  I'pldrnriiiii  hi'rh'i  ff  ailo  177!)  ''on  lin  Ffitijufnxilil  rr;/.  'In  /'rliii'<~ri,'  iikiikI'hIh 
/'.</•  (I  tniieiile df  miriodoti  Iijunym  Art('<i<ia,  y  la  '  /•'irnriln  '  ;«>»•  il  ih-  hi  minnut 
rlrifi'  linn  Juan  Frniir!.i.,,  ,li'  It:  lloilrija  y  l.'imiira,  il'Kilf  el  jiiii  rio  (/<•  San  ISImt 
h'l.itii  Inn  i>r/tnif<i  y  iin  (jmrlosfh  Ittfltiiif,  in  Viiii/fM  at  \<irl>'  tif  Cat.,  MS.,  No.  4; 
Miniri'lle,  Xairtiiirioti  hrrlin  jun  if  Alj'ifrz  do  Fimjala  dr  la  l!v<il  Armada  I>qh 
I  t'<iiii'>M-t>  Aiitimin  Maurdh'  disffiiuln  dc  m'liiiiiilorrijiilan  ili'  la  Fr'i'jntn  '  J'lnt- 
V'tii,'  Id.,  MS.,  \o.  .'».  Hodf'ja  y  Ciuulra,  S'liiiiidn  nalida  hai'ta  hmlil  iirmhrn 
<i>  il.  /'/•ft'jata  '  Niifufra  Si'Tmrti  di'  /hh  J'rm'ilioi,'  alinii  la  *  J'liforila,'  Ai'io  dn 
n7'>,  Ms.,  id.,  No.  (ij;  llctliija  y  Cuadra,  AVdv  'laii  y  ilmrulirhiiii  nlai  /ic/ii.rt 
d'  ordtn  ile  iS.   M.  cii  la  Costa  gtplciilriunat  dv  Calil'ontia,  IITJ,  in  Mayer, 

insa.,  No.  13. 


ii8 


OFFiaAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


iff 


1'^  i> 


'ii  ii  I'll 


II' 


erected  ill  a  prominent  place,  and  under  waving  of 
Hags  and  salvos  of  musketry  the  country  was  taken 
possession  of  in  the  name  of  the  king,  the  savages 
gazing  stolidly  at  this  insanity  of  civilization. 

On  the  18th  the  two  boats  sailed  from  the  balii'a 
de  la  Santisima  Cruz,  with  a  complement  of  five  olli- 
eers,  four  soldiers,  and  twenty-four  sailors.  They 
were  provisioned  for  eighteen  days.  The  result  of 
the  expedition  was  the  earliest  and  best  survey  ever 
made  of  the  most  important  harbor  of  Prince  of  Wales 
Island." 

Duriuif  the  absence  of  the  boats  on  this  errand 
the  natives  gathered  in  numbers  about  the  ships  in 
the  bahia  de  la  Santisima  Cruz.  The  strict  orders  of 
the  commander  to  avoid  a  conflict,  and  to  ignore  small 
thefts,  soon  worked  its  evil  effect  upon  these  children 
of  nature,  who  could  not  understand  leniency  or  un- 
willingness to  punish  robbery  and  to  recover  losses, 
unless  it  v. as  based  upon  Vvcakness  or  lack  of  courage. 
Woi'king  parties  on  the  shore  were  molested  to  such 
an  extent  that  it  became  necessary  to  surround  them 
with  a  cordon  of  sentries  only  five  paces  apart,  and 
sailors  were  robbed  of  their  clothes  while  washing 
them.  Under  these  circumstances  the  return  of  the 
lanvhas  with  their  crews  was  hailed  with  joy;  but  by 
by  this  time  over  eighty  canoes  manned  by  a  thousand 
savages  were  in  the  bay  and  great  caution  was  neces- 
sary to  avoid  hostilities.  Even  the  firing  of  cannon 
did  not  seem  to  i'righten  the  Indians,  and  when  a 

**Tlic  officera  were  Francisco  MaurcUc,  Josi5  Caiu.acho,  .Juan  Lantista 
ArruiiTi',  .Tuaii  I'antojo,  ami  Juan  CJania.  The  armanicut  consisted  vt  S  f.il- 
eoncts  and  'JO  niuskets,  with  '2.">  rounds  of  anununitiou  for  each.  They  I'lo- 
cci'dcd  lirst  to  the  Koutli-wctstcvn  jjoiiit,  San  l>art()louic,  of  the  eiitrauco  to  tliO 
Bound,  and  then  around  the  western  shore,  caicfully  sounding  ui.d  localiu^ 
bays,  islets,  anil  points.  The  names  applied  were  very  inimci'oi.s.  the  i;kj.- t 
important  heing  as  follows:  puerto  de  San  Antonio,  puerto  do  lii  Asuncion; 
tho  islands  San  Ignaeio  and  Santa  Ritii;  puerto  de  la  lieal  Marina;  canal  du 
I'ortillo;  l)ahia  de  Esquivel;  canal  do  San  Cristobal;  the  islands  of  San  Fer- 
nando and  San  Juan  lUiutista;  boca  del  Alniiraute;  liahia  do  San  Alberts; 
ji'.ierto  del  l^igial;  puerto  do  San  Nicol.is;  the  caAos  del  Trocadcro;  tho 
l-iland  of  Madre  de  Dios;  puerto  do  la  Caldera;  Jiucrto  de  laKstrella;  imcrl') 
del  Refugio — whicli  wua  8ubsei|ucntly  fuiuid  to  be  a  passage — and  the  j)ucrl.o 
do  los  Dolores. 


NEW  NAMINGS. 


219 


canoG  was  struck  by  a  ball  and  the  inmates  fell,  the 
cfi'i'ct  was  only  temporary.  Arteaga  seized  a  chief  in 
Older  to  obtain  the  return  of  two  sailors  who  had  been 
icported  as  held  captive  in  the  native  village,  but  it 
was  found  that  the  Spaniards  had  voluntarily  joined 
the  savages  with  the  intention  to  desert."*^ 

])uriiig  the  last  days  of  June  the  two  ships  were 
moved  across  the  sound  to  the  bay  of  San  Antonio, 
and  thence  they  finally  sailed  the  Lst  of  July,  taking 
a  north-westerly  course  along  the  coast.  Mount  St 
Elias  was  sighted  on  the  Dth,'"'  and  a  few  days  later 
Kaye,  or  Kyak,  Island  was  named  Cilrmcn.  The 
iKxt  anchorage,  probably  Nuchek  I3ay,  was  named 
l^lerto  de  Santiago,  and  a  boat  expedition  went  to 
ascertain  whether  the  land  was  connected  with  the 
continent.  The  officer  in  charge  reported  that  he  had 
convinced  himself  that  it  was  an  island.*^  The  usual 
forms  of  taking  possession  were  observed,  being  the 
lliird  ceremony  of  the  kind  performed  upon  nearly 
tlie  same  ground  within  a  year — by  Cook  in  1778,  by 
a  i)ni'ty  of  Zaikof's  men,  who  had  Ijeen  despatched  in 
a  hidar  from  Cook  Inlet,  in  June  1779,  and  again  by 
Arteaga.  Cuadra,  in  his  journal,  expressed  the  con- 
viction that  a  large  river  umst  enter  the  sea  between 
( 'iirmen  Island  and  the  harbor  of  Santiago,  thus  cor- 
r(  etly  locating  Copper  River,  which  both  Cook  and 
A'ancouver  failed  to  observe." 


*^  With  the  avowed  object  of  'gaining  a  better  knowlcilgo  of  the  jicojilo 
ninl  tlicir  customs,'  Artenga  sunctioueil  Ihc  imrcliasc  of  live  children.  Two 
pr\  aged  respectively  seven  and  eight  years,  were  taken  on  Jjoard  the 
J'rihirsa,  and  the  boys,  ))et\vecn  live  and  ten,  on  the  Favoi-ita.  Tercera  L'jcplo' 
7iiri'iii,  in  Viagen  al  Norte,  MS.,  etc..  111. 

'"Alluded  to  as  Cape  St  Klias  in  the  jounial,  'Yi^ualinonte  tcnian  il  la 
vista  el  ( luvado  promontorio  do  San  I'.lias  <in\>Yo  las  nubcs,  prcsciilfindoso  i.n 
fi'Viiia  do  un  pan  do  nzucjir;'  but  it  is  doubtful  what  point  or  mountain  this 
vas,  for  the  ships  were  at  a  gi-cut  distance  from  the  biiore.  Trro  ni  K.rj.l.,  in 
Viiiiifiut  Xortf,  M.S.,  etc.  \l'A. 

''  If  this  was  really  Nuchek,  or  llincliiubrtxik  Island,  the  SpaniardH  antici- 
ivitcd  Vancouver's  discovery  of  the  fact  l)y  1-t  years.  Tirriru  L'r/if.,  in  \  irtj.  n 
I  /  Xorh',  MS.,  110-17.  During  this  btwtcxiH'dition  inanycanoeaof  Ihenativis 
W("-o  seen,  niul  on  one  of  theni  a  Hag  ■was  displayed  showing  the  colors  red, 
V  liite,  ami  blue. 

'"Arti'aga,  while  at  this  nnchorn5;e,  convened  a  juntaof  oflicers  for  the  p'.'.r- 
pu.ic  of  considering  the  udvisiibility  of  returning  at  onco  to  Sau  lilus.     Lis 


I 


990 


OFFICIAL  EXPLORATIONS. 


On  the  28th  tlic  ships  put  to  sea  once  more,  takinj^ 
a  south-westerly  course,  without  atteniptinjjf  to  fiiul  a 
passage  at  the  head  of  Prince  WiHiani  Sound  as  Cook 
liad  done  in  the  preceding  year,  and  on  the  1st  of 
August  they  found  an  anchorage  formed  by  several 
islands  in  latitude  59°  8'.  Formal  possession*  was 
again  taken  and  the  largest  island  of  the  group  nanjed 
Isla  de  la  Ilogla.  This  was  the  Cape  Elizabeth  (»f 
Cook,  who  had  failed  to  notice  its  separation  from  the 
continent.  The  Iliamna  volcano  on  the  we.st  shore 
of  Cook  Inlet  was  sighted  from  this  point  and  named 
Miranda.*" 

After  a  short  stay  at  this  anchorage,  Artcaga 
concluded  to  give  up  further  explorations  and  to 
sail  direct  for  Cape  Mendocino.  The  de|)arture  took 
place  on  the  7th  of  August,  and  thus  ended,  so  far  as 
relates  to  Alaska,  an  expedition  which  would  have 
been  of  the  greatest  importance  had  it  not  been  for 
the  English  explorations  of  the  year  preceding.  Ar- 
tcaga and  his  officers  could  know  nothing  of  Cook's 
investigations  and  believed  themselves  the  first  to  ex- 
plore  the  region  already  visited  by  the  Resolution  and 
Discovery  between  Cross  Sound  and  Cape  Elizabeth, 
but  even  after  deducting  from  the  result  of  their  work 

own  tiiniility  conl<l  not  prevail  acninst  the  amintious  coumgoof  Maiirelle  nii<l 
i'uadrn,  who  insistud  tliat  sonic  turther  discoveries  nuist  bo  attempted  bcfoiu 
rt'linr|uisliingM<jcoatly  an  expedition.  Terc('raI'J.r}i/.,inViwie>ialA'or:f',  MS.,  1 17. 
**  In  tiio  journals  this  mountain  was  duscrilxid  its  (tearing  a  xtrikiug  resi-iri- 
lilanco  to  tlio  Ori/aba  of  Mexico  and  the  jHjak  of  'renerille.  I'/h;/'  .<  (il  .V«/V. , 
MS.,  I'JO.  A  map  of  the  nncliorage  is  still  in  cxistenco,  ixistcd  in  at  the  end 
4if  the  manuscript  entitled  Aznina,  YnMnircioii,  etc.  Ihis  map  represents 
the  islands  of  the  Capo  Klizabutii  group — Tzukli  of  the  Russians — and  tlio 
adjoining  coast  of  the  Kenai  peninsula,  but,  though  correct  in  its  contoiii's, 
with  the  exception  of  representing  the  mainland  as  islands — Ysla  de  Maii- 
rdle  in  the  north  and  Ysla  <lo  San  Bruno  in  the  east— it  docs  not  forresimiid 
in  its  details  with  the  narrative  contained  in  \"unje*  al  Norte.  There  \»  a  ills- 
crciwncy  even  Ijetween  the  map  and  the  legend,  the  latter  stating  that  'hii- 
viendd.so  toinado  segdo  poscsion  on  la  Vsla  de  Sun  Antonio,'  but  no  sm  li 
island  is  on  the  chart.  Tho  projecting  points  of  the  mainland  are  named  ;is 
stilted  alio vc;  tho  island  containing  Capo  Kli/iibelh  was  named  Vsla  de  Siin 
Aniceto,  and  the  smaller  islands  and  rocks  el  Sombrero,  «le  Ayala,  de  S.iii 
Anijel,  dc  Arriaga,  la  Monja,  los  Krailes.  The  jHiint  where  possession  w.i.s 
taken  is  marked  with  a  cross  on  the  n.  w.  point  of  Sun  Aniceto.  The  opi'ii- 
in;;  between  the  latter  and  the  mainland  is  named  enseiiada  tic  Nucsti.i. 
^ell()rn  do  la  lleglu.  Tho  latitude  is  cori-ectly  giveu  as  50^8',  tho  long.  40  il' 
>v.  of  8au  Bias.  A.anxo,  Ymtriicclon,  etc. 


ARTEAGA'S  ACHIFA'EMENTS. 


221 


nil  that  may  bo  affected  by  Cook's  prior  diseovery, 
tlie  careful  survey  of  Bucareli  Sound,  in  connection 
^\  ith  ITcccta's  and  (Quadra's  prior  explorations,  presents 
a  basis  for  Spain's  claims  to  the  coast  re«^ion  to  lati- 
tude 58°  so  far  as  relative  rijjfht  of  discovery  is  con- 
cerned, attended  by  the  cci'omony  of  takinjr  ])osscssion. 
A  little  more  energy  or  ambition  on  Arteajjja's  part 
would  have  led  to  a  mooting  with  the  Russians  and 
made  the  subsequent  expedition  of  Martinez  and  Ilaro 
unnecessary.'^ 

The  viceroy  of  Mexico  declared  himself  highly 
[.leased  with  the  results  of  the  voyage,  and  advanced 
one  step  the  rank  of  all  the  officers  on  both  vessels. 
At  the  same  time  he  stated  that  no  further  discoveries 
in  a  northerlv  direction  would  be  undertaken  for  the 
j)rosent.'''' 


^"Tlie  sloop  Kliment,  belonging  to  tlio  Pnnof  Company,  was  cnnsingalxnit 
Kailiak  at  the  very  time  of  Arteaga's  presence  at  Lallegla.  liery,  Khroiwl.  Int., 
104. 

■■'  Ciirfan  fh'  los  Exrili'ntmmof  Srrn  Viret/eii  don  Antonio  Bucareli,  dan  Mar- 
tin dt  Miitjonja.  etc.,  in  Viatjcsal  Xorle,  AIS.,  etc.,  1-0-7. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

COLONIZATION  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 

1783-1787. 
First  ArrEMrrED  iSETTLEMr.NT  of  the  RrssiAxa  in  America — Vovaoe  op 

GRICOK  SiiEMKOF — I'EKMANENT  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  RiSSIANS  AT 
KaDIAK — liETFRN   OF  SlIELIKOF — IIlS  iN.STUrCTION.S  TO  SaMOILOF,  Cdl,- 

osiAi.  Commander — The  Historic  Sable  anb  Otter— Skins  as  Ccr- 

REXCV— TkaI'I'INCJ    AND  TuiBUTE-COLLECTINO — MeTIIOD  OF   CoNtrCTIN(! 

tue  Hunt— Rkoclations  of  the  Peredovchiki— God's  Sables  and 
Man's— Review  of  the  Fni-TRADE  on  the  Coasts  of  Asia  and  Ami:k- 
icA— PERNinors  System  Introdhced  by  the  Promyshleniki— The 
China  Market  —  Foreign  Rivals  and  their  Method- Ablse  of 
Natives — Cot)K's  and  Vancouver's  Opinions  of  Comi'etition  with 
the  RrssiANS — Extirpation  of  Animais. 

We  cuter  here  a  new  epoch  of  Alaska  history. 
ITitherto  all  has  been  discovery,  exploration,  and  the 
hnntinij  of  fur-hearincf  animals,  with  little  thoui«ht  i-f 
])erinanent  settlement.  But  now  Grigor  Ivanoviili 
Shelikof  comes  to  the  front  as  the  father  and  founder 
of  Russian  colonies  in  America.^ 


'  Ono  of  the  cliicf  authorities  for  tliis  perio«l  of  Al.aska  history,  and  indeed 
tho  only  full  Jiccount  of  Shelikof 's  vi.sit  to  America,  is  a  work  written  liy  liini- 
8elf  nn<l  puldislied  after  his  death.  It  is  entitled  Griiioria  Slu'tikhord  Sfr'iii- 
utroraiiif,  etc.,  or  Gri'/nr  ,Sk('/i/:of'\t  JoirnifiiH  from  17flJ  to  17X7,  from  (ik-lio/.^k 
to  the  EoKtirii  Ovian  and  Ihf  Cofint,  <>/ Aiiurim,  witii  a  pro'lolnhniie,  or  cdutiii- 
uatinn.  I'l'inted  at  St  Petershni-g  in  17!*--;{,  1-mo,  with  inap».  In  17'.'.'! 
l)otli  of  these  huoks  were  translated  l»y  one. J.  .1.  Logan  into  English  and  iml)- 
lished  in  one  Svo  volume  at  St  I'etcrslnirg.  Pallas  jiriiited  a  (ierman  tirins- 
lation,  chiefly  remarkable  for  inaccuracies,  in  Ids  Aortl.  Jieiir.,  vi.  1(»,V"J4!>. 
And  still  another  (iennan  translation  appeared  in  Jiiin/ic'n  Jonninl  fitr  Ji'iis!<- 
Idiiil,  J7:)  I,  i.  Shclikol's  lirst  volnino  contains  voluminous  descriptions  of  lln' 
Aleutian  Inlands,  with  whole  passages,  and  even  pages,  identical  in  every 
respect  M'ith  corresjjonding  ]iassages  in  the  anonymous  Uerman  Ai'tii'  S(iif>- 
ric/iti'ii,  the  authorship  of  which  I  ascribe  to.T.L.  Sehliizer.  It  is  safe  to 
asHume  that  Shelikof  had  access  to  this  work  publishcil  some  20  years  Iteforo 
liis  own,  and  use<l  it  in  writing  his  own  volume.  Shelikof's  lK)ok  was  repidi- 
lished  in  one  volnme,  without  maps,  in  18l'2,  under  title  of  Piiteshntliic  '■'. 
Skdikhova  1783-1100.     It  seems  that  the  director  of  tbo  Russian  American 


ORIGORIA  SHELIKHOVA  STRANSVOVAXIE. 


223 


roYAcr.  ov 

SSIANi^  AT 

iii.oF,  Cot." 

[H  AS  Cm- 

ONtrtTINti 
ABLKS    AND 

ANi>  Avr.ii- 
:niki— TiiK 
-Abuse  of 
itios  with 


history. 

and  the 

>u;j;ht  «)f 

anovicli 

'ouikIct 


and  indeed 

ten  !>>•  li""- 

hoi-a'Sfr'ni- 

•om  (thliol-k 

or  coutin- 

.     In  IT! :? 

di  and  \<n\>- 

iniiin  tiaus- 

,i.  lti.VJ4'.t. 

I  fin-  /''"<■*- 

tions  oi  Itii- 

il  in  eviiy 

|t  in  wife  to 
L-oars  iM'foiu 
J  was  rcpuli- 

In  Anieiicau 
1) 


In  1 783  tho  company  of  Siberian  merchants  <»f  which 
Shrlikof  and  Ivan  Gohkof  were  the  j)rincij)al  share- 
lu>l<lers,  finislied  three  ships  at  Okhotsk  for  <)|)erating 
on  a  larger  scale  in  the  region  then  designated  as  the 
osfrova,  or  the  islands.  The  ships  were  the  Trckh 
Sriatitcli,  Three  Saints,  the  Sr  Simeoi},  and  the  So 
MikJiml.  On  the  lOth  of  August  they  sailed  with  one 
liundred  and  ninety-two  men  in  all,  the  largest  force 
w  liich  had  hitherto  left  the  Siberian  coast  at  oiu^  time. 
SiK'likof  and  his  wife,'"^  who  accompanied  her  Knsband 
ill  all  his  travels,  were  on  tho  Trckh  Si'iatitc/i,  com- 
manded by  Ismailof  The  first  part  of  the  voyage 
was  stormy,  the  wind  contrary,  and  the  ships  were 
unable  to  leave  the  sea  of  Okhotsk,  but  on  the  2(1  of 
September  the  squadron  anchored  near  the  second 
]vurile  island,  for  the  purpose  of  watering,  and  then 
passed  safely  into  the  Pacific,  On  the  12th  a  gale 
separated  the  vessels,  and  after  prolonged  and  iutile 
eilbrts  to  find  the  So  Mikhail,  Shelikof  concluded  to 
jtass  the  winter  on  Bering  Island  with  the  two  other 
^^>ssels.  Thanks  to  the  enforcement  of  wise  reLiula- 
tions  framed  by  Shelikof,  the  crews  suffered  but  little 
from  scurvy,  and  in  June  of  tho  following  year  the 
expedition  steered  once  more  to  the  eastward.  A  few 
stojipages  were  made  on  Copper,  Atkha,  and  other 
islands,  with  a  longer  stay  at  Unalaska,  where  the  two 
ships  were  repaired,  and  refitted  with  water  and  pro- 
company  resented  the  publication  of  the  book.  In  tlio  'Socwt  Instructions' 
f"iv.ai ded  to  IJaranof  in  1 802  occurs  tho  following  reference  to  tliis  subject: 
'  VdU  unist  senil  your  comuumications  to  the  chief  ailuiinistration  direct,  and 
ii'it  to  Okhotsk,  since  tiie  company  has  \ery  little  to  do  witii  provincial 
air.horitios,  and  also  Injcatise  the  government  at  present  lias  many  \  lews  con- 
ecniiui^  America  that  nuist  be  kept  a  profound  secret,  beini;  coiilided  only  to 
you  as  chief  manager.  Therefore  it  is  not  proper  to  forward  such  information 
through  the  government  authorities  at  lrkul.>k,  wliere  no  secret  could  lio 
pri':c;vi'd.  As  a  proof  of  this  may  servo  you  the  endorsed  book  of  (Iriinr 
)Sirl,b]f"M  TratU'lM.  It  is  nothing  but  his  journals  transiuitteil  to  {.-overnor 
gi  ueral  Jacobi,  on  mIiosc  retirement  it  was  stolen  from  the  chancelU'i'y  by 
-Mr  I'iel,  and  printed  against  the  will  of  the  tlcceased.  Consequeutly  secrota 
(if  state  were  oxi)oscil.  I  refer  to  the  locution  of  tablets  claimijig  possession 
of  the  country  for  Ku.ssia.'  Siika  Archhrs,  MS.,  Con.  I.,  1-'2I. 

^Shi'h'kvJ,  Pull-nil.,  i.  i!.  Natalia  Shelikof  was  pos.ses8cd  of  great  energy 
nnd  business  eaiwcily.  After  licr  husband's  death  she  nuuiagod  f()>*  )aa;iy 
years  not  (july  Iier  own  but  tho  company's  busiucsa.  Tikhmeittj',  iMor.  Obon., 
ii.,  app.  10^*13. 


224 


COLONIZATION  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


11  Wirt'' 


visions.  The  Simeon  luirl  Ix-on  scparatojl  from  Iw  r 
consort  (luring  the  voyage  along  tlio  Aleutian  chain, 
but  she  njado  her  appearance  in  the  harbor  a  few  days 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Sclatltcli.  Shelikof  obtained 
two  interpreters  and  ten  Aleutian  hunters,  and  leaving 
instructions  for  the  guidance  of  the  Si'  Mikhail  he 
shaped  his  course  for  the  island  of  Kikhtak,  subse- 
cjUenlly  named  Kadiak."  The  voyage  was  devoid  of 
ineident,  and  on  the  3d  of  Augu^.t  1784  the  two  shij»s 
entered  a  capacious  bay  on  the  .south-cast  coast  of  the 
i.sland,  between  cape  Barnabas  and  the  two-headed 
cape  of  Cook,  and  anchored  in  its  westernmost  braneh, 
naming  it  after  the  ship  Tirkh  Sri'ititcli,  Three  Saints.* 
Armed  parties  of  promyshleniki  were  sent  out  in 
b(jats  and  bidars  to  search  for  natives,  but  only  one 
succeeded,  and  brought  news  that  a  large  body  of 
aboriginals  had  been  found.  They  had  avoided  a 
meeting,  however,  and  it  was  not  until  the  following 
day  that  another  exploring  party  returned  with  one 
of  the  natives.  Shelikof  treated  the  captive  kindly, 
loaded  him  with  presents,  and  allowed  him  to  return 
to  his  j)eo[>le.  On  the  5th  there  was  an  eclipse  of  the 
sun  wliich  lasted  an  hour  and  a  half,  and  caused  much 
uneasiness  among  the  natives,  who  naturally  con- 
nectetl  the  phenomenon  with  the  appearance  of  the 
llussians.'' 

*ShrlUo/,  Piilfh.,  i.  .30.     Kiklital;  or  Kikhlowik,  is  tho  Innuit  word  for 
iHlanil.     At  tlio  pri'si'iit  <luy  tho  natives  of  the  peinnsula  H[K>ak  of  the  Kailiuk 

Iioople  xiiiiply  as  Kikhfmjamiitex,  islnmlera.  The  tribal  name  appears  to  have 
jeeii  IviUiiug  and  the  lIUHHian  apiK'Uation  now  in  use  was  prolwihly  tleriveil 
from  lM>tii.  (ilottof  lirst  lamled  and  wintered  on  tho  island  in  17C3,  altcc 
which  it  was  sevend  times  visited. 

•The  HJiores  of  Three  Saints  Hiiibor  are  gene'-ally  steep  and  rocky,  Init 
olK)Ut  a  mile  from  its  entrance  ii  gravelly  iKir  or  spit  from  the  southern  sidi- 
fonus  a  horseshoe,  opening  into  tlie  interior  ot  tho  hay.  Such  locations 
were  i>eculiarly  iulapced  to  tho  re(|uirements  of  tho  Russians  at  that  tiuM-. 
The  small  land-loekcd  liasin  formed  hy  the  si.'t  was  deep  enough  for  sucli 
vessels  as  they  ha*l ;  the  shelving  shore  enabled  theni  to  I)cach  their  vessil-^ 
during  winter  and  to  utilize  them  as  dwellings  or  fortifications,  while  tli' 
K-vcl  Kandliar  allbrded  convenient  building  sites.  Tiic  adjoining  lulls  sn-l 
monntains  l>eing  devoid  of  tiudier,  there  was  no  danger  of  .-surprise  from  tin.- 
loud,  and  wr<ter  enclosetl  three  sides  of  the  sottlement. 

■'•Shfl<lo/,  I'utfgh.,  i.  .'il.  It  has  been  hinted  that  Shelikof  used  this  littlt 
incident  in  imitation  of  tlio  Si))>nisli  discoverer  of  America,  to  improtis  th - 
savages  with  his  occult  |x>wcrs.     The  one  who  hod  been  so  kindly  receiv>;'l 


SHELIKOFS  \nSIT. 


22S 


1  her 
L-liain, 
i  days 
taiiK-'d 
.•aviii;^ 
ail  1»<-" 
Kubse- 
o'kI  <»f 
J  shij>s 
.  c.f  tlio 
licatled 

jraiuli, 
■iaiiits.* 

out  iu 
nly  <>»<-• 
jody  of 
u'uled  a 
)llo\vii»g 
•ith  one 

kindly, 
)  return 
of  the 
L«d  much 

ly  con- 

i  of  the 


It  wonl  for 
Ihe  Kailiaii 
lars  to  lia^^' 
Ijly  tlcrivf«l 
[1703,  af^' 

I  rocky,  ''"* 
[ithcrn  »i»l' 
|i  l.Kaitioiw 
Ithat  till" 
|h  for  mull 
Iteir  ve««l^ 
,  vhile  til' 

hills  SU'l 

1  from  til' 

|l  this  littlf 

nproiS  tli<- 

rfceiv».-<l 


Another  exploring  party  was  sent  out  on  the  7th 
M-ith  instructions  to  select  hunting-grounds,  and  if 
])()ssible  to  circumnavigate  the  island  and  observe  its 
coasts.  After  two  days,  when  about  ten  leagues  from 
tlie  anchorage,  this  expedition  fell  in  with  a  large  party 
of  savages  who  had  taken  up  a  position  on  a  kekoiir,^ 
or  detached  cliff,  near  the  shore,  surrounded  by  water. 
An  interpreter  was  at  once  sent  forward  to  open 
friendly  intercourse,  but  the  islanders  told  the  mes- 
soiigor  to  inform  the  Russians  that  if  they  wished  to 
osrai)e  with  their  lives  they  should  leave  the  island  at 
once.  The  natives  could  not  be  persuaded  to  abandon 
tliis  hostile  attitude,  and  the  exploring  party  returned 
to  tlio  harbor  to  report. 

Slielikof  at  once  proceeded  to  the  spot  with  all  the 
men  that  could  be  spared  from  the  encampment,  but 
vlion  he  reached  the  scene  he  found  the  savages  in 
formidable  numbers  and  full  of  courage.  Peaceful 
overtures  were  still  continued,'  but  were  wholly  lost 
on  the  savages.  Arrows  began  to  fly,  and  the  Rus- 
sians retired  to  the  ships  to  prepare  for  dtfence.  Not 
loii<r  afterward  the  Koniagas  stole  upon  the  Russian 
cunij)  one  dark  night,  and  began  a  desperate  fight 
^vhi(•h  lasted  till  daylight,  when  the  savages  took  to 
fli}.,dit.'*  But  this  was  by  no  means  the  end  of  it. 
From  his  Koniajja  friend  Slielikof  learned  that  his 
])eoj(le  were  only  awaiting  reenforcements  to  renew 
the  attack.  He  accordingly  determined  to  anticipate 
them  by  possessing  himself  at  once  of  their  strong- 
returned  voluntarily  in  a  few  days  and  did  not  leave  Shelikof  again  as  long 
as  tlio  hitttr  remained  on  the  island. 

'  ^ik:1i  plucfs,  tu  which  the  Russians  applied  the  Kamchatka  name  of 
hi:  III r,  were  often  used  by  tlie  natives  as  natural  fortifications  and  pliiees 
ot  rtin^r,..  War  ])artics  or  hunting  expeditious  wonhl  leave  their  women  iiud 
chiMicii  ui»on  such  elilFs  for  safe-keeping  till  their  return. 

'  In  Slielikof's  journal,  wliich  was  published  after  his  death,  the  nnmber 
of  natives  was  given  at  4,000,  but  one  tenth  would  be  nearer  the  trutli.  In 
lii^  I'liiriai  report  to  the  governor  of  eastern  Siberia  no  figures  are  given. 
7VM„„,  ,/;  iMor.  Obos.,  i.  8;  Sheliko/,  Piiieah.,  i.  10,  11.  Lissianski  was  iu- 
fuiMK  il  in  1804  by  a  native  eye-witness  that  only  400  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren wiio  on  the  ^•(/.•oHr.  L'lHM.  \'oy.,  ISO. 

'  Tikhmciiff,  iMor.  Ubon.,  i.  9;  Hlwlikof,  Puteith.,  i.  113-16.    Shelikof  reporta 
tbisi  uti'uir  ns  liaving  occurred  ou  the  12th  of  August. 
Hut.  Alaska.    IS 


220 


rOLONT:ZATIOX  AXD  THE  FURTRA3E. 


'      !« 


SI"    f    ■:  !■ 


hold  on  the  rocky  islet.  A  snuill  Iniro  of  pickcfl  j)ro- 
myshli'iiiki  ;i|i|ti(>ac'lio(l  the  ciioiuy  ii»  hoats.  \  heavy 
sliowcr  <»('  spears  fell  on  them;  Ijiit  the  havoe  inadi' 
hy  a  f'l.'iv  (li>ehari^es  of  <j,ra|»e  from  the  falconet  aimed 
at  the  huts  caused  «;reat  const«'rnation,  and  a  ureiiei;,! 


stam|tedi'    follo\ve< 


d,  d 


unni'  which   many  were 


kill 


I'd 


while  H  lari^e  number  lost  their  lives  hy  jumitiny;  ovi  r 
the  |tre<.-ij>ice,  and  as  Slu'llkof  claims,  over  one  tiioii- 


il 


tal 


sand  were  laKen    prisoni'rs. 


Tl 


le  casuailies  ( 


hi 


on  til 


sidi-  of  the  Jtussians  were  coniinud  to  a  few  severe 
and  many  tiillint,^  wounds.  Shelikof  elainjs  that  ho 
retained  i'our  hundred  of  the  prisoners,  allowiny;  the 
remainder  to  ;^o  to  their  homes,  and  they  wen*  Ik M 
not  as  i-e^ailar  caj)tlvt>s,  hut  in  a  kind  of  teinporaiy 
sulijection.  ".\t  tlu  ij-  ov.n  desire,"  as  Shelikof  jmts 
it,  "they  were  located  tifty  versts  away  from  the  liar- 
l)oi-  without  any  Ifussian  {guards,  simply  furnishin;^' 
hosta'^'s  as  a  t>uarantee  of  <;ood  faith  and  jjfood  hi  - 
ha\i'>i-.  'i'lie  h()sta<,'es  consisted  of  childri'U  who  wvw 
to  he  I'ducated  hy  the  Itussians.'" 

Ni'r  was  this  second  hattle  the  end  of  natiyt;  efl'orH 
for  lift-  and  lilK-rty.  Attacks  still  occurri'd  from  time 
to  time,  generally  ujion  detached  huntinj^  or  explnin- 
tion  parties,  hut  in  each  case  the  savaufes  were  re- 
pulsed with  loss.     Tl',e  promptness  with  which   tluy 


ontid 


ence    ni 


Vvcre    met    evidently    di'stroyed    their    c( 
thciusilves,  arisiniLf  from  their  easy  victoi-y  over  tl 


ic 


lir; 


H 


ussian  visitors. 


^leanwhile  no  time  was  lost  in   j)ushinu;  pn'|»ai'.i- 

* S/.i'/ilii/,  I'lilr-ih.,  i.   is.     SaVM  Slu'liUnf  in   liis   jcnil'liiil:    'I   ilu  ii'il    lKi,r.t 


of  till'  Hlii-ililiii^'  of  liiiMiii,  l>ut  I  am  sure  tliiit.  uc  kilit'il  Hniiit'  nf  itiir  iiMsiiihi 


n: 


I     rllillilNcil'l  ll     til    I'IkI    nut    tllv    IIIIIIiIh'I',    llllt    I'llilcl 


tllCV 


<aniiil  till  II' 


(Iriid  uitli  tlii'in  mill  tliri'w  liiciii  into  tlii'  sea.'    ("i>iii|mrf  Ti'hiiiliiiim"^  A 
riiiiiifii,  Ms  ,  'Mi  7;  .Vn/o/o/'i  Murb'Tx  T'-i/.,  MS.,  7-!*. 


y;//,- 


iiii\   Itr.  o/i.i«.,  i.    I(».     SlicKkiif  writci 


r.^,  fiiriiiHiiril  tliciii  with  ]ii'(ivisiiiiin  am! 


'I  I't^taiiu'il  KK>  |iii<' 
iH'i'i'.'S4iry  a|i|)liaiii'i'.H  for  trui'- 
ill;;  anil  linntiii;.',  iiihI  plat'i'il  lliriii  in  cliaiyt' nf  n  iiativ<-  naiiu-il  Kii.'<U.il\.' 
I'li'i"!).,  i.  IH,  111.  'I'lii'  mxww.  iiaiiii'  (if  KiiKknk  (h'i'UI'h  in  tlic  narfatixi'  nl  w 
imlivc  nf  Kailiak  cnllt  cicil  liy  UnliiilMiiy,  riliitiiitr  tn  tlie  liixt  laiiiliiiK  "t  I>i>''' 
Mi.iii.^  nil  Kailiak  IkIihhI,  '.*()  yi'iii'H  prim-  to  Sliclikni'H  arrival.  SaiuT  wntcit 
<  ii.'lit  yi-aiit  iati'i'  that  'JIMI  \niuii.'  Ii'iiiuIcm  wirr  Ihiii  kept  i\»  llu^tal:(■M,  A 
|iaity  "I  wiiiiii'ii  hail  iiiirt'  lit'in  i'a|itiii'('il  aiul  ntjiiiicil,  ilmn^'li  wivri  uiiu 
i'M'liiiiit.;i'il  till' ll  III. 'Ilti  I'M.      lie  phiccM  the  [:npullitiuli  uf  the  irtlund  at  .'!,''>IKI. 


iinl 


iii'Ji 


>y. 


171. 


EDUCATION  A\I)  ilELlOIOX. 


227 


:o(l  pro- 
^  ho.'tvv 

M'   1UJV(1<' 

it  jviiiu'd 

JJfOlH'liil 

L>  killed. 

\\\*X  "^■'''' 
uv  th<»u- 

s  on  til- 

;  that  li'' 
\vinj4'  ^1'*' 

iMn\»«>i">rv 
iUof  1  lilts 

•  rood    i>i'- 

who  wciv 

1 
ivf  c'tVorts 

wci'*'   1' - 
uch  thrv 

uvi-r  til'' 

If  |)rc|)iiv.i- 
iiii  II. it  1"  ' ' 

iinr  asiwii!;!"' '. 
V  ( iini>''l  'I''  "" 
hil>liiii(>,rx  .!''• 

iiu'.l   KH)  I'li^- 

Viiwil  K»'l>  '''■ 
limrnitivt'  '|l  * 

liixliiiK  ">  ''""■ 
SiintT  \Mit«'« 

lioj-laj''"-     -^ 

lull  viv.-*  ""■" 

rtluiul  ut  :i.''^' 


lii-ns  for  poniinnont  occniiancy  of  i\w  island.  In  a 
Uw  \\cv\i\  (Iwellinjjf-honsos  and  fortifications  wcro 
(  icctod  hy  the  export  IJns.sian  axtMnen,  and  Sholikof 
t'Xik  care  to  furnish  Ids  own  residenco  with  all  the 
inlortsand  a  few  of  the  luxuries  of  eivilization.  sijch 


» i» 


!1S 


he  eould  collect  from  the  two  vessels,  in  order  to 
iiis|iii-e  the  savajije  hreast  with  res|)ect  for  suj)erior 
'•ullure.  And,  indeed,  as  tiim;  passes!  hy,  this  chas::i 
(li\  idiiiLT  savaLje  and  civilized  was  tilled,  the  Konia_L>'MS 
n-^cendiniX  in  sonic  respects  and  the  Russians  descend- 
in  :■.  The  natives  watched  with  the  L>ri  ;-iest  curiosity 
ill'.'  construction  of  houses  and  I'ortifications  alter 
t!h'  J^ussian  fashioi,  until  they  voluntarily  olfered 
(II  assist.  A  school  was  <'ouduct /d  hy  Shelikol"  in 
jMison;  ho  endeavori'd  to  teach  hoth  chihh'en  and 
;;ilnlts  the  Jhissian  lan!jjuaixi>  and  arithnieti*',  and  to 
sow  the  s«'cds  ol'  ( 'iirisl ianity.  AccordiuiLj;'  to  his 
;'i-(o,uit  he  tiu'ued  I'orty  heathen's  into  Christians  dur- 
ing; !iis  sojourn  on  Ivadiak;  hut  we  may  piesumi;  that 
tht  ir  knowled'^'c  of  the  laith  did  not  extend  heyond 
l!ii'  si'^'ii  of  till'  I'ross,  an<l  perhajis  rept-atini^  a  lev,- 
Words  of  the  creed  without  th  >  slightest  understand- 
iiiv  of  its  meanintjf.  So  that  when  the  pious  colonist 
a>M'rts  that  the  converts  hei^an  at  once  to  spread  the 


ii'W  rcli«rion  amoiiijf 


their 


countrviiien  we  n)av  con- 


•ludc  that  he  is  exaLji^eratiii'LT. 


lS    SOO 


)n  as  i»ossihl(>  Slieiikof  turned  his  attention 


j)arty 


«iiii-c  more  to  the  e4|iio;\  ti<in  of  the  i.-land. 
ol'  lil'ty-two  pi-o'ny-ihK  niki  and  eleven  Aleuts  iVoni 
till'  l''ox  Islands  went  to  the  north  and  iioi'tli-eas(  in 
lour  lai\'e  hidars,  accompanied  hy  one  hundred  and  ten 
Koiiia^as  in  their  own  hidarkas.  This  was  in  May 
irsf).  The  ohject  of  tjic  cNpcdition  Was  to  make 
the  uc(|uaintance  of  the  iidiahitants  of  the  adjoining* 

"ShcIiUnf  ilwi'lls  at  Ifiiirth  ii|iiiii  liis  rirortj*  t<>  iiiiliKi'  (lie  Kiiiii;i'.;.is  t'l 
l"''"iii('  Milijii'ts  nf  l!iinsi;i,  mill  cliiiiiis  to  liavf  nut  with  HUct'r.s.  Ilr  mImi 
Iiliititi'il  vi'^t'taltluH,  lint  I'liiilil  not  iiicvnil  n|>iin  tlir  Kniliak  |>ci>[i|<>  t<>  I'lil  m' 
•  nllivatf  till  in.  Tiain-oil  ami  I'inIi  iiUaMil  tin'Ui  IkIIit.  I'uli -h,  i.  Uil  •_'; 
I'  'iii:tiirf\  JhIi'i',  OhoM.,  i.  11;  (»'c( (ri/(j/.'.',  ISiilr,,  3'J3;  J'ullun,  A'on/,  Utitr., 
>.  170. 


„l 


III 


I'l' 


1: 


n  il 


COLONIZATION  AND  TIIK  fUR-TRADE. 

isltmds  ;iii(l  the  iiiaiiilnnd.  Al'ter  Ji  cruise  in  Prince 
Williiun  Sound  and  Cook  Inlet,  the  party  n^turned 
in  Auji;ust  with  a  small  quantity  of  furs,  vot  report- 
ing a  not  unl'riendly  ri-ception,  anil  hrin«jfnij;  twenty 
liostaijfes  from  the  latter  phu'e.  It'  we  consider  tlie 
hostile  attitude  assumed  hy  the  same  pitople  two  years 
before  towanl  Zaikof,  wo  must  credit  Shelikof  with 
^•ood  manaiji'ment.  On  their  return  all  proceeded 
for  the  winter  to  Karluk,  where  salmon  ahoundcd.'- 
From  this  point  and  from  the  ori<^inal  encampnient 
en  Three  Saints  l^ay,  detachments  of  j>romyshleniki 
e.\|tlore«l  the  coast  in  all  dire<tions  <lurin<jf  the  winter, 
liotahly  alonj^  the  Alaska  peninsula,  learning  of  lli- 
anina  l^ake  and  of  the  ditterent  portaye  routes  to  tlu- 
>\est  side. 

Despite  all  precautions  the  scurvy  broke  out  in  tlie 
llussian  «'amps  and  <;arrie<l  otf  numbers,  but  instead 
(if  takin;jf  advantai^e  of  the  weakened  condition  of  tlie 
IJnssians,  the  natives  wiHiuLfly  assisted  in  obtainini;' 
fresh  provisions.  One  exception  to  this  good  imder- 
Kitanding  oc<-urred  on  the  island  of  Sluiiak,  situated 
north  of  Afognak.  A  (|uantity  of  goods  had  been  in 
trusted  by  one  of  Shelikof's  agents  tt)  the  chief  of 
Shuiak,  to  purchase  furs  during  the  winter.  \Vh(  ii 
ji'ked  for  a  settlenu'nt  he  not  only  refused  but  kilii  d 
the  messeng(,'rs.  An  expedition  was  si'ut  in  the  spjing 
vhich  succeeded  in  bringing  the  revjiant  chii-f  to 
terms,  and  in  establishing  furtilied  stations  on  Cook 
lidet  and  Afognak.'^ 

On  the  'Jath  of  February  I7M(;  Shelikof  received  a 
ktter  from  Kustrate  Delarof,  who  was  then  at  liia- 
hiska,  stating  that  the  ship  ,SV  Mlhlmil,  which  had 
been  separated  from  Shelikof's  s(|uadi"on  in  a  g  il< . 
bad  arrived  at  that   place  the   jtrevious  May.     Sin 

'-'  Kiii'liik,  Hitinit<'il  on  i\w  \\^•ni  cituHt  <>f  Ktuliitk,  in  u  Htltlt'iiiciil  u|hiii  thu 
livi  r  iif  tin:  Hjinit'  iiiiiiH',  wliii'Ii  fiiiniFiht'H  n  liir^'tT  i|Uiiiitity  of  hiiIiiiuii  vIiiiii  iiuy 
iitlirr  Hti'i'/iiii  (if  itH  HV/v  in  Alaskti.     Sfc  I'nrlti;/.  I'lc-.  ■'^I'liis,  MS.,  iii.  |iii-.Miii. 

'^  A  w.ir  jutrty  of  l,(NH)  iiim  of  tlif  ( 'liuKiitsrlK'Hiiml  KmuiH  wliicli  liinl  Ihcu 
riiiiitiioiii'ii  liy  tlif  Sliiiiiik  iliicf,  to  iitti'iii|it  till' i|i-Ntiii('tioii  of  Slifliko!  N  avi- 
tl' llirlit,  iilxo  iliM|MTHri|  lii'I'oti'  it  \Mi.<  hilly  or)4iiiii/i'.l.  Tikhuti  tuf,  l-lnr,  Ohji., 
i,  !_',  I.i;  S/,(l,Li^\  J'iii<m/i.,  i.  .■)! -J;  J'ulia.^,  \i.,-U.  lintr.,  vi.  Itv>-(i. 


I! 

b 


!.l      11,    .■ 


EXCLl'SIVK  KKJIIT.S. 


iiriK'd 

WC'lltV 

or  thV 
)  years 
1*  with 

jJlUK'Ut 

iliKuiki 

wiutir, 

of  Hi- 

s  to  Hk" 

,t  in  tlu< 
instciul 

u  of  til*' 

l)tiiiiiin;4 
I  mill'  v 
situaU'il 
lu'ou  in- 
cliit  r  "I 

Whrll 

lit  Uill<«l 
w  s|triii;4 
•hic-1"  t  ' 

[,ll    (    (Hili 

vivt'd  a 


roficlu'd  tlio  poit  niiims  one  juast  ami  otlu'rwisi;  djini- 
!im'(l,  aixl  r('i)aii's  to  tliu  vcsst-l  occupied  nearly  tlio 
wliole  suinnu'r.  Wlien  at  last  rea<ly  for  sea  she  was 
( ;ist  upon  the  rocks  and  injured  to  such  an  extent  a^ 
\n  require  additional  repairs.  Despairinj^  of  j^ettiii'LC 
1  If  the  *SV  Mikliit'il  that  season,  l)elarof  despatched 
thiiteeii  nu'ii  <lividi'd  into  seviral  detachments  as 
ni(  sseiiifeis  to  Kadiak  in  senrch  of  assistance.  Six  of 
llicni  siiecinnhed  to  cold  and  hunirer  duriiiLr  a  deten- 
tioii  of  niany  weeks  on  the  Alaska  peninsula,  and  five 
iii()!'e  (litHl  after  reachint;  Kadiak.  Soon  after  this 
the  cnd't  arrived  at  Threi-  Saints,  and  the  connnander. 
Assistant  Master  Olessof,  who  had  hein  three  years 
kiakinij  tlu>  vovaLTc  from  Okhotsk  to  Ka<liak,  was  i\\-- 
p'lscd  and  the  peredovchik  Samoilof  invested  with  the 
cnntrnl  (if  l)oth  vessels,  one  of  whi<*h  was  to  cruise 
ii(tithwar<l  and  enstwai'd  tVom  Ka«liak  anil  the  otlu  r 
westward  and  northward,  if  posHihle  as  far  as  Bering 
Strait. 

!'];nly  in  March  Shelikof  despatched  an  explorin;^ 
|):irty  eastward  with  orders  to  jtroceeil  to  J^eriiiiji's 
( 'ape  St  Klias,  and  to  erect  a  fort  as  the  l>e<;inninL( 
iif  a  settlenu'iit.  He  resolved  to  ahiindon  the  fort  »ni 
("'K.k  Inli't  as  too  far  removed  from  his  liase  of  opera- 
tion, and  to  enlar<r*'  the  fortitii-d  station  on  Afo«'nak 
Island,  hesides  estaMisliini^  several  others.'*  These 
;  ihI  nthcr  arran^t^ments  made,  Shelikof  pri'pared  to 
return  to  Okhotsk,  and  the  pere<lovchik,  Samoilof, 
I'liiierly  a  merchant  in  Siheiia,  was  appointed  to  tlie 

•  unnnand  t»f  the  infant  colony.  His  instructions  de- 
manded ahove  all  the  extension  of  Hussian  control 
;;!id  estaldishnh'iits  eastward  and  south,  and  the  ex- 

•  liision  of  rival  traders.''" 


[lit  >ii>«'»  "" 

,11  iliau  i"> 

ill.    IMISM"'' 

ih  Imil  >•"  '' 

l/./.i/-.   0^^'J''■^ 


"  VA. /;/■(./■,  Pulrnh.,  i.  ft7;  Pulliu,  Xoiil.  Itrilr.,  vi.  18fl.  See  JurrmiVi 
Jill,,:,  MS.,''J7  .S. 

'■'riHHc  iii»tnnti(i!i»  dated  Mny  J,  17W5,  were  priiiteil  in  the  <iri;;iiml  iitiil' 
f"nn.  Ill  tlic  ii|i|M'iiili\  ti)  '/'il:liiiii  ii'j',  liii(irithr>'kiiiit  olii,r<niiii' ,  ii.  'I'lic  ilntii- 
limit  <  villains  iiiiuli  tlmt  in  liij^'lily  illtereMtili),'.  'I'lie  niiiiiII  iiilin1« mf  Kii;  Miiiii.<< 
li«!ti.  Iieil  tn  <  iii'li  iMuliitcd  .(tiitiiili  llllikeM  it  evident  that  Shcliknf  wiik  imt  iiplir''- 
lli'l!.'-i\i'  I  if  leiiewcd  iiiiMlili  ties  (III  the  jial't  <if  tile  liativi')<,  uiid  ci  in  III  Ins  thi'  m  ."['i- 
cioii  tliat  liis  ^iruviouH  it'[iui-tauf  tlitir  uumlioi',  brnvcr^',  uiid  (ivrcu  di«^ioHitiou 


if' 


fiMft, 


COLONIZATION  AND  THE  FURTRADK. 


Slielikof  took  liis  di'parturc  in  ISfay,  accompanied 
l>y  a  nuiiiher  of  native  adults  and  cliildivn,  sono  to 
l)o  retained  and  educatetl,  others  to  I>o  merely  im- 
pressed with  a  view  of  Russian  life  and  j)ower.  }U 
landed  at  liolsheretsk  on  the  8th  of  August,  and 
thenco  })rocceded  to  Potropavlovsk,"*  and  overland  to 

McTo  exaggerated.  Of  1 13  RusKianH  then  in  the  new  colony,  and  TiO  others  ix 
jn'ctiMl  from  Uimla^ika,  ho ortU-ri'tl  the  following;  (lisi)o:<itiini  to  lit'  niiuli':  40  nun 
at  tlie  harlM>r  of  Tlnve  SuintH;  1 1  at  the  Lay  of  I'jiUK  (Orlovii);  SOon  th«!  islimils 
of  Sliuiak  and  iVfo^imk;  10  or  II  at  either  U^^iUiuU,  i'liiiiiak,  or  Ai;iklitubik;  :!') 
at  Karliik;  'JO  at  Katinak  (Katinai),  and  1 1  ut  u  Htution  Itetwei'ii  Katniala  and 
Kaniuishak  liay.  TheKetrudin^-i>08tiiwereHe{tarati'il  fmnieui'h  other  liy  loii^' 
distances  of  land  anil  water,  and  extended  ovt-r  l.'undre(U  of  miles.  TIu' 
iiiMtnietionii  further  upceify  tiiat  'iinnitdiately  iijHin  the  arrival  of  reenforct'- 
nient.s  from  Okhotsk,  stiitions  Hhould  lie  cHtuliliHlied  in  tiie  Kenai  and  Clni- 
^ati^eh  countrieH,' and  '  witli  all  ))<is.sil>le  de.>t|)att'h  farther  and  farther  a Iomj. 
the  eoawSof  the  American  continent,  and  in  a  Rontlierly  direction  to  Califor- 
nia,  estahliHliin^  everywhere  niarks  of  RuHHian  pnxscwsion.'  If  expected  rcen- 
forci  nientii  failctl  to  arrive,  only  three  titutionH  uere  to  ho  maintained  -at  tiie 
harbor,  Afo^^nak,  and  Karhik.  I'.'(ia;:raiih  7  of  the  inHtnietioiis  annoiinci  d 
liiat  .Slielikof  would  take  with  him  to  OkhotHk  forty  natives — adults  and  cl:il- 
dren  of  holh  Ke.\l^s  'some  in  Hatisfaelion  of  their  own  ile.sirc,' and  otlieii), 
'[irisoners  from  various  si'ttlemcnts.'  One  third  of  the«e  native's  wcrt,'  to  h" 
rutui'ued  hy  the  Kjime  sliij),  after  'si'ein;,'  the  fatherland  and  oli.servin;,'  our 
domestic  lil'e;'  another  third  weri'  to  l)e  furwarded  to  tin;  court  of  lier  iuiperiid 
Majesty;  while  the  remainder,  consisting  chiefly  of  chihiren,  were  to  he  edu- 
cated in  Okliotsk  or  Irkutsk  '  to  enuhli^  them  in  the  future  to  exercise  a  civil- 
i;  in>;  intluence  amon;{  their  comitrymen.'  Other  ii!ir;i^'ai>li»  relate  to  t!.o 
nuiintenunce  of  the  strictest  ilisci|>line  among  the  Russians;  the  employnici.l 
<if  spies  among  the  natives;  to  explorations  ami  voyaj.;es  of  tliscoveiy  kouIIi- 
vard  to  latitude 40  ;  the  construction  of  Imildings  and  fortified  Mock-house.-; 
tiiu  purchase  of  articles  of  nativ*!  nuinufacture  -garments,  utensils,  etc.;  the 
collection  of  ndnerals,  ores,  and  uIicHh  for  transmission  to  St  I'etershui^:;  .saii- 
iliiry  regulations  to  jirevent  scui'vy;  the  collection  of  Iniys  from  '  latitude  .'lO' 
in  California,  northwani  to  AliasLa.'to  he  educated  in  the  Russian  lunguu;.:c; 
tlie  exclusion  of  other  trading  lliins  in  this  the  country  tlien  oc<'Upicd,  '  h,v 
peaceable  means,  if  possible;'  the  expulsion  of  worthless  ami  vicious  nun  from 
t!'.e  company;  ilio  m.iiiitcniinee  of  ascliiHil  at  Three  Saints,  and  other  bu.^ini.vi 
details.  'J'he  document  furnishe.-tstrong  evidence  of  SlieliUof's  fiir-sightednc^s, 
energy,  ambition,  and  executive  ability.  Alter  holding  Samoilof  ri'.sp(iii.-iil)le 
fur  the  strict  oli.servanio  of  these  instructions,  tlie  writer  signed  him  ill: 
Mlrigor  Slielikof,  member  of  the  company  of  SeavoyagerM  in  thi^  NoiiliMii 
Ocean.'  Three  supplemeiitaiy  |>aragraplis  cont.iiii  direelifH-s  for  a  '  liiinut'' 
survey  '  by  rxuhaicf  of  tlii'  i-ilaiid  Kiiikt.ik.  the  .Vnieriean  eoa.'d  from  Kiitimik 
to  the  gulfs  of  Keiiaiaiid  ( 'liugachuik.  and  '  if  possible  a  round  Kadiek  ||  I'nlj- 
i.l'ly  Kyak,  or  Kayes,  island |.  This  is  the  lirst  mention  of  tlu'  term  K:iill<  k 
I  r  Kadiak,  subse(|Ueiitly  applied  to  the  island  Kuiktak,  and  to  this  mi.-tiil>'' 
ol  Nhelikof  the  origin  of  the  present  name  may  be  traced. 

'"  When  Slielikof  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  iiolsheivtsk  for  Okhotsk  Im' 
Vas  informed  that  an  I'lnglish  vessel  had  ariixed  at  retvo|)a\  lovsk.  The  ves.-el 
iToved  to  be  the  /.((/■/•,  and  belougol  to  the  Kast  India  Company.  Finiil 
ret<'rs,  the  capt^iill,  Slielikof  ]ilircliased  a  large  amount  of  gooils,  'esellill}{ 
tlieiii  to  mercliants  of  'lolmaand  to  ii-gent.M  of  the  I'aiinf  company  at  a  jrint 
(  f  M)  per  cent.  Cipt.  I'eters  broUj.dlt  a  letter  from  the  directors  of  his  i"l.l- 
)iiiny  to  the  eomniandei'  ol  Kamchatka  askiiig  |)ei'missioii  to  exi  liange  liiu 
[ii-oduetH  of    their  ivspeetivo  tenitorJCB.     A  iiaron  Ntungel  or  Stanjjcl,  I'l'li- 


§m 


'fi 


CURREXCY  AXD  TRIBUTE. 


231 


Lh  im  II  troiii 


Okliotsk  and  Tikutsk,  wlien?  ho  arrived  in  April  ITHT, 
;it'tir  suiltriii*;  «^ri'at  llard^^lli))s  on  liis  jouriU'V.  Tluro 
lie  lost  no  tinu!  in  takiiiLj  initiatory  stt'j>.s  with  tho 
\  u\v  of  obtainin<;^  for  hin  company  the  exrhisivt'  riy[l;t 
tit  trade  in  the  new  colony  ami  t»ther  privileges,  tho 
retsults  of  which  belong  to  another  chapter. 

We  have  seen  how  the  Cossacks  were  enticed  fioni 
till'  Caspian  and  Black  seas,  drawn  over  tlu^  Tral 
}.lt>untains,  and  lured  onward  in  their  centurv-niaich 
throiijjfh  Siberia  to  Kamchatka,  and  all  for  the  skin 
(!'  the  little  sable.  And  when  they  ha<l  readu-d  the 
i';i(i(ic  they  wore  ready  as  over  to  lirave  new  dan;^eis 
(iU  the  treacherous  northern  waters,  lor  the  covited 
Silurian  <|Uadruped  was  here  supphinted  by  the  .-till 
more  valuable  amphibious  otter.  As  lurs  wen;  tho 
( inrency  of  the  empire,  the  occu|)at!on  of  the  trappii', 
ill  the  national  economy,  was  e(juivaient  to  that  iu 
oihcr  (piarters  of  the  gold-miner,  assMver.  and  ••oincr 
(  niiibiiied.  In  those  times  all  the  valuable  skii.s  ob- 
tained by  tho  advancing  Cossacks  weie  immediately 
tiaiis|)orted  to  Russia  over  the  routes  just  <»pened. 

The  custom  was  to  exact  tribute  from  all  natives 
\\]\o  were  coiKjuerotl  en  ftassatil  by  the  Cossacks,  as  a 
tlivtrsion  from  the  tamer  pursuit  of  sal)le-huMtiiin-. 
.\s  early  as  1;V.)H  the  trilnitt'  collected  in  tiie  district 
<r  l\'lymsk,just  eastof  the  Cral  Mountains,  amountid 
I"  sixty-i'ight  bundles  of  sables  of  lorty  skins  oath.'' 
J II  1(501)  this  tribute  was  reduci-d  from  ti  n  to  ^evcii 


iiMy  nil  I'xili'.  win)  wuh  in  coniiimnil  iit  tliut  tiiiif,  cimycntoil  umlir  ti'iti'in 

('  iMiiliolls.  Sllt'likof,  \\  lio  wtis  \M'U  I'ci'i'ivi'il  on  lioalil  ni' till'  /,'/;'^- ami  'tlr;iti  1 
t'l  \iaiiiiis  lii|ii(irs,'  ilcNcrilics  tlic  v^^^(■l  iis  twninii- ti  il,  \iiiii  1'-' i  aiinnii,  jMi^l 
«ii:  yilij,' a  iar;^!' irt'vv  ridisittint;  i(f  l';iij.;lislimiii,  IIiiwIimis,  Amlis,  ainl  (Imki 
iiu'ii.  Of  tlii^  fniir  (illiccrM  oiif  wnH  a  I'urt'iu'Ucsr.  /'nii.fi.,  i.  lUt  I.  'j'lic /,nr'.' 
\.  ..••  milisci|\i«ntly  \M«iki-<l  un  <'ii|ipfr  1  sin  nil  w  illi  tlir  In-,-  nf  all  nii  ImiHil  I  .it 
tv.ci,  'I'lii'  MiirvivitiH  were  forwanliil  to  .St  !'rtri»liiii>{  uvrilaiiil.  \'iiiiI'h  ./ 
X  ■ii>\  MS.,  ;il(l.  l'|Min  linisliin^'  Iuh  liuHinoHH  with  Ciipt.  iVtcni,  .SlK'lilii.f  iit 
tiiio'  st't  out  for  Irknt.nk. 

'"  l.ttiiiiii  Sill.,  vi.  '1\\.  In  tlic  Hiinic  yiar  IVitilia  Muiva,  ii  'i'lin^'iisr  diiff  «  lui 
l..;il  liccii  iiiaiU'  a  iniiK'i'  liy  the  IliU'tiann,  iirci.tntid  tiiii\  hal.h^*  to  ihc  j.ov- 
iiniiuiit,  ,'inil  forty  aiiilitioiial  hkinn  on  tlii'  occasion  of  hi.,  mania;;)',  |.ioni.sii.  r 
I"  .c)icat  tli<'  j;ift  fvi'i'y  year.  An  onkii/  iwsiiiil  the  i.anic  jtur  iXcni[iU'tl  tliu 
i>„i<l,  the  fi-i'blu,  and  tliu  Hick  fi-uni  ixiying  tributu. 


232 


COLOXIZATION  AND  THE  FURTRADE. 


!  I! ; :  !•' 


Ill-  ti        V  .      !' 


sahlcs  per  adult  male,  but  there  seemed  to  be  no  de- 
crease ill  tlie  nuiiibor  collected."  Nine  years  later, 
however,  the  animal  seems  to  have  been  nearly  exter- 
minated, as  the  Jioyar  Ivan  Semenovich  Kurakin 
Avas  instructed  to  settle  free  peasant  families  in  the 
district.  After  this  the  principal  Cossack  advance 
was  into  the  Tunjjfuse  country.  In  the  tribute-books 
of  l()20-T  the  latter  tribe  is  entered  as  tributary  at 
the  rate  of  forty-five  sables  for  every  si.x  adult  males. 
In  10)22  nine  Tunguse  paid  as  hi«^h  as  ninety-four 
sables.'"  Whenever  a  breach  occurred  in  the  How  of 
sable-.skins  into  Moscow  the  Cossacks  were  instructccl 
to  move  on,  thou»^h  the  deficiency  was  not  always 
owinj,'  to  exhau.stion  of  the  supply.*' 

Thus  the  authoriy.ed  fur-gatherers  advanced  fioni 
one  region  to  another  across  the  whole  nortli  of  iVsia, 
followed,  and  in  some  instances  even  [)recede(l,  by 
tl\e  promyshleniki  <)r  professional  hunter.s.  The  lat- 
ter formed  themselves  into  organize<l  companies,  hunt- 
ing on  shares,  like  the  sea-faring  |)romyshleniki  of 
later  times,  and  like  them  they  allowed  the  business 
to  fall  grailually  into  the  hands  of  a  few  wealthy  mci- 
chants.  The  customs  adopted  by  these  hunters  go  far 
toward  elucidating  much  that  seems  stran<j:e  in  the 
proceedings  of  the  promyshleniki  on  gaining  a  foot- 
hold uj)on  tile  islands  of  the  Pacific.  A  brief  descriii- 
tion  will  then^fore  not  be  amis.s. 

The  hunting-grounds  were  generally  about  the  head- 
waters and  tril)utaries  of  tlu;  large  rivers,  ami  tin' 
journey  thence  was  made  in  boats.  Three  or  four 
hunters  combined  in  l)uil(rmg  the  l)oat,  whicli  Mas 
covered,  ami  so  served  as  shelter.      Provisions   :u'nis, 

'"In  tlint  yonr  tlio  total  trilmto  aiiiountcd  to  (Ml  Imiidlcs,  of  40  haIus  taeli, 
mill  .'t!)Mi)>'  s.  In  Kilo  it  incrcuMol  tu  7'>  Imndlca  uiul  VI  tuililes.  hi.  Sili.,  m. 
•J()  7. 

'•  /•«'.  Sih..  vi.  218.  A  force  of  40  Coswicks  was  Rutficknt  to  coltuct  tribiiti' 
nml  |ii\'Hi'rv('  ordor  itnion^  tlu?  TiiiiKum!. 

*"  In  I(i07  I'oinnlaintM  roai'liod  tlii)  tmir  thnt  triulrrs  from  I'ii»to/,i-rnk  wul'l 
go  iiiuon;;  tlio  nativt'i  of  tlio  Ilcrt-zof  iliHtrii't  Ih'Ioii!  tril)Uti.'  Iiiid  liri  n  rolU'ctril, 
making  it  ditlicult  to  olituin  tliu  govurnniunt'H  i|iiutii.  Int.  Sih.,  \  i.  ;io. 


0\  THK  nUNTINO-OnOUXT). 


29S 


l)i'<k!ins?,  and  a  few  articles  of  winter  elothinijf  made  up 
the  car<^o.  A  jar  of  yeast  or  sour  <lou^jfli  for  tho 
iiianiifiietnro  of  /iVass,  to  keep  down  the  seurvy,  was 
(onsiderod  of  tho  highest  iniportaneo.  Material  for 
tliu  construction  of  sleds  and  a  few  ilogs  M'ere  also 
essential,  and  when  all  those  had  heen  eolleeti-d  and 
duly  stowed,  each  party  of  throe  or  four  set  out  njioii 
their  journey  to  a  place  previously  apj)ointed.  As 
soon  as  tho  whole  force  had  assembled  at  the  rendi'Z- 
voiis  election  was  made  of  a  jx'rcdon/ii/,',  or  foreman, 
a  man  of  e\[)erience,  ajid  connnanding  I'espoct,  to 
whom  all  promised  implicit  ohedionci!.  The  peredov- 
(Iiilv  then  divided  his  men  into  rhiniifzi,  or  |>arties, 
aj)pointing  a  leailor  for  each,  and  assignitig  them  their 
rcsjioctive  hunting-grounds.  This  division  was  always 
made;  even  if  the  artrt,  or  station,  consisted  of  oidy 
six  ini'u  thev  must  not  all  hunt  together  on  the  samo 
ground.-*  Until  .settled  in  winter-(|uarters  all  their 
belongings  wore  carried  in  leather  hags,  liefore  tlio 
liist  snow  fell  a  gi'Ur^ral  hunt  was  ordered  hy  the  |te- 
rcdovchik  to  kill  deer,  elks,  and  hears  for  a  winttr's 
sujiply  of  m(>at,  after  .vhieh  tlu^  first  traps  were  set 
i'ui-  I'oxes,  wolves,  and  lynx.  With  thi^  first  snow  iail, 
before  tho  rivoi*s  wore  frozen,  the  whole  party  hunted 
sables  in  the  innnediate  vicinity  of  tho  general  wintor- 
i|Uartei's,  with  <logs  and  nets.  Tb.e  pen-dovehik  and 
tilt'  iea(l(.!i's  were  in  the  mean  time  engaged  in  making 
sleds  and  snow-sh<n's  for  their  respective  ehimitzis. 
W  lien  the  snow  was  on  the  ground  the  whole  artel 
\\asassend)led  at  the  wint*  i-(|uaitei'sand  pi'ayci's  wero 
litld,  after  which  the  |)eredovehik  despatched  tho 
small  parties  to  tho  sable  gtounds  witii  final  instruc- 
tiuMs  to  the  leaders.  The  latter  preceded  tlieii-  men 
ly  a  <lay  in  or<ler  to  prej)aro  the  station  selected;  tho 
same  practi<'e  prevailed  in  moving  stations  during  tho 
winter.  The  first  station  was  nnmed  after  some  ehurcli 
ill  Russia,  an<l  subseejuent  stations  after  pati'on  saints 
"I  individual  hunters.     The  first  sables  caught  weio 


2"4 


COLONIZATION  AND  TIIK  FUR-TRADE. 


ill  ways  donated  to  soino  cliiiroli  or  saint,  and  wcro 
called  (rod's  saMes.  The  instructions  of  leaders  wero 
mainly  to  tlio  elKect  that  they  should  look  well  after 
their  men,  wateli  carefully  their  method  of  sottiiii,' 
traps,  and  sec  that  they  did  not  }jfor«jfo  thonisolves  in 
secret  i'rom  the  connnon  store  of  provisions.'''^ 

DurinjjT  the  hei;rht  of  the  season  stations  were  fre- 
fjucntly  ehanj^ed  every  day,  for  it  was  thon<(ht  that 
])n»lon«jfed  campinjx  at  any  one  place  would  drive  away 
the  sables.  VV^hen  the  season  closed  the  small  parties 
lelurni'd  to  head-qu.'irters,  where  the  leaders  rendered 
their  accounts  to  the  pere<lovchik,  and  at  the  same 
time  reported  all  infractions  of  rules  hy  the  men. 
The  accused  were  then  heard,  and  punish(;d  hy  th»i 
jK'redovchik  if  I'ound  t^'uilty.-^  When  all  arran^r- 
m».'nts  lor  retiU'iiiiiiLj  to  the  settlement  were  cotnpleted 
the  peredovchik  would  make  the  r(»unds  of  all  the  stai 
tiuns  to  see  that  every  trap  was  closed  «»r  removed,  so 
that  no  sable  coulil  j,'et  into  them  durinj^'  the  sununer. 


rP  i 


li 


In  Alaska  the  methods  f)f  the  hunters  underwent 
many  chaiiijcs,  owinj,'  to  the  diiferent  physical  featuic^ 
of  the  Held  and  the  peculiarities  of  the;  natives.  The 
men  eniL(a;j,"ed  for  these  ex[)(!(litions  were  of  a  very 
mixed  <'lass;  few  had  t^ver  s»>en  th«!  ocean,  and  many 
Were  wholly  untrained  lor  their  vocation.  They  wcic 
cMLjaij^ed  foi'  a  certain  tinie  and  paid  in  shares  i-.ikcu 
from  one  half  of  the  proceeds  of  the  hunt,  the  oj  In  i 

'•The  iimtnictions  contninctl  also  nn  ndinniiition  to  observe  oertnin  siiiicr- 
BtitiiiiLs  fiititiiiiiM,  tnii'rs  (if  w  liiili  cdulil  Im'  fdiiiiil  malty  ii  ii'iitiliy  liitt  r  iilidiu; 
tin- Hcrvantx  111'  the   lliissiaii  American  < 'ii\ii|iaiiy.      I'"iir  iiistaiiii-,  i'l'itaiii  iiiii 
liials  liiiisl  nut  Im'  H|iiikiii  of  liy  tlii'ir  riu'lit  iiamiM  at  tlif  stations,  for  t'mri'f 
fii;;litinifij.;  tlic  hmIiIcm  iiwav.     'I'lic  ia\in,  tlu'  hMJikf,  and  tin- wililint  Wfio 

till I.     'I'lii'y  Will!  calli'il  r<'n)«'ctiv(ly  tlic  '  u|i|it  r,'  or  '  liiyli  one,'  tiir  '  Isn! 

(till',' a  IK  I  till-  '  jiiiiiiicr. '  In  tlit'cai'Iy  tiim.s  lliin  riili'  rxt^iil)  li  toi|iiitt'  a  niiinlx  r 
i>t'  I  I'l'MoiiH,  animalK,  iiml  vww  iiiaiiimati-  oliji'iLs,  Imt  tlif  tliirc  I  liavi'  intii- 
tioiii'il  Hiirv  i\t'i|  till  modtrii  tiiinH.  < )  Snltnliiiiif  /^•(l(//»(*^/</,  'Jil  V2. 

"Tim  pi'oinyrtlilcniki  wcrn  tri'iitcd  niiiili  likit  cliildriMi  hy  tliiir  jfadcrs. 
Some  oll't  iidi'i'H  ui'ic  nmd<'  to  Ntand  on  HtiiiiipH  fur  a  tiinr,  and  fant  w  Idle  tliuir 
Coiiirndi'x  Were  fcaHtinu,  u  Idlti  utllilM  Wiic  lined  fur  the  helletit  I'f  till  eliUieJl, 

'J'liieves  Were  cruelly  iHuiteii.  ami  fuifeited  II  ]iurtion  of  their  v.^'fiinn,  or  divi- 
dend (liteially  Hii|)|H'r),  at  it  was  hiM  that  their  .rinie  niuHt  liavi^  l)tuii;^llt 
liml  link  mid  decitawd  thf  total  eateii.   O  Hiilinliiitii  /'itimyiin(u.  Ml. 


HUNTING  IN  ALASKA. 


[  woro 

I  iiftir 
*ettii»!4 
[ves  ill 

>re  fr*'- 
it  that 
o  away 
])arti<'S 

.•lult'l't'il 

lO  saiiu' 

lO     IIU'H. 

hy  i\w 
UTan;j;*- 

tlio  slu-i 
lovcd,  so 
R,uimnor. 

(lor\v(Mit 

L'UtUlTS 

.  Th" 
a  vt'iy 
1(1  inai'.y 
cy  wc-n; 
s  talct'ti 
10  oth»i 


rtiiin  BUpci-- 
L.ti  r  iii.i"ii.! 
.fitaiii  iiiii 
,  fur  Irur  '  f 

MlMl  W"l' 

...tlu' *<«..'. 

tell  umiiliii" 

Imvi'  null- 

icir  Iciulii-*- 
Nvliil.- tlit'- 
JUii.  I'liUi''!- 

l(>-7. 


half  of  the  rart?o  j:(()lnt(  to  tlio  outfitter  or  owner.  If 
till'  I'lew  I'oMsisted  of  f«)rty  men,  iiH-hidiii*^  navi«(ator 
nnd  peredoveliik,  theli-  sliare  of  the  ear^o  was  usually 
(livi(l('<l  into  ahout  forty-six  shares,  of  which  each 
iiHiuher  received  one,  the  navij^ator  three,  the  fore- 
man two,  and  the  ehurcli  one  or  two.  In  ea.se  of 
f^uccess  the  hunters  idealized  (juite  a  small  fortune,  as 
W(^  have  seen,  hut  often  the  yield  was  so  small  as  to 
];eei>  the  men  in  servitude  from  indehtedness  to  their 
eiii|ilover.  The  vessel"  was  j)rovided  with  hut  a  small 
stock  of  |)r(»visions,  consi.stiiiiif  (»f  a  lew  hams,  a  little; 
iiiiicid  hutter,  a  few  ha«(s  of  lye  and  wlaat  Hour  for 
li'lidays,  and  a  (|uantity  of  dried  and  salted  .salmon. 
Tlic  main  stock  had  to  ho  ohtained  hy  lishin*;  and 
liuiitin]L(,  and  to  this  t;nd  were  ])rovided  tire-arms  and 
ether  implements  scrvin<(  also  for  defence.  Since  furs 
ill  this  new  ivi^ion  were  ohtained  chietly  thiou^h  the 
natives,  articles  of  trade  formed  the  iuiportant  part  of 
tlh-  carufo,  such  as  tohaceo,  ^lasa  heads,  hatchets  and 
knives  of  veiy  had  (|ualitv,  tin  an<l  co[)per  ves.sels,  an<l 
(loth.  A  large  numher  of  klcjdsl,  or  traps,  were  also 
(allied.  1  hus  j)rovide(!  tlio  ve.ssel  sets  sail  with  /xcAc 
jxniiits/ifch — ( lod's  help. 

^Fcre  trade  soon  gave  way  to  a  more  efteotive 
met  hod  of  ohtaining  furs.  Natives  were  impressed 
to  hunt  for  th(!  llussians,  who,  as  a  iiile,  found  it  hoth 
iitcillcss  and  dangerous  for  tlu'inselves  to  disp(;i's(!  in 
small  jiirties  to  catch  furs.  I'^ithcr  hy  force  or  hy 
agreement  with  chiefs  tlie  Aleuts  and  others  were 
(»hlig(ul  togi\e  hostages,generally  women  and  children, 
to  eiisni'e  the  safety  of  their  visitors,  or  performance 
of  contiact.  They  were  thei'eupoii  giv(!ii  traps  and 
sent  forth  to  hunt  for  the  seuson,  while  tin;  liussiaiis 
li\t(l  in  indolent  repose  at  the  villagi  ,  hasking  in  the 

•''Tlit'ir  ^alliotH  aiv  ooiiHtnicU'd  at  OUimlsk  nr  Nisliiickiiiiu'liiitMU,  ami 
/"ivciniiH'iit,  with  a  vii'W  «.f  t'iii!<nira;.!iiij;  traili',  iian  unlcri'd  tlic  ciniiiiiiiiiilaiiti 
(ii  iliii',!'  iiljii'i's  to  aliiinl  a.s  iiiikli  aH.si.'taiio'  as  |His,<iili|i'  to  tlif  ailvi'iiuircr.s, 
l'<  •'iilr:i  wliicli,  tJif  iiiatt^iials  of  tlio  vt'iy  fi'ti|iu  iitly  wnrkcd  tiiiiirtjioi  t  v>'.ini'1», 
tlioiiuli  loxt  to  ^(ivi'i'iiiiU'iit,  arc  foiiiiil  tin;  i^liiif  iiit'aii.s  ol  litliii>(  out  Hiich  uu 
I  alrriiiiHc,  uiiii  (greatly  Icsiteii  tlio  i'X|)i'iiHt'.'  Huiur'ii  Uhjij.  umI  A'^trun.  L'xjxtl., 
'.'7'). 


"m- 


»!: 


.  i: : 


COLOXTZATION  AND  THE  FURTRADR. 

smiles  of  the  wives  and  daughters,  and  usinuj  tlieni 
also  as  purveyors  and  servants.  When  the  hunters 
ii.'turniul  they  surrendered  tra[»s  and  furs  in  exeluuii^e 
for  <jfoods,  and  the  task-masters  departed  for  another 
island  to  repeat  their  operation. 

The  i'ustom  of  interchan<jrin}'  hostaijfes  while  enijajxt'd 
in  tratlie  was  earriod  eastward  hy  the  Russians  and 
forced  upon  the  Enj^lish,  Americans,  and  8paniai<l.s 
loiii,'  aft(!r  the  entire  suhniission  of  Aleuts,  Kiiiaf, 
and  Chuy[atsches  had  ol)viated  the  necessitv  <>f  such 
a  coursi'  in  the  west.  Portlock  was  compelled  to  con- 
form to  the  custom  at  various  i)laces  hefore  he  could 
ohtiiin  any  trade,  hut  as  a  rule  four  or  tlve  natives 
were  demanded  for  one  or  two  sailors  from  the  sliij*."' 
On  Cross  Sound,  Sitka  l^ay,  ami  I'rinc«'  of  Wales 
iNland  the  hostaues  were  not  alwavs  <;iven  in  ''ood 
faith;  they  wouid  su(l<lenly  disappear  and  hostilities 
hej^in.  As  soon  as  they  ascei'tained,  however,  that 
their  visitors  were  watchl'ul  and  stron*'  enoui'h  to  re- 
sist,  they  would  resume  husiness. 

^[eares  ohsei'ves,  amoiiijf  other  thinj^s  rc^latinLj  to 
Ilussian  manaj^ement,  that  wherever  the  latter  settled 
the  nativ«.;s  W(>re  forbidden  to  kee[)  canoes  of  a  larj^er 
.'^ize  than  would  «'arry  two  persons.  This  ajtplied,  of 
course,  oidy  to  the  hidarka  region,  Kadiak,  C'o<>k 
Inlet,  and  portiotis  of  Prince  William  Sound.  Tliu 
hidars,  or  larj^e  canoes,  were  then  as  now  very  scarce, 
heiiii;  n»ade  of  the  lar,L(est  sea-lion  skins,  and  ustd 
oidv  for  war  or  the  removal  of  whole  families  ,ir 
villaj^es.  The  Russians  found  them  sujicrior  to  tin  ii" 
own  clumsy  hoats  for  trading;  i)urj)oses,  and  ac(|uire(l 
them,  by  purchase  and  prohahly  often  hy  seizure  undc  f 
some  pretext,  as  fa.st  as  the  natives  could  build  tlu  in. 
In  their  opinion  the  savajj^es  had  no  business  to  devote 
theuj.selves  to  anything  but  hunting. 

A  j>ortion  of  the  catch  was  claimed  as  tribute, 
although  the  crown  received  a  ver}^  small  share,  often 
none.     Tribute-gathering  was  a  convenient  mantle  to 

^I'oriluck'n  Vol/.,  'MO. 


iu 

um 

TIIE  ALEUT  HUNTERS. 


r  thorn 

lllinlC'lri 

ichiinj^i! 
Liu(»tlii.'r 

iins  ami 

Kc'iiai, 
o{'  such 

I  to  «nH- 

lie  I'ouUl 
)  natives 

1    •       25 

10  sliij). 
,f  NVal.'S 
in  ^oixl 
lostilit'u's 
(vor,  that 
<rli  to  io- 

'hitin.ii;  t<> 
..rsoltl«'tl 
a  lai;4'  r 

i|)lio(l,  "t 
ik,  Cook 
ml.  Tho 
rv  soarcf. 
and  usrd 
Liuilios  .>i" 
r  to  th'ii' 

ac(iuii*'d 

[uro  uncK'i" 

liUl  th«ni. 

todovoV^' 

Is  trihutf. 

Iiaro,  oft-  a 
Inuintlo  lo 


rovor  all  kinds  of  doinands  on  tlio  natives,  and  thero 
(ill!  he  no  donht  that  in  early  times  at  least  half  the 
trade  \v«as  <'olleetod  in  the  form  of  trihute,  hy  means 
of  f(ireo  or  throats,  whiU;  at  the  same  time  the  author- 
ities at  homo  were  hein^  ]>otitioned  to  reliiujuish  its 
(•(illcction,  "because  it  eroutod  discontent"  amoiiir  the 
natives. 

Tile  trihute  oollcotod  hy  the  earlier  traders  was 
nr\ti-  eorreetly  recorded.  The  merchants  fre<|Uently 
obtained  permission  from  the  Kamchatka  authorities 
to  dispense  with  the  services  of  Cossack  trihute- 
•.atlicrers,  and  gradually,  as  the  ahusos  )>er|Ktrated 
iiidcr  pretext  of  its  collection  came  to  the  eais  of  the 
home  j^overnment,  the  custom  was  ahanihmed  alto- 
fjctlier.  Suhso<iuently  the  Russian  American  Com- 
]»aiiy  ohtaiiH'd  a  ri<^ht  to  the  services  of  tlu^  AKaits  on 
t!it'  plea  that  it  should  ho  in  lieu  of  trihute  fi>rmerly 
j)ai<l  to  the  «ifovornment.  At  the  same  time  it  was 
ordained  that  those  natives  who  rendered  no  rej^ular 
services  to  the  company  should  pay  a  trihute.  The 
latti  r  |)ortion  of  tlu^  pro«^rannne  was,  however,  nrvrr 
(ai  1  ird  out.  The  Chu<;atsches  and  the  more  northerlv 
MllaLjes  of  Keiiai  never  furnished  any  hunters  I'or  the 
(iiuipany  unless  with  some  private  eml  in  view,  and 
iin  tiihute  paid  hy  them  ever  reached  the  imjurial 
treasury. 

Another  method  of  obtaining  furs,  outside  »>f  the 
regular  channels  of  trade,  was  in  finnisliinLT  supplies  in 
times  of  periotlical  famine  eausi'd  hy  tlie  improvident  e 
of  tile  simple  Aleuts.  A  little  assistance  of  this  kind 
v.as  always  considere<l  as  a  lien  upon  whatever  furs 
tile  peison  mii^ht  collect  duriiiijf  tin-  followini^  setisoii. 
This  pernicious  system,  unauthorized  as  it  was  hy 
the  Jiiana_L,'ement,  survived  all  throuefh  the  regime  of 
llie  liussian  American  (Jomjiany,  and  one  encounters 
tract  s  of  it  here  und  there  to  the  present  da}'. 

At  the  time  of  the  first  advance  of  Russians  aloii*;' 
tin,'  coast  hi  a  south-easterly  direction  native  au.vili- 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


h 


/. 


(./ 


A 


/a 


1.0 


I.I 


■■■'■= 


2.2 

12.0 

1.8 


1.25 

1.4 

1.6 

.« 6"     — 

► 

HiotograpHc 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(7ie)  872-4503 


« 


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COLOXIZATIOX  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


m 


if^ 


111:'    '(' 


aries,  usually  Aleuts,  wore  taken  for  protection  as 
ucU  as  for  the  purpose  of  killing  sea-otters.  Soon 
the  plan  was  extended  to  taking  Aleut  hunters  to 
regions  where  trade  had  been  made  unprofitable  by 
unlimited  competition.  This  was  first  adopted  on  a 
larger  scale  by  Shclikof  and  brought  to  perfection 
under  the  manafrenient  of  Dclarof  and  Baranof.  From 
a  business  point  of  view  alone  it  was  a  wise  measure, 
since  it  obviated  the  ruinous  raising  of  prices  by  sav- 
ages made  impudent  by  sudden  prosperity,  and  at  the 
same  time  placed  a  partial  check  on  the  indiscriminate 
slaughter  of  fur-bearing  animals.  Yet  it  opened  tlic 
door  to  abuse  and  oppression  of  the  natives  at  tlio 
hands  of  unscrupulous  individuals,  and  in  the  case  of 
tlie  docile  and  long  since  thoroughly  subdued  Aleuts  it 
led  to  something  akin  to  slavery.  It  was  also  attended 
v.ith  much  loss  of  life,  owing  to  ignorance,  careless- 
ness, and  foolhardiness  of  the  leaders  of  parties.  It 
certainly  must  have  been  exceedingly  annoying  to 
the  natives  of  the  coast  thus  visited  to  see  the  ani- 
mals exterminated  which  brought  to  them  the  ships  of 
foreigners  loaded  with  untold  treasures.  The  Kaljusli 
hunters  could  not  fail  to  perceive  that  the  unwelcome 
rivals  from  the  west,  though  inferior  in  strength,  stat- 
ure, and  courage,  were  infinitely  superior  in  skiil, 
and  indefatigable  in  pursuit  of  the  much  coveted  sea- 
otter.  • 

It  was  but  natural  that  in  a  brief  period  the  very 
name  of  Aleut  l)ecame  hateful  to  the  Kaljush  and  Chu- 
gatsches,  who  allowed  no  opportunity  to  escape  them 
for  revenge  on  the  despised  race,  not  thinking  that 
the  poor  fellows  were  but  helpless  tools  of  the  Rus- 
sians. Numerous  massacres  attested  the  strong  feel- 
ing, but  this  by  no  means  prevented  the  Russians 
from  pursuing  a  policy  which,  to  a  certain  extent,  lias 
been  justified  by  the  result.  As  the  minds  at  the  head 
of  aflfairs  became  more  enlightened,  measures  for  tlio 
protection  of  valuable  animals  were  adopted,  the  ex- 
ecution of  which  was  possible  with  the  docile  Aleut 


^i  It 


IXTER-TKIBAL  TR^iFFIC. 


239 


Imntera,  while  it  would  have  been  out  of  the  question 
Y^ith  the  stubborn  and  ungovernable  Kaljush. 

As  long  as  operations  were  confined  to  Prince  Will- 
iam Sound,  with  the  inhabitants  of  which  the  Aleuts, 
tiud  especially  the  Kadiak  people,  had  previously  meas- 
ured their  strength  in  hostile  encounters,  the  plan 
worked  well  enough.  Subsequently,  however,  contact 
Avith  the  fierce  Thlinkeets  of  Conqitroller  Bay,  Yaku- 
tat,  and  Ltua  inspired  the  western  intruders  with  dis- 
may, rendering  them  unfit  even  to  follow  their  peaceful 
pursuits  without  an  escort  of  four  or  five  armed  Ilus- 
sians  to  several  hundred  hunters.  On  several  occa- 
sions a  panic  occurred  in  hunting  parties,  caused  merely 
by  flight,  but  seriously  interfering  with  trading  opera- 
tions. Vancouver  mentions  instances  of  that  kind, 
wlien  Lieutenant  Puget  and  Captain  Brown  at  Yak- 
utat  Bay  successively  assisted  Purtof,  who  connnanded 
a  large  party  of  Aleuts  sent  out  by  Baranof -" 

Tlie  reports  of  these  occurrences  by  Purtof  and  his 
companions  corroborate  the  statements  of  Puget  and 
Brown,  but  naturally  the  former  do  not  dwell  as  much 
upon  the  assistance  received  as  upon  services  rendered. 
Vv'ith  regard  to  Captain  Brown's  action,  however,  the 
llussian  report  diflers  somewhat.-'' 


Previous  to  the  arrival  of  the  Russians  a  consider- 
able interchange  of  products  was  carried  on  by  certain 
of  the  more  enterprising  tribes;  the  furs  of  one  section 
being  sold  to  the  inhabitants  of  another.  The  long- 
haired skins  of  the  wolverene  were  valued  highly  ibr 
tiinnninji  by  tribes  of  the  north  who  hunted  the  rein- 
deer;  and  the  parkas  or  shirts  made  fi'om  the  skms  of  the 
diminutive  speckled  ground-squirrel  {Spermophilas)  oi' 
Alaska,  which  occurs  only  on  a  few  islands  of  the  coast, 
were  much  sought  by  the  inhabitants  of  nearly  all  re- 
{•ions  where  the  little  animal  does  not  exist.    The  new- 


comers were  not  slow  to  recognize  the  advantages  to 

'■"'Vanrovvcr'K  Voii.,  iii.  SSS-rt. 

^'i'or  I'urtof's  leiwit,  aue  Tikhmen^f,  htor.  Obos.,  ii.  app.  CO-7. 


ill 


i  t; 


H 


240 


COLONIZATIOX  AXD  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


■  m 


be  gained  by  absorbing  the  traffic.  Within  a  few 
years  it  was  taken  from  the  natives  along  the  coast  as 
far  north  as  Cook  Inlet  and  Prince  William  Sound, 
but  beyond  that  and  in  the  interior  a  far-reacliini^ 
commerce,  including  the  coasts  of  Arctic  Asia  in  its 
ramifications,  has  existed  for  ages  and  has  never  been 
greatly  interfered  with  by  the  Russians,  who  fre- 
quently found  articles  of  home  manufacture,  originally 
sold  by  traders  in  Siberia,  in  the  hands  of  the  tribes 
who  had  the  least  intercourse  with  themselves. 

Captain  Cook  indulged  in  profound  speculations 
with  reijard  to  the  channels  through  which  some  t)f 
the  natives  he  met  with  on  the  Northwest  Coast  had 
acquired  their  evident  acquaintance  with  iron  knives 
and  other  implements,  but  this,  the  most  probable 
source,  was  unknown  to  him.  Later  navigators  found 
evidence  of  the  coast  tribes  assuming  the  role  of  mid- 
dlemen between  the  inhabitants  of  the  interior  and 
the  visitors  from  unknown  parts.  In  August  178G 
Dixon  was  informed  by  natives  on  Cook  Inlet  that 
the}^  had  sold  out  every  marketable  skin,  but  that 
they  would  soon  obtain  additional  supplies  from  tribes 
living  awa}'^  from  the  sea-shore. 

A  century  of  intercourse  with  the  Caucasian  races 
has  foiled  to  eradicate  the  custom  of  roaming  from 
one  continent  to  another  for  the  sake  of  exchanging  a 
few  articles  of  trifling  value.  The  astuteness  dis- 
played by  these  natives  in  trade  and  barter  was  cer- 
tainly one  of  the  reasons  which  caused  the  Russians 
to  devise  means  of  getting  at  the  furs  without  being 
obliged  to  cope  with  their  equals  in  bartering. 

As  far  as  the  region  contained  within  the  present 
boundaries  of  Alaska  is  concerned,  the  fur-trade  to- 
ward the  end  of  the  last  century  was  beginning  to  i'all 
into  regular  grooves,  which  have  never  been  essentially 
departed  from,  except  in  the  case  of  the  Kaljush,  who, 
relying  on  their  constant  intercourse  with  Englisli  and 
American  traders,  persistently  refused  to  be  reduced 


THE  CHIXA  5IARKET. 


241 


to  routine  and  sj'stem,  and  maintained  an  independent 
and  fVequcntly  a  defiant  attitude  toward  the  Russians, 
lender  the  rule  of  the  Russian  American  Company 
the  prices  paid  to  natives  for  furs  were  equal  in  all 
])arts  of  the  colonies  with  the  exception  of  Sitka  and 
the  so-called  Kaljush  sounds,  where  a  special  and 
much  higher  tarifi'  w'as  in  force,*^ 

A  more  crradual  chan^je  besjan  also  to  affect  the 
share  system  of  the  Russians,  embracing  two  kinds 
(if  share-holders,  those  wao  with  invested  capital  had 
a  voice  in  the  management  and  their  half  of  the  gross 
receipts,  and  another  class,  laboring  in  various  capaci- 
ties for  such  compensation  as  fell  to  their  lot  \vhen 
the  settlements  were  made  at  stated  times  and  ai'ter 
t'vcry  other  claim  had  been  satisfied.  The  disadvan- 
tages of  this  system  were  obvious.  On  one  hand  the 
laljorer  was  entirely  dependent  upon  the  agents  or 
managers  of  his  immediate  station  or  district,  who 
wiTC  sometimes  honest,  but  far  oftener  rascals,  while 
on  the  other  hand  the  hunters  and  trappers  and  those 
in  charge  of  native  hunting-parties  had  every  induce- 
ment to  indulge  in  indiscriminate  slaughter  of  fur- 
bearing  animals  without  regard  to  ceasequences. 


By  the  time  Kamchatka  was  discovered  and  con- 
quered the  number  of  private  traders  had  greatly 
increased,  and  another  market  for  costlv  furs  had  been 
(>]iened  on  the  borders  of  China,  a  market  of  such  im- 

''^Tho  introduction  of  ii  well-dcfinod  l)usincss  systrin  as  well  .is  regula- 
tions to  check  the  tlire,itenc<l  externiination  of  fur- bearing;  animals  eaniu  only 
with  the  estiilili.slinicnt  tif  a  niunoiioly,  and  thi.s involved  liotli  time  and  in- 
tii;,'ue.  The  fonmlcr  of  the  so-called  colonie.s  as  well  as  his  .suecessors  in  tiie 
liiiiuiigenient  had  hut  one  object  in  view,  to  control  the  fur-traile  of  lUlssia  in 
llurope  and  Asia.  Shelikof  was  shrewil  enongii  to  \indcistand  that  in  order 
to  olitain  special  privileges  or  protection  from  the  government,  it  was  neces- 
.^uiy  to  make  a  display  of  some  more  permanent  i)Usiness  tlian  the  fur-tiade; 
iiiid  with  the  sole  view  of  furthering  this  end  project')  of  eoloni/ation  and 
niiip-huilding  were  launched  in  rapiil  succession,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt 
liiat  Shelikof  himself  hail  no  faith  in  these  undertakings,  for  with  his  sanc- 
tion the  convicts,  mechanics,  and  farmei's  sent  Ironi  Siberia  by  the  authorities 
■\Mre  at  once  distributed  among  the  trading  posts  ami  vessels  of  the  Shelikof 
and  Golikof  Company.  J'ltro/,  liUsti.  Am.  Co.,  MS.,  2-4. 
UlBI.  Alabea.    IC 


242 


COLONIZATION  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


portance  that  not  only  the  carrying  of  skins  to  Russia 
was  curtailed,  but  large  shipments  of  furs  were  made 
from  Russia  to  the  Chinese  frontier,  principally  beavers 
and  land-otters  from  Canada,  these  skins  being  carried 
almost  around  the  world  at  a  profit.'^ 

No  attempt  was  made  by  Russians  during  the 
eighteenth  century  to  send  furs  to  China  by  water. 
That  route  was  opened  by  English  traders  to  the 
Northwest  Coast  as  soon  as  it  became  generally  known 
that  furs  had  been  disposed  of  in  China  to  great  ad- 
vantage by  the  ships  of  Captain  Cook's  last  two  expe- 
ditions. The  sea-otter  and  sable  shipments  from  the 
Aleutian  Isles  and  Kamchatka  were  still  consigned 
to  Irkutsk,  where  a  careful  assortment  was  made. 
The  inferior  and  light-colored  sables,  the  foxes  of  the 
Aleutian  Isles,  the  second  grade  of  sea  and  land 
otter,  etc.,  were  set  aside  for  the  Chinese  market. 
Defective  skins  were  sent  to  the  annual  fair  at  Irbit, 
for  sale  among  the  Tartars,  and  only  the  very  best 
quality  was  forwarded  to  IMoscow  and  Makaria,  where 
Armenians  and  Greeks  figured  among  the  ready  pur- 
chasers.^ 

The  first  large  shipment  of  sea-otters  was  brought 
to  China  by  Captain  Hanna,  who  with  a  brig  of  sixty 
tons  collected  in  six  weeks,  on  King  George  Sound, 
five  hundred  whole  sea-otter  skins,  and  a  number  of 
pieces  amounting  to  about  sixty  more.  He  sailed 
from  China  in  April  1785  and  returned  in  December, 
making  the  voyage  exceedingly  profitable.'^     Hanna 


^  The  following  shipments  of  this  kind  are  recorded  by  Coxe,  from  the 
Hudson  Bay  territory  to  London  and  St  Petersburg  and  thence  overland  to 
Kiakhta:  in  1775,  46,460  beavers  and  7,143  otters;  in  1776,  27,700  beavers 
and  12,080  otters;  in  1777,  27,316  beavers  and  10,703  otters.  The  skins 
brought  at  St  Petersburg  from  7  to  9  rubles  for  beavers,  and  from  6  to  10 
rubles  for  otters;  while  at  Kiakhta  the  benver  sold  at  from  7  to  20  rubles,  ami 
the  otter  from  6  to  35  rubles.  Coxe's  Kiiss,  Dhc. ,  337-8. 

'"The  Chinese  at  that  time  understood  the  art  of  coloring  sables  and  other 
furs  so  perfectly  that  the  deception  was  not  observable.  Consequently  tluy 
preferred  to  purchase  a  low-priced  and  inferior  article.  Sauer'a  Geog.  ami 
Astron.  Expea.,  15. 

"  Skins  of  the  first  grade  brought  $60  each.  Hanna  had  140  of  these,  1 7 " 
of  the  second  grade,  worth  $40;  80  of  the  tliird,  worth  §30;  55  of  the  fourtli 
at  §15,  and  50  of  the  fifth  at  810.    The  i)ieces  were  also  sold  at  the  rate  of  §10 


11 


VI 


ENGLISH  AND  FRENCH. 


m 


sailed  again  on  the  same  venture  in  178G,  but  though 
ho  remained  absent  until  the  following  year,  his  cargo 
did  not  bring  over  $8,000.  Two  other  vessels,  the 
Captain  Cook  and  the  Experiment,  left  Bombay  in 
January  1786,  and  after  visiting  in  both  King  George 
and  Prince  William  sounds  returned  with  G04  sea- 
otters,  which  sold  for  §24,000,  an  average  of  $40  a 
skin. 

La  Perouse,  who  visiued  the  coast  in  the  same  year, 
forwarded  an  extensive  report  to  his  government  con- 
cerning the  fur-trade  of  the  Northwest  Coast.  Ho 
states  that  during  a  period  not  exceeding  ten  days  he 
purchased  a  thousand  skins  of  sea-otters  at  Port  dcs 
Fran§ais,  or  Ltua  Bay;  but  only  few  of  them  were 
entire,  the  greater  part  consisting  of  made-up  gar- 
ments, robes,  and  pieces  more  or  less  ragged  and 
filthy.  He  thought,  however,  that  perfect  skins  could 
easily  be  obtained  if  the  French  government  should 
conclude  to  favor  a  regular  traffic  of  its  subjects  with 
that  region.  La  Pdrouse  entertained  some  doubts  as 
to  whether  the  French  would  be  able  to  compete  prof- 
itably with  the  Russians  and  Spaniards  already  in  the 
field,  though  he  declared  that  there  was  an  interval 
of  coast  between  the  southern  limits  of  the  Russian 
and  the  northern  line  of  Spanish  operations  which 
would  not  be  closed  for  several  centuries,  ai.d  was  conse- 
quently open  to  the  enterprise  of  any  nation.^^  Among 
other  suggestions  he  recommended  that  only  vessels 
of  500  or  GOO  tons  should  be  employed,  and  that  the 
principal  article  of  trade  should  be  bar-iron,  cut  into 
lengths  of  three  or  four  inches.  The  value  of  the 
3,281  pieces  of  sea-otter  skin  collected  at  Port  des 
Fran§ais  is  estimated  in  the  report  at  41,0G3  Spanish 
piastres.^^ 

per  whole  skin.  Hanna  realized  ^^,000  out  of  this  short  cruise.  2>ixo)t'« 
Voy.,  .315-22. 

"  La  Pf roust,  Voy.,  iv.  162-72. 

"A  peculiarly  French  idea  ia  advanced  by  La  Perouse  in  a  note  to  his 
report  on  the  fur-trade  of  the  north-west.  He  and  his  officers  refused  to 
derive  any  profit  from  the  experimental  mercant?io  transactions  during  tlie 
expedition.    It  M'as  settled  that  such  sums  as  wui  e  realized  from  the  sale  of 


k>  \  1 


244 


COLONIZATION  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


After  duly  woigliing  the  question  in  all  its  aspects 
the  French  commander  came  to  the  conclusit)n  that 
it  would  not  be  advisable  to  establish  at  once  a  French 
tactoiT  at  Port  des  Franyai;^,  but  to  encourage  and 
.sul)si(lizu  three  j)rivate  expeditions  from  some  French 
•seaport,  to  sail  at  intervals  of  two  years. 

From  Dixon  we  learn  that  La  Perousc's  expecta- 
tions, as  far  as  the  value  of  his  skins  was  concerned, 
were  not  realized.  He  reports  that  the  French  ships 
A'ifnihihe  and  Bvussole  brought  to  Canton  about  (JOG 
sea-otters  of  poor  quality,  which  they  disposed  of  for 
$10,000.=^ 

In  January  1788  the  furs  collected  by  Dixon  and 
P'rtlock  in  the  Kn<j  (iecmje  and  Queen  Charlotte  were 
yn\d  as  follows:  The  bulk  of  the  carw,  consistinn;  of 
2,5 jil  sea-otters,  434  pups,  and  34  foxes,  sold  for 
.*;'50,000,  and  at  private  sale  1,080  .sea-otter  tails 
brought  62,1G0,  and  110  fur-seals  $550.  Accorchiig 
to  Berg  the  number  of  sea-otters  shipped  from  the 
Xortliwest  Coast  to  Canton  previous  to  January  1, 
1  7SS,  was  C,G43,  which  sold  at  something  over  ;?200,0(J0 
ill  tlu;  a!4;i>;re<>:ate. 

After  this  shi|)ments  increased  rapidly  with  the 
larger  number  of  vessels  engaging  in  this  trade,  as  I 
have  shown  in  my  Ilistory  of  the  Northwest  Coast!^^' 
A  lai'gc  proportion  of  them  were  English,  though  they 
lal)ored  under  many  disadvantages,  and  as  the  Eng- 
lish captains  who  came  to  Canton  were  not  allowed 


tlic  skins  in  China  shoiilil  be  distributed  among  the  crew.  Tiie  coinmamli  r 
inu'iiiiously  reasons  that  tlic  share  of  each  sailor  will  be  sufficient  to  cnablf 
the  whole  crew  to  get  married  on  their  return  and  to  raise  families  in  con>- 
fortalile  cirrunistances,  who,  'in  course  of  time,  will  bo  of  the  greatest  bcnelit 
to  tiip  navy.'  L(i  Pfrouxe,  Voi/.,  iv.  107. 

^' Jiixoit'ii  ?'o,v.,  3ir>-'2'2.  In  the  same  place  the  result  of  the  Benga'  Fur 
Soi'iety's  experiment  with  the  Xdolhct,  Capt.  Meares,  is  given  as  f  jilowi":  "2(17 
gea-dttei's.  '.17  pieces  and  tails,  4S  land-otters,  and  41  beavers  and  martens  wero 
siild  at  Macao  for  89,092.  Fifty  prime  sea-otters  sold  at  Canton  for  •'r^Ul 
each,  brinjiing  .^,.V)0.  Nearly  the  whole  cargo  had  been  obtained  at  I'riiMo 
^^  illiam  Sound.  About  the  same  time  the  cargo  of  the  /mjicrinl  Eu'ile,  Ca]>t. 
IJarclay,  obtained  ciiietly  from  Vancouver  Island,  sold  for  ijioO.OOO.  See  ///'. 
X"rlhinst  i'ou^t,  vol.  i.  3.1.3,  this  series. 

■■•"'In  17!I2  there  were  at  least  28  vessels  on  the  coast,  more  than  half  of 
them  engaged  in  fur-trade,  llltil.  Xorlkivtsl  Coast,  i.  2o8  et  seq.,  this  series. 


RUSSIAN  INFLUENCE. 


and 


for 


111  the 
,  as  I 

hast.'' 

[i  thov 

Eni];- 

loNVed 


nmanil'  r 
|o  eiuil>lt' 
in  coin- 
[t  beuelit 

figfi'  Fur 

^\v?;  '21.17 

leua  were 

for  ir^'.ll 

It  I'lilKO 

See  Ili^'. 

half  uf 
Iseries. 


to  trade  in  tlioir  own  or  their  owners'  name,  hut  wt  re 
()hli<'ed  to  transact  their  Inisiness  throu<di  tho  aui'iits 
oi'  the  Eiiijfhsh  East  India  Company,  tlu-y  did  not  take 
very  kindly  to  the  trade.  The  merchants  of  other 
nations  held  the  advantage  to  the  extent  that,  even  if 
forced  to  dispose  of  their  furs  at  low  prices,  they  could 
lealize  one  hundred  per  cent  profit  on  the  Chinese 
ooods  they  brought  home,  while  the  Englisli,  on  ac- 
count of  the  privileges  granted  the  East  India  Com- 
])any,  could  not  carry  such  goods  to  England.  Tlie 
British  merchants,  however,  knew  how  to  evade  tliese 
regulations  by  sending  to  Canton,  where  the  ships  of 
all  nations  were  free  to  come,  vessels  under  the  Hags 
of  Austria,  Hamburg,  Bremen,  and  others.  Thus 
Ciiptain  Barclay,  or  Berkeley,  who  sailed  from  Ostcnd 
in  tho  Imperial  Ea<jh  under  the  Austrian  flag,  was  an 
]]nglishman. 

On  the  other  hand,  Russian  influence  was  contin- 
ually at  work  on  the  Chinese  frontier  and  even  at 
Peking,  to  counteract  the  influx  of  furs  by  water  into 
the  Celestial  empire.  When  Marchand  arrived  at 
]\[acao  from  the  Northwest  Coast  he  found  a  tempn- 
lary  interdict  on  the  traffic.'"'  This  benefited  tho 
Russian  only  to  a  certain  extent,  for  new  hunting- 
urounds  W(.'re  discovered  by  the  now  roused  tradeis, 
and  the  immense  influx  of  fur-seal  skins  I'rom  llic 
J-'alkland  Islands,  Terra  del  Fuego,  New  Georgia, 
South  Shetland,  and  the  coast  of  Chile  to  China 
caused  a  general  depreciation  in  this  article  toward 
the  end  of  the  last  century.'" 

Tho  jealousy  of  foreign  visitors  on  the  part  of 
Iiussians  was  but  natural  in  view  of  the  mischief  they 
cieated.     Alon<jf   the   whole   coast  from   Cook   Inlet 


""'When  the  Soliile  arrived  at  Macao,  Marchand  wasmnch  disappointed  on 
learning  that  strict  orders  had  been  issued  fi'oni  I'eking  to  purchase  no  nioi-c 
furs  from  the  north-west  coast  of  America.  This  compelled  him  to  take  what 
furs  he  had  to  Europe.  MurrJmnrl,  Voy.,  ii.  3()S-'J. 

^'  Three  and  a  half  millions  of  skins  wore  taken  from  Masa  Fuero  to  Caa- 
tun  between  1793  and  1807.  L>al('s  Alui^ka,  4'J"J. 


i 


m 


lUl 


P 


246 


COLONIZATION  AND  THE  FUR-TxlADE. 


II'     '■: 


down  to  Sitka  and  Queen  Charlotte  Sound,  when- 
ever EngHsh  and  subsequently  American  competition 
entered  the  field,  the  prices  ot'  sea-otter  skins  experi- 
enced a  steady  rise  till  the  temptation  to  kill  the  ani- 
mal indiscriminately  became  so  great  as  to  overcome 
wliat  little  idea  the  natives  had  of  husbanding  their 
resources.  On  the  other  hand  the  most  prolific  sea- 
otter  grounds,  the  southern  end  of  the  Alaska  penin- 
sula and  the  Aleutian  Islands,  exempt  from  the  visits 
of  mercantile  rovers,  have  continued  to  yield  their 
precious  furs  to  the  present  day. 

These  foreigners  had  an  additional  variety  of  goods 
with  which  to  tempt  the  untutored  son  of  the  wilder- 
ness, and  were  not  scrupulous  about  selling  even  de- 
structive weapons.  The  demand  for  certain  articles 
of  trade  by  the  natives,  especially  among  the  Thliii- 
kcets,  was  subject  to  continuous  changes.  When 
Marchand  arrived  in  Norfolk  Sound  he  found  the 
savages  disposed  to  drive  hard  bargains,  and  skins 
could  not  be  obtained  for  trifles.  Tin  and  copper  ves- 
sels and  cooking  utensils  were  in  request,  as  well  as 
lances  and  sabres,  but  prime  sea-otters  could  be  i)ur- 
chased  only  with  European  clothing  of  good  quality, 
and  Marchand  was  obliged  to  sacrifice  all  his  extra 
supplies  of  clothing  for  the  crew.  The  natives  seemed 
at  that  time,  1791,  to  have  plenty  of  European  goods, 
mostly  of  English  manufacture.  Favorite  articles 
Avere  toes  of  iron,  three  or  four  inches  in  length,  and 
light- blue  beads.  Two  Massachusetts  coins  wero 
worn  by  a  young  Indian  as  ear-rings.  They  wero 
nearly  all  dressed  in  European  clothing  and  familiar 
with  fire-arms.  Hammers,  saws,  and  axes  they  valued 
but  little.*^ 

The  rules  with  regard  to  traffic  on  individual  account 
on  board  of  these  independent  traders  were  quite  as 

"In  10  days  Marchand  obtained  in  trade  100  sea-ottera  of  prime  quality, 
mostly  fresh;  2r)0  young  sea-otters,  Tght  colored;  30  whole  bear-skins,  anl 
13  half  skins;  37  fur-seals;  (iO  beavers;  a  sack  of  squirrel-skins  and  sca-otttr 
tails;  a  marmot  robe,  and  a  rube  of  mai'mot  and  bear.  Marchand,  Voy.,  ii. 
3-1:2. 


UNSCRUPULOUS  ENGLISHMEN, 


217 


stringent  as  those  subsequently  enforced  by  the  Ilus- 
sian  American  company.  Among  the  instructions 
iiirnished  Captain  Meares  by  the  merchant  proprie- 
tors we  find  the  following:  "As  every  person  on  board 
you  is  bound  by  the  articles  of  agreement  not  to  trade 
even  for  the  most  trifling  articles,  we  expect  the  full- 
est compliance  with  this  condition,  and  we  shall  most 
assuredly  avail  ourselves  of  the  penalty  a  breach  of 
it  will  incur.  But  as  notwithstanding,  the  seamen 
may  have  laid  in  iron  and  other  articles  for  trade, 
thinking  to  escape  your  notice  and  vigilance,  we  direct 
that,  at  a  proper  time,  before  you  make  the  land  of 
America,  you  search  the  vessel  carefully,  and  take 
into  your  possession  every  article  that  can  serve  for 
trade,  allowing  the  owner  its  full  value." '^'' 

A  few  years  sufficed  to  transform  the  naturally 
shrewd  and  overbearing  Thlinklcets  into  the  most 
exacting  and  unscrupulous  traders.  Prices  rose  to 
such  an  extent  that  no  profit  could  be  made  except 
by  deceiving  them  as  to  the  value  of  the  goods  given 
ill  barter.  Some  of  the  less  scrupuhus  captains  en- 
oaoed  in  this  traffic  even  resorted  to  violence  and 
downright  robbery  in  order  to  make  a  showing. 
Guns,  of  course,  brought  high  prices,  but  in  many 
instances,  where  the  trader  intended  to  make  but  a 
brief  stay,  a  worthless  article  was  palmed  off  upon 
the  native,  who,  in  his  turn,  sought  to  retaliate  by 
imposing  upon  or  stealing  from  the  next  trader. ^° 

Nor  did  the  foreigners  hesitate  to  commit  brutali- 
ties when  it  suited  their  interest  or  passion,  not- 
withstanding Meares'  prating  about  "humane  British 
commerce."  The  English  captain  certainly  had  noth- 
ing to  boast  of  so  far  as  his  own  conduct  was  concerned 
ill  the  way  of  morality,  honesty,  and  humanity.  Cer- 
tain subjects  of  Spain  and  Russia  were  exceedingly 

'•  Meares,  Voy. ,  app. 

*"  One  of  the  natives  of  Tchinkitan<S  (Sitka)  complained  to  Marchand  of  a 
Rim  he  had  purchased  of  an  English  captain  and  broken  in  anger  because  it 
would  'only  go  crick,  but  never  poohoo!'  Marchaiid'.i  Voy.,  ii.  G!).  Mar- 
diand  and  llocquefeuille  Iwth  claim  that  the  natives  of  the  Northwest  Coast 
prefer  French  guns  to  any  other. 


\ 


i'r 


'i^ll 


COLONIZATION  AND  TITE  FUR-TRADE. 


'i! 


cruel  to  the  natives  of  America,  but  for  innate  wick- 
edness and  cold-blooded  barbarities  in  the  treattnent 
of  savaufe  or  half-civilized  nations  no  peo[)le  on  eaitli 
(hiring  the  past  century  have  excelled  men  of  Ani^io- 
Sa:;on  orijjjin.  Such  was  the  conduct  of  the  critical 
^[eares  toward  the  ChuL,'atsches  tiiat  they  would  prob- 
ably have  killed  him  but  for  the  timely  warning  of 
a  young  woman  whom  he  had  "  purchased  for  the 
winter." 

Instances  of  difficulties  arising  between  English 
traders  and  natives  of  Prince  William  Sound  are  too 
numerous  to  mention  in  detail  in  this  i)lace,  but  it  is 
certain  that  as  soon  as  the  former  withdrew  and  tlie 
liussians  were  enabled  to  manage  affairs  in  their  own 
v/a}',  a  peaceful  and  rcgulur  traffic  was  carried  on. 
These  captains  were  too  ready  to  attribute  cruelty  to 
their  rivals,  and  at  times  on  mistaken  grounds. 

Captain  Douglas,  who  visited  Cook  Inlet  in  the 
J j)hi(je>) ia,  ohi^crvcd  what  ho  called  "ti(;kets  or  jiass- 
ports  for  good  usage"  in  the  hands  of  the  natives. 
]\Ieares  offers  an  explanation  of  this  incident,  saying 
that  "these  tickets  are  purchased  by  the  Indians  from 
the  Russian  traders  at  very  dear  rates,  under  a  pre- 
tence that  they  will  secure  them  from  ill-treatment 
of  any  strangers  whc  may  visit  the  coast;  and  as  they 
take  care  to  exercise  great  cruelty  upon  such  of  the 
natives  as  are  not  provided  with  these  instruments  of 
safety,  the  poor  people  are  only  too  happy  to  purchase 
them  on  any  terms."  Meares  then  adds  with  charm- 
ing self-complacency:  "Such  is  the  degrading  sj'steui 
of  the  Russian  trade  in  these  parts;  and  forms  a 
striking  contrast  to  the  liberal  and  humane  spirit  of 
British  commerce.""  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say 
that  these  jiapers  were  receipts  for  tribute  paid  by 
these  natives,  who  had  for  several  years  been  consid- 
sidered  and  declared  subjects  of  the  ruler  of  all  tlio 
Russias." 


*^Meares'  Voy.,  ii.  129,  eel.  1791. 

*'^  All  expliuuition  of  the  bitterness  displayed  in  Captain  Meanes'  utterance 


RUSSIAN  POLICY. 


2f» 


tin 


leraucc 


The  cause  for  these  insinuations  must  be  looked  for 
m  tlie  greater  success  of  the  Muscovites,  \vh(t  could 
be  met  with  everywhere,  and  as  they  <Hd  not  |)ur- 
chase  the  skins,  but  liad  the  animals  killed  l)y  natives 
in  their  service,  competiticMi  was  out  of  the  (ju('sti')n. 
At  Prince  William  Sound  Portlock  discovered  that 
the  natives  did  not  like  the  goods  he  had  to  oiler; 
only  when  he  obtained  others  from  Captain  ^Nfeares 
did  trade  improve.  The  English  tradeis  fre(piently 
coni[)lained  in  their  journals  of  the  Russians  as  Iuin  ing 
absorbed  the  whole  traffic,  vet  Portlock  himself  ac- 
knowledges  that  during  the  sunnner  u)  (787  he  sent 
Ills  long-boat  repeatedly  to  Cook  Inlet,  and  that  each 
time  the  party  met  with  moderate  success  and  Iric'lly 
treatment  on  the  part  of  Russians  ■  d  natives  iu  their 
service." 

^incouver,  who  as  far  as  the  Russians  are  con- 
cerned may  be  accepted  as  an  impartial  observer, 
cNjiresses  the  opinion  that  "the  Russians  were  more 
likely  than  any  other  nation  to  succeed  in  })rocur- 
ing  furs  and  other  valuable  commodities  from  those 
shores."  He  based  his  opinion  partly  upon  informa- 
tion received  from  Isma'ilof  at  Unalaska,  but  ])riu- 
ciimlly  upon  his  own  observations  on  the  general 
conduct  of  the  Russians  toward  the  natives  in  the 
several  localties  where  he  found  the  latt.T  under  Rus- 
sian control  and  direction.  The  English  explorer 
I'casons  as  follows:  "  Had  the  natives  about  the  Rus- 
sian establishments  in  Cook's  Inlet  and  Prince  Will- 
iam's sound  been  oppressed,  dealt  hardly  by,  or  treated 
by  the  Russians  as  a  conquered  peo})le,  some  uneasi- 
ness among  them  would  have  been  ))erceived,  some 
desire  for  emancipation  would  have  been  discovered; 
but  no  such  disposition  appeared — they  seemed  to  be 

Ml  the  subject  of  Russian  traders  can  Le  found  in  a  passage  of  his  journal  in 
Mhich  he  complains  that  ■wherever  he  went  iu  the  2\oolka,  from  Unalaska  to 
tlie  head  of  Cook  Inlet,  he  found  that  tl'T  Kusoians  already  ujonopolized  the 
ti  :i(le,  and  the  natives  had  nothiuj,'  left  to  ..Tor  in  exchange  for  English  goods. 
A  lioat  sent  up  the  Inlet  was  constantly  watched  by  two  Russian  bidars. 
Mcinra'  Vmi.,  xi. 

*Wori:ock'ti  ru(/.,  242-3. 


i  ..( 


1  '^  i  i 

''     :  i  li 

;:   llffl 

1..      . 

'm  ■  ^  1 

V  ■  ■              .'.I 

l,;^,  ':iil 

250 


COLONIZATION  AND  THE  FUR-TEADE. 


held  ill  no  restraint,  nor  did  they  seem  to  wish,  on 
any  occasion  whatever,  to  elude  the  vigilance  of  their 
directors."  The  Indiaas  beyond  Cross  Sound  were 
less  tractable  and  the  Russians  evidently  became  sat- 
isfied to  remain  to  the  westward  of  that  region." 

Notwithstanding  all  the  abuses  to  which  the  Aleuts 
had  to  submit  at  the  hands  of  the  early  traders  and 
the  Russian  company,  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  a  peo- 
ple which  has  absolutely  no  other  resource  to  fall  back 
upon  would  have  long  since  been  blotted  out  of  exist- 
ence with  the  extermination  of  the  sea-otter,  had  they 
been  exposed  to  the  effects  of  reckless  and  unscrupu- 
lous competition  like  their  more  savage  and  powerful 
brethren  in  the  east.  As  it  is,  thoy  are  indebted  to 
former  oppression  for  their  very  existence  at  the  pres- 
ent day. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  their  hands  alono 
"would  the  wealth  of  the  coast  region  be  husbanded, 
for  their  interests  now  began  to  demand  an  economic 
management,  and  their  intluence  by  far  exceeded  that 
of  any  other  nation  with  whom  the  natives  had  come 
in  contact.  Long  before  the  universal  sway  of  the 
Russian  American  Company  had  been  introduced  wo 
find  unmistakable  signs  of  this  predilection  in  favor  of 
those  among  all  their  visitors  who  apparently  treated 
them  with  the  greatest  harshness  while  driving  tlio 
iMirdest  bargains.  The  explanation  lies  in  the  fact 
that  the  Russians  were  not  in  reality  as  cruel  as 
the  others,  and,  above  all,  that  they  assimilated  more 
closely  with  the  aborigines  than  did  other  traders. 
At  all  outlying  stations  they  lived  together  with  aii;l 
in  the  manner  of  the  natives,  taking  quite  naturally 
to  filth,  privations,  and  hardships,  and  on  the  other 
hand  dividing  with  their  savage  friends  all  the  little 

**  V(inco7iver's  Voy.,  iii.  500.  Portlock,  some  years  earlier,  claimed  that 
the  natives  informed  him  they  had  recently  had  a  fight  with  the  Russians  in 
M-Jiich  the  latter  were  beaten ;  and  also  that  he  was  rctiuestcd  to  assist  tlio 
natives  against  the  'lussiaus,  but  refused.  Porthck's  Voy.,  115-122.  Juveitai'a 
Juur.,  My.,  30  ct  seq. 


li. 


RAPID  DECLINE. 


251 


comforts  of  rude  civilization  which  by  chance  fell  to 
their  lot. 

Cook  and  Vancouver  expressed  their  astonishment 
at  the  miserable  circumstances  in  which  they  found 
the  Russian  promyshleniki,  and  both  navigators  agree 
as  to  the  amicable  and  even  aftectionate  relations  ex- 
isting between  the  natives  of  the  far  north-west  of  this 
continent  and  their  first  Caucasian  visitors  from  the 
eastern  north.  Captains  Portlock  and  Dixon  even 
complained  of  this  good  understanding  as  an  injury 
to  the  interests  of  others  with  equal  rights  to  the 
advantages  of  traffic  with  the  savages.  The  traffic 
then  carried  on  throughout  that  region  is  scarcely 
worthy  of  the  name  of  trade;  it  was  a  struggle  to 
seize  upon  the  largest  quantity  of  the  most  valuable 
furs  in  the  shortest  time  and  at  the  least  expense, 
without  regard  for  consequences. 

When  Portlock  and  Dixon  visited  Cook  Inlet  and 
Prince  William  Sound  in  178G  the  trade  in  those 
localities  seemed  to  be  already  on  the  decline.  In  the 
former  place  a  few  days  were  sufficient  to  drain  the 
country  of  marketable  furs. 

How  much  the  fur-trade  had  deteriorated  on  Cook 
Inlet  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  decade  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century  is  made  evident  by  such  reports  of 
managers  as  have  been  preserved.  The  total  catch 
tor  several  years,  dnring  which  time  two  shijis  well 
manned  and  hundreds  of  natives  were  empl(jyed,  did 
not  exceed  500  sea-otters  and  a  comparatively  small 
number  of  other  furs.  This  was  certainly  a  great 
i'alling-oif,  but  it  may  be  partly  ascribed  to  the  wran- 
gling of  rival  companies  whose  retainers  used  every 
means  to  interfere  with  each  other.  Large  quantities 
of  furs  were  destroyed,  houses  and  boats  wci'e  broken 
up,  and  blood  was  sometimes  shed.  The  decline  of 
trade  during  this  period  was  nr>t  arre.sted  till  the 
(■(umtry  liad  been  for  years  subjected  to  the  arbitrary 
rule  of  the  Russian  American  Company,  though  of 


.1  ! 


]    :  Hi 


2o2 


C0L0N1/-ATI0N  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


course  the  fur  business  never  recovered  its  former 
prosperity. 

Traces  of  populous  settlements  abound  on  the  shorer< 
of  tlie  inlet,  and  it  is  evident  that  the  numerous  vil- 
lages were  abandoned  to  desolation  at  about  the  same 
*^'nic.  The  age  of  trees  now  growing  over  former 
dwcjllings  enables  the  observer  to  fix  the  date  of  de- 
population within  a  few  years,  long  before  any  of  the 
e})i(lemics  which  subsequently  swept  the  country. 

With  the  unrestrained  introduction  of  fire-arms 
alouiJi:  the  coast  southward  from  Prince  William  Sound 
the  sea-otters  were  doomed  to  gradual  extermination 
througjhout  that  reorion,  thouy'h  the  countrv  suffered 
no  less  from  imported  Aleuts,  who  far  surpassed  the 
native  sea-otter  hunters  in  skill,  and  had  no  interest 
in  husbanding  production.  Long  before  American 
traders  took  a  prominent  |">art  in  these  operations  the 
ii'olden  davs  of  the  sea-otter  traffic  had  i)assed  awav. 

In  1792  Martin  Sauer  predicted  that  in  fiftot  n 
years  from  that  time  the  sea-otter  would  no  longer 
exist  in  the  waters  of  north-western  xVmerica,  and  Jio 
had  not  seen  the  devastation  on  the  coast  south  of 
Yakutat.  The  organization  of  the  Russian  American 
Company  alone  prevented  the  fulfilment  of  his  projih- 
.ecy  as  far  as  concerns  the  section  which  came  under 
his  observation. 

This  state  of  affairs  the  traders  had  not  failed  to 
reveal  to  the  government  long  before  this,  coupled 
with  no  little  comiilaint  and  exa<To-eration.  Officials 
in  8il)eria  aided  in  the  outcry,  and  the  empress  was 
actually  moved  to  order  war  vessels  to  the  coast, 
but  various  circumstances  interfered  with  their  de- 
parture.*'*   Nevertheless,  from  the  rivalry  of  English 

^•"Sholikof  complained  that  'the  advantages  which  rightfuUj'  lu'loii^'  to 
the  sulijects  of  Jtussia  alone  are  converted  to  tlie  l>enelit  of  other  nations  v  lio 
liave  no  claim  niion  the  country  and  no  rij^lit  to  the  ])roductH  of  its  waters.' 
Lieutenant-general  Ivan  liartholonieievich  Jaccjhi,  who  tiien  tiUecl  the  otilee 
of  governor  general  of  Irkutsk  and  Kolivausk,  re|>orted  to  the  euiiinss 
tliat  it  was  neeesoary  to  protect  witiiout  delay  tlie  Russian  jiossessionsciu  the 
coast  of  America  with  armed  vessels,  in  older  to  prevent  for<>i;:ucrs  frora 
iutcrferiiig  witli  the  liussian  fur-trade.     In  reply  Catherine  ordered  live  «ar- 


led  lo 

|)U|)le<l 

liicials 
U  Avns 
Icoast, 
lir  (Ic- 
liMish 

'1(111;.'  to 
liiis  villi 
Iwattis.' 
|io  (illico 

PlllJULSff 
Ih  DII  till! 

Irs  f  11 '111 

Ivc  Will- 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  ANIMALS, 


2:)3 


and  American  traders,  the  Shelikof  and  Gf)Hk()f  Com- 
pany does  not  appear  to  have  suflered  to  any  great 
extent,  if  v.'o  may  iiulufe  from  a  hst  of  caro'oes  im- 
]H)rted  by  that  tirm  during  a  term  of  nine  years. 
Tlieir  vessels  during  the  time  numbered  six;  one,  tlio 
TrrUi  Sridtt'teli,  making  two  tri[)s.  The  total  value 
111"  these  shiiinRiits  between  the  years  1788  and  17'J7 
was  1,500,000  roubles — equal  then  to  three  times  the 
amount  at  the  present  day.'"' 

This  result  was  due  i)artly  to  more  wide-spread 
;md  thorough  operations  than  hitherto  practised,  and 
]  artly  to  the  compensation  oifered  by  a  varied  assort- 
ment of  furs.  Thus,  while  the  most  valuable  fur- 
In  aring  animal,  the  sea-otters,  were  becoming  scarce 
ill  the  gulf  of  Kenai,  large  quantities  of  beavers, 
martens,  and  foxes  were  obtained  there. 

The  distribution  of  fur-bearinjx  animals  durin<_j  the 
last  century  was  of  course  very  much  the  stune  as 
H(»\v,  with  the  exception  that  foxes  of  all  kinds  came 
jilmost  exclusively  from  the  islands.  The  stone  foxes 
— blue,  white,  and  gray — were  most  numerous  on  the 
v.estern  islands  of  the  Aleutian  chain  and  on  the  l^i- 
1  ylof  group.  Black  and  silver-gray  foxes,  then  very 
A.iluable,  were  first  obtained  I'roni  Unalaska  by  the 
Shilof  and  Lapin  Company  and  at  once  brought  into 
fashion  at  St  Petersburg  by  means  of  a  judicious  pres- 
<  Illation  to  the  empress.  Shi})ments  of  martens  and 
minks  from  a  few  localities  on  the  mainland  were  in- 
si^'iiilicant,  and  the  samu  may  Ijo  said  of  bears  and 
\vi)l\-erenes.  The  sea-otter's  range  was  not  mucii 
innie  extended  than  at  present;  but  on  the  south- 
e!i>tei'n  coast  they  were  ten  times  more  numennis 
tlian    now.      They    were    never   found    north   of   the 

vi'ssils  til  lie  fittc'il  out  to  sail  in  I7SS,  under  command  of  Captiiin  Mulovskoi, 
vitli  tliu  rank  of  luigadicr.  The  war  witli  Swcili'ii  probahly  iiiU'itfrcd  wiili 
tlii-:  I'xpoilitioii.  Jli  ni,  Klirnrml.  Js/.,  158.  It  must  bo  reinemijered,  liowever, 
tiiat  the  ]'.illiiii,'s  cxiH'ditiiin  was  iimlcr  way  at  tliiit  time. 

"'Tlio  ditiiils  aro  fiiviii  liy  l?orgii  as  follows;  In  178(i  the  Sriiilitili  lirou^dit 
furs  vahu'd  at  .".(i,(i(H»  rubles;  in' 17>S<>  the  Sriatifi'li,  30(),(MH);  iu  IT'.I-J  tlio 
MiUiail,  aTC.iKX).  in  17!«  the  Sr  Slvwoii,  l'J8,(KK);  in  171».''>  the  I'lninij:, 
.■'•Ji.l.'is;  in  171I.J  the  AUxam/r,  270,000;  in  1790  the  Orel,  2i,ltl'2;  total  rbls., 
l,47y.i;U0.   KItronvl.  iM.,  lUU. 


11 


254 


COLONIZATION  AND  THE  FUR-TRADE. 


Aleutian  isles   and  the  southern   extremity  of  the 
Alaska  peninsula. 

The  fur-seal  frequented  the  same  breeding-grounds 
as  now  and  many  were  killed  on  the  Aleutian  and  Com- 
mander islands  while  on  their  annual  migration  to  and 
from  the  rookeries.  The  value  of  the  skins  was  small 
and  the  market  easily  overstocked,  often  necessitating 
the  destruction  of  those  on  hand.  Beavers  and  land- 
otters  were  obtained  only  in  Cook  Tnlet,  as  the  vast 
basin  of  the  Yukon  had  not  then  been  tapped.  Tho 
skins  of  this  class  for  the  overland  trade  with  China, 
as  has  been  stated,  were  purchased  in  England  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  carried  nearly  around 
the  globe.  Black  bears  were  occasionally  purchased, 
but  rarely  appeared  in  the  market,  being  considered 
as  most  suitable  presents  to  officials  and  persons  of 
high  rank  whose  good-will  might  serve  the  interest 
of  individual  traders  or  companies.  Lynx  and  marmot 
skins  found  only  a  local  demand  in  the  form  of  gar- 
ments and  trimmings. 


w:'^ 


i-.-iss;" 


CHAPTEK    XII. 

FOREIGN  VISITORS. 

1786-1794. 

French  Interest  in  the  North-west — La  Kroxise's  Examination — 
Discovery  of  Port  des  Fran9ais — A  Disamrous  Survey — English 
Visitors — Meares  is  Caught  in  Prince  William  Sound — Terrible 
Struggles  with  the  Scurvy — Portlock  and  Dixon  Come  to  the 
Rescue — Their  Two  Years  of  Trading  and  Exploring — IsmaTlop 
AND  BocHAROF  Set  forth  to  Secure  the  Claims  of  Russia — A  Treach- 
OROus  Chief — Yakutat  Bay  Explored — Traces  of  Foreign  Visitors 
Jealously  Suppressed — Spain  Resolves  to  Assert  Herself — Mar- 
tinez AND  Haro's  Tour  of  Investigation — Fidaloo,  Marchand,  and 
CajmaSo — Vancouver's  Expedition. 

The  activity  displayed  by  different  nationalities  in 
the  exploration  of  the  Northwest  Coast,  together 
with  allurements  of  trade  and  of  the  interoceanic 
problem,  called  to  this  region  also  the  attention  of  the 
French  government;  and  when  in  August  1785  La 
Perouse  was  despatched  from  Brest  with  two  frigates, 
the  Astrolabe  and  Boiissole,  the  latter  commanded  by 
De  Langle,  on  a  scientific  exploring  tour  round  the 
world,  he  received  instructions  to  extend  it  to  the 
farthest  north-west,  and  report  also  on  trade  pros- 
pects. After  a  tedious  voyage  round  Cape  Horn,  the 
coast  of  Alaska  uas  sighted  on  the  23d  of  June  1786 
oar  latitude  G0°,  where  the  gigantic  outline  of  Mount 
St  Elias  rose  above  the  clouds.  The  impression  made 
upon  the  natives  of  sunny  France  by  the  gloomy 
aspect  of  this  coast  was  not  more  favorable  than  that 
conceived  by  the  earlier  Spanish  and  English  visitors. 
The  contrast  was  too  great  between  the  palm-groves 
and  taro-fields  of  Hawaii  so  lately  witnessed^  and 

(265) 


1 


[■I 


250 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


these  snowy  mountains  of  this  northern  mainland 
with  their  thin  hhiekish  fringe  of  sombre  spruec- 
forcst.  At  any  rate,  contrary  to  his  instructions, 
which  were  to  ex[)h)rc  the  Aleutian  Isknds,  La  Pe- 
rouso  with  wisdom  shaped  his  course  south-eastward 
ah)n<jf  the  coast.^ 

For  some  time  no  landing  could  be  effected,  the 
vessels  not  approaching  near  enough  to  tJie  shore 
to  distinguish  bays  and  headlands.  In  two  instances 
boats  were  lowered  to  reconnoitre,  but  the  reports  of 
officers  in  charge  were  not  favorable.  The  wide  open- 
ing of  Yakutat  or  Bering  Bay  was  thus  passed  un- 
awares, but  a  little  to  the  southward  La  Pcrouso 
observed  what  he  considered  certain  indications  of  the 
discharge  of  a  large  river  into  the  sea." 

On  the  2d  of  Auifust  an  inlet  was  siijhted  a  short 
distance  below  Cape  Fairweather,  and  on  the  following 
day  the  two  frigates  succeeded  in  gaining  an  anchor- 
age. The  navigator  felt  exultant  over  this  discovery 
of  a  new  harbor,  and  expressed  himself  in  his  journ;;1 
to  the  etiect  "tliat  if  the  French  government  had  en- 
tertained ideas  of  establishing  factories  in  this  \)\x\l 
of  the  American  coast,  no  other  nation  could  pretend 
to  the  smallest  right  of  opposing  the  project."^    The 

*  Iiuleotl  the  illustrions  French  navigator  liad  tleviatod  from  his  ineti'uc- 
tiona  ever  since  leaving  Matleira.  lie  nuule  the  northern  coast  in  tlie  HK^ntli 
designated,  liut  a  year  eai'lier  tlian  had  heen  conteniphited,  liaving  deferiid 
liis  explorations  in  the  south  Pacific.  The  instructions  lu'eserihed,  that  lie 
sliould  'particularly  endeavor  to  explore  those  parts  which  liave  not  Ikhu 
cxaniineii  hy  ('aptain  Cook,  and  of  which  the  relations  of  Russian  and  Spani?  h 
navigators  have  given  no  idea.  HiMvill  observe  whether  in  those  parts  ii"t 
yet  known  some  river  may  not  he  found,  some  confined  gulf,  which  may,  liy 
means  of  the  interior  lakes,  open  a  cominunicatiou  \^ith  S(;mc  part  of  Huds.ii 
Ray.  He  will  push  his  inquiries  to  Rehrings  Ray  and  to  Mount  St  Eli:is 
and  will  inspect  the  ports  Ruearelli  and  Los  Remedios.  Rrince  William  Laud 
and  ("ook  river  having  been  suthciently  explored,  he  will,  after  making  Mduiit 
St  IClias,  steer  a  course  for  the  Shumagin  Islands,  near  the  ])eninsula  of  Alaska, 
lie  will  afterward  exanuue  the  Aleutian  Islands,'  etc.  La  I\rou»c,  Voi/..  i. 
70-7.-). 

'•"One  indentation  of  the  coast  was  named  De  Monti  Bay;  and  La  Pi/rousc's 
]'"'rench  edition  asserts  that  this  was  Rering  ]>;iy  with  the  anchorage  of  I'nrt 
MiUgrave  named  by  Dixon  in  the  following  year.  iJixon's  position  of  I'cit 
Mulgrave  was  lat.  oi)"  3;V  and  long.  140°  w.  of  Clrecnwicli,  while  La  IVrou.-i' 
located  tlie  bay  De  Monti  at  ,"i'J' 4,'$' and  140^ '20'.  Roth  longitudes  were  in- 
correct in  regard  to  Port  Mulgrave. 

'The  edilur  of  ,  he  ji.urual  of  La  Perouse,  in  his  effort  to  establish  tliJ 


i  111  and 
pruoc- 
ctions, 

jSX   Pt'- 

stwarJ 

id,  tlio 
slioi'o 
stances 
orts  <»t' 
'd  opou- 
;cd  uu- 
i*crouso 
i  of  the 

a  sliort 
llowin;^ 
aiich(  >r- 
scovcry 
jouriir.l 
had  c'li- 
lis  i)ail 
Iprcteiul 
The 


|'3 


lis  ii»6ti'uc- 
Itlie  UKJUtli 

Ig   dc'tV'l'K'l 

y.l,  that  !'.• 

not  liocu 

lid  Spaiiisli 

puits  lint 

111  may,  I'Y 

lof  Hmlsnii 

It  St  Eli:ii* 

lliam  Land 

|iiigM"Uiit 

lof  Alaska. 

le,    Voii-,  •• 

be  of  I'liit 
fn  (.f  I'oit 

1  wcro  in- 

|il)lish  tli'J 


LA  PEROUSE'S  EXPEDITION. 


257 


newly  discovered  j^ort,  called  Ltua  by  the  natives,  was 
named  rightly  and  modestly  Port  des  Fran^ais,  which 
nave  no  undue  personal  prominence  t(.)  any  one.  Ex- 
ploring and  surveying  parties  in  boats  were  sent  out 
at  once,  while  the  remainder  of  the  crews  were  em- 
ployed in  watering  the  ships  and  re-stowing  cargo  in 
order  to  mount  six  cannons  that  had  thus  far  been 
carried  in  the  hold.* 

The  bay  of  Ltua  represents  in  its  contours  the  let- 
ter T,  the  foot  forming  its  outlet  into  the  sea.  The 
cross-bar  consists  of  a  deep  basin  terminating  in 
glaciers.  La  Pe rouse  alludes  to  it  as  "  perhaps  the 
most  extraordinary  i)lace  in  the  world,"  and  describes 
the  upper  part  as  "  a  basin  of  water  of  a  depth  in  the 
n)i(ldle  that  could  not  be  fathomed,  bordered  by  peaked 
mountains  of  an  excessive  height  covered  with  snow  .  .  . 
I  never  saw  a  breath  of  air  ruffle  the  surface  of  this 
water ;  it  is  never  troubled  but  by  the  fall  of  immense 
blocks  of  ice,  which  continually  detach  them.selves  from 
fine  glaciers,  and  which  in  falling  make  a  noise  that 
resounds  far  through  the  mountains.  The  air  is  so 
calm  that  the  voice  may  be  heard  half  a  league  away, 
as  well  as  the  noise  of  the  sea  birds  that  lay  their  eggs 
in  the  cavities  of  these  rocks."  Though  charmed  with 
the  weird  grandeur  of  the  scenery,  the  explorers  were 
di.sappointed  in  their  expectation  of  fintling  a  river  or 
channel  oftcring  a  passage  to  the  Canadian  lakes  or 
Hudson  Bay. 

Intercourse  with  the  natives  began  with  the  first 

French  discoverer's  claim  to  priority  on  this  pai't  of  the  coast,  ignores  Cook 
ns  having  been  'too  far  from  the  nl  ore,'  l)ut  carefully  traces  the  movements 
of  Dixon  whori  he  stems  to  have  looked  njion  as  the  commander  of  the  ex- 
pedition, co'idisting  of  the  K'ukj  (,!i'or<jc  and  (Jiiciti  CharloKv,  and  shows  that 
La  IVronse  sighted  Mount  St  Elias  and  other  points  far  earlier.  The  editor 
soen\s  to  make  a  fine  distinction  hctweeu  Prince  WilKam  Sound  and  the 
'nnrthwest  coast' of  America.  Lji  POrousc  himself  gives  so  careful  and  un- 
hiiisscd  a  description  of  what  he  saw  on  the  Alaskan  coast  as  to  impress  the 
M  adcr  with  a  feeling  of  contidcnce  not  generally  derived  from  a  perusal  of 
tlic  n;\rrativcs  of  his  English  and  other  predecessors  mid  successors  in  tho 
held  of  exploration. 

*  This  was  done,  according  to  tho  editor  of  the  journal,  not  from  fear  of 
Indians  on  the  spot,  but  with  a  view  of  defence  against  pii'ates  in  the  Cliiua 
Bcas  they  were  so  soon  to  visit. 

Hm.  ALA8Si..     17 


; 


\ 


p:: !; 

If         !i 


wr\ 


I 


urn: 


IH,|i 


:  '^ ' 

Hi 

m- 

\^ 

m 

S1i>t ' 


li(.il 


2.-)8 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


day,  and  soon  they  came  in  largo  numbers,  allured 
from  a  distance  it  was  supposed.  Contrary  to  his 
expectations  La  Perouse  found  the  savages  in  posses- 
sion of  knives,  hatchets,  iron,  and  beads,  from  which, 
with  clearer  discrimination  than  Cook,,  he  concluded 
these  natives  to  have  indirect  communication  with  tliu 
Russians,  while  the  latter  navigator  ascribed  such 
indications  to  inter-tribal  traffic  originating  with  Hud- 
son liay  posts.^  It  was  convenient  for  the  English- 
man thus  to  ignore  the  presence  of  any  rival  in  these 
parts.  Ti'afhc  was  carried  on  with  moderate  success, 
the  chief  article  of  baiter  being  iron,  and  some  six 
hundred  sea-otter  skins  and  a  number  of  other  furs 
were  obtained.  To  so  inexperienced  a  trader  the 
business  transacted  a]i])eared  innnense,  leading  the 
commaader  to  the  ojjinion  that  a  trading-post  could 
easily  collect  twenty  thousand  skins  per  annum,  yet 
he  leaned  rather  to  occasional  private  trading  expecH- 
tions  than  to  the  fixed  establishment.  The  thieving 
propensities  of  the  natives  annoyed  the  French  very 
much,  and  in  the  hope  of  keeping  the  robbers  away 
La  Perouse  purchased  of  the  chief  an  island  in  the 
bav,  where  he  had  established  his  astronomical  sta- 
tion;  but  though  a  high  i)rice  was  paid  for  the  worth- 
less ground  there  was  no  abatement  of  thefts.  The 
savages  would  glide  thi'ough  the  dense  spruce  thicket 
at  night  and  steal  articles  I'rom  under  the  very  heads 
of  sleepers  without  alarming  the  guards. 

On  July  13th  a  terrible  mistortune  befell  the  ex- 
pedition. Three  boats  had  been  sent  out  to  make 
linal  soundings  for  a  chart,  inchuling  the  passage  lead- 
ing out  to  sea.  As  the  undertaking  was  looked  upon 
in  the  light  of  a  pleasure  excursion,  affording  an  oppor- 
tunity for  hunting,  the  number  of  ofKcers  accomi)any- 
ing  the  party  was  larger  than  the  duty  required,  seven 

^We  have  no  evidence  of  the  advance  of  Ismai'lof  's  boats  to  the  point  pre- 
vious to  the  arrival  of  tlie  Frencli  frigates.  Tlio  seal-skin  covering  of  a  laryo 
canoe  or  bidar  discovered  here  would  point  to  visits  of  Aglcgnuites  or  C"l:u- 
gatsches.  The  natives  stated  that  of  seven  similar  boats,  six  had  been  lost 
in  the  attempt  to  stem  the  fearful  tidcrip  at  the  entrance  to  the  bay. 


TERRIBLE  ACCIDENT. 


259 


in  nil,  Avhilc  the  crows  consisted  of  eiQ-liteon  of  the  best 
moll  from  both  vessels.  On  ap})r()aeliin*^  the  narrow 
t'liannel  at  the  entrance  o'f  the  bay,  two  of  the  boats 
were  drawn  into  the  resistless  current  and  engulfed  in 
the  breakers  almost  before  their  imnates  were  aware  of 
tlitir  danger.  The  third  boat,  the  smallest,  narrowly 
tscajied  a  like  fate.  Not  a  man  of  the  first  two  was 
saved,  not  even  a  single  body  was  washed  ashore.**  .V 
monument  to  the  drowned  party  was  erected  on  the 
point  of  island  purchased  of  the  chief,  and  it  was 
named  L'lslc  du  Cenotaphe.^  Weighing  anchor  July 
:]Oth  the  squadron  sailed  along  the  coast  without  mak- 
ing any  observations,  but  on  tlie  Gtli  of  August  the 
weather  cleared,  enabling  La  Perouse  to  determine  his 
i)()sition  in  the  vicinitv  of  Norfolk  Sound.*^  Puerto  do 
ijucareli  antl  Cape  Kaigan  were  passed  by,  and  unfav- 
orable weather  foiled  the  attempt  to  run  into  Dixon 
liliitrancc,  whereu])on  the  expedition  passed  beyond 
Alaska  limits."  Superlioial  as  were  his  observations, 
La  Perouse  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  whole 
coast  from  Cross  Sound  to  Cape  Hector,  the  south 
point  of  Queen  Charlotte  Island,  was  one  archipelago.^" 


I  < 


le  ex- 
make 

i lead- 
upoii 
)ppoi- 

Ipany- 

1  seven 

jint  pro- 
If  ii  l:n-o 
loi-Ch-a- 
Iceii  lost 


During  the  ye^ar  178G  much  progress  was  made  in 
the  ex})loration  of  the  Alaskan  coast  between  Dixon 

"The  victims  were:  from  the  DoH''ml<\  irEscurca,  do  PiciTcvcrt,  de  Mon- 
tanril  (officers),  and  8  men;  from  the  AKti-vhUic,  do  la  liorde  Murcliaiavillc,  do 
l:i  liordo  lioutcrvilliera,  Flassan  (oliicers),  and  7  nicn.  The  two  de  la  Borde 
^\cre  lirothers. 

'  Tlie  monument  bore  an  inscription,  and  at  its  foot  a  bottle  was  buried 
contiiining  a  brief  narrative  of  the  moliinch(jly  occurrence. 

''He  rccoguizcd  the  Cabo  de  Kiigauo  and  Mount  San  Jiicinto  of  the  Spnu- 
iaiils  without  alluding;  to  Cook's  nomenclature  of  Mount  and  Cape  lOdj^'cconihc. 
He  looked  into  Norfolk  Sound  from  the  group  of  islands  at  its  soutliorn  en- 
tnuice,  and  named  two  bays  to  the  southward,  of  which  he  saw  only  the  nioutli.-;, 
I'liit  Xoikcr  and  Port  Ouibert  (probably  I'ort  llanks  and  Whale  Bay).  On  the 
I'i'Huwing  day  he  named  Cape  Ouiinanoy  (Ca])e  Chirikof)  and  Christian  Sounil 
(Cliirikof  ]5ay).  The  Hazy  Islands  ho  renamed  Isles  tk;  la  Croyere.  La  !'■• 
r:)ii.ic,  Vol/.,  ii.  165-7. 

"  The  details  of  La  Pi^ronse's  explorations  and  observations  south  of  this 
point  can  be  found  in  Jlist.  Xorlhurst  Coaxf,  i.,  and  J/t4.  CaL,  i.,  tiiis  series. 

'"In  the  following  year  the  A.^trolcibc'  and  Unuxnolo  reached  tlie  coast  of 
Kamchatka;  but  though  the  French  officers  met  a  number  of  intlividuids 
i'lcntilied  with  the  history  of  Alaska,  the  circumstances  of  their  sojourn  in 
till'  luu'bor  of  Petropavlovsk  Lave  no  immediate  connection  with  tliis  narra- 
tive. 


200 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


\m: 


Entrance  and  tlio  Alaska  Peninsula.  The  CapUdii 
Cook  i\\\i\  the  Expcriuicnf,  under  captains  Lowry  and 
firuiso,  sailed  in  June  from  Nootka  for  Prince  Will- 
iam Land,  where  they  obtained  a  small  lot  of  iuis. 
^.Tore  extensive  are  the  experiences  recorded  of  John 
jMeares."  He  sailed  from  Malacca  in  the  Nootka  ^lay 
29,  1786.  A  companion  ship,  the  Sea  Otter,  also 
fitted  out  in  Bengal,  had  sailed  before  him  with  the 
intention  of  meeting  in  Pi'incc  William  Sound,  but 
was  never  heard  of  Andia  and  Atkha,  of  the  Aleu- 
tian group,  were  sighted  the  1st  of  August,  and  after 
l)assing  unawares  to  the  northward  of  the  islands 
during  a  fog  he  was  on  the  5th  piloted  into  Beavii- 
]jay  by  a  llu  ::ian.  While  taking  in  water,  jSIearts 
and  his  officers  were  hospitably  entertained  by  the 
Ilussians  on  Unalaska  under  Delarof,  yet  the  Englisli- 
luan  delights  none  the  less  to  sneer  at  their  poverty 
while  extolling  the  'generous' and  'magnanimous'  con- 
duct of  the  British  trader,  as  represented  in  himseli'. 
On  arrivincf  at  the  mouth  of  Cook  Inlet  soon  after, 
he  heard  that  two  vessels  had  already  visited  that 
part  of  the  coast  that  summer,  and  seeing  indications 
of  Russians  everywhere  he  passed  on  to  Prince  W^iD- 
iam  Sound,  imagining  himself  first  on  the  ground. 
On  his  wav  he  gave  the  name  of  Petrie  to  Shelikof 
Strait.  In  his  ean^erness  to  gather  all  the  sea-otter 
skins  possible,  Meares  allowed  the  season  to  slip  by 
till  too  late  for  a  passage  to  China  and  no  choice 
lemained  but  to  winter  in  the  sound.  He  first  tried 
the  anchorage  of  Snug  Corner  Cove,  discovered  by 
Cook,  but  subsequently  moved  his  vessel  to  a  sheltered 
nook  nearer  the  mainland,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  pres- 
ent village  of  Tatikhlek. 


1  H 

1    j'  M 


"  Voyaqrx  madr  in  (he  years  17SS  and  17S9  from  China  to  the  North-ved 
Coast  of  Aintrica,  to  which  is  prefixed  an  Introductory  yarrative  of  a  Voyi'ji'. 
jcrformed  in  1730,  from  Bmijal  in  the  ship  yooiku,  hy  John  Meares,  Z,'m/., 
London,  1700.  Of  this  work  several  editions  have  been  publisheil.  The  im- 
j);ession  created  by  a  perusal  of  Meares'  narrative,  especially  in  the  light  (f 
Iii.-3  later  transactions  at  Nootka,  is  that  ho  was  an  insincere  and  uuscrupuluui 
man,  and  tliat  he  was  so  regarded  by  Portlock  is  evident  from  the  manner  iii 
which  the  latter  bound  hiui  to  the  f  ulUhneut  of  his  promises. 


MEARES'  DISTRESS. 


2GI 


The  vessel  was  but  ill-su[)[)lle(l  with  the  provisions 
necessary  f'oi-  a  long  winter  in  the  far  north,  hut  the 
l)cst  arrangements  j)()SsihlL'  under  the  eircunistances 
were  made.  The  shi[)  was  eovercd.  Spruce  beer 
was  brewed;  but  the  crew  preferring  the  s})irituous 
li([U(>r  which  was  served  out  too  freely  for  men  on 
short  allowance  of  food,  and  the  su[)ply  of  fresh  fish 
meanwhile  being  stopped,  scurvy  broke  out.  Among 
the  first  victims  was  the  surgeon.  Funerals  became 
freijuent.  At  first,  attempts  were  made  to  dig  a  shal- 
low grave  under  the  snow;  but  as  the  survivors  be- 
came few  and  lost  their  strength,  the  bodies  were 
(h'opped  through  cracks  in  the  ice,  to  become  food  ft^)r 
fishes  long  before  returning  spring  opened  their  crys- 
tal vault.  At  last  the  stren<>th  of  the  decimated  crew 
\\as  barely  sufficient  to  drag  the  daily  supply  of  fuel 
f'lom  the  forest  a  few  hundred  yards  away.  The  sav- 
ages, who  kept  themselves  well  informed,  grew  inso- 
lent as  they  waited  impatiently  for  the  last  man  to 
die. 

In  April  some  natives  from  a  distant  part  of  the 
sound  visited  the  vessel.  A  girl  purchased  by  Mcares 
at  the  bejjinning  of  the  winter  for  an  axe  and  some 
heads,  and  who  had  served  as  interpreter,  declared 
them  to  be  her  own  people  and  went  away  wdtli  them — 
!i  rat  leaving  a  doomed  ship. 

The  depth  of  despondency  had  been  reached  when 
Meares  heard  of  the  arrival  of  two  ships  in  the  sound. 
Without  a  seaworthy  boat  or  a  crew  he  was  obliged 
to  await  a  chance  visit  from  the  new-comers.  A  let- 
ter intrusted  to  some  natives  failed  to  reach  its  des- 
tination. In  the  evening  of  the  8th  of  May,  however, 
Captain  Dixon  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  arrived  in  a 
\\haleboat  and  boarded  the  Xootka,  which  was  still  fast 
ill  the  ice.  Learning  of  Mcares'  distress  he  promised 
all  necessary  assistance. ^^ 

''^  Meares  complained  that  Dixon  woulcl  make  no  promise  until  the  matter 
li.'ul  been  submitted  to  Portlock,  and  that  he  would  lioldout  no  hope  for  sup- 
plifs;  l)ut  Dixon  writes:  '  Iliad. .  .satisfaction  in  assuring  him  that  he  sliouid 
bu  furnished  with  every  necessaiy  we  could  possibly  spare.    As  Captaiu 


232 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


Bil :  '1 


W 


*■  ■  ': 


i^ 


]\Icarcs  now  liad  onu  of  his  boats  repaired,  and  pio- 
ccoded  to  Portlock's  vessels,  on  the  north  side  oi" 
!Mo!itague  Ishiud,  where  reHef  was  obtained.  Porl- 
lock  insisted,  however,  tliat  Meares  should  cease  at 
once  to  trad«  with  the  natives  and  leave  the  field  to 
him,  and  the  latter  yielded,  though  he  complained 
bitterly."  A  nionth  after  the  departure  of  the  Quccu 
Cli<uivtte  in  search  of  furs  the  Nootka  left  the  sceui: 
of  so  much  misery  and  disaster,  her  commander  bid- 
dini^  a  reluctant  farewell  to  the  coast  of  Alaska  iu 
conformance  with  his  i)romise  to  Captain  Portlock. 

This  was  the  second  visit  to  Alaska  of  Portlock  and 
Dixon.  They  had  sailed  from  Enj^land  in  August  1 78;» 
in  the  ship  Kin<j  (Jeonje  and  Queen  Charlotte,  and  first 
a^iproached  the  vicinity  of  Cook  Inlet  on  the  IGth  of 
July  1 78G.  Less  dismayed  than  jNIeares  at  the  presence 
of  Russians,  they  moved  past  them  up  to  the  head  of 
Cook  Inlet,  and  there  met  with  considerable  succe:^.-^ 
in  trading." 

After  a  sojourn  of  nearly  a  month  the  King  Geotyi- 

Mearca'  people  were  now  getting  better,  he  desired  nio  not  to  take  the  troiiliK- 
of  Kcniling  any  refreshments  to  him,  as  he  would  come  on  board  of  us  vc.y 
Bliortly  in  his  own  boat.'  JJlxon'n  Toy.,  155. 

'^  Meares  gives  his  readers  tlie  impression  of  a  strong  bias  in  tliis  mattcf, 
and  one  inclines  to  credit  the  two  naval  ollicers,  whose  narratives  bear  tlu- 
stamp  of  truth.  Further  thsm  this  the  wild  statements,  if  not  deliberate  falt-r- 
lioods,  of  Meares  in  connection  witli  the  Nootka  controversy  are  well  kiio\Mi. 
Dixon  states  the  case  as  follows:  '  In  the  forenoon  of  the  11  th  Captain  Meares 
and  Mr  lloss  left  us.  They  were  supplied  with  what  flour,  sugar,  niolasst>. 
brandy,  etc.,  we  could  possibly  spare;  and  in  order  to  render  them  e\iiy 
uswistance  in  our  power,  Captain  Portlock  spared  Captain  Mcjires  two seaiiuii 
to  assi.st  in  carrying  his  vessel  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  whero  he  proposal 
going  as  soon  as  the  weather  permitted.'  /(/.,  158. 

'*()n  the  10th  of  July  the  ship-  had  stood  into  a  capacious  oj)ening  on  tliu 
east  s  le  near  the  entrance  of  the  nilet.  The  place  was  named  Graham  l!ay, 
and  a  ove  on  the  north  side  near  the  entrance  was  called  Coal  Harl)or,  s(\  • 
eral  s <  ms  of  that  mineral  being  visible  along  the  blutls.  A  party  of  Ku.ssiaiis 
with  ■  umber  of  native  hunters  were  encamped  near  a  lagoon,  the  site  of  th' 
laterl  ling-post  of  Alexandrovsk.  Seeing  no  prospect  of  trade  here,  Portloik 
conduv  1  to  proceed  up  the  inlet  or  river  as  he  presumed  it  to  be.  1'in' 
hi,ij;hest  '-int  reached  by  him  was  Trading  Bay,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  present 
village  Toyonok,  just  cast  of  North  Foreland.  Here  some  trading  v.i> 
done,  c'  dently  with  Kadiak  or  Chug.atsch  Imnting  parties;  for  they  all  use. I 
the  kya  or  skin  canoe,  and  had  no  permanent  villages  on  the  shore.  I'm: 
lock  as  ,vimcd  from  the  signs  of  these  natives  that  they  asked  his  assiytan  e 
a),'ain.st  the  liu.s.sians,  but  in  this  he  was  probably  mistaken.  Dixon's  \'vi/.,Oh 
6d;  Portlock's  Voy.,  102-17 


PORTLOCK  AND  DIXON. 


203 


md  pre- 
side <il 
Port- 
ccase  ill 

field  \n 

nplaiiiLil 
10  Queen 
ho  scour 
ider  bid- 
daska  in 
rtlock. 

dock  aud 

rust  17  Hi) 

,  and  first 
e  IGtli  of 
;  presem-e; 
0  head  oi' 
le  succuhft 

ag  Georrje 

iethe  troulilv 
•d  of  us  vciy 

1  this  mattir, 

Uvea  bu;ir  tlir 

[liberate  falsi  • 

well  kiH)\Mi 

kptain  Mcarc  s 

;ar,  inolassr.-. 

them  evtiv 

18  two  scaiiu'U 

he  propostil 

liening  on  tlu- 
iGrahaiii  r>a\ , 
J  Harbor,  si.v- 
ly  of  llussiaiis 
Ihe  site  of  tli' 
lere,  Portlock 
1  to  be.  Tho 
If  the  prcsont 
1  trailing  vas 
I  they  all  nsi.  I 
■shore.  V»r'>- 
liis  ausisUiU'  ■■■ 


aiid  Queen  Charlotte  left  the  inlet  on  the  13th  of  Au- 
<,aiHt,  with  the  intention  to  examine  Prince  William 
Sound.  A  succession  of  contrary  winds  and  thick 
weather  interfereil  with  this  jdan.  For  over  a  month 
the  vessels  kept  near  the  coast,  sii,diting  many  j>oints 
previously  determined  by  Spanish  and  En<,dish  ex- 
plorers, but  finding  it  impossible  to  make  a  landiiiLj, 
until  finally,  on  the  28th  of  Septend)er,  when  in  tlio 
vicinity  of  Nootka  Sound,  Captain  Portlock  gave  up 
all  hopes  of  further  trade  that  season  and  headed  lor 
the  Hawaiian  Islands. 

After  wintering  there  Portlock  sailed  once  rnoro 
for  the  Alaskan  coast,  and  sighted  j\Iontague  Island 
on  the  23d  of  Ap:'.I.  Natives  who  visited  the  sln[)s 
on  tho  west  side  of  the  island  were  witiiout  furs,  but 
pointed  to  the  head  of  the  .sound,  repeating  the  word 
'Xootka,' which  puzzled  Cai)tains  Portlock  and  Dixon 
not  a  little,  until  the  latter  finally  fell  in  with  Meares 
as  before  stated.  The  Queen  Charlotte  stood  down 
the  coast,  while  Portlock  moved  to  Nuchek  Harbor 
to  await  the  long-boat  of  the  King  George  which  had 
been  despatched  for  Cook  Inlet  on  the  12th  of  May, 
with  orders  to  return  by  the  20th  of  June.'"'  The 
boat  returned  on  the  1  Ith,  reporting  such  success  that 
slie  was  fitted  out  anew  and  despatched  upon  a  seccjnd 
trip  with  positive  orders  to  return  by  the  20th  of 
July. 

Portlock's  prolonged  stay  at  Nuchek  enabled  him 
to  form  a  very  good  chart  of  the  bay,  which  he  named 
Port  Etches,  while  a  cove  on  the  west  side  was 
called  Brook  Cove.^"  Trade  was  not  very  active, 
and  boats  sent  to  various  parts  of  the  sound  did  not 

"The  boat  was  commanded  by  Ilayward,  third  m.ate. 

'"A  smoke-house  was  erected  for  the  purpose  of  curing  salmon;  an  abun- 
dance of  sprace  jeer  was  browed  and  a  number  of  spars  were  secared  from 
tlio  virgin  forest  lining  the  shores  of  tlic  bay.  At  the  head  of  one  of  tlie 
coves  an  inscription  was  discovered  upon  a  tree,  which  Portlock  believed  to 
be  Greek,  made  by  a  man  living  among  the  natives,  but  wliicii  of  course  was 
llussian.  Portlock  left  a  wooden  vane  and  inscription  on  (jarden  Island  to 
tUe  south  side  of  Nuchek  Harbor.  Garden  strawberries  are  now  found  on 
this  and  other  points  of  Nuchek  Island— probably  the  result  of  Portlock's 
experiment.    Voij.,  232,  243. 


i 


if 


P    :l 


! 


*''      i!i 


ati 


i'  li 


'■ 


I 


lifeii 


.  I 


W  I 


*iH'H  '' 


264 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


meet  with  much  success,  some  of  them  being  robbed 
not  only  of  trading  goods  and  provisions,  but  of 
clothes  and  arms  belonging  to  the  men.  The  whale- 
boat  and  yawl  were  left  high  ashore  by  the  ebb-tide 
to  the  eastward  of  Nuchek  Island,  and  in  that  help- 
less condition  the  crews  were  surrounded  by  two  hun- 
dred natives  and  completely  stripped,  the  only  result 
of  the  expedition  being  the  discovery  that  Nuchek 
was  an  island,  a  fact  already  ascertained  by  the 
Spaniards. 

On  the  22d  of  July  the  long-boat  returned  from 
her  second  and  less  remunerative  voyage  to  Cook 
Inlet,  and  three  days  later  the  King  George  sailed  out 
of  Port  Etches,  passing  round  the  west  side  of  Mon- 
tague Island.  Portlock  sighted  ]\Iount  Fairweather, 
but  failed  to  find  Cross  Sound,  which  he  had  looked 
^'or  in  vain  the  preceding  season.  On  the  5th  of 
August  he  found  a  harbor,  which  was  named  after 
himself,  about  twelve  leagues  to  the  southward  of 
Cape  Cross  as  located  by  Cook.^^  Here  the  King 
George  anchored  once  more  and  the  boats  were  sent 
out  in  search  of  inhabitants  and  trade.  Only  a  few 
natives  visited  the  ships,  for  no  permanent  settlement 
existed  thereabout.  The  long-boat,  however,  under 
Hayward,  made  a  quite  successful  trip  to  Norfolk 
Sound,  passing  on  the  return  voyage  through  Klokat- 
chef  Sound  Cook  Bay  of  Islands.^^  On  the  23d  of 
August  the  King  George  set  sail;  left  the  coast  of 
Alaska  for  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  the  next  rendezvous 
appointed  with  Dixon. 

■'  The  latitude  of  the  ship's  position  in  this  harbor  is  given  as  57°  46',  hut 
while  I'ortlock's  sketch  seems  plain  enough,  no  later  navigator  has  coiifinnod 
the  contours  of  the  bay.  On  the  latest  chart  issued  by  the  United  Statca 
HydrogriiphicOfhce  a  simple  break  in  the  ooast  line  under  the  latitude  given 
is  indicated  as  Portlock  Harbor.  It  must  exist  somewhere  on  the  w  it  coast 
of  Chichagof  Island. 

'"The  inhabitants  of  Norfolk  Sound  had  shown  some  disposition  to  hos- 
tility toward  the  crew  of  the  long-boat,  but  about  the  ship  they  confined 
themselves  merely  to  stealing,  Dixon,  in  his  narrative,  spoke  of  having  seen 
here  a  white  linen  shirt  ■«  orn  by  an  Indian,  which  he  believed  to  be  of  Span- 
ish make,  but  it  is  nmch  more  probable  that  the  garment  had  found  its  m  ay 
there  from  some  point  of  the  coast  where  the  Astrolabe  and  Boussok  had 
touched. 


A  RUSSIAN  EXPLORATION. 


205 


Dixon  had  in  the  mean  time  sailed  eastward  aloiirr 
the  coast,  and  more  fortunate  than  Portloek  he  did  not 
overlook  the  wide  entrance  of  Yakutat  Bay,  wliith 
he  entered  the  23d  of  May.  He  discovered  and  sur- 
veved  a  fine  harbor  on  the  south  side,  which  he  named 
Port  Mulgrave.  Here  the  Queen  Charlotte  remained 
nearly  two  weeks,  meeting  at  first  with  eome  success 
in  trading,  though  the  natives  were  in  possession  of 
Russian  beads  and  ironware.  An  exploration  of  the 
neighborhood  in  boats  convinced  Dixon  that  the  shores 
of  the  bay  were  thinly  peopled. ^^ 

On  the  4th  of  June  he  proceeded  eastward  in  search 
of  some  port  where  better  trade  might  be  found. 
Owing  to  his  distance  from  the  coast  he  failed  to 
i-hserve  Cross  Sound,  but  on  the  11th  he  sighted 
]\Iount  Edgecombe,  and  the  following  day  entered  and 
named  Norfolk  Sound,^  A  survey  was  made  which 
resulted  in  a  very  fair  chart.  Natives  made  their 
appearance  as  the  ship  was  passing  into  the  bay  and 
for  three  days  trade  was  brisk. 

On  the  24th  of  June  the  Queen  Charlotte  left  Nor- 
folk Sound,  and  on  the  following  day  another  harbor 
was  observed  and  named  Port  Banks,  probably  the 
present  Whale  Bay,  in  latitude  5G^  35'.  The  wind 
not  being  favorable  no  attempt  was  made  to  enter, 
and  about  the  1st  of  July  Dixon  left  the  coast  of 
Alaska  to  meet  with  his  first  marked  success  in  tradinLf 
at  Clark  Bay  on  the  north-western  extremit}'  of 
Queen  Charlotte  Islands.  The  events  of  his  voyage 
below  this  point  are  told  in  another  volume.'^* 

"  Dixon  estimated  a  population  of  only  70,  iucliuliug  women  and  children, 
which  Is  n.iich  too  low.  Ha  description  of  the  natives  is  not  very  accurate. 
(See  Native  Races,  i.  passim,  tiiis  series. 

'"The  natives  seemed  to  Dixon  more  easy  to  deal  with  than  those  at  Port 
Muli^'i-ave.  During  an  exploration  of  the  hay  in  hoats  some  inconvenience 
was  cxperii  need  from  their  thieving  propensiticH.  Tlie  astronomical  ix)8iti()n 
of  his  anchorage  on  the  east  shore  of  Kruzof  Island  was  lat.  70'  'X,  long.  i;{d' 
."8'.  He  applied  the  name  of  White  Point  to  the  Ucach  Caiie  of  tlie  llusaiuus. 
Tlie  wliolo  estuary  was  named  after  the  duko  of  Norfolk. 

'■"//iV.  Northicent  Coaxt,  i.,  this  series.  All  our  information  concerning  the 
visits  of  the  Kiinj  Oeonje  and  Qiievu  Vharlnlte  to  the  Alaskan  coast  is  d(  iIvlmI 
from  the  narratives  of  Dixon  ond  Portloek,  and  to  a  limited  extent  from  tliat 
of  Meares.    Portloek "s  narrative  was  published  in  London  iu  17'J9  under  the 


4 


SI 


"i 


f    . 


2G6 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


The  next  exploration  of  Prince  William  Sound  and 
the  coast  cast  of  it  took  place  during  the  second  voy- 
age of  the  Trekh  Sviatiteli,  in  connection  with  Sheli- 
kuf's  plans  for  the  development  and  extension  of  his 
colony.  This  vessel  had  arrived  at  Kadiak  from 
Okhotsk  in  April  1788  and  was  at  once  despatched 
upon  a  trading  and  exploring  voyage  to  the  eastward, 
under  Ismailof  and  Bocharof,  both  holding  the  rank  of 
masters  in  the  imperial  navy  with  special  instructions 
furnished  by  Jacobi,  then  governor  general  of  Siberia, 
and  supplemented  by  orders  of  Eustrate  Delarof  who 
had  succeeded  Samoilof  in  the  command  of  the  colony. 
The  crew  consisted  of  forty  Russians  and  four  natives 
of  Kadiak  who  were  to  serve  as  interpreters.  In  ad- 
dition to  as  full  an  armament  and  equipment  as  cir- 
cumstances would  allow  the  expedition  was  supplied 
with  a  number  of  painted  posts  and  boards,  copper 


title  of  A  Voyage  round  the  World,  but  more  parlknlnrly  to  tlie.  North  •  West  Coa4 
of  America:  performed  in  1785, 17S6, 17S7,  and  178S,  4to.  The  volinue  l)c.aia 
evidence  of  the  honest  and  careful  investigations  by  a  strict  disciplinarian 
%viio  left  the  commercial  part  of  his  enterprise  to  others.  It  is  profusely 
illustrated  with  maps  and  sketches  of  scenery^  etc.  The  latter,  made  chietly 
by  an  apprentice  named  Woodcock,  have  evidently  suffered  at  the  liand  of 
the  engraver,  for  it  is  scarcely  probable  that  the  young  man  should  have 
originally  represented  Alaska  with  groves  of  palms  and  other  tropical  trees, 
to  siiy  nothing  of  three-story  houses.  Another  remarkable  feature  is  that, 
though  the  special  charts  and  sketches  are  generally  C(  'irect,  the  general  chart 
of  the  coast  from  Norfolk  Sound  to  Kadiak  is  full  of  glaring  inaccuracies. 
Beginning  in  the  east,  Portlock  Harbor  in  dimensions  is  represented  out  of 
nil  proportion  to  those  of  the  special  chart  and  the  text.  The  next  discrep- 
ancy occurs  at  Nuchek  Island,  called  Rose  Island  on  the  chart,  which  is  drawn 
at  least  four  times  too  large,  and  its  contours  as  well  as  those  of  Port  Etches 
are  not  in  conformity  with  the  special  chart  and  the  text.  Alontague  Island 
is  also  represented  too  large,  three  very  deep  and  conspicuous  bays  on  its 
north-eastern  end  are  omitted,  though  the  vessel's  track  is  laid  down  within 
n  mile  of  the  shore,  and  the  harbors  on  the  west  coast  are  not  laid  in  to  agree 
with  special  charts  and  text.  In  Cook  Inlet,  Graham  Harbor  is  mado  at 
least  six  times  too  large,  but  Capo  Elizabeth  is  depicted  for  the  first  tinio 
correctly  as  an  island.  Shelikof  Strait,  though  known  to  the  Russians  for 
several  years,  and  named  I'ctrie  by  Moares,  is  still  closed  on  this  chart  and 
its  iipper  portion,  just  south  of  Cape  Douglas,  retains  the  name  of  Smoky  Bay, 
given  by  Cook.  The  strait  between  Kadiak  and  Afognak  is  duly  indicated, 
but  the  former  island  is  represented  as  part  of  the  continent,  while  Afognak 
nnd  Shuiak  are  niatlo  one  island  and  named  Kodiac.  The  coast  of  the  Keuai 
peninsula  between  t^ape  Elizabeth  and  Prince  William  Sound  was  evidently 
laid  down  from  Vancouver's  chart,  but  its  coiTections  in  Prince  William 
(Sound  h.ave  been  entirely  ignored.  The  compilation  of  the  general  chart  must 
have  ))ecu  entrusted  to  incompetent  hands,  without  being  revised  by  any  one 
familiar  with  Portlock  s  notes  and  surveys. 


THE  'TREKH  SVIATITELI'  AGAIN. 


267 


plates  and  medals,  "to  mark  the  extent  of  Russia's 
domain."^'' 

On  the  2d  of  May  the  ship  put  to  sea,  and  three 
days  later  made  Cape  Clear,  the  southernmost  point 
of  Montague  Island.^  No  safe  anchorage  was  found 
until  the  10th,  when  the  Trehh  Sviatiteli  entered  the 
capacious  harbor  of  Nuchek  or  Hinchinbrook  Island. 
On  the  same  day  an  exploring  party  was  sent  out  in 
boats,  and  on  the  northern  side  of  the  island  a  wooden 
cross  was  erected  with  an  inscription  claiming  the 
country  as  Russian  territory.'^* 

The  events  of  1787-8  must  have  been  puzzling  to  the 
natives  of  Prince  William  Sound.  Englishmen  under 
the  English  flag.  Englishmen  under  the  Portuguese 
flag,  Spaniards  and  Russians,  were  cruising  about, 
often  within  a  few  miles  of  each  other,  taking  posses- 
sion, for  one  nation  or  the  other,  of  all  the  land  in 
sight.  The  Prlncesa  from  ^Mexico  appears  to  have 
lol't  Nuchek  two  days  before  the  Russians  arrived 
there;  the  Prince  of  Wales,  Captain  Hutchins,  must 
have  been  at  anchor  in  Spring  Corner  Cove  about 
the  same  time,  and  shortly  after  the  Ij^higenia,  Cap- 
tain Douglas,  entered  the  same  cove,'^^  while  Portlock 
loft  traces  near  by  two  months  later.  Douglas  touched 
the  southern  part  of  Alaska  also  in  the  following 
year,  and  sought  to  acquire  fame  by  renaming  Dixon 
Entrance  after  himself 

Bocharof  carefully  surveyed  the  inner  harbor,  the 
Brook  Cove  of  Portlock,  and  named  it  St  Constantino 
and  St  Helena,  after  the  day  of  arrival.  On  the  27th 
of  May  the  Trekh  Sviatiteli  returned  to  the  coast  of 
Montague  Island.     Some  trading  was  done  here  do- 


If 


■I 


''^  SheHkof,  PutesL,  ii.  2,  3. 

'•''  Tlio  two  navigators  declared  that  this  was  the  Cape  St  l^lias  of  Boriiijr, 
without  any  apparent  basis  for  their  opinion  ami  witliout  cousiilering  tli;it  in 
Biicli  a  case  the  llussian  discoverer  could  never  have  been  within  thirty  iiiilu^ 
of  the  American  continent. 

^*  At  its  fort  a  copper  plftto  was  buried,  proclaiming  the  same  /(/. ,  ii.  7. 

'•'*Tho  latter  found  the  following  inscriptions  cut  into  tlio  baik  of  two 
trees:  'Z.  Etches  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  May  "J,  17bti,'  and  'John  liulchiiis.' 
Maiixa'  Voy.,  310. 


f  I 


I 


fl-iP^ 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


I      V 


^;i,i ., 


spite  the  presence  of  the  English  who  paivi  such  prices 
as  the  Russians  never  dreamed  of.^" 

By  advice  of  a  native  Ismail  of  proceeded  to  Achakoo 
Island,"  some  distance  to  the  southward,  which  '.vas 
described  as  abounding  in  sea-otters.  Not  finding  a 
harbor  he  landed  in  a  boat  with  seventeen  men  and  a 
Chugatsch  pilot.  After  trading  amicably  for  some 
time  the  commander  sent  off  a  party  of  eight  men  to 
gather  eggs  on  the  cliffs,  but  they  soon  came  back 
reporting  that  several  bidars  filled  with  Chugatsches 
were  approaching.  This  aroused  suspicion  among  the 
promyshleniki,  and  their  alarm  was  increased  by  the 
discovery  that  the  Chugatsch  guide  had  disappeared. 
The  chief  in  command  of  the  native  hunting  party 
professed  to  have  no  know^ledge  of  the  deserter,  and 
offered  to  go  in  search  of  him  with  five  Russians  in  a 
bidar.  Four  of  these  men  the  cunning  savaije  sent 
into  the  interior  upon  a  false  trail,  and  then  drawing 
a  spear  from  under  his  parka  he  attacked  the  remain- 
ing Russian  with  great  fury.  One  of  the  other  men 
returned  to  assist  his  comrade,  but  both  had  a  severe 
struggle  with  the  savage,  who  was  at  last  despatclied 
with  a  musket  ball.^**  As  soon  as  the  others  returned 
the  party  hurried  on  board,  the  anchor  was  raised, 
and  all  s[>eed  was  made  to  depart. 

On  the  1st  of  June  the  Trekh  Sviatitell  arrived  at 
the  island  of  Ky  k,^  which  was  uninhabited,  though 
the  natives  from  the  mainland  came  at  times  to  hunt 
sea-otters  and  foxes.  The  adjoining  coast  was  thor- 
oughly explored,  but  the  iidiabitants  fled  in  alarm, 
abandoning  their  huts  and  canoes  whenever  the  clumsy 
boats  of  the  Russians  came  in  sight.  After  a  slow 
advance  easterly,  the  large  bay  of  Yakutat  was  reached 
on  the  nth  of  June.     Here  the  chief  of  the  Thlin- 


''"  They  found  the  chiefs  rather  diffident  in  accepting  one  of  the  Russian 
medals  sent  out  by  Oovcnior  Jacobi.  The  presence  of  a  Spanish  y>'aya<a  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Island  may  have  had  something  to  do  with  it. 

'■'■  Ochck  of  R\i3sian  charts  and  Middletou  Island  of  Vancouver. 

^^^ Shrlikoj;  Puteah.,  ii.  '20-31. 

'^  Koriak  in  Ismailo/'n  Journal;  Kaye  of  Cook.  Pallas,  2feue  Nordische 
Dcitnvji',  V.  211. 


RUSSIAN  RETICENCE. 


209 


kcct  nation  made  his  appearance,  having  travelled  up 
the  coast  from  his  winter  residence  at  Chilkaht  with  a 
retinue  of  over  two  hundred  warriors  including  two 
of  his  sons.  Intercourse  was  carried  on  with  great 
caution,  but  in  trading  Ismailof  was  much  more  suc- 
cessful than  Dixon.  In  addition  to  his  purchases  he 
ol.>tained  a  large  number  of  skins  from  his  Kadiak 
himters,  who  in  their  bidarkas  could  go  far  out  to  sea, 
where  the  open  wooden  canoes  of  the  Thl-nkeets  did 
not  dare  to  follow.  In  order  to  draw  attention  from 
this  rivalry  ceremonious  visits  and  exchange  of  pres- 
ents were  kept  up.  The  Russian  commander  could 
not  have  failed  to  hear  of  Dixon's  visit,  but  not  a 
word  about  it  can  be  found  in  his  journal.  In  this 
lie  probably  obeyed  instructions,  for  even  business 
letters  from  the  islands  to  Siberia  were  in  those 
days  frequently  tampered  with  by  the  authorities  of 
Okhotsk  and  Kamchatka,  and  it  was  the  interest  of 
Shelikof  and  his  partners  to  have  English  claims  to 
prior  occupation  ignored. 

Ismailof  dwells  much  upon  his  efforts  to  induce  the 
Thlinkeet  chiefs  to  place  themselves  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Russia,  and  before  leaving  he  presented  to 
Chief  Ilkhak  the  portrait  of  Tsarovich  Paul  "  at  his 
earnest  request,"  and  decorated  him  with  one  of  the 
medals  sent  out  by  the  governor  general  of  Siberia. 
Copper  plates  inscribed  "  Possession  of  the  Russian 
Empire"  were  also  buried  on  two  points  on  the  bay.^*^ 
Two  enslaved  boys  of  the  Cliug'"-tscli  and  Chilkaht 
tribes  were  purchased,  who  pioved  of  great  service 
as  interpreters,  and  in  givi'ig  information  concerning 
the  coast  southward  and  eastward. 

From  Ylikutat  the  Treklt  SviatitcU  proceeded  east- 
ward in  search  of  another  harbor.  The  Chugatsch  boy 
acted  as  pilot  and  pointed  out  the  mouths  of  several 
rivers,  but  no  landing-place  was  discovered  until  the 

'••  Two  years  later  not  a  trace  could  be  found  of  portraits,  medal,  or  cop- 
per plates,  which  makes  it  appear  tliat  Ilkhak 's  respect  for  the  Russian  iiiii.c- 
rial  family  was  not  as  great  as  represented.  lamdUofa  Journal,  1  l-lo. 


l-: 


1   \ 


M 


ti'-H- 


lil'l 


.1  « 


270 


FOREIGX  VISITORS. 


third  day,  when  the  vessel  entered  Ltua  Bay  or  Port 
des  Franfais.  Trade  was  quite  active  here  for  some 
days,  and  in  the  mean  time  Ismailof  carried  out  liis 
secret  instructions  hy  estabhshing  marks  of  Russian 
occupation  at  various  points,  and  perhaps  destroying 
the  monument  left  by  La  Perouse."* 

The  results  of  Ismailofs  explorations  during  the 
summer  of  1788  were  of  sufficient  importance  to  stimu- 
late Delarof  to  further  attempts  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, but  before  following  these  it  is  necessary  to  turn 
our  attention  to  a  visit  of  the  Spaniards  in  the  same 
year. 

Roused  by  the  reports  of  La  Pdrouse  and  others 
concerning  the  spread  of  Russian  settlements  in  the 
far  north,  and  the  influx  of  English  and  other  trad- 
ing vessels,  the  Spanisli  government  in  1787  or- 
dered the  viceroy  of  Mexico  to  doHpr'^h  at  once  an 
expedition  to  verify  these  accounts  and  examine  the 
north-western  coast  for  places  that  might  be  desirable 
of  occupation  in  anticipation  of  foreign  designs.  On 
March  8,  1788,  accordingly  the  fragata  Princcsa  and 
the  paquebot  San  Carlos,  under  AHerez  Estevan  Jose 
Martinez  and  the  pilot  Gonzalo  Lopez  de  Haro,  set 
sail  from  San  Bias,  with  the  additional  instructions  to 
ascend  to  latitude  61°  and  examine  the  coast  down  to 
Monterey ;  to  avoid  all  trouble  with  the  Russians,  and 
to  conciliate  native  chiefs  with  gifts  and  promises.'' 


U2 


"  Xo  reference  is  made  in  his  journal  to  the  tablets  and  monument  placed 
by  the  French,  though  he  was  informed  by  the  natives  of  the  visit  of  two  large 
ships  to  the  harbor  and  saw  many  tools  and  implements  marked  with  the 
royal  JJeiir  de  tin.  A  small  anchor  siniilarly  marked  was  secured.  The  re- 
ports of  Ismailof  and  Bocharof  have  been  preserved  in  their  original  Ijad 
s]ielling  and  grammar,  not  easy  to  imitate,  and  we  must  therefore  presunio 
tliat  they  were  written  in  the  unsatisfactory  and  fragmentary  shape  in  which 
we  find  them. 

"'^  A  man  should,  if  possible,  be  obtained  from  each  tribe  speaking  a  dis- 
tinct tongue,  an  interpreter;  frequent  landings  must  be  made  for  explora- 
ting  and  taking  possession;  Russian  establishments  must  be  closely  inspected 
to  ascertaui  their  strength,  olijcct,  etc.  '  No  debenin  empciiar  lance  alguno 
con  los  bunues  rusos  6  do  otra  nacion.'  Provisions  were  taken  for  15  months. 
It  was  at  hrst  proposed  to  send  the  fragatas  Conccpcion  and  Faroritn,  under 
Tcuicnte  Camacho  and  Alfc-rez  Maurelle,  but  sickness  and  delays  caused  the 
change  to  be  made.    For  details  of  instructions,  etc.,  see  Cuarlaexploracion  de 


"Up 


JIARTINEZ  AND  HARO. 


271 


r  Port 
r  some 
3ut  his 
lussiaii 
:roying 


ng 


the 
)  stimu- 
i  tUrcc- 
to  turn 
le  same 


I  others 
s  in  the 
ler  trad- 
787    or- 
once  an 
nine  the 
lesirable 
rns.    On 
cr.s-a  and 
an  Jose 
aro,  set 
;tions  to 
down  to 
ans,  and 


iises.*^ 

nent  placed 
rtf  two  lartio 
Id  with  the 
ll.  The  le- 
Iriginal  bad 
Iro  presume 
pe  iu  which 

Iking  a  dis- 
lor  explora- 
ly  inspcctc-d 
Vice  algiiiio 
115  months. 
^rita,  uiuUt 
1  caused  tlie 
iiiloracivn  de 


,  Without  touching  any  intermediate  point  they  ar- 
rived before  Prince  WiiUam  Sound  j\Iay  17th,  anchor- 
ing eleven  days  Uiter  on  the  north  side  of  Montague 
Island  in  a  good  harbor,  which  was  named  Puerto  do 
riores.  Here  they  took  possession  and  remained  till 
the  15th  of  June  in  friendly  intercourse  with  the 
natives,  while  the  boats  were  sent  out  to  explore  in 
the  vicinity.^'^  Without  further  effort  to  exaniip'^  the 
sound,  Martinez  turned  south-eastward,  sighting  ti>e 
Miranda  volcano  on  the  24th  of  June,  and  ai  choring 
at  the  east  point  of  Trinity  Island  three  day,^  later. 
Shelikof  Strait  was  named  Canal  de  Flores.*'  i»Iean- 
while  Haro,  who  had  lost  sight  of  the  consort  vessel, 
sailed  close  along  the  east  coast  of  Kadiak,  and  noti- 
fied by  a  native  of  the  Russian  colony  at  Three  Saints 
he  visited  it,  and  entertained  the  officers  in  return. 

Delarof,  the  chief  of  the  colony,  understood  the 
object  of  the  Spaniards,  and  took  the  opportunity  to 
impress  upon  them  that  the  tsar  had  firmly  established 
his  domain  in  this  quarter  as  far  as  latitude  52°  by 
means  of  six  settlements  with  over  four  hundred  men, 
who  controlled  six  coast  vessels  and  were  regularly 
supplied  and  visited  by  three  others.  It  was  also  pro- 
Tiosed  to  found  a  station  at  Nootka  in  the  followinij 
year.^     In  the  interest  of  ruler  and  employers  this 

(lescubrimientos  de  la  coMa  setentrional  tJe  California  haxta  los  61  grados... 
I'or. .  .Jo86  Martinez. .  .17SS,  in  I'la'/M  al  2fort(',  MS.,  No.  vii. 

'••No  Russians  were  met;  yet  a  log-house  was  found  in  a  bay  near  tlio 
north  end  of  the  island,  probably  a  relic  of  Zaikofa  wintering  fnu-  years 
before.  Martinez  long  persisted  in  declaring  that  the  entrance  here  did  not 
lead  to  Prince  William  Sound. 

'*  The  cast  point  of  Trinity  was  called  Florida  Rlanca.  A  taciturn  Russian 
who  had  lived  there  for  nine  years,  came  on  boaril  njul  offered  to  care  for  the 
cross  erected  by  the  Spaniards. 

'^Delarof  had  GO  Russians  and  2galeotasat  his  place;  at  Cabo  de  Rada 
were  37  men;  at  Cape  Elizabeth,  40  men;  on  a  small  island  in  Canal  de  Flores, 
latitude  58°,  40  men;  a  reenforcemcnt  of  70  men  liad  sailed  for  Cook  Inlet  to 
sustiiin  the  establishment  there;  in  latitude  52'  20'  on  the  continent  were  55 
men  and  one  galcota;  at  Unalaska,  120  men  with  two  galeotas.  Total,  six 
establishments  with  six  galeotas  and  422  mon,  l)esidcs  a  galeotn  with  40  men, 
which  annually  sailetl  on  the  coast  as  far  as  Nootka,  gatliering  furs  and  stor- 
ing them  in  two  magazines  at  Prince  William  Sound.  Every  otlier  year  two 
fragatas  came  from  Siberia  with  men  and  supplies,  going  as  far  as  Xootka  an<l 
replacing  the  men  whose  tenn  of  service  had  expired,  t'uarta  L'xplor.,  in 
Vicijea  M,  Norte,  MS.,  pt.  vii.  300-10.    Dolarof's  stories  were  readily  believed 


I  I 


iiil'^' 


IH 


m 


*       :  i' 


P 


;  i 


272 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


"("■•^ 


exaggeration  of  facts  seemed  perfectly  proper,  and  it 
assisted  no  doubt  to  reconcile  the  Spanish  government 
to  Russian  occupation  in  the  extreme  north,  but  the 
hint  about  a  projected  establishment  at  Nootka  assisted 
greatly  to  precipitate  active  measures  by  Spain,  which 
resulted  only  in  a  humiliating  withdrawal  on  her  part 
in  favor  of  a  stronger  and  more  determined  power, 
which  effectually  checked  the  advance  of  Russia.  The 
wily  Greek  overreached  himself. 

Haro  now  rejoined  his  leader,  and  both  vessels  left 
on  July  5th  for  Unalaska.^"  While  anchoring  off  its 
northern  point,  Martinez  on  July  21st  took  possession 
in  the  name  of  Spain,  and  was  shortly  after  visited  by 
Russians  from  the  station  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
island,  to  which  the  vessels  now  proceeded.**^  Here 
they  remained  till  August  18th,  caring  for  the  sick 
and  taking  in  supplies,  with  the  kind  assistance  of 
P(jtap  Zoikof,  the  commandant.  Martinez  considered 
the  season  too  far  advanced  to  explore  the  coast  east- 
ward, or  even  to  seek  Nootka,  and  all  speed  was  there- 
upon made  for  the  south,  the  Princesa  stopping  at 
Monterej^  in  California,  to  recruit,  while  Haro  lin- 
gered for  a  time  round  the  islands  with  half  an  inten- 
tion to  do  something  more  toward  the  fulfilment  of 
the  orders  from  Mexico,  and  then  hurried  straight  to 
San  Bias  to  cover  faintheartedness  and  neglect  under 
the  i)lea  probably  that  the  knowledge  obtained  from 
Russians  of  their  doings  and  intentions,  and  of  the 
frequency  of  foreign  visits,  made  coast  exploration  less 
needful  under  the  circumstances,  while  it  was  above 
all  urgent  to  impart  the  news  to  the  governor.^ 

by  Haro,  whose  liking  for  the  commandant  was  greatly  influenced  by  the 
similarity  of  his  name,  m  its  original  Greek  form,  to  his  own. 

"'  Lighting  a  group  called  del  Fuegos,  the  Shumagin  Islands,  and  '  el  cabo 
donde  dijeron  los  rusos  de  Kodiac  (jue  habia  vn  establecimiento  de  55  indivi- 
duos  y  una  galeota  sobre  la  costa  firme  eu  52°  20'.'  Id.,  312;  but  this  must  bo 
a  misunderstanding.  On  the  Uth  they  anchored  oflf  an  island  recorded  as 
Kodiac,  and  on  the  IGth  they  sight  the  active  volcano  on  Unimak. 

''The  Princesa  entered  on  July  28th;  the  San  Carlos,  again  separated, 
rejoined  her  a  week  later.     There  were  120  men  at  this  place. 

'"On  reporting  the  despatch  of  the  present  expedition,  Viceroy  Flores 
expressed  himself  to  the  king  as  if  he  expected  that  Rusaians  would  have  to 


"11 


FIDALGO'S  SURVEY. 


273 


The  indiscreet  hint  of  Dclarof  was  not  lost  at 
^Mexico,  for  Viceroy  Flores  resolved  at  once  to  send 
hack  Martinez  and  Haro  to  secure  Nootka,  at  least, 
Irom  Russian  and  other  intruders,  and  thence  to  ex- 
tend Spanish  settlement  if  the  king  should  so  direct. 
This  expedition,  and  the  momentous  question  to  which 
it  gave  rise,  have  been  fully  considered  in  my  Histonj 
of  the  Northwest  Coast. 

While  in  occupation  of  Nootka  the  Spaniards  made 
several  exploring  tours,  and  one  of  these,  under  Lieu- 
tenant Salvador  Fidalgo,  was  directed  to  complete 
\vliat  Martinez  had  left  undone  by  examining  the 
coast  from  latitude  60°  southward.  He  was  pro- 
vided with  Russian  and  English  interpreters.  Ho 
set  sail  from  Nootka  on  May  4,  1790,  in  the  paque- 
l)()t  Filipino,  and  entered  Prince  William  Sound  on 
the  23d,  taking  the  vessel  into  the  nearest  large  bay 
(lU  the  eastern  side,  which  was  named  Menendcz. 
After  exploring  its  shores  till  June  9th  ho  proceeded 
northward,  naming  successively  the  bays  of  Gravina, 
Rivella  Gigedo,^''  Mazarredo,  and  Valdes.  After  more 
tlian  one  detention  from  fogs  and  gales  Fidalgo  passed 
round  to  Cook  Inlet  in  the  begining  of  July,  and 
was  piloted  into  Coal  Harbor  which  he  chose  to  name 
Puerto  de  Revilla  Gigedo.*" 

Learning  of  the  arrival  of  Billings'  expedition  at 
Kadiak  the  Spanish  commander  hastened  forth  on 
August  8th  to  meet  it,  but  came  too  late.  After  a 
.^hort  interview  with  Delai  of  he  turned  eastward  with 
a  \  icw  to  reach  the  continental  coast  and  explore  it  as 

lie  ousted  by  force.  /*/.,  201.  Bustamante  assumes  that  the  strength  cf  Mie 
Russians  alone  kept  the  Spaniards  back.  Caro,  Tri'sSi;/los,  iii.  14S-!>. 

•'*  At  the  liead  of  this  bay  the  ::i<-vonients  of  glaciers  was  attributed  to  an 
active  volcano  which  received  the  name  of  Fidalgo;  the  isle  at  the  entrance  to 
the  bay  was  called  del  Cond  j.  On  l!:o  western  side  Port  Santiago  was  entered. 
The  north  end  of  the  sound  is  p'aced  in  01^  10'.  Th«  Indians  proved  very 
fiicndly,  assisting  both  with  provi:  Ions  and  lalwr. 

*"  Without  paying  atteni:ion  to  Jic  reports  of  previous  Spanish  explorers 
I'idalgo  caused  the  Cape  El:za'.)ef!i  rf  Cock  to  be  explored  anew,  and  lindiug 
it  an  isle,  with  a  harlwr  to  the  nortlieast,  he  applied  fresh  names.  Two  points 
1 1  th(!  west  and  north  in  t!ie  inlet  were  :;a.ii,d  Goatou  and  Cuadra.  lielow. 
Cape  I'^lizabeth  was  observed  Camaubo  IsLuul. 

UlBT.  AIaABSA.     18 


nil  1 


m 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


far  as  Nootka,  but  tho  wind  proved  unfavorable  and 
Fidal^'o  became  fainthearted.  No  less  eager  tli.'in 
he  to  return  home,  the  council  of  officers  came  to  re- 
lieve his  conscience  bv  declarinijf  that  the  coast  in  this 
latitude  could  not  bo  followed  after  the  middle  of 
August,  owing  to  gales  and  dark  weather.  The  course 
was  thereupon  changed  for  Nootka,  but  a  storm  com- 
ing upon  them  oft*  this  place  they  passed  on  to  Mon- 
terey and  thence  to  San  Bias." 


fMl    , 


J  i! 


At  this  time  M.  Buache  of  Paris  had  undertaken 
to  defend  the  existence  of  the  interoccanic  passage  of 
Maldonado,*-  and  impressed  by  so  eminent  authority 
the  Spanish  government  resolved  to  investigate  tln' 
matter.  The  connnission  was  entrusted  to  Alejandro 
Malaspina,  who  about  the  time  of  Fidalgo's  return 
ha[)pened  to  arrive  at  Acapulco  in  command  of  the 
corvettes  Descubicrta  and  Atrecida,  on  a  scientific  ex- 
ploring tour  round  the  world.  He  accordingly  set  sail 
on  May  1,  1791,  and  on  June  23d  sighted  land  neai' 
Ca})c  Edgecumbe,  entering  shortly  after  Port  Mul- 
grave,  thence  to  explore  in  boats  for  Maldonado's  pas- 
sage, and  to  take  possession.  The  search  proved 
fruitless,'*''  and  on  July  5th  he  proceeded  northward 
past  Kyak  Island  to  Prince  William  Sound.  After 
a  few  observations  in  this  quarter  he  turned  southward 
again;  contented  himself  with  a  mere  glance  at  Cross 
Sound  and  the  inlets  below,  and  entered  Nootka  to 
expend  his  main  eftbrts  on  a  recalculation  of  its  lati- 


*'  The  report  of  this  cxpci.lition,  including  descriptions  of  country,  natives, 
and  settlers,  is  given  in  Viajcsal Korte,  MS.,  No.  8,  under  the  title  of  Vhvji' 
<l(l paijKthot  'Filipino'  mandailo por  cl ieniciite lie 7iav(o  D.  Salvador  Fidali/o  </.  / 
piiirto  de  2^ootka.  ..para  lot  nconocivni'ntoa  del  Principe  QuiUvrmoy  rio  'V 
Cook;  343-82.  Also  Tahla  que  maiiijiff^fa,  in  the  same  collection.  No.  1"; 
lii  villa  G((jcdo,  Informe,  140-1;  Navarrete,  IVaf/fs  yI;)o'c.,  04-C;  /(/.,  in  Sutil  ij 
Mexicaim,  Viofje,  cix.-xii. ;  Cavo,  I'res  Siijlon,  iii.  140. 

'■Tor  a  consideration  of  this  extraordinary  topic,  see  Hist.  Xorthin.<t 
Coast,  i . ,  this  series. 

**  The  liay  was  named  las  Bancas,  the  port  Desengano,  and  the  interim  i- 
island  Haenke.  A  very  alluring  description  is  given  of  the  scenery  and  nl^  i 
of  natives,  despite  the  incouveuience  suffered  from  their  thieving  propeusi- 
ties. 


JLVLASriNA  AND  M.UICILVXD.  27:. 

tudc  and  louj^itiulo,  whereupon  he  turned  toward  Xcw 
Spain." 

Malaspina's  report,  toL;ethcr  with  those  obtaincsl 
from  Russian  and  other  navigators,  was  deemed  sufii- 
cient  to  dissij)ate  the  behet'  in  a  passage  nortli  of  Port 
BucareH;  I)ut  from  tiiis  point  down  a  careful  examina- 
tion appeared  U>  be  advisable,  })artieularly  with  a  view 
to  test  the  claim  for  Admiral  Fonte's  discovery, 
which  was  now  eclipsing  that  of  Maldonado.  A  new 
expedition  accordingly  departed  in  1792  from  Sau 
Bias,  under  Lieutenant  Jacinto  Caamano,  connnand- 
iiig  the  fragata  Aninzazn.  After  leaving  at  Xootka 
certain  supi)lies  he  proceeded  on  June  13th  to  Port 
Bucareli,  exploring  in  that  vicinity  for  nearly  a  month 
without  arriving  at  any  solution  of  his  problem,  and 
then  turning  southward  to  examine  with  no  better 
I'csult  Dixon  Strait  and  the  eastern  coast  of  the 
channel  dividing  Queen  Charlotte  Island  from  the 
main.  The  strait  he  sought  very  properl}'  to  name 
after  its  discoverer,  Perez.*' 

Before  this,  in  1701,  the  French  were  again  repre- 
sented on  the  Northwest  Coast  in  the  person  oi' 
Etienne  Marchand,  captain  of  the  Solidc,  who  had 
left  Marseilles  at  the  close  of  the  previous  3'ear  on  u 
voyage  for  trade  and  circumnavigation.  He  iirst 
sighted  the  coast  at  Cape  Edgecumbo  on  August  7th, 
and  shortly  after  entered  Xorfolk  Sound.*''  lie  found 
the  natives  abundantly  sup})lied  with  European  goods, 
and  inclined  to  drive  hard  bargains  for  the  small  stock 
of  furs  left  in  their  hands,  so  that  bartering  was  not 
very  successful.     On  the  21st  he  proceeded  to  Queen 

**Maktsphin,  Via'je  1791,  in  Xavari\t,',  Vukj-x  Apdc,  9G-8,  2G8-"'20; 
X'.nTirrvtf,  in  Sillily  Me.v.,  Vi'i;/!',  cxii.-xxiii. 

^^TIic  main  features  of  this  cxploiation  have  been  considered  in  I/i.-f.. 
Xorthici'st  Const,  i.,  tliis  series.  Na\arretc  and  others  are  at  fault  concern - 
iiig  the  dates  of  Caamano's  movements.  The  exploration  of  15ncareli  00- 
eupicd  him  from  June  'loth.  On  July  "JOth  he  anchored  at  the  entrance  to 
liixon  Strait.  A  short  distaTice  north  of  this  he  had  examined  and  named  tiie 
harbor  of  15aylio  Hn^an.  Caamafio,  Erpnl.,  Annizn-.u,  in  Vol.  Doc.  Iitdl.,  xv. 
3'J3-03;  Kfr.urri-lfi,  iu  Stitil  7/ Ma:,  r«('/>',  exxiii.-xxxi.;  Ihrilld  O'i'j'tlo,  I,>- 
Jormr,  12  <h  Abiil,  170.1  144;  Cciro,  7VVs  .S/.'/Zcf,  iii.  144. 

'"  For  these  places  the  Spanish  names  arc  used.  The  Indians  called  t!io 
sound  TchinkitiimJ. 


:' 


sir 


il 


>  ■' 


\\  i 


979 


FOREIGN  ^^SITORS. 


Charlotte  Island,  Mhcro  his  most  valuablo  explora- 
tions were  made  durhiij  a  vain  effort  to  find  better 
tiade.*^  Several  other  traders  visited  the  southern 
shores  of  Alaska  during  these  and  following  years, 
liut  the  few  records  left  of  their  movements  concern 
cliiefly  my  History  of  the  NovtJnvest  CorM,  to  which  I 
refer  the  reader  for  text  as  well  as  maps. 

The  result  of  the  Nootka  controversy,  brought 
about  b}"  hast}'  action  of  the  Spaniards,  as  well  as  tlu; 
belief  in  an  interoccanic  passage,  revived  by  Buache 
and  others,  and  »apported  by  the  revelation  of  numer- 
ous channels  all  along  the  Northwest  Coast,  deter- 
mined the  English  government  to  send  an  expedition 
to  this  region.  The  explorations  of  Cook  west  and 
north  of  latitude  60°  were  deemed  conclusive,  but  be- 
1<  >w  this  point  they  required  to  be  completed  and  veri- 
fied. This  commission  was  entrusted  to  George 
A'^ancouver,  who  departed  from  England  in  April 
1791  in  the  sloop  Discovery  of  twenty  guns,  accom- 
]ianied  by  the  tender  Chatham  of  ten  guns,  under 
Lieutenant  W.  R.  Broughton.  The  year  1792  was 
s[)ont  in  explorations  south  of  tlie  Alaska  line,  but  in 
J  uly  1 793  the  expedition  reached  the  entrance  of  Port- 
land Inlet  and  sent  boats  to  examine  its  two  branches. 
The  dawning  hope  of  here  finding  Fonte's  passage  was 
quickly  dissipated,  and  the  boats  proceeded  north- 
ward through  Behm  Canal.  On  descendinsf  its  south- 
western  turn  along  Revilla  Gigedo  Island,  as  it  was 
now  shown  to  be,  Vancouver  had  a  narrow  escape 
from  a  party  of  liaiives  who  attacked  his  boat  with 
muskets  and  oilier  ^Yf  apons.  The  prompt  appearance 
of  the  second  boat  changed  the  turn  of  affairs.  The 
party  now  passed  iiito  Duke  of  Clarence  Strait — named 
by  Caaniano  after  Admiral  Fonte — and  returned  to 
the  ships.*^ 

"  As  related  in  Hist.  Northu-ent  Coast,  i.,  this  series.  Marckand,  Voya{i<'  ait- 
trinrdii  Moiilf,  i.  288-92;  ii.  1  ct  acq.  The  natives  of  Norfolk  Sound  arc  spoken 
of  11 -i  extremely  immoral. 

'^Thc  names  applied  on  the  map  alor.gthis  tour  ai'e  Portland  Inlet  and  its 


VANCOUVKR'S  VOYAGE. 


Kplora- 
better 

(Uthoru 
years, 

joncoru 

.vliicli  I 


brought 

II  as  the 
Buacbo 
'  nunioi- 
t,  detor- 
:peclitu)u 
.vest  and 
,  but  bc- 
and  veii- 
Georgo 
in   A\n'\\ 
s,  aecoui- 
is,  under 
792  was 
ic,  but  in 
ofPort- 
iranches. 
;sage  was 
(d  north- 
,ts  south- 
las  it  was 
\\  cscapo 
loat  with 
ipearancc 
Irs.     The 
•named 
lurned  to 


\l,roya(icou- 
IdavcspoUea 

lulet  aud  its 


These  proceeded  August  17th  up  the  lust  nauad 
strait  to  tort  l^roteetion  on  the  north  end  of  Prince 
of  Wales  Island,  which  was  reached  Sei)teniber  8th, 
iilter  an  intermediate  stay  at  l\>it  Stewart.  The 
lioats  meanwhile  explored  past  Capo  Caanuuio,  tire 
liigliest  point  reached  by  the  Spanish  exi)lorer  of  this 
name,  and  up  Prince  Ernest  Sound  round  ]^uke  of 
York  Island,  which  later  discoveries  dissolved  into  a 
orouj).  The  mouth  of  the  Stikeen  was  observed,  but 
not  as  the  outlet  of  a  large  stream.*^  The  season 
now  well  advanced,  it  was  resolved  to  terminate  the 
extensive  surveys  for  the  season  and  seek  a  well  earned 
rest  in  sunnier  latitudes. 

A'ancouver  congratulated  himself  that  "  there  would 
no  longer  remain  a  doubt  as  to  the  extent  or  the  fal- 
lacy of  the  pretended  discoveries  said  to  have  been 
made  by  Dv,  Puca  and  De  Ponte."  He  had  demon- 
strated that  the  continent,  with  a  range  of  mountains 
broken  by  rivers  alone,  extended  from  Columbia  I^iver 
to  beyond  the  northern  extreme  of  Prince  of  Wales 
Island.  To  the  part  of  the  main  below  Pitt  Archi- 
])elago  he  applied  the  names  of  New  Hanover  and 
Now  Georgia;  thence  to  the  northern  line  of  the 
]>rescnt  survey,  New  Cornwall. 

On  the  21st  of  September  the  vessels  left  Port 
Protection,  and  passed  Port  Bucareli,  southward  by 
way  of  Nootka  and  California  to  the  Hawaiian  Islands, 
there  to  winter.    On  March  15, 1794,  sails  were  again 

two  branches,  Portland  Canal  and  01)st'rvatory  Inlet,  tlie  hitter  oxiuiiincd 
shortly  Ijcfore  by  Mr  Krown  of  the  Jiiil/enrurl/i;  liocas  do  Quadra;  T.cliin 
Canal,  in  honor  of  the  Kamcliatkan  governor  wlio  showed  attention  to  ("duk's 
*  \l)edition  in  1779;  the  points  at  its  entrance  were  called  Sykea  and  Alava, 
tlie  latter  after  the  commandant  at  Nootka.  Along  this  canal:  New  Eddy- 
sldiie  rock — resembling  a  lighthouse — Walker  Cove,  15un'')ugh  Bay,  Traitor 
(uve — to  commemorate  the  attack  by  natives — Port  Stewirt  and  Beaton 
Island;  Point  Vallenar,  tlic  north  end  of  Gravina  Island,  and  Cape  Northum- 
lurland,  its  south  i)oiut,  besides  a  uuml)er  of  intermediate  promontories. 

'"  Along  the  east  side  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island  and  its  adjoining  parts 
are  marked  Moira  Somul,  Wedge  Islaml,  Cholmondeley  Sound,  Port  (>rin- 
<laF.  The  entrance  to  Prince  ICrucst  Sound  is  marked  by  points  Onslow  and 
L(^  JUi'.irier,  and  along  its  course  are  Bradfield  Canal,  and  Duncan  Canal. 
AUjug  the  western  extension  of  Duke  of  Clarence  Strait,  Point  Baker  fonning 
the  north  end  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  Conclusion  Island,  and  Aflieck 
Canal;  below  lie  Coronation  and  Warren  Islands,  the  latter  facing  Cape  Pole. 


rr 


m 


i 


1 1 


■■i  ;■: 


■4    ■  •   ' 


S78 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


•set  for  the  north,  and  on  April  5th  Trinity  Island  was 
siglited.^"  Seven  days  later  the  Discovcnj  entered 
Cook  Inlet  and  proceeded  northward  to  its  very  heatl. 
Finding  that  it  was  not  the  mouth  of  a  large  river  ay 
Cook  had  supposed,  a  fact  well  known  to  the  Russians, 
Vancouver  changed  the  name  to  its  present  form. 
Tlie  Chathmn  having  arrived,  both  vessels  visited  the 
lactory  half  way  up  the  inlet  in  charge  of  Zaikof,'^ 
and  rounded  Cape  Elizabeth  May  14th,  en  route  for 
Prince  William  Sound,  where  anchor  was  cast  in  Port 
Chalmers  on  the  west  side  of  ]Montague  Island.  Boats 
wore  now  sent  out  to  examine  the  sonnd  and  adjoining- 
lands,  and  the  Chatham  proceeded  to  survey  tlio  main 
coast  to  Yakutat  Bay,  there  to  await  the  Discovcvij. 
The  survey  of  the  sound  resulted  in  a  number  of 
corrections,  notably  on  the  maps  of  Cook,  yet  Spanisli 
and  other  existing  nomenclature  was  as  a  rule  main- 
tained. Aid  was  also  obtained  from  Russian  material 
from  which  source  the  configuration  of  Kadiak  Island 
nnd  the  region  westward  had  to  be  adopted.^'  The 
Russians  under  Baranof,  who  resided  on  Kadiak  and 
controlled  chiefly  establishments  along  the  sea  border, 
observed  greater  reticence,  as  noticed  in  connection 
with  Ismailof's  exploration;  but  those  of  the  other 
company,  occupying  Cook  Iidet  and  Hinchinbrook 
Island,  were  more  connnunicative.  They  admitted 
that  the  easternmost  factory  was  on  this  island, 
though  trading  exjieditions  roan)ed  beyond  toward 
Xootka.  The  total  force  em[)loyed  was  about  f^'U' 
liundred,  independent  of  native  emplojes.     The  abo- 

•"Oii  the  .fd  Akuniok  Ifl.-.inl  was  siglitwl  and  iiiinuMl  iifter  Cliiriliof. 

•''  A  aiualk-r  fjictovy  existed  liijiher  ui>  on  the  <)])i")sito  western  side.  Alcx- 
nndrovslc  escaped  ol)sevvati()n.  Names  were  aiiplied  to  several  points  aloii ,' 
tlie  coasts  and  at  tlic  head,  and  the  harlior  at  (.'ape  I'^lizaheth  was  renaiiu  d 
I'ort  Chatham.  The  portage  from  Tnni-again  Arm  to  i'rince  William  Suntnl 
Avas  noticed. 

^■■' Aniuu^  the  names  added  to  the  Sound  chart,  were  Tort  llainliridp', 
Passage  Canal,  and  Port  \\'ell.s,  where  tlie  suppoi<cd  volcano  of  the  Sjiaiiish 
expedition  is  referred  to  merely  as  a  moving  glacier.  One  of  the  inlets  i-- 
eeived  tlio  name  of  Fidalgo,  to  commemorate  his  exjdoration.  The  island 
north-east  of  ninehinhrook  was  called  Hawkins.  Copper  River  received  ii'i 
place  on  the  chart.  The  water.-i  of  tlu'  s- imd  were  found  to  have  cneroaclicd 
rapiilly  on  the  shore  line  during  the  past  decade. 


SEARCH  FOR  A  STRAIT. 


279 


liginal  population  appeared  exceeflingly  scanty,  espo- 
lially  on  the  sound.  Vancouver  "clearly  understood 
that  the  Ilussian  government  had  little  to  do  with 
these  settlements;  that  they  were  solely  under  the 
direction  and  support  of  independent  mercantile  coni- 
j)anies,"  whoso  members  appeared  to  live  highly  eon- 
tented  amone:  the  natives,  exercisiniif  over  them  an 
iiiikience  due  not  to  fear  but  to  atlection,  and  fostered 
l;v  training  tiie  children  in  the  Kussian  language  and 
customs." 

The  Discovery  left  the  sound  June  20th  to  join  the 
consort  vessel,"  which  was  observed  in  Yakutat  Bav 
and  instructed  to  follow.  This  bay  was  named  after 
jjcring  "from  a  conviction  of  its  being*  the  place  that 
] Jeering  had  visited."'"  A  Ivussian  l»arty  under  Pur- 
lof,  with  nearly  a  thousand  natives  lVt)m  Kadiak  and 
(\)ok  Inlet,  hunted  here  at  the  time,  though  amidst 
many  apprehensions,  owing  to  the  rather  unfriendly 
attitude  of  the  inhabitants.  Near  by  ap})earcd  the 
./iichill,  Captain  .Brown,  cruising  along  this  coast  for 
tlie  third  consecutive  season.''^ 

Cross  Sound  was  entered  on  July  Tth,  and  anchoi- 
cast  in  Port  Althorp,  on  the  north  end  of  Chichagof 
Island,  called  after  King  (j!e(>rge  l)y  Vancouver.  From 
lure  a  boat  explored  Lynn  Canal^'  which  almost 
touches  the   headwaters   of  the  mi<ihtv  Yukon,  and 

"•'  ]'(ti)fourrr'i<  I'o'/. ,  iii.  100-201.  Tlio  imtivcs  of  tlio  sound  were  not  so 
(locilo,  yet  luiiilly  k\ss  trusted  by  tlio  Kiissi:ins.  'I'liis  assimilation  of  the  two 
piojilus  nmst  give  the  Ruxsiana  u  decided  'udvantiige  over  idl  oilier  eivilized 
iiiit ions'  for  eontrolling  trade. 

'•''  Cape  St  Klias  of  ]\  ,-iIi  Islam'  was  rennnied  Cape  Ilaniond;  and  lower 
on  the  eoast  name:  were  ajivlii'd  to  several  ])oiiits. 

^•'Tlie  Bering  Iwiy  as  1  ..ati'd  l>y  Cook  was  \otnl  a  niis'ake.  While aj. ply- 
ing this  name  to  Yii):'itat,  MiilL;rave  was  retained  tor  the  harlior  on  its  south 
^hore.  The  jioints  iit  lli"  eiitiaiiee  to  the  l)ay  reirixcil  the  nanics  Manliyanil 
I'liilips,  Port  des  l''iaii(,'ais  was  missed.  As  the  Cfiii'liiiiii  was  leaviii:;  Kyak 
Island  a  letter  came  from  Sliiehls,  the  l'',n.Ldish  shii>huilder  employed  liy  Sheli- 
hof,  otl'eriug  his  services.  It  was  too  late  to  turn  hack  for  au  interview  with 
him. 

'"IJrown  had  sent  the  liullenmrth.  his  leadin;,' vessel,  to  Kngland  in  ITO;?, 
eoming  to  this  coast  in  the  tenders  JncLrill :\ni\  /'riiin  h-  lion.  He  now  turned 
for  Cross  Sound,  with  whose  inlets  he  was  well  acciuainted.   /</..  207. 

*'  So  named  after  Vancouver's  hirth-plaee  in  .Noifolk.  IJerners  lljiy,  Iknid 
ay,  I'ort  Frederick,  and  a  nuniher  of  I'Mpes  were  named,  notably  c;.iH;s  Speii- 
CLr  and  Cross  at  the  entrance  of  Cross  Sound. 


m 


ii 


iiii 


'■ '.' 


280 


FOREIGN  VISITORS. 


i!ll,     I 


thence  Chatham  Strait  for  a  distance,  but  the  large 
Glacier  Bay  escaped  observation,  although  it  almost 
faces  the  anchorage.  The  Art/mr,  Captain  Barber, 
from  Bengal,  appeared  here  at  the  time,  and  out  of 
consideration  for  the  trader  Vancouver  stopped  all 
dealing  in  furs  by  his  own  men.  On  August  1st 
the  vessels  anchored  in  Port  Conclusion,  inside  Cape 
Ommandy  at  the  south  end  of  Baranof  Island,^  theiii  j 
to  complete  the  survey  to  the  line  of  the  preceding 
season.  Lieutenant  Whidbcy  passed  up  Stephens 
Passage,  which  encloses  Admiralty  Island,  and  then 
down  into  the  southern  arm  of  Prince  Frederick 
Sound,  where  he  met  Master  Johnstone,  the  other 
boat  explorer,  who  had  examined  Koo  and  Kuprianof 
Island.  Amid  rousing  cheers  the  combined  crews  cole  - 
brated  the  conclusion  of  their  task,  the  exploration  of 
the  Northwest  Coast  for  a  passage.**' 

Vancouver  had  achieved  a  veritable  triumph.  B  c 
had  left  England  on  the  1st  of  April,  as  he  observes, 
on  a  fool's  errand,  to  search  for  an  interoceanic  passage 
south  of  latitude  60".  The  explorations  and  inter- 
course of  the  Russians  with  the  natives  had  long  since 
made  them  regard  the  passage  as  a  niyth,  and  the 
ex])edition  was  by  them  invested  almost  wholly  with 
political  aims.*" 

Failing  in  his  quest,  Vancouver  at  any  rate  was 
able  to  "remove  every  doubt,  and  set  aside  every 
opinion  of  a  north-west  passage,  or  any  water  com- 
nmnication  navigable  for  shipping,  existing  within  tho 
north  Pacific,  and  the  interior  of  the  American  conti- 

*'  Comprised  l)y  Vancouver  in  King  George  III.  Archipelago,  the  shore 
line  of  which  was  not  closely  marked. 

^"Much  valuable  information  was  obtained  from  Captain  Brown  of  tlio 
Jcichtll,  who  had  navig.ited  these  inlets  for  some  time.  He  reported  the  st'ix- 
otter  skins  of  this  quarter  to  be  exceedingly  fine.  Among  the  places  named 
on  this  route  are  Seymor  Canal,  Douglas  Island,  ports  Snottisiiam  and  Houi;li- 
ton,  Ilolkham  Bay,  porta  ("amdcn  and  Malmesbury.  Kuprianof  Island  W'lis 
chvssed  as  a  peninsula  owing  to  certain  shallows  which  seemed  to  connect  it 
with  the  main. 

'"  The  explorat'on  being  a  pretext  for  taking  possession,  as  Zaikof  expresses 
it.  Journal,  in  Sitka  ArcTiives,  MS.,  vi.  Sc;  aso  Tikhmenc/,  htor.,  ii.,  and 
Nordkche  Udtrwje. 


NOMENCLATURE. 


281 


he  large 
t  almost 
Barber, 
d  out  of 
)ppecl  all 
igust  1st 
iide  Cape 
Ij^theii'  J 
preceding 
Stephens 
and  then 
Frederick 
the  other 
Kuprianof 
3re\vs  col'-  - 
loration  of 

mph.     Ho 

Q  observes, 
lie  passage 
and  inter- 
long  since 
I,  and  the 
holly  with 

rate  was 
side  every 
jater  com- 
Iwithin  th<' 
icau  conti- 


nent, within  the  limits  of  our  researches. "^^  In  taking 
possession  for  England  he  stretched  the  line  only  to 
Cape  Spencer,  in  Cross  Sound,  a  moderation  which 
the  Russians  could  scarcely  have  expected.*''*  This 
additional  territory,  north  of  New  Cornwall,  was  called 
New  Norfolk,  after  his  native  county.  It  is  to  bo 
observed  that  he  generally  respected  the  names  ap- 
j)lied  by  traders  or  foreign  officials,  while  adding  a 
mass  of  new  ones,  and  the  nomenclature  in  his  charts 
has  even  in  Alaska  met  with  considerable  attention. 
On  August  24,  1794,  the  expedition  left  Christian 
Sound  for  Nootka,  and  thence  by  way  of  California 
and  Cape  Horn  for  England,  where  it  arrived  in  Sep- 
tember the  following  year.'' 


63 


*'  To  this  end  he  had  made  surveys  far  more  thorough  than  were  demanded 
ill  liis  instructions,  yet  he  felt  confident  that  they  would  be  approved.  Van- 
couver's Vol/.,  passim. 

*'  For  the  officers  at  the  factories  left  him  the  impression  that  '  the  Amer- 
ican continent  and  adjacent  islands,  as  far  to  the  eastward  at  the  meridian  of 
Kayes  Island,  belonged  exclusively  to  the  Russian  empire.'  /(/.,  iii.  1 15,  285. 
llu  evidently  believed  that  they  claimed  beyond  tliat,  however,  and  the  gov- 
ernment certainly  did,  as  will  be  seen.  Vancouver  found  that  the  cross 
ciocted  by  Fidalgo  on  Hinchinbrook  Island  when  taking  possession  had  been 
respected,  notwithstanding  the  royal  name  inscribed.  Id.,  171.  Tlio  marks 
left  by  King  in  Cook  Inlet  could  not  be  found. 

*^  During  the  five  years'  voyage  the  Discovery  lost  only  5  men  by  accidents 
and  one  from  disease,  out  of  100  men,  while  the  consort  lost  not  a  single  man. 
ii  result  for  which  the  commanders  cannot  be  too  highly  praised.  For  Libli- 
oLrraphy  and  other  features  in  connection  with  this  expedition,  see  Hid, 
Northwest  Coast,  i.  this  series. 


igo,  the  shore 

J  Brown  of  th-^ 
ported  the  sea- 
V  places  nametl 
Ln>  and  Houj;)!- 
liof  Island  was 
]d  to  connect  it 

Aikof  expresses 
\lstor.,  ii., »"»'! 


: 


ri 


V.        A- 


CPIAPTEK  XIII. 

THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 

1785-1793. 

Flattkking  Prospects — Costly  Oittfit — The  Usual  Years  of  Prepara- 
Tio.v — A\  Expectant  World  to  1!E  E.vLiGiiTEyEi) — Gathering  of 
');t(;  Expedition  at  Kamchatka — Divers  Winterings  and  Smp-BriLD- 

,  ■       "'  KLIMINARY   SdRVEYS   NoRTH  AND    SoiTII — At     UnaLASKA    AND 

xi.  .  -Russian  Rewards — Periodio  Promotion  of  Billings — Ax 
St  ..  knce  Island — Billings'  Land  Jocrney — Wretched  Condi- 
tion of  Rcssian  IIcnters — End  of  the  TiuiirTE  System — REsrx.i' 
OF  THE  Expedition — Sarycuef's  Surveys — Suelikof's  Duplicity — 
Priesily  Performance, 


II  ■! 


li 


The  most  promising  of  all  scientific  exploring  expe- 
ditions undertaken  by  the  Russian  government  for 
the  acquisition  of  a  more  perfect  knowledge  of  its 
new  possessions  in  Asia  and  America  was  that  com- 
manded by  Captain  Joseph  Billings,  an  Englishman 
who  had  served  under  Cook.  The  enterprise  was 
stimulated  by  the  report  of  La  Perouse's  departun; 
upon  a  similar  errand.  The  empress  issued  an  ouka/. 
on  the  8th  of  August  1785,  appointing  Billings  to 
tho  command  of  "A  Secret  Astronomical  and  Geo- 
gr.iphical  Expedition  for  navigating  the  Frozen  Sea, 
describinjx  its  Coasts,  and  asctrtaininfj  the  Situation 
of  the  Islands  in  the  Seas  between  the  two  Continents 
of  Asia  and  America."* 

The  senate  and  admiralty  college  confirmed  and 
sup])lemented  the  appointments,  and  in  September 
Lieutenant  Sarychef  of  the  navy  was  despatched  to 
the  port  of  Okhotsk  with  a  party  of  ship-builders, 
under  orders  to  construct  two  vessels  in  accordance 


^Salter's  Geog.  and  Astroii.  Exped.,  1. 


(283) 


person:n'el. 


2S3 


^vItll  plans  furnished  by  another  Enghshman,  !Mr 
Lamb  Yeames.  The  governor  general  of  Irkutsk 
and  Kolivansk  had  received  instructions  to  furnish 
the  necessary  material. 

Captain  Billings  set  out  upon  his  journey  a  few 
weeks  later,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Hall,  Sur- 
geon Robeck,  ]\Iaster  Batakof  of  the  navy,  and  Mar- 
tin Sauer,  secretary  of  the  expedition." 

The  party  did  not  leave  Irkutsk  until  the  9th  of 
May  178G.  Two  medical  officers  and  naturalists 
were  added  at  the  last  moment — a  German,  Dr. 
]\rerck,  with  an  English  assistant,  John  Main. 

On  the  20th  the  expedition  arrived  at  Yakutsk, 
where  the  accessary  arrangements  bad  been  made  for 
supplies  of  provisions  and  stores  and  the  required 
n leans  of  transportation  for  the  dilferent  divisions  to 
the  mouth  of  tlie  Kovima  or  Kolima  river  and  to 
Okhotsk.  Lieut'^nant  Hall  was  in  command  of  the 
latter  and  Lieutenant  Bering  of  the  former.  Lieut(>n- 
;int  Hall's  division  arrived  at  Okhotsk  soon  after  Bil- 
lings and  a  few  attendants  had  I'eached  that  seaport 
on  the  3d  of  Julv.  As  it  was  found  that  more  time 
Would  be  consumed  in  building  the  ships  than  had 
been  expected,  Billings  took  some  steps  with  a  view 
of  visiting  the  Chukchi  country  first,  and  to  that 
end  placed  himself  in  connnunication  with  Captain 
Shmalef  who  was  much  respected  by  both  Kanicliat- 
kans  and  Chukchi.  On  the  :i(l  of  August  all  tlie 
officers,  with   the  exception  t)f  Lieutenant  Hall,  set 

^  Sillier  t,'ives  the  iHTSoiincldf  the  oxjicilitinn,  ii.sit  ili'jiartiil  from  St  IVtuis- 
I'lirj.',  us  follows:  .loscpli  I5illin;:r;,  tonitnaiidcr;  liiiitciiiiiit.s,  IJiiljcrt  Hull,  (i:'Viil 
."■viryL-hcf,  and  Christian  Ik-ring,  ii  nei)hi'\v  of  Vitus  Hiring;  Master  Afanassi.i, 
liiikof,  rigi^cr  mid  storc-kieptr;  nia.stors  Anton  llutlihof  and  Surgo'i  l>ronnil;oi; 
MUgeous,  Miehfiel  Uol)ook  and  IVter  Allegri'tti;  diaii;ihtsnian,  Lukii  N'^ronin; 
one  nicchanieiun,  two  ship  Imildi  is,  two  surgeon's  mates,  one  niastei-'H  mate; 
one  boat.swaiii;  three  'court  hunters'  for  stulling  liirds,  etc. ;  eight  iielty  oliiei  rs, 
seven  soldici-s,  rilleiiien,  ;;nd  Martin  Saiur  as  [private  secretary  and  journalist. 
At  Irkutsk  till,  following  additions  were  inaile:  two  Russian  l)ookdiee]iers  aii<l 
accountants,  Vas.Hily  Diakonof  and  I'eodor  K.'irpof;  Lieutenant  Toloshof  of  the 
army,  who  was  acquainted  witli  the  (iiukilii  language;  six  jietty  ollieers  fi-oiii 
tlie  school  of  navigation  at  Irkutsk;  tiiree  men  who  umU'istood  the  construc- 
tion of  skin  boats;  one  turner,  one  locksinitli;  lifty  Cossacks  coinniamled  hy 
ii  fitni!:;  two  dniinmei"8 — iu  all  09  meu  in  addition  to  the  30  from  St  ruteis- 
luig.  /(/.,  li>,  13. 


, 


I 


284 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 


S! ; '! 


ti  'I 


out  for  tlic  Rovima  River,  the  last  named  taking  tlio 
place  of  Lieutenant  Sarychef  in  superintending  the 
construction  of  the  ships.  Toward  the  end  of  Sep- 
tember Billings  and  his  party  arrived  at  Verkhiioi 
Kovima,  but  only  to  find  that  winter  had  already  set 
in  with  great  severity,  and  to  meet  with  almost  insur- 
mountable difFiculties  in  obtaining  shelter  and  suj)- 
jilies.  The  suiferings  during  the  winter  were  very 
great  on  account  of  the  extreme  cold  as  well  as  tlu3 
scarcity  of  provisions;  but  better  times  came  with 
spring. 

The  work  of  preparing  for  the  northward  tri[)  was 
never  relaxed,  and  on  the  25th  of  May  1787  the  main 
body  of  the  expedition  set  out  on  two  vessels  which 
had  been  constructed  during  the  winter,  the  Pallas 
and  the  Yasatchnoi.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Captain  Shmalef  was  found  awaiting  them  with  some 
guides  and  interpreters  and  a  large  quantity  of  dried 
leiiideci'  meat.  The  ostrog  Nishnekovima  was  reached 
on  the  I7th  of  June.  There  more  deer-meat  was  pro- 
cured and  then  the  expedition  passed  on  into  the 
Arctic.^ 

They  steered  eastward  and  on  the  21st  of  June 
reached  the  place  where  Shalanrof  had  perished  in 
17G2.  A  cross  marked  the  spot,  and  another  was 
found  near  the  remains  -of  huts  erected  by  Laptief 
and  his  party  in  1730.  Their  progress  was  continued 
with  many  interruptions  until  the  25tli  of  July,  wlien 
an  observation  showed  latitude  G9°  35'  56",  longitude, 
1G8°  54',  and  Billings  concluded  to  give  up  all  further 
attempts  and  return  to  Nishnekovima.* 

When  the  party  arrived  at  Yakutsk  it  was  found 

*  In  ficcorilance  with  the  imperial  oukoz  Billings  here  assumed  the  rank  of 
a  fleet  captain  of  the  second  class,  the  necessary  oath  being  administered  by 
a  priest  brought  for  tliat  purpose.  Jd. ,  09-70. 

*  Sauer  an»l  ninny  of  the  oflicers  were  of  the  opinion  that  everything  looked 
favoral)lo  for  a  passage  into  the  Pacitic.  Captain  Sarychef  even  ofi'ercd  to 
undertake  the  enterprise  in  an  open  bidar,  witli  six  men,  intending  to  camp 
on  the  beach  every  niglit,  but  Billings  was  deaf  to  all  entreaties  and  C(in- 
tentcd  himself  with  inducing  a  majority  of  Ids  ofhcers  to  sign  a  statenieut 
that  it  would  bo  wiser  to  return  to  the  Kovima.  Id.,  77-8.  i 


EMBARKATION. 


285 


that  a  large  quantity  of  the  most  important  stores 
was  still  awaiting  transportation  at  Irkutsk,  necessi- 
tating a  journey  to  that  city  on  the  part  of  Billings 
and  several  of  his  officers.  This  little  excursion 
delayed  the  expedition  till  September  1788,  when  the 
greater  part  of  the  command  was  once  more  assembled 
at  Okhotsk.  The  first  and  largest  of  tlie  two  vessels 
destined  for  the  voyage  was  not  launched  until  the 
following  July.  She  was  named  the  Slava  liossiv, 
(;rlory  of  Russia.  The  second  ship,  the  Dohraia  Na- 
■increiiia,  Good  Intent,  was  launched  in  August,  but 
was  wrecked  while  attempting  to  cross  the  bar  at 
Okliotsk.  In  order  to  get  quickly  at  the  iron  work 
with  which  to  build  a  new  vessel  tlie  hull  of  the 
Xamerenia  was  burned.'  On  the  19th  of  September 
the  Slava  Rome  sailed  at  last  and  arrived  at  Petro- 
])avlovsk  on  the  1st  of  October.  Here  the  ship  was 
unrigged  and  the  whole  party  went  into  winter- 
(|uarters  to  await  the  arrival  of  a  store-ship  with 
supplies  in  the  spring. 

Early  in  March  1790  additional  news  arrived, 
warning  Billings  of  the  presence  of  a  Swedish  cruiser, 
the  Mercury,  Captain  Coxe,  with  sixteen  guns,  in  the 
waters  he  was  about  to  navigate."  The  Slava  Rossie 
mounted  sixteen  brass  guns,  but  .they  were  only 
three-pounders.  Despite  the  apprehension  created, 
no  change  was  made  in  the  plans. 

On  the  1st  of  May  the  whole  expedition  embarked 
and  stood  out  to  sea  on  an  easterly  course.  The  voy- 
'd'^G  was  tedious,  no  land  being  sighted  till  the  22d, 
when  the  island  of  Amchitka  appeared  in  the  north. 
(.)n   the    Lst  of  June    the    island  of  Unalaska  was 

^  On  the  14th  of  September  a  courier  arrived  from  Russia  with  intelligence 
which  ahnoat  put  an  end  to  further  progress  of  the  expedition.  War  ha<l 
liiciken  out  M'ith  Sweden,  .and  the  Russian  govcrnnieut  was  much  in  want  of 
money  and  naval  otBcers.  Id.,  143. 

"  Prihylof  reported  that  the  Swedish  cruiser  mentioned  in  Billings'  instruc- 
tiiins  had  actually  visited  the  Aleutian  Islands  during  the  suranicr,  but  in  view 
( f  tlie  nbjcct  misery  and  privations  in  which  he  found  Uie  Russian  traders  living, 
t'li'  humane  Captain  Coxo  abstained  from  hostilities  and  even  made  Pribylof, 
\\\wxa  ho  had  questioned  concerning  the  Russian  establishments,  very  accept- 
tilile  presents  of  bread,  brandy,  some  clotbiug,  and  a  quadrant.  Id.,  2i2. 


M! 


(       '          1 

?8fl 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 


iiuulc,  and  on  the  3d  some  natives  came  on  boaril, 
foliowed  in  the  afternoon  by  a  Russian  in  an  ei^dit- 
oar  bidar.  The  latter  conducted  the  vessel  into  Bob- 
rovoi  (Beaver)  Bay.  Here  a  supply  of  water  and 
ballast  was  procured  and  on  the  13tli  of  June  the 
ox])edition  sailed  ap^ain  to  the  north-east  and  north.' 

In  a  few  days  Sannakh  and  the  Sliumagin  Island 
were  reached/  where  the  Slava  liosmc  was  visited  by 
a  large  party  of  Aleuts  who  were  hunting  for  the 
Panof  company  under  superintendence  of  a  Russian. 
On  the  2Gtli  of  June  a  Russian  boarded  the  ship;  he 
was  accompanied  by  two  hundred  natives  and  came 
from  Shelikofs  establishment  on  Kadiak  Island.  On 
the  20th  the  expedition  arrived  in  Trekh  Sviatiteli,  or 
Three  Saints  Harbor,  the  site  of  the  first  permanent 
settlement  (m  the  island.  Eustrate  Ivanovich  Delarof 
was  then  in  conunand  of  the  colony.  He  told  Sauei- 
that  he  had  despatched  that  year  six  hundred  double 
bidarkas,  each  manned  by  two  or  three  natives,  to 
hunt  sea-otters,  sea-lions,  and  fur-seal;  they  were 
divided  into  six  parties,  each  in  charge  of  a  Russian 
pcredovchik." 

The  establishment  at  that  time  consisted  of  about 
fifty  Russians,  including  officers  of  the  company  and 
^Master  Ismailof,  the  same  whom  Cook  met  at  Una- 
laska  in  1778.  He  was  stationed  at  Three  Saints 
to  look  after  the  interests  of  the  government.  The 
buildings  numbered  five  of  Russian  construction,  the 
Ijarracks,  offices,  and  counting-house,  besides  store- 
houses, blacksmith,  carpenter,  and  cooper  shops,  and 
a  I'opewalk.     Two  vessels  of  about  eighty  tons  eacli 

'  Saner  states  that  the  Russians  then  on  that  pai-t  of  the  island  belonged 
to  Clierepanof's  comiiany,  who  had  resided  there  eight  years  and  expected  to 
lie  relieved  that  season  by  a  party  from  Okhotsk.  The  author  dwells  upnii 
the  cniel  treatment  of  the  Aleuts  at  the  hands  of  the  ignorant  and  overbear- 
ing promyshleniki.  Id.,  150-01. 

•■  Though  writing  soon  after  Bering's  and  Steller's  reports  were  piddisli'jil. 
Saner  states  that  tiieso  islands  received  their  name  from  the  'discoverer,  :i 
Russian  sailor  of  Bering's  expedition.'  The  poor  fellow  did  nothing  leyond 
dying  of  scurvy  in  that  neigliborhood. 

^  JuvtuaVsJonr.,  MS.,  1  ct  seq.  Sauer  bestows  the  bighoat  praise  upon  tic 
strict  justice  and  humanity  with  which  Delarof  managed  the  affairs  of  ti;  .■ 
colony.  Salter's  Cleo'j.  ami  Astron.  Exixd.,  170-1. 


SCIENCE  AND  RELIGION. 


237 


stood  upon  the  beach,  armed  and  well  guarded,  serv- 
in<j:  as  a  i>lace  of  refunrc  in  case  of  attack.  Several 
gardens  planted  with  cabbage  and  potatoes,  and  some 
cows  and  goats,  added  to  the  comfort  of  the  settlers.^*' 

In  the  report  of  Billings'  visit  to  Kadiak  mention 
is  made  of  the  water-route  across  the  Alaska  peninsula 
by  way  of  Iliamna  Lake.  The  natives  persisted  in 
calling  the  peninsula  an  island,  kikhtak,  because  they 
could  pass  in  their  canoes,  without  portage,  from  She- 
likof  Strait  into  Bristol  Bav,  their  main  source  for 
supplies  of  walrus  ivory  for  spear-heads,  fish-hooks, 
and  various  implements. 

The  astronomical  tent,  and  another  constituting  a 
portable  church,  had  been  pitched  as  soon  as  the  ex- 
pedition arrived,  and  remained  standing  till  the  Gtli 
of  July,  when  the  Slava  Home  once  more  set  sail. 
Delarof  accompanied  Billings  for  the  purpose  of  visit- 
ing a  Spanish  frigate  reported  by  the  natives  to  be 
cruising  at  the  mouth  of  Cook  Inlet."  The  com- 
mander of  the  expedition  also  intended  to  visit  tlio 
Spanish  ship,  but  the  wind  was  unfavorable,  and  by 
the  8th  of  July  they  had  only  reached  the  islatid  of 
Afognak  where  a  settlement  had  already  existed.  On 
the  12th  ot  July,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Barren 
Islands,  Delarof  left  the  Shiva  Fossic  in  a  canoe, 
giving  up  all  hope  of  reaching  Cook's  Inlet  with  the 
j^hip.  He  M'as  intrusted  with  messages  for  the  S|)an- 
iards  and  the  vessel  was  headed  for  Prince  William 
Sound. 

On  the  lOtli  of  July  the  Slava  Rossie  was  anchored 

*"  During  the  stay  of  the  Slcva  liomc  at  Three  Saints  Bay  one  of  the  ofTiccrs 
of  the  company  appHcil  to  the  priest  accompanying  tin;  expedition  toba|iti;;oa 
native  woman  ■with  whom  he  had  been  living  several  years  and  had  ehildrei;; 
they  were  then  formally  married,  and  Saner  sjieaks  witli  nnich  Katisfactiuu  oi 
tlie  excellent  manner  in  whieli  their  himscliold  all'airs  were  nanaged.  From 
the  promyshleniki  and  sailors  in  employ  of  the  company  much  complaint 
was  heard  of  the  high  prices  they  were  obliged  to  pay  the  company  for  the 
very  necessaries  of  life,  making  it  almost  impossible  to  live  without  becoming 
indebted  to  their  employci-s.  Id.,  173. 

"  On  this  occasion  Sauer  makes  an  evidently  erroneous  statement  to  tho 
cfTcct  that  he  was  infonned  the  Spaniards  were  in  tho  habit  of  visiting  tho 
liussian  settlements  annually,  exchanging  provisions  and  sea-otter  skins  fur 
hardware  and  linen.  /(/.,  ISi;  Jucenal'a  Jour.,  MS.,  50  et  seq. 


288 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 


in  the  same  bay  of  Montague  or  Tzaldio  Island  where 
Cook  passed  some  time  in  1778.  The  astronomical 
tent  was  at  once  erected  on  shore  under  a  sufficicit 
guard,  while  boat  parties  set  out  to  explore.  The 
natives  were  quite  peaceable  in  view  of  the  formidable 
armament  of  the  Slava  liossie,  but  they  made  bitter 
complaints  against  Russian  traders  who  had  formerly 
visited  them,  especially  the  party  under  Polutof  in 
1783.  They  were  assured  that  they  need  not  appre- 
hend any  ill-treatment  from  government  vessels  car- 
rying the  same  flag  as  the  Slava  liotisie.  It  was  found 
necessary,  however,  to  exercise  the  greatest  vigilance 
to  prevent  them  from  stealing.^^ 

While  at  this  anchorage,  Captain  Billings,  who 
thought  he  had  reached  the  Cape  St  Elias  discovered 
by  Bering,  assumed,  in  accordance  with  his  instruc- 
tions, an  additional  rank,  the  customary  oath  being 
administered  by  the  priest  attached  to  the  expedition. 
Sauer  ridiculed  this  theory  and  located  Cape  St  Elias 
to  his  own  satisfaction  on  Kaye  Island. 

Lieutenant  Sarychef  went  out  with  a  boat's  crew, 
and  during  an  absence  of  three  days  he  met  several 
parties  of  natives  and  saw  the  cross  erected  by  Zaikof 
under  Shelikof's  order.  On  one  occasion  the  crafty 
natives  endeavored  to  entice  him  into  a  shallow  chan- 
nel where  his  boat  would  be  left  grounded  by  the  tide 
and  his  party  exposed  to  attack.  The  device  did  not 
succeed,  however,  and  Sarychef  heard  of  the  danger 
he  had  escaped  only  after  his  return  to  Okhotsk,  from 
the  Aleut  interpreter.  After  Sary chef's  return  to 
the  ship  a  very  old  native  came  on  board  and  stated 
that  his  home  was  on  Kaye  Island  which  he  plainly 
described.     With  ugard  to  the  number  and  nation- 

"  Sauer  states  that  on  one  occasion,  when  Billings  entertained  some  of  the 
natives  in  his  tent  on  shore,  the  servant  set  down  a  tray  in  such  a  manni'r 
that  a  corner  of  it,  containing  somcspoons,  protruded  from  under  the  tanvr.s. 
One  of  the  natives  attempted  to  appropriate  the  spoons,  but  a  ■\vater-?panii'l 
lying  in  the  tent  sprang  at  him,  seized  the  hand  holding  the  plunder,  and  huld 
the  thief  until  ordered  to  relinquish  his  hold — a  circumstance  which,  in  Suucr's 
opinion,  thereafter  'kept  them  (the  natives)  honest  afterwards  in  the  dog's 
presence.'  Sititcr's  Geoij.  and  Aslron.  E.vped.,  188. 


|.iM: 


A  QUIXOTIC  PLAN. 


:8d 


where 
oiuical 
ifick  .\t 
The 
lidable 
bitter 
rmerly 
utof  in 
,  appre- 
els  car- 
,s  found 
igilance 

nrs,    who 

icovered 
instruc- 
:h  being 
pedition. 
St  Elias 


I  some  of  tho 
Ih  a  maiiiHT 
1  the  tanviia. 
later-gpaiiH'l 
ler,  anil  huU 
Ih,  in  Saiiti's 
In  the  doya 


ality  of  sliips  that  had  visited  liis  people,  ho  was  not 
]M)sitive,  but  rcnienibered  well  that  when  lio  was  a 
l)(ty  a  ship  liad  approached  Kayo  Ishind  for  the  first 
liiiie.  When  a  boat  was  sent  ashore  tho  natives  lied 
into  the  interior,  returning  only  after  their  visitois 
had  departed.  They  found  their  domiciles  despoiled 
of  many  articles  and  some  provisions,  while  some 
heads,  tobacco,  and  iron  kettles  had  been  deposited  in 
their  place.  As  this  account  corresj)onds  altogether 
with  Steller's  report  of  Khitrof's  landing  in  1741, 
Sauer  and  Sarychef  came  at  once  to  the  conclusion 
that  Kaye  Island  must  be  the  locality  of  Bering's 
discovery. 

Sauer  conceived  a  wild  plan  of  renmining  alone 
among  the  natives  of  Prince  William  Sound  to  carry 
on  explorations,  with  a  faint  hope  of  discovering  the 
long  sought  for  passage  into  the  northern  Atlamtic. 
Billings  very  properly  refused  to  sanction  the  plan, 
much  to  the  chagrin  of  his  Quixotic  secretary. 

A  few  good  spars  were  secured  for  the  ship  and  a 
small  supply  of  fresh  fish,  and  on  the  1st  (;f  August  a 
council  of  officers  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was 
best  to  return  to  Kamchatka.  The  stock  of  provi- 
sions was  not  sufficient  to  niaintain  the  whole  com- 
pany during  the  winter  in  a  country  api)arently  with- 
out any  reliable  natural  resources;  the  season  was  far 
advanced  and  it  appeared  scarcely  safe  to  continue 
the  work  of  surveying  in  an  almost  unknown  region 
with  a  single  vessel.  A  south-westerly  course  was 
a(lo})ted,  but  the  winds  were  adverse,  and  by  the 
l)eginning  of  September  the  Slava  Jiosste  was  still 
tossing  about  in  unknown  seas,  unable  to  obtain  any 
correct  observations.  A  squall  carried  away  the  ^»'\ 
mast  and  other  spars  and  it  was  found  impossible  lo 
touch  at  Unalaska  to  replenish  the  water-casks  and 
land  the  Aleut  interpreters.  On  the  24th  of  Se]>- 
tcmber  one  of  the  latter  attempted  suicide  by  cut- 
ting his  throat,  despairing  of  ever  seeing  his  country 
again.    The  supply  of  water  and  provisions  was  almost 


i\  f 


I 


Hira.  Alaska.    It) 


H    i 


w 


(900 


THE  BILLIXGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 


exhausted  and  tlicy  had  rcas«)ns  to  behove  thems' 
still  iiuiiiy  liundred  miles  from  the  coast  of  K  <n- 
chatka;  hut  in  spite  of  the  many  evils  threateniiiLi' 
him  on  every  side  Billings  continued  upon  his  course, 
and  at  last,  on  the  14th  of  October,  the  Slara  J^ossir 
entered  the  Bay  of  Avatcha,  with  a  large  part  of  her 
crew  Huifering  from  scurvy. 

The  remainder  of  the  expedition  had  arrived  fron; 
Okhotsk  during  the  summer,  bringing  the  iron  and 
other  material  saved  from  the  wrecked  Dohraia  Na- 
■iiu'i'ona,  and  the  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  build 
another  ship.  The  ship-carpenters  and  a  force  of  nun 
were  at  once  despatched  to  Nishnekamchatsk,  whert; 
suitable  timber  was  more  abundant,  and  the  work 
progressed  vigorously  under  superintendence  of  Cajt- 
tain  Hall.  The  other  officers  passed  most  of  their 
time  at  Bolsheretsk  in  the  enjo3'ment  of  social  inter- 
course with  the  families  of  government  officers  and 
merchants. 

One  of  the  navigators  attached  to  the  cxp'^dition, 
named  Bronnikof,  havinsr  died  during  the  mer, 

Billinijs  enijaijed  in  his  stead  Gerassim  Prib'  vln) 

in  the  service  of  the  Lebedef-Lastochkin  company  had 
recently  discovered  the  islands  of  St  George  and  St 
Paul,  the  annual  retreat  of  the  fur-seals. 

Early  in  April  1791  the  members  of  the  expedition 
once  more  assembled  at  Petropavl<,vsk,  and  orders 
were  forwarded  to  Captain  Hall,  who  was  toconnnand 
the  new  vessel,  to  meet  the  Sbiva  Hofn^ie  at  Bering;' 
Island  between  the  2.0th  and  30th  of  May.  In  cusr 
of  failure  to  meet,  a  second  rendezvous  was  appointed 
at  Unalaska. 

On  the  19th  of  May  the  ships  sailed  out  of  Avatclm 
Bay  after  a  Idng  detention  by  baffling  winds.  On  tlu' 
28th  Bering  Island  was  made,  but  the  weather  beini; 
lK)isterous  it  was  concluded  not  to  wait  for  the  con- 
sort, but  to  go  on  to  Unalaska.  The  first  landing  was 
made  on  the  island  of  Tanaga,  where  they  found  :i 
village  inhabited  by  women  and  a  few  old  men,  who 


IMPERIAL  Rr.WARDS. 


291 


K  .n- 
[itcnin;j; 
coursi', 

b  of  licr 

Bcl  frcim 
ron  and 
ilia  i\""- 
to  build 
e  of  men 
k,  \vh<M»i 
ho  work 

of  Cap- 

of  tlioir 
ial  iuter- 
icers  ami 

[cpoditifm, 

nier, 

1  vlio 

ipaiij'bad 

o  and  St 

Ixpedition 
id  orders 

Iconmiand 

it  Bcrini;' 

In  case 

ippointed 

Avatclia 

On  tlu' 

her  bein-' 

the  con- 
[iding"  was 
b  found  :v 
\uon,  Nvbo 


explained  that  all  the  able-bodied  hunters  had  been 
carried  ofi'  to  the  east>vard  by  Lukanin  an<l  his  eom- 
])any.  The  people  complained  that  this  paity  bad 
also  taken  with  them  many  women.  The  Aleuts  car- 
ried to  Kamchatka  ajjainst  their  will,  duriui'  the  last 
voyage,  were  here  set  ashore  with  no  other  compensa- 
tion than  a  few  articles  of  clothinijf,  a  little  tobacco, 
and  a  brief  document  cxemptinj^  them  from  compul- 
sory services  with  the  trading  companies. 

On  the  25th  of  June  the  harb(>r  of  Illiuliuk  on 
Unalaska  Island  was  reached,  but  nothing  had  been 
heard  of  Hall  and  his  vessel.  Billings  at  once  de- 
clared that  he  would  give  up  his  former  intention  to 
make  a  thorough  exjtloration  of  Cook  Inlet  and  vicin- 
ity, and  proceed  at  once  to  St  Lawrence  Bay,  in  the 
Chukchi  countr}^  after  depositing  at  Unalaska  some 
j)rovisions  for  Captain  Hall  with  a  few  men  to  guaid 
tliem.'^  Instructions  were  also  left  tor  the  consort  to 
immediately  follow  the  Slava  Rossii-  to  St  Lawrence 
Bay.  The  othcers,  especially  Saryclief  and  Sauer, 
were  greatly  disappointed  at  this  change  of  ])lans, 
and  the  latter  in  his  journal  expressed  the  o[)inion 
that  too  rapid  promotion  had  an  evil  eft'eot  on  Ca[)tain 
Billings,  who  seemed  to  have  lost  all  ambition  to  make 
discoveries,  and  haughtily  refused  advice  from  the 
most  experienced  of  his  companions.'* 

After  landing  the  men  and  provisions  for  Hall,  the 

"  The  men  left  there  wore  Surgeon  Allegretti,  Ensign  Ivan  Alexei'ef  ami 
(.lie  sailor,  hi.,  229.  Juvenal,  Jour.,  MS.,  27  et  seq.,  refers  to  the  doings  of 
Vm  Lelxidef-Lastochkin  Company. 

"  Sauer  uses  the  following  strong  Language:  'Xothing  in  the  world  could 
Imve  aflbrded  mo  less  satisfaction  than  tliis  resolution,  wliiuh  I  regarded  as 
tiio  conclusion  of  an  expedition  that  was  set  on  foot  witli  unbounded  liber- 
ality l)y  the  most  magnaninkous  sovereign  in  the  world;  which  had  raised  the 
expectation  of  all  nations  to  the  highest  pitch,  and  induced  niankiiicl  to  an- 
ticipate the  satisfaction  of  obtaining  the  most  complete  knowledge  of  tlio 
j-'ri.gi-aphy  of  this  unknown  part  of  tlie  globe,  togetlier  with  a  conviction  of 
tlie  existence  01  non-existence  of  a  north-west  passage.  But,  alas!  after  so 
many  years  of  danger  and  fatigue;  after  putting  the  government  to  such  an 
extraordinary  expense;  after  having  advanced  so  far  in  the  attempt,  even  at 
the  very  time  when  we  were  in  hourly  expectjition  of  our  comfort,  and,  aa 
aplieared  to  nje,  being  just  entering  upon  the  grand  part  of  the  undertak- 
ing', thus  to  abandon  it  was  the  most  unaccountable  and  unjustitiablu  of  ac- 
tiutis.'  Samr's  Utioij.  and  Antroii.  Exytd.,  230. 


!i 


y 

i 


I,  I 


■j    li 

-I    '■'■ 


\ 


'■\'^ 


D 


^!     :      ' 


i 

1 

' 

\^ ' 

If  IB. 

f      1 

t 

i 

i, 

H 

■\'\ 

r^ 

1 

!  i 

■ 

1- 

292 


THE  BILLIXGS  SCIENTiriC  EXPEDITION. 


Slava  liOffftie  put  to  sea  on  the  8th  of  Julv.  Passiii'' 
through  tiic  Pfibylof  and  St  Matthew  islands,  they 
nuid(  land  on  the  20th  of  Jub\  which  turned  out  tv) 
be  Clcrke  Island  (St  Lawrence).  Billings  landed  in 
person;  the  natives  who  had  been  discerned  walking 
on  the  beach  disappeared  as  soon  as  the  boat  ap- 
l)roa(hed  the  shore.  The  party  returned  in  the 
evening,  having  visited  some  abandoned  habitations 
and  met'  some  domesticated  dogs.  A  party  of  natives 
crossing  a  lake  in  the  direction  of  the  ocean  beach 
was  frightened  back  by  a  musket-shot  fired  to  warn 
Billings,  who  had  strayed  some  distance  by  himself. 

On  the  27th  of  July  the  explorers  at  last  caught 
sight  of  the  American  continent,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Cape  Rodnc}'-.  Billings,  with  the  naturalist,  draughts- 
man, and  two  other  officers  were  landed  in  boats. 
The  party  made  a  fire  of  drift-wood  on  the  beach  and 
then  dispersed  in  seqirch  of  inhabitants.  A  few  were 
found,  and  friendly  intercourse  was  established  by 
means  of  an  Anadir  Cossack  who  spoke  the  Chuk- 
chi language.  The  natives  conducted  their  visitois 
to  a  temporary  dwelling  and  treated  them  hospitably. 
The  following  day  some  trading  was  carried  on  and 
the  explorers  returned  to  the  ship  with  considerable 
difficulty  owing  to  stormy  weather.'^ 

On  the  2d  of  August  the  expedition  reached  its 
highest  latitude,  Go"  23'  50",  sighting  the  islands  in 
mid-channel  of  Bering  Strait,  and  the  following  day 
the  Slnva  Rossie  anchored  in  St  Lawrence  Bay.  From 
this  point  Billings  proposed  to  set  out  overland,  with 
a  small  party,  in  the  direction  of  the  Kovima,  while 
Sarychef  was  to  take  the  vessel  back  to  Unalasjia. 
Two  guides  and  interpreters,  Kobelef  and  Dauerkin, 
had  been  on  the  coast  ever  since  1787,  awaitiuLT  tl:i' 

'■"'A  l)iilar,  purcliascd  from  the  natives,  with  four  snih>rH,  did  not  it, nil 
the  t^hip  till  tliu  Illst.  Tlie  men  reported  that  they  had  lieeii  cast  jishon'.  j  i.  1 
•it  (laylii-'lit  fuiiiid  themselves  snrrouuiled  ))y  a  ninnher  of  natives,  v  ith  \\lii  iii 
tlii'y  ti:.ded,  though  givii);^  theui  a  had  eharaeter.  SaiRT  remarks  en  this 
<ifea.)i(iii:  '  I  eannot  ).'ues9  nhat  articles  of  trade  tJiey  hail ;  hut  they  (>)itiii:ii  A 
8evev.ll  skinu  of  l:'ack  and  red  foxes,  martens,  etc.  I  hope  that  thenativis 
liad  I'ut  tlio  gi'c'uter  reason  to  cou4>laiu.'  Jil.,'2i~. 


AN  OVERLAND  JOURNEY. 


20.1 


H,  dill  not  11  ;n 


expedition,  and  Billings  lost  no  time  in  perfecting 
jircparations  for  his  dangerous  journey,  taking  his  final 
departure  on  the  13tli  of  August/" 

The  commander  appeared  confident  of  his  purpose, 
but  those  lie  left  on  the  ship  by  no  means  shared  that 
feeling.  They  considered  the  large  quantity  of  goods 
carried  as  presents  an  additional  danger,  which  proved 
true  according  to  the  report  of  the  journey.  As  soon 
as  they  left  the  coast  they  found  themselves  com- 
jilctely  in  the  power  of  the  Chukchi  \  ho  were  to 
accompany  them  across  the  country.  The}'  were  led 
over  a  roundabout  route  and  systematically  robbed  at 
every  opportunity.  As  iheir  store  of  goods  decreased 
the  insolence  of  the  natives  increased  and  on  more 
tlian  one  occasion  they  narrowly  escaped  slaughter. 

On  the  day  after  Billings'  departure  Sarychcf  sailed! 
f'lr  Unalaska.  The  Slava  Rossie  was  now  but  ill  pro- 
vided with  food,  water,  and  firewood,  but  anxiety  on 
account  of  Hall  with  the  consort  made  it  necessary 
to  steer  for  the  Aleutian  isles  instead  of  proceeding 
to  Petropavlovsk  for  supplies.  The  passage  was  com- 
paratively short,  however,  and  on  the  28th  of  August 
they  anchored  once  more  in  Illiuliuk  harbor.  Captain 
]Iall  had  arrived  there  a  few  days  after  Billings' 
departure  and  sailed  foi  St  Lawrence  Bay  in  accord- 
ance with  instructions:  thence  he  returned,  arriving 
three  days  later. 

The  anchora^j  chosen  for  the  two  vessels  during 
tlio  winter  was  ft  lon<;itudinal  cove  on  the  west  iside 
of  Illiuliuk  Bay,  protected  by  a  low  island,  now  con- 
nected with  the  adjoining  shore  by  a  narrow  neck. 
Some  shops  and  huts  for  oiliccrs  were  erected,  but  the 
greater  part  of  the  crews  remained  on  board  of  tlie 
l^htnt  J'ossie  and  the  ChcrnnI  Orel,  or  l^lack  Eagle, 
as  Captain  Hall's  vessel  had  been  named.  Sauer 
intimates  that  the  principal  reason  of  the  sailors  fi.r 

"  The  ooniprfny  niimhcrcd  12 — Cf  pt.  Billings,  P>-  Merck  the  naturalist  aii'l 
!::■<  iissistniit  ^Ir  Main,  Miistera  IJflti.kof  nml  (Jilcicf  of  tlio  navy;  \'an«niii, 
tlio  i'riiii;_'litsnian,  and  Lcniiin,  mirjrenn  s  mate;  the  two  intenrcters.  Koliehf 
uiil  J>aiit'rkiu,  aud  two  Boldiers  and  a  boy  attc^'diny  on  the  cai)taiu.  Id.,  lljo. 


iff 


294 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 


m 


remaining  on  board  was,  tliat  while  on  the  ships  thoy 
were  entitled  to  a  daily  allowance  of  btandy  which 
could  not  have  been  issued  to  them  on  shore.  Tlu- 
officers  doomed  to  pass  a  wretched  winter  in  tliis 
desolate  place  were  captains  Robert  Hall  and  Gavril 
Sarychcf,  Lieutenant  Christian  Bcrinjjf,  Suri^con- 
niajor  llobeck,  Surgeon  Allegretti,  and  Bakof,  Bakii- 
lin,  Erling,  Pribylof,  and  Sauer.  Billings'  orders  had 
been  to  collect  tribute  i'nnn  the  Aleutian  ic>les,  and 
Hall  took  the  necessary  steps  to  notify  the  natives  of 
his  purpose.  The  Aleuts  came  voluntarily  with  cou- 
tributions  of  fox  and  sea-otter  skins,  especially  aftei- 
it  became  known  that  the  government  officers  gen- 
erally returned  the  full  value  of  the  skins  in  trinkets. 
In  the  expectation  that  at  least  one  of  his  shi;;. 
would  winter  at  Unalaska,  Billings  had  given  »)r(!<'rs 
that  stores  of  dried  fish  should  be  prepared,  and  lliis 
order  had  been  generally  obeyed  by  the  natives;  but 
with  all  that  the  crews  of  the  two  vessels  were  Imt 
j)oorly  provided  for  the  long,  cold  winter.  The  knowl- 
edge of  the  dreadful  suflcrings  of  their  predecessors 
in  that  harbor,  Captain  Levashef  and  his  crew,  nl" 
tlie  Ki-enitzin  ex})edition,  in  17G8,  may  have  hastened 
the  coming  of  the  scurvy;  at  all  events,  a  month 
had  not  passed  before  several  men  were  attacked  with 
it,  and  before  the  end  of  the  year  one  victim  Wiis 
buried.  With  the  new  year  the  disease  became  nior. 
violent,  and  toward  the  end  of  February  17*.)2  tiny 
bui'ietl  as  many  as  three  in  one  dav.  In  jMarcli  ;i 
change  for  the  better  set  in,  after  seventeen  of  the 
best  men  had  found  their  ijfraves.  With  the  LTreati'^t 
difficulty  the  two  ships  were  brought  into  condition 
to  undertake  the  return  voyage  to  Betropavlovsk,  but 
Uie  task  was  at  last  accomplished  on  the  Kith  of  May. 
During  the  winter  tribute  had  been  collected  from 
about  five  hundred  natives,  amounting  to  a  dozen  sea- 
otter  skins  and  six  hundreil  foxes  of  different  kiiuU, 
and  in  return  for  these  all  the  trinkets  and  tobacco, 
(juite  a  large  (piaivtity,  had  been  distributed.    A  party 


X. 


mPUDEXT  CHUIvCHL 


205 


)  ships  thoy 
andy  which 
ihore.     The 
iter  ill  this 
and  Gavril 
;,    Surn^eoii- 
akof,  Baku- 
'  orders  had 
.11  ibles,  and 
e  natives  of 
[y  with  oon- 
>ecially  after 
officers  ^ei\- 
;  in  trinkets, 
if  his  sh';:.- 
triven  or(!t'i> 
red,  and  this 
natives;  hut 
dIs  were  l>ut 
I  The  knowl- 
predeeessors 
lis  crew,  of 
ive  hasteiud 
ts,  a  month 
taeked  with 
victim  was 
K'came  move 
y  \7\)-2  they 
n  ^larch  a 
teen  of  the 
Ithe  greatest 
t<»  eoiKhtitui 
Lndovsk,  hut 
l«;th  of  May. 
lUected  from 
L  dozen  sea- 
k'lent  kiiuU, 
luid  tohaccii. 
Id.    A  pari  y 


consisting  of  some  Russians  from  Shehkofs  cstahhsh- 
ment  at  Kadiak  and  some  natives  had  })aid  a  visit  to 
the  winter-quarters  of  the  expedition  in  search  of 
syphiUtic  remedies,  brandy,  and  tobacco.  The  fc^'iiier 
they  obtained  from  the  surgeons  together  witli  proper 
directions  for  using  them.  The  natives  with  this 
])arty  made  many  complaints  of  ill-treatment  at  the 
hands  of  Russian  promyshleniki,  which  Sauer  con- 
sidered well  founded." 

The  return  from  Unalaska  was  accomplished  with 
l)etter  despatch  than  might  have  been  expected  from 
tlie  miserable  condition  of  the  vessols.  On  the  7tii 
(if  June  the  Slant  I^ossie  lost  sio-ht  of  the  Cltrnmi 
(h'cl,  and  on  the  IGth  the  former  vessel  entered 
Avatcha  Bay.  An  English  ship,  the  JIalci/oit,  Cap- 
tain Barclay,  was  in  the  harbor,  with  a  cargo  of  iion- 
ware  and  ship-chandlery  much  needed  on  the  coast, 
hut  the  stupid  port  authorities  would  not  allow  the 
ca])tain  to  dispose  of  any  of  his  goods. 

The  explorers  were  anxious  to  proceed  to  Okliotsk, 
l)ut  decking  it  impracticable  to  enter  that  p(»rt  uitli 
the  Sla.'a  Jiossic  it  was  concluded  to  despatch  the 
C/trrmd  On!,  with  as  many  members  of  +he  expedi- 
tion as  she  could  carry,  while  tlie  remainder  awaited 
tlie  arrival  of  the  annual  transport  vessel  iV(»iii 
Okhotsk,  Shortly  after  the  sailing  <»f  tlu'  first  (h'- 
tacliment  news  was  received  from  Captain  BiUiii^.^  and 
liis  party.  They  hatl  undergone  the  greate>t  sulhr- 
ings,  but  were  then,  in  February  17l»"J,  on  the  river 
Angarka  within  a  few  days'  mari'h  of  the  K(»\iuia. 
Tlie  object  of  the  dangerous  journey  had  to  a  great 
ext»M)t  been  frustrated  by  the  restrictions  ini]»ose(| 
upon  the  helpless  explorers  by  the  impudent  Chukchi. 

"  lie  also  Bays:  'Shelikhof  lias  fornicd  a  projit't  to  ohtnin  tlm  sole  priv- 
ilcm-  of  carrying  on  this  tratlii  witlimit  a  rival,  ami  lie  will  prohahiy,  niif  day 
nr  other,  BiU'foi-il ;  but  not  Itutore  tiie  soanity  of  tins  k'.><si'ns  flu'  value  nf  thi.s 
iiaiU' ami  rendern  fronli  cn])ital  necesKary  for  inakin>;  new  I'xciiision.s  to  dis- 
t'H\cM"  other  sourees  of  eonmieree,  or  I'atlu'r  of  weallli;  tiien  the  ilXeetoi.s  of 
tlie  present  eoncern  will  explore  the  rej,'ioim  of  Ain"reia,  ami  if  notiiiii„' 
auvantaj^eous  oi'curn,  they  will  tloulitles.s  retire  from  the  eoneern,  seeuic  in 
their  pos.HeMtiiunti,  untl  leave  liic  new  nienjlieiK  tu  purbue  the  iimleiiaKing.' 
J'l.,  -JTo-O. 


soft 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTinC  EXPEDITIOX. 


They  had  destroyed  the  surveying  outfit  and  would 
not  allow  any  notes  to  be  taken  or  calculations  to  be 
made.  Captain  Billings  communicated  his  intention 
of  proceeding  to  Yakutsk  with  all  possible  speed  and 
desired  Sauer  to  join  him  there  as  soon  as  practi- 


18 


M  ^i 


cable. 

Letters  from  St  Petersburg  were  received  about  the 
same  time,  announcing  that  a  French  vessel,  under 
the  flag  of  the  republic,  had  sailed  for  Petropavlovsk, 
and  ordering  that  every  facility  of  trade  should  be 
afforded  to  the  supercargo,  a  M.  Torckler.  A  few 
days  later  the  ship  arrived  and  was  found  to  be  the 
JjCi  Flavia — also  heard  of  on  the  American  coast — 
with  a  crew  of  sixty  men  besides  tlie  officers.  Her 
cargo  consisted  chiefly  of  brandy.  One  cannot  but 
note  the  difference  in  official  action  with  regard  to 
the  useful  cargo  of  iron-ware  brought  by  Barclay  the 
same  year,  and  that  of  the  La  Flavia,  consisting  of 
the  chief  element  of  destruction  and  ruin  amonu  the 
half-savafje  inhabitants  of  that  region.  The  French 
ship  remained  during  the  whole  winter,  petailing  the 
cargo,  for  nobody  in  Petropavlovsk  had  the  means  to 
buy  it  in  bulk.     She  sailed  June  1,  1793,  for  Canton. 

Thus  came  to  an  end,  as  far  as  concerns  the  Russian 
possessions  in  America,  an  expedition  inaugurated  on 
a  truly  magnificent  scale  after  long  years  of  prepara- 
tion. The  geographical  results  may  be  set  down  at 
next  to  nothing,  with  the  exception  of  the  thorougli 
surveys  of  Captain  Bay  in  Illiuliuk  Harbor  on  Una- 
laska  Island.  Every  other  part  of  the  work  had 
alreadv  been  done  by  Cook.  The  knowledge  obtained 
by  Billings  during  his  march  from  St  Lawrence  Bay 
to  the  Kovima  proved  of  no  great  importance,  based 
as  it  was  to  a  great  extent  on  hearsay  from  the 
treacherous  Chukchi,  who  would  not  allow  any  meiu- 

'"Thc  mcnil)ers  of  the  expedition  still  at  Petropavlovsk  wcro  Cant.  Brrin^r, 
M)iHt< IS  Biikof  and  lljikulin,  Mr  Suiicr,  and  Surgeon-general  RobccK.  Major 
SSliniak'f  was  iu  coinniaud  of  the  province.  Jd.,  *JSo. 


RESULTS. 


297 


bcr  of  the  band  to  make  personal  observations;.  An 
important  feature,  however,  was  the  prcHmiiiary  ex- 
perience gained  by  Sarychef,  wlio  subsequently  pub- 
lished the  most  complete  and  reliablo  charts  of  tlio 
Aleutian  Islands,  a  work  upon  which,  as  far  as  the 
territory  included  in  Sarychef's  own  observations  is 
concerned,  even  Tebenkof  could  make  few  if  any  iui- 
provements.  Their  reliability  stands  acknowleclj,'^ed 
to  the  present  day.  But  few  corrections  have  been 
made  in  his  special  chaFts  of  harbors  by  modern  sur- 
veys, As  far  as  it  is  possible  to  judge  now,  it  seems 
that  Martin  Sauer's  estimate  of  his  commander  was 
nearly  correct,  and  we  may  concur  in  his  opinion  that 
tlie  failure  of  the  expedition  in  its  chief  objects  was 
due  to  the  leader's  incapacity  and  false  pride,  which 
prevented  him  from  accepting  the  advice  of  others 
v.ell  qualified  and  willing  to  give  it;  but  there  wore 
also  other  reasons,  as  we  shall  see.  It  was  almost  a 
miracle  that  he  did  not  furnish  a  tragic  finale  to  a 
series  of  blunders  by  losing  his  life  during  his  fool- 
hardy journey  through  the  country  of  the  Chukchi. 

The  principal  benefit  derived  from  this  costly 
undertaking  was  the  ventilation  of  abuses  j>ractised 
by  unscrupulous  traders  upon  helpless  natives.  The 
authorities  in  Siberia  and  St  Petersburg  became  at 
last  convinced  that  an  end  must  be  put  to  the  bar- 
barous rule  of  the  promyshleniki.  The  cheapest  and 
easiest  way  to  accomplish  this  was  to  grant  control  of 
the  whole  business  with  American  coasts  and  islands 
to  one  strong  company  that  might  be  held  responsible 
to  the  government  for  its  conduct.  Those  members 
(if  the  Billings  expedition  who  revealed  the  unsatis- 
i;ictory  state  of  affairs  in  these  outlying  possessions 
of  Russia  did  not  intend  to  aid  Slielikof  and  his  part- 
ners in  their  ambitious  scheHies,  ))ut  such  was  tlie 
I'lfcct  of  their  reports.  Another  result  was  to  abolish 
tlie  custom  of  collecting  tribute  from  the  Aleuts;  the 
iiH'thod  introduced  by  Sar^'chef — to  return  the  full 
value  in  tobacco  and  trinkets  for  skins  tendered  as 


■I 


1       11 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 


tribute — would  have  eftbctually  prevented  the  govern- 
ment from  deriving  any  benefit  from  that  source. 

If  the  expedition  revealed  abuses  it  also  gave  rise 
to  others.  Many  private  individuals  enriched  them- 
selves by  contracts  for  supplying  the  expedition  at  tlu' 
ditferent  stages  of  its  progress,  especially  at  Irkutsk, 
Yakutsk,  and  Okhotsk.  Sauer  mentions  in  his  jour- 
nal that  on  his  return  voyage  he  found  the  officials  at 
Yakutsk,  whom  he  had  left  in  comparative  poverty, 
in  much  improved  circumstances,  bordering  uj)on 
affluence,  and  he  ascribes  the  change  to  the  fact  that 
these  people  had  been  engaged  in  furnishing  horses 
for  the  transportation  of  stores  to  the  Kovima  and  to 
Okhotsk. 

The  experience  gained  in  the  way  of  navigation  and 
management  of  similar  expeditions  was  of  some  value; 
and  in  this  connection  it  is  rather  a  significant  fact  that 
during  the  first  voyage  of  the  Slava  Rome,  under  the 
immediate  command  of  Billings,  the  scurvy  was  suc- 
cessfully combated,*"  yet  in  the  following  year  the 
two  ships  had  been  anchored  in  Illiuliuk  harbor  but 
a  few  weeks  when  the  dreaded  disease  broke  out  with 
such  violence  that  the  combined  eftorts  of  Saryclut" 
and  Hall,  two  medical  men,  and  Martin  Sauer  failed 
to  arrest  its  ravages. 

With  regard  to  the  supplementary  instructions  rel- 
ative to  the  Swedish  cruiser  Mcrcunj,  nothing  was  done 
by  Billings,  though  the  vessel  did  visit  the  Aleutian 
Islands  according  to  the  report  of  Pribylof.  The  ixy- 
prehensions  on  this  account  seem  to  have  been  great. 
A  set  of  minute  instructions  was  furnished  to  traders 
on  the  islands,  to  regulate  their  conduct  in  case  tlif 
privateer  ap{)eared,  but  in  Pribylof's  intercourse  witli 

"llillini^s,  formerly  of  Cook's  expedition,  had  evidently  learned  sonietliiiu' 
of  tlint  navigator's  cll'ective  method  of  coniliating  the  scurvy.  The  surgeon's 
journal  contains  the  following  remarks:  'It  was  only  toward  the  end  of  the 
Voyage,  when  our  bread  was  out  and  \\v  were  reduced  to  a  short  allowance  of 
water,  that  the  scurvy  made  its  aiipeurauce.  At  this  time  pease  and  grits, 
lioiled  to  a  thick  consistency  in  a  small  (piantity  of  w.atcr,  and  buttercil, 
Were  suh.stituled  for  salted  provisions.  The  primary  symptoms  of  scuny 
then  apju-ared,  hut  on  arriving  at  Tetropavlovsk  a  treatment  of  bleeding,  thin 
drink,  uud  fresh  lish  restored  all  hands  iu  u  very  short  tune.'  /(/.,  20H-<J, 


ii;;: 


INCEPTION  OF  J*IONOPOLY. 


299 


le  fjovern- 
urce. 
gave  rise 
led  theiii- 
iion  at  tlu' 
t  Irkutsk, 
1  his  jour- 
officials  at 
B  poverty, 
ring   U])()ii 
3  fact  that 
in<jr  horses 
ima  and  to 

gation  and 
onic  vahir; 
lit  fact  that 
,  under  the 
y  was  suc- 
;  year  the 
harbor  but 
e  out  witli 
Sarychef 
auer  failed 

ictions  rel- 
|g  wasdoni' 
t  Aleutian 
The  ai- 
k'en  great. 
to  traders 
11  case  the 
nurse  with 

|i»c(l  BOiiiethiii,' 
The  surgeons 
Ithc  enil  of  tin; 
rt  iiUowaiu'i'  if 
1(180  iiiul  urits, 
1  aiitl  Imtti'ioil, 
Dins  of  si'iii^y 
blocdinn,  tliiu 
tiL,  -iOH-y. 


Ca])tain  Coxe,  the  former  did  not  use  any  of  the  pre- 
cautions enjoined. 


20 


The  hand  of  the  future  monopolists  can  be  dis- 
cerned, shaping  events,  from  a  period  preceding  that 
of  Billings'  expedition,  though  perhaps  Martin  Sauur 
Mas  not  able  to  see  it.  Notwithstanding  his  belief  to 
the  contrary,  the  members  of  the  Shelikof  Company, 
already  in  virtual  possession  of  their  exclusive  privi- 
leges of  trade,  were  then  making  strenuous  eflbrts 
to  extend  operations  instead  of  drawing  out  of  the 
business.  Shelikof,  Baranof,  and  Delarof  knew  far 
better  than  Billings'  sanguine  secretary  what  wealth 
was  in  the  country.  Where  he  saw  nothing  but  indi- 
cations of  quick  decline,  energetic  ])reparations  were 
ill  progress  for  a  healthy  revival  of  business.  For 
many  years  after  the  period  set  by  Sauer  even  the 
vessels  of  small  opposition  companies  continued  to 
visit  the  islands  antl  portions  of  the  mainland. 

One  proof  of  the  confidence  of  Shelikof  in  the 
stabilitv  of  the  business  for  manv  years  to  come  is 
furnished  by  his  efforts  to  establish  a  settlement  in 

'"Tlie  instructions  issued  iu  1790  to  the  Sheliiiof-Oolikof  Company  con- 
tainotl  tlie  following:  'Necessary  measures  will  be  taken  in  accordance  with 
secret  instructions,  l)y  order  of  the  empress,  to  protect  the  estjddislnnents  of 
the  com|>any  and  its  stores  of  goods  and  furs  against  the  attacks  of  pirates, 
%vliich  have  Ikjcii  sent  out  for  that  puriKise  by  the  Swe<lish  government,  mnlci- 
the  connuand  of  Englisli  captiiins,  ami  all  possilde  means  will  be  employed  to 
avert  this  danger,  tlireatening  the  Imnters  as  well  as  the  company's  |)i'opcrt}'. 
It,  in  spite  of  all  precautions,  these  privateers  enter  any  Itussian  harl>or  or 
land  ])urtic.s  of  men,  eflbrts  must  be  made  to  repulse  them,  and,  if  possible,  to 
cajiture  and  detain  them.  In  such  a  case  a  party  of  natives  will  be  formed,  in 
bicla.'kas,  decorated  with  beads  and  paint;  tliey  will  approach  the  vessel  witli 
sii;ns  of  mlmiration  and  friend.ship,  beckoning  to  the  jieoiile  on  itoard  to  land, 
displaying  sea-otter  skins,  and  j)resentiug  them  with  a  few.  Having  in  this 
way  induced  as  many  as  pcssible  of  the  crew  to  land,  the  natives  will  met  t 
thciu  \vith  their  customary  dances  and  all  signs  of  satisfaction,  in  the  mean 
time  endeavoring  to  decoy  the  vessel  into  some  dangerous  place,  huring  all 
tills  time  not  one  Russian  must  show  himself,  lint  tlu'y  must  all  l>e  hidden  in 
convenient  places  prepared  for  that  purpose,  ami  when  the  deliidetl  ]iarty 
approtiches  some  defile  or  ambusli,  the  hidden  Kussian^s  will  emergi'  at  .'i  giv<  n 
fignal  to  attiick  lx>th  the  vessel  and  the  men  on  shore,  endeavoring  to  captiiie 
the  leaders,  etc'  In  case  of  fortune  favoring  t'le  hostile  visitors  the  in.stiiic- 
tions  direct  that,  'if  ix)s8ible,  tlie  most  important  among  the  I'lissian.s  or 
natives  must  endeavor  to  escape  in  bidars  or  hidarkas  by  pa.s.siigcs  where  the 
Siiiji  I'annot  follow,  while  others  may  apjiroacli  tip'  vessel  at  night  and  attemi't 
to  scuttle  it  or  cause  it  to  leak.'  Tikhmtiie/,  hlor,  Obotr.,  i.  33-4. 


'!  n 


■A 


1" 

't 

il' 

f , ' 

Bliii: 

il 

soo 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 


tlvo  vicinity  of  Cape  St  Elias  and  to  begin  sliip-build- 
ing  there.  "I  have  maJe  representations  to  the 
goveinnient,"  he  wrote  to  Baranof,  "with  reganl  to 
8hip-building  and  agriculture  at  Cape  St  Eha.s.  Dur- 
ing my  sojourn  at  Kadiak  it  was  known  to  me  that 
the  mainland  of  America  from  Unga  Island  to  the 
regions  inhabited  by  the  Kenai  enjoys  better  climatic 
conditions  than  the  island  of  Kadiak.  The  soil  is  fit 
for  cultivation,  timber  is  plentiful,"  etc.  Baranof 
wrote  in  reply  that  he  entertained  no  hope  of  suc- 
ceeding in  agricultural  experiments  at  Yakutat,  espe- 
cially near  the  coast,  as  the  place  was  situated  between 
50"  and  G0°  north  latitude.  He  also  stated  that  the 
shores  of  the  gulf  of  Chugachuik  and  portions  round 
Kcnai  were  composed  of  very  high  and  rugged  moun- 
tains. 

The  peculiar  search  for  agricultural  lands  outside  of 
Kadiak  shows  plainly  that  the  wily  traders  were  not 
in  earnest  in  their  search.  Kadiak  is  the  spot  most 
favored  by  nature  as  far  as  climate  and  soil  are  con- 
cerned. No  other  place  in  all  that  vast  region  can 
furnish  feed  for  cattle  or  boast  of  rich  fisheries,  useful 
tindxT,  and  fertile  vegetable-gardens  in  close  prox- 
imiiy  to  each  other.  But  all  this  was  carefullj'  hidden 
from  the  knowledge  of  the  government  and  attention 
was  drawn  toward  a  region  wdicre  failure  was  a  cer- 
tainty, in  order  to  obtain  the  services  of  such  laborers 
and  mechanics  as  might  be  forwarded  from  Siberia 
in  conformity  with  Shelikof's  representations  to  the 
imperial  court.  It  w-as  a  wily  scheme  and  proved 
successful  with  regard  to  the  introduction  of  skilled 
labor  into  the  colonies  without  nmch  expense  to  tiro 
company,  who  obtained  the  privilege  of  selecting  useful 
men  among  Siberian  exiles  and  convicts.  The  best  of 
tht'se  picked  men,  as  we  shall  see  in  a  succeeding  chap- 
ter, never  reached  the  proposed  settlement  at  Yakutat, 
and  the  few  who  did  perished  or  were  captured  during 
the  sacking  of  the  place  by  the  Thlinkects. 

It  is  safe  to  presume,  also,  that  Billings  had  reasons 


SAUER'S  RErORT. 


331 


for  not  Joing  anytliiiii^  against  the  men  who  wcro 
jiivparing  to  assuniu  su])ren)o  control  over  the  Russian 
])()ssossions  in  America,  despite  a  little  episode  witli 
ills  Itussian  secretary  at  Petropavlovsk,  who  was  sent 
baclv  to  Okhotsk  in  irons,  because  he  had  revealed 
some  of  the  secret  instructions  of  his  commander  to 
iiR'Uibers  of  the  Shelikof  Company.^*  His  strange 
apathy  in  the  matter  of  making  new  discoveries  or 
surveys  in  the  vicinity  of  Cook  Inlet  and  Prince  Will- 
iam Sound  may  have  bcni  due  to  iniluence  brought 
to  bear  from  that  direction,  and  not,  as  Sauer  inti- 
mates, to  mere  superciliousness  and  pride  engendered 
by  raj)id  promotion. 

In  the  case  of  subsequent  government  expeditions 
jiiul  inspectors  visiting  the  colonies  the  same  influence 
lu'came  more  perceptible  and  undeniable,  a  circum- 
stance which  justifies  us,  to  a  certain  extent,  in  view- 
ing in  a  similar  light  the  results  of  this  expedition 
and  the  events  recorded  in  this  chapter. 

An  enterprise  that  objected  to  general  competition, 
and  especially  one  with  unscrupulous  men  at  its  head, 
was  sure  to  bring  about  the  employment  of  question- 
able means  in  its  furtherance.  Bribery  was  the  easiest 
and  perhaps  the  most  innocent  means  employed  to 
secure  imnumity  from  interference  by  either  goveni- 
n)ont  or  rival  traders,  and  there  is  ground  for  suspicion 
that  it  was  brought  into  play  during  the  cruise  of  the 
iSbwa  Jios.sie. 

The  subordinate  members  of  the  expedition,  cap- 
tains Sar3'chef  and  Hall,  tlto  medical  men  and  rfauer, 
appear  to  have  taken  the  side  of  the  suii'ering  natives 
iigainst  the  grasping  .traders,  but  in  the  official  reports 
to  the  ijovernment  these  men  had  no  voice.  Billinn's' 
iv])ort  has  never  been  published,  and  we  can  only 
conjecture  its  tenor.  The  journal  and  notes  of  jNIartin 
Sauer  were  published  nearly  ten  years  later,  and  couM 
in  no  way  have  mfluenced  the  liussian  government. 


"/(/.;  213. 


i 

! 


I  \ 


HI! 


! 


'i  -r 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 

That  the  traders  did  not  like  the  presence  of  gov- 
ernment officers  among  them  was  but  natural.  Tliu 
officers  belonged  to  a  class  far  above  any  of  the  trad- 
ers in  social  standing  as  well  as  rank,  and  they  took 
no  pains  to  conceal  their  contempt  for  the  semi-bar- 
barous plebeians.  Individuals  of  some  education,  like 
Delarof,  met  with  a  certain  degree  of  consideration, 
but  all  others  were  treated  like  dogs.  Even  Baranof, 
after  he  had  been  in  supreme  command  of  the  colonies 
for  many  years,  was  snubbed  by  lieutenants  and  mid- 
shipmen of  the  navy,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to 
obtain  for  him  a  civil  rank  in  order  to  insure  even 
common  respect  from  government  officials.  Under 
such  circumstances  the  merchants  considered  them- 
selves justified  in  resorting  to  any  means  by  wlii(;li 
officers  might  be  disgusted  with  the  country  and  ex- 
ploring expeditions  made  to  appear  unnecessary  to  the 
government. 

In  the  case  of  Sarychef,  Hall,  and  Sauer,  who 
passed  a  winter  on  Unalaska  Island,  this  i)lan  seems 
to  have  worked  satisfactorily,  as  not  one  of  them  had 
anything  good  to  say  of  a  country  where  they  suffered 
intensely  from  scurvy  and  lack  of  provisions.  The  fact 
that  a  party  of  Russians  and  natives  from  Kadiak 
visited  the  expedition  in  its  winter-quarters  demon- 
strates the  possibility  of  carrying  on  the  work  of 
exploration  and  surveying  on  Unalaska  and  neigh- 
boring islands  during  the  winter,  but  no  such  attempt 
was  made,  though  the  whole  company  suffered  from 
the  effects  of  inactivity.  With  the  example  before 
them  of  the  Kadiak  party,  already  referred  to  in  the 
earlier  pages  of  this  chapter,  strengthened  by  that 
of  Martin  Sauer,  who  almost  alone  retained  compara- 
tively good  health  by  constantly  moving  about,  it  is 
difficult  to  find  any  valid  reason  for  the  apathy  shown 
by  the  officials  in  command.  The  work  actually  ac- 
ooniplished  by  Sarychef  must  have  been  completed 
liefore  the  appearance  of  the  scurvy.  Sauer's  original 
ambition,  which  caused  him  to  make  the  foolhardy 


MISSIONARY  EFFORTS. 


303 


proposition  of  remaining  alone  among  thcChugatschos, 
seems  to  have  cooled,  and  after  returning  to  Kamt- 
cliatka  he  confined  his  visionary  plans  to  the  ex})lor- 
ation  of  the  Kurile  Islands  and  perhaps  Japan  or 
China.  We  have  no  record,  however,  that  any  of  his 
plans  reached  the  stage  of  execution. 

In  support  of  his  schemes  Shelikof  had  been  the 
prime  mover  in  the  recjuest  to  have  a  missionary 
establishment  appointed  for  the  colonies,  and  in  his 
reports  he  claimed  to  have  converted  large  numbers 
of  natives  to  Christianity.  It  is  safe  to  presume,  how- 
ever, that  his  success  as  a  religious  teacher  was  not 
.suilicient  to  prepare  the  field  for  the  priest  attached 
to  Billings'  expeditions,  who  evidently  considered  that 
his  whole  duty  consisted  in  holding  services  for  his 
companions  once  a  week,  and  in  administering  the 
customary  oath  to  Captain  Billings  whenever  the 
latter  assumed  an  additional  rank  in  accordance  with 
the  imperial  oukaz  containing  his  instructions.  On  the 
second  voyage  from  Petropavlovsk  the  commander  did 
not  expect  further  j)romotion,  and  we  find  no  mention 
of  the  priest.  He  was  probably  left  behind  as  one 
whose  earthly  work  was  done.  Sauer  gave  him  a  bad 
cliaracter  and  called  him  half-savay:e.  ' 

The  stay  of  the  Slava  Jfos.sie  was  besides  too  short 
at  any  one  place  during  the  first  voyage  to  allow  of 
missionary  work  on  the  part  of  the  priest,  though  a 
portable  chuich — a  large  tent — was  set  uj)  at  every 
anchorage.  Shelikof  had  not  hesitated  to  perform  a 
jtrimitive  rite  of  baptisni,  but  he  could  not  legally 
marry  people,  and  the  ceremony  performed  on  Kadiak 
Island,  as  before  mentioned,  was  consequently  the  first 
that  ever  took  place  in  the  country.  The  wife  of 
Shelikof  had  accompanied  him  on  liis  visit  to  America, 
but  from  that  solitary  exam})le  the  natives  could  not 
have  acquired  much  knowledge  of  the  institution  of 
Christian  marriage. 

Shelikof's   application   for  missionaries  had  great 


:  I!! 


1 1' 


i 


•  (  ■ 

. 

iiii  i. 

30A 


THE  BILLINGS  SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION. 


Veij^lit  witli  tlio  cominisisioii  intrusted  to  consitlcr  tlio 
tlumai)(l  of  his  company  for  exclusive  j)rivilcges,  hut 
the  first  members  of  the  cler|^y  who  landed  upon  tlij 
islands  <jf  the  American  coast  in  response  to  the  call 
did  not  meet  with  the  hearty  cooperation  they  may 
have  expected  at  the  hands  of  the  traders.  Taking- 
time  and  circumstances  into  consideration,  this  was 
but  natural.  All  the  Russians,  from  the  chief  trader 
down,  were  laboring  'on  shares,'  and  shared  alike  in 
th  J  scanty  provisions  furnished  at  very  irregular  inter- 
vals, while  every  man  was  expected  to  eke  out  addi- 
tional supplies  by  hunting  and  fishing  whenever  he 
could  obtain  a  few  days  from  other  pursuits.  Tlie 
cleruiyiiien,  who  had  certainly  every  reason  to  look  for 
supplies  of  food  to  the  traders  who  had  desired  their 
liresence,  were,  therefore,  considered  as  an  undesirable 
element  by  lawless  individuals,  long  removed  from  all 
association  with  even  the  forms  of  civilization.  Idlers 
were  not  wanted  in  the  camps  of  the  promyshleniki, 
vviiere  scant  fare  was  the  rule,  and  for  some  years  al'ter 
tlieir  arrival  among  the  race  with  whose  language  they 
were  unacquainted,  the  m"  sionaries  could  do  little. 
Complaints  of  shortcomings  and  even  'ill-treatment 
were  at  lirst  quite  numerous,  and  by  some  priests  it 
was  alleged  that  the  commanders  of  stations,  where 
the}'^  had  taken  up  their  residence,  made  them  woilc 
for  their  living.  This  may  well  have  been  the  qase 
in  instances  wln)re  agents  were  compelled  to  give  way 
to  p()})ular  demr.nd;  the  semi-barbarous  hunters  per- 
haps had  another  ground  for  harboring  ill-feeling 
toward  their  clerical  guests — ihe  latter  interfered  to 
a  certain  extent  with  the  more  than  free  use  made  of 
native  women  by  the  promyshleniki.  Still,  the  ark- 
heniUHch'it,  or  prior,  loassaf,  sent  out  to  superintend 
the  missions,  was  treated  with  respect,  as  the  man- 
agers of  the  companies  recognized  the,  necessi'ty  of 
restraining  their  subordinates  in  his  case.  A  man  in 
his  position  could  and  did  do  good  service  in  settling 
difficulties  between  rival  firms  and  individuals. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  MONOPOLY. 
1787-1795. 

Siif.mkof's  OnAN'D  CoNCErTinN — CuvKiiNOR-fiEKKnAi,  J.\('or.i  Won-  to  the 

SlMIEME— SiIKLIKOF'S  MoUEST  KeQCEST— Ai.AHKA  LaIH  INDKU  MilNOl'- 
OLY— StU'CLATIONS  of  THE  EmPIIESS — IIlMANE  OU]>EIlS  OF  Ko/J.OF- 
UcUEXIN — 1'(  ItLIO   IXHTUrcTlO.V.S  AND  .SECUET  In jr.NCTlONS— DeLAUOF'S 

Ad.mi.ni.sthation — 811EI.IKOF  Indcce.s  Uahanof  to  Kntek  iue  Seu- 
viiE  OF  HIS  Co:«PANY— Cakeeu  and  Tuaits  of  the  New  MAXAOEit — 
Sirii'wnF-, "  OF  Bakanof  on  Unai.aska — Conmtion'  of  the  Colony^ 

IIIVAUIY  AND  OTIIEH  TuorBI.ES — pLANS  AND  KeCOMMENUATIONS— En- 
GACiKMEST  WITH    THE    IvAUrSlIES — .SHIi'-UriLDINO — TlIE    EnULISUMAM 

Shields — L,vu>cii  and  Tuiudlations  of  the  '  Pikemx.  ' 


The  idea  of  a  sul>si(lizcd  monopoly  of  trado  and 
industry,  to  embrace  all  Russian  discoveries  and  col- 
onies on  the  shores  of  the  north  Pacilic,  iirst  arose  in 
the  fertile  brain  of  Grigor  Shelikof,  whose  original 
establishment  on  Kadiak  Island  has  l)een  the  subject 
*>f  a  preceding  chapter.  Once  seized  with  this  con- 
(•''[)Lion,  Shelikof  hastened  forward  the  execution  of 
it  witli  all  the  ardor  of  his  nature.  He  hurried  Ironi 
Kainchatka  to  Okhotsk  and  Irkutsk,  travelling  witli- 
otit  intermission  in  the  dead  of  winter  until  he  reached 
the  capital  of  eastern  Siberia  and  delivered  to  Gen- 
ci;d  Jacobi,  the  governor  general,  a  tletailed  account, 
with  maps,  of  the  countrie;,  he  had  visited,  and  j)laiis 
•  'f  the  fortifications  erected.  Ho  then  asked  of  the 
,H<»\ernor  general  instructions  for  the  management  of 
the  people  thus  added  to  the  Russian  empire,  and 
aid  toward  obtaining  from  the  empress  a  recognition 
of  his  labors.^ 

'  1  will  quote  here  a  few  concluding  lines  of  the  lengthy  doouinent  pro- 
sintcd  to  .Facobi  )»y  Shelikof:  'Without  the  approval  of  our  monarch  my 
Hist.  Alaska.    20  (305) 


ll 


«,  mi 

11 


t  ( 


m 


806 


ORGANIZATION  OF  MONOPOLY. 


Unlike  his  predecessors,  Shclikof  was  not  satisfied 
with  a  single  huntiiij;  season  on  the  ishmd  of  Kadiak, 
but,  as  we  have  seen,  proceeded  at  once  to  the  estah- 
lishnient  of  j)ernmnent  settlements.  After  the  pre- 
sentation of  his  re[)ort  to  General  Jacol)i,  the  clever 
trader  asked  permission  to  send  a  few  ships  to  Chinese 
ports,  in  case  of  an  interruption  to  the  overland  trade 
with  Kiakhta.  Tiie  permission  was  not  granted  at 
that  time.  ^leanwhile  Golikof,  Shclikofs  partner, 
had  i)routed  by  a  temporary  .sojourn  of  the  emprcf 


'SS 


lalMjivs  would  be  altogether  unsiitisfiictory  to  me  imd  uf  but  little  aceount  to 
the  ■>\  oi'lil,  since  tlie  principal  ultjeot  of  all  my  un(li'rtakiiij,'s  lia.s  been  to  iiu-or- 
j)orati!  the  newly  discovereil  seas,  countries,  ami  islamU  into  our  empire 
bcl'ore  otiier  powers  could  occn])y  and  claim  them,  and  to  iiiang m-itc  cntoi- 
pri.scH  whii'h  will  add  to  the  glory  of  our  wise  empress  and  sccu.e  prolits  to 
her  and  to  our  countrjinen.  I  trust  that  my  hopes  of  seeing  w:so  measures 
uiloi)ted  for  the  L'overument  and  protection  of  the  distant  regions  discovered 
by  lilt!  arc  not  without  foundation,  and  tiiat  wo  shall  bo  enabled  to  establisli 
these  discoveries  to  the  best  possilde  general  advantage.'  Tikhmenff,  I<tor. 
Vhv.,  i.  b).  Captain  (iolovnin,  who  inspected  the  colonies  in  I81S,  in  a  letter 
to  the  imperial  navy  diticis  ficm  Shclikof  aa  to  the  merits  of  the  eolo- 
ni/er.  ile  sUites  that  '  .S'/d //ai ;/'.>.•  Voynije  was  printetl  at  St  I'ctcrsburii  in 
17!M.  Aside  fi-oni  the  baiiiarou.i  .stylo  of  the  book  .md  tiie  stupidity  exhibited 
'jii  every  page,  v>c  cannot  fail  to  notice  some  intentional  falscluMicls,  slnnviii;.; 
hov,  crafty  and  fur-seeing  this  man  was.  in  the  lirst  place  lieapjiropriatcs  to 
himself  witliout  any  conscieiuious  scruples  the  di>-:covery  of  Kadir.k  and 
Afounak,  when  it  i.-i  well  known  that  Ijcring  sighted  those  'slands  and  named 
a  point  Ca[)e  llerinogen,  and  Cook,  live  years  liefore  Slielikof 's  vt  yage,  a:Hcer- 
tjiined  that  the  cape  was  only  ii  small  inland.  Cape  Coviat.skoi  on  Kai'iak 
Island  was  named  (ape  (Iieville  by  Cook,  and  furthermore,  a  Kussian  galio* 
wintered  at  Jvatliak  iis  early  as  \~i\',\,  its  coniniaudcr  being  a  certain  (ilottof, 
while  S!ielik.)f  ai'iived  tiiere  only  in  17^4,  but  what  is  more  stupid  tlu;'.i  any- 
tiujig  else  is,  that  on  the  title-page  of  his  book  he  ekiiiiiM  to  be  the  discoverer 
of  the  i.vland  he  calls  Kr.iluit.;!;,  lor-;etting  that  on  )ia;,'e  l2.1  of  his  book  li  • 
ackiiovledges  that  in  ITHI  a  Kiis.sian  ves.'c!  stopped  at  that  i.-^laml.  Where 
was  the  discovery?  Vv'liat  plice  did  he  lind  that  Cook  did  not,  see?  l^te. 
Shclikof  a.'.serts  that  he  found."  ',();;!)  inhabitants  on  t!ie  island,  aiiil  tliat  in 
a  lit'lit  he  with  a  force  of  l.'W  attacked  4, 000  men,  fortilie;!  upon  a  high  rock, 
taking  1,(K);)  prisoners.  According  to  Captain  i.i.->biar.ski's  impiirie.-*  '^lKiik^I 
fi'll  upon  40()  iieople,  including  woincn  anil  children;  but  .H),Ot!0  inhiJ.itantj 
iievir  existed  upon  the  island —the  ruinlier  iiow  bili.g  .'{,000,  ami  ivcn  if  we 
suppost!  that  the  company  ouccceded  in  dcst'oying  four  lifths,  tiie  origini.l 
pti|iiilation  eould  hav"  been  only  1."),0<R).  Now,  the  (juestion  i.s,  Wl'.at  iiidiic<  1 
SluHkof  to  lie  thus  boldly  ami  impudently?  He  an.iweni  this  ipiestion  liii.i- 
sell,  in  hi.s  book,  v  lien  hi'  asserts  that,  without  kn.nving  the  Iau;,aage  of  the 
inhi.iiitauts.  he  succeeded  in  one  winter  in  converting  a  large  miniberof  them 
to  the  sacit;d  doctrines  of  our  religion,  and  that  by  siin[)ly  telling  them  of  tin 
uisdoiu,  humaiiity,  and  kindness  of  the  rnipress  oi  Itii.ssia,  he  made  such  .-.n 
impression  ujioii  th'-ir  minds  that  the  natives  were  tilled  with  love  and 
ailiniratiou  for  he-  Ma  jesty,  ami  at  once  voluntarily  submittecl  to  lii'r  sceptre 
Now,  it  is  clear  that  Slielik.)f  wished  to  make  the  government  believe  tliat  iu' 
hail  discov. ■■  ,(  ji  l,l.■^^■  country  and  added  .■iO,(KK)  bona  (ide  subjects  to  Hiif'si.-i. 
lie  .",id  not  fail  ill  his  calculations,  as  he  received  voiy  Uatttiriiig  iewiuil». 
O'oloi'iiiii,  Xapinki,  in  Mahrmlui,  i.  M-G. 


sHELmoF  A^^)  golikop  at  court. 


907 


)t  satlsfiod 
Dt'  Kadiah, 

the  estal)- 
.>r  tbii  pn- 

thc  clever 
to  Cliinesc 
rlaiul  track' 
frraiitod  at 
"s  partner, 
lie  empress 

little  account  to 
as  bi'i'ii  to  inoor- 
into  our  empire 
iian"tratc  cuter- 
Bccu.c  prolita  to 
\jr  wso  measures 
•gioiis  «liscovereil 
l)le(l  to  establish 
Tikhmvn^'/,  I  lor. 
II  ISlS,  in  a  letter 
;rits  of   the  eolo- 
.st  rctcrsbin-fj;  iu 
uiii<Utycxhil'iteil 
aehixKls,  Khowin.i; 
leupiu-oprir.tes  to 
•  of  'Kadiuk  ami 
ilamls  auil  uaun'il 
If  s  VI  yaye,  a-seer- 
lilskoi  on  Kail'.ak 
a  Russian  galiot 
li  iirtaiu  (ll')t^of, 
stajiul  th;;:inuy- 
lie  the  tliscbverir 
2,1  of  his  iMok  !  ■ 
'  islautl.     Wh.eiv 
nou  iivvl     I-aU  ' 
.ami,  aii'l  tliat  in 
[jioii  a  hijih  nil  I.. 
liKluirie.*  "^-liiiiAi  i 
It.OOO  iiihahitan.i 
I),  anil  even  if  v.f 
ths,  llie  ori.uiui.l 
ii,  Wh.at iiithu'  1 
iis  nutstion  liii. 
lau_.ia,4c  of  til': 
number  of  tlu'ii 
Vw^  them  of  t!i' 
llu-  made  sueh  .•  n 
with  h)ve  ami 
III  to  her  si'eptr. 
It  believe  that  I..' 
bjectsto  UuHsi,-. 
.teriug  rev^ura^. 


at  Kursk,  and  had  presented  to  her  a  chait  of  Slieli- 
kofs  voyage.  Her  Majesty  in«juire<l  into  the  eoin- 
paiiy's  achievements,  and  finally  u:ranted  Shelikof 
])ermission  to  come  to  8t  Petersburj^  and  present 
iiimself  at  court  with  Golikot*. 

Shortly  after  this  the  empress  aske<l  Jaeohi  his 
opinion  as  to  the  best  means  of  estahlishini,'  the  Rus- 
sian dominion  on  the  islands  of  the  eastern  ocean,  and 
on  the  Cv)ast  of  America,  and  also  as  to  the  best  ino(it,' 
tif  j-overninji:  the  savajjfe  tribes  and  ameli()ratinir  their 
conditio  1  In  answer  Jaecjbi  forwarded  a  lenotliv 
rr})ort  in  which  he  approved  the  proposed  <lespat(h 
of  a  fleet  from  the  lialtie-  to  protect  navii^ation  i.i 
tlie  Pacific,  an«'  mentioned  tha  he  had  forwarded  t  » 
tlie  regions  in  question  thirty  L'(»p[>er  shields,  bearing 
the  imperial  coat  of  arms  and  tlic  inscription,  "Countiv 
ill  possession  of  Russia, '  intended,  as  he  says,  "for 
the  better  assertion  of  ]^is' ia's  rights,  founded  uiwui 
discovery."  The  shields  ,ere  intrusted  to  navigators 
of  the  Shelikof  and  (Jolikof  Company.  Jac<»bi  al.  » 
recommended  that  the  <'ollection  of  tributv'  fi-om  tlh- 
iiatives  should  be  abolished  and  rcjtlaced  by  a  voluii- 
tary  tax.  He  j)ointed  out  the  disadvantages  to  both 
traders  and  natives  resulting  from  the  tribute  system, 
and  sujjfiA'sted  that  by  impressing  the  sava'j;es  with  a 
sense  of  the  power  of  the  empress  and  her  tender  caio 
!'»r  ;ill,  oven  her  most  distant  subjects,  and  l»y  allow- 
ing them  t(t  deliver  to  govcrinnent  agents  a  voluntary 
contril)utii»n  or  tax,  much  good  might  br  acconiplisjicd. 
Afcording  to  flacobi's  o|)iiiion,  tlif  eollcction  of  tribut  ' 
hasti'iievl  the  extermination  of  fnr-bcariiig  iinimals. 

Witli  regard  to  the  proposed  amelioration  JacobI 
said   that  there  could  be    no  doubt  of  the    truth   of 

-TIic  eni|>reB8  intomleil  to  nfTord  safer  nnviention  and  tnirtic  bv  sendiuLj 
war- vessels  from  the  I'altii'  undei'  roniiuiiiid  of  ( '.iiitiiiii  Mnlovski.  ^luio\^l;i's 
vessels  \\t.ie  fo  sejiarate  iijion  arrival  in  the  nortlicrn  I'aeilir,  one  ilivisjoii  t<> 
go  ti>  the  Amerieaii  coast,  umler  iii.s  own  eommaml,  and  the  otiier  to  prmKil 
to  the  Kurile  Islands,  but  on  account  o(  the  war  with  Swiihii  the  siniadiiii 
did  not  sail.  lieutenant  Treveiicn,  who  had  sailed  undi  i-  CiHik.  was  tn^'aiitrl 
to  jiiiu  for  discovery  purposes.  Tikhmcmj',  L'^lur.  VIhm.,  i.  10;  Jixrney'ii  Chron. 
Jligl.  Vuy. 


30S 


ORGANIZATION  OF  5I0N0P0LY. 


m\ 


:i  ^f' 


m-i 


►Sliolikof's  report,  and  that  it  would  be  but  a  just 
recoujnition  of  what  the  Shchkof  Company  liad  done 
for  the  commerce  of  Russia,  and  for  the  country  at 
larjj^c,  to  grant  them  the  exchisive  right  of  hunting 
and  trading  in  the  islands  and  territories  discovered 
by  their  vessels.'  He  even  added  that  it  would  be 
unfair  to  allow  new-comers  to  enjoy  the  present  peace 
to  which  Shelikof  had  reduced  Kadiak.  AVithout 
reganl  for  tlie  claims  of  any  who  had  preceded  them, 
tliey  alone  should  be  rewarded,  because  they  had  a 
larger  force  and  conquered   without  exterminating/ 

lie  further  argued  that  unless  the  Shelikof  Com- 
pany was  afforded  special  privileges  the  successes 
gained  by  the  founders  of  the  first  settlement  on  tlie 
islands  would  be  neutralized  b}'  the  unrestrained  ac- 
tions of  lawless  adventurers.  Cruelty  would  increase, 
and  the  nativ(^s  would  submit  to  no  such  infliction  after 
the  enjoyment  of  peaceful  intercourse  with  Shelikof 
In  conclusion  Jacobi  implored  his  imperial  mistress 
to  intrust  the  management  of  tlie  l.'itest  additions  to 
her  domain  to  a  man  who  "was  known  to  have  many 
times  set  aside  his  love  of  gain  in  the  interest  of 
humanity."  What  Jacobi  himself  was  to  receive  in 
casi!  of  Shelikof's  success  the  g'^vernoi-  general  does 
not  say.  The  hundreds  who  had  done  more  and  suf- 
fered more  than  tht'se  who  would  now  have  it  all  to 
themselves,  to  them  he  denied  everv  rij^ht  or  reward. 

The  empress  ordered  the  imperial  college  of  coiii- 
nierce,  through  its  |)resident,  Count  Chernyshef,  t  > 
examine  in  detail  all  (juestions  connected  M'ith  tlir 
fur-<r;ide  in  tho^e  parts,  and  the  means  of  advancing 
the   intei'ests  of  Russia   in  the   eastern   ocean.     Tin 

'Tliu  limits  of  taosc  'discoveries' Jacobi,  witJi  reckless  lil)oniIity,  i)laceil 
lit  fiiiiii  latitiiile  4!>'  t'l  00°  mill  from  eastern  Uingituile  .".'I  to  (>',]'  froi  Okhotsk. 
TiUnihinf.  J>f,.i:  (tlios.,  i.  ;.?(». 

■•.Ijudlii  iidvuiiceil  tlie  idra  tliiit  so  far  'as  kimwii  iiolicxly  else  was  flicii 
••iij;;'l;iiI  in  l)iisiii(ss  wlierc  Mielikof  iiiiil  Micceedci]  in  estal>lislnilg  the  tin- 
itiiniiin  <rt'  lins^ia,  thi>u>;li  sonic  vcskcIn  had  Iteen  in  the  ncij;hlK)rlnH)d  in 
IT'il.  I7<"7.  and  ITSO,  Imt  tliey  rea<lied  only  a  priniinntory  of  Kadiak  iiainnl 
Ait'khtatil;,  and  tlio  hniitei-Hof  tlnse  vi'swuls  were  lield  in  i^iicck  liy  tlic  uulives 
ai:d  ]vv\i  pti  d  from  jiuntiiig,  tlion;,di  their  iinmher  was  large  enough  to  resiRt 
Dltack."   Tiichini  III/,  lutor.  Oboi.,  i.  '11. 


AN  IMPERIAL  CUKAS  ISSUED. 


S09 


but  a  just 
J  had  (lone 
country  at 
of  huuthii;' 
(liscovercd 
'j  would  l)e 
cscnt  peace 
Without 
:cded  them, 
they  had  a 
.>nnuiatui;j;.' 
L-likof  Coni- 
le  successes 
ncnt  on  the 
■strauied  ae- 
Lild  increase, 
liliction  after 
th  Shehkof 
rial  mistress 
additions  to 
, have  many 
interest  <»f 
;o  receive  in 
^'cneral  docs 
ore  and  suf- 
ave  it  all  to 
t  or  reward. 
Iloge  of  com- 
icrnyshef,  to 

;d    Nvith    till' 

l)f  advancing 
Lcean.     TUi 

IlilwraUty,  liUicnl 
Klfroi    Okhotsk. 

ily  else  wiiH  <'»'" 
lililishiug  tho  <1" 

If  Kiiiliiik  imuK'l 

lokliy  tkcuutivi.« 

■  unongh  to  ivBist 


connnittco  ap[)ointed  in  pursuance  of  tliis  ordi  r  pre- 
scnti'd  a  long  report  in  ^larch  1788,'' wliicli  seemed  to 
jiave  been  wholly  iin[)ressod  with  the  ideas  of  Jacobi. 
Alter  reviewing  the  ai)parent  merits  of  the  case  and 
the  policy  of  the  proposed  measure,  the  connnittco 
iiiially  reconniiended  that  the  request  of  Shelikof  and 
(Jolikof  for  exclusive  privileges  be  granted,  and  tliat 
Ihc  enterprise  be  subsidi/x'd  with  a  loan  of  two  hun- 
(licd  thousand  rubles  from  the  public  treasury,  with- 
out interest,  for  a  period  of  twenty  years,  the  cajiital 
to  bo  returned  in  instalments.  The  outlay,  it  was 
ailtled,  would  likewise  be  rejjaid  tenfold  in  the  form 
of  taxes  and  import  and  export  duties. 

In  pursuance  of  this  report  an  im[)erial  oukaz  wa ; 
issued  September  28,  1788,  granting  the  comjiany 
exclusive  control  over  the  re\gion  actually  occupied  by 
them,  but  no  further,  thus  leaving  rival  traders  iVee 
sway  in  adjoining  parts.  Assistance  from  the  public 
treasury  was  rel'used  b:cause  of  forei^'n  wars.  'I'lio 
iinj)ress  was  made  to  say:  "As  a  reward  for  stTvie.-s 
rendered  to  the  country  by  the  merchants  Shelik«>f 
and  (jrolikof  bv  discoverinsjf  unknown  countries  and 
nations,  and  establishing  commerce  and  industiies 
there,  we  most  graciously  confer  uj)on  them  both 
swords  and  gold  medals,  the  latter  to  l)c  worn  anuuid 
the  nock,  with  our  portrait  on  one  side,  and  on  the 
reverse  an  explanatory  inscription  that  tlu'V  liav*.* 
biH'U  oonl'erred  bv  order  of  tln^  Ljoverninix  senate  f^r 
services  rendered  to  humanity  by  their  noble  and  bold 
By  the  same  oukaz  all  f'ormt;r  laws  foi-  the 


deeds. 


"0 


collection  of  tribute  from  the  Aleuts  were  r«'\ok(d. 

''  Report  of  cotnmittpo  on  commerce,  Mnrcli  17SH,  THJnui-inf,  Istar.  o'o  •., 
i.  'J,'<7.  It  (Iwolt  at  !i>ii;,'tli  ii)iuii  the  saiiiliccs  of  Slulikuf,  aiul  iHiiiitcil  to 
till'  fjK't  that  owiii^'  to  llir  fiiliiiH!  of  a  n  ;,'iilar  Mi|i|>!y  (  f  \ahial>lr  fur-  fi'in 
Siliciia  ami  <liu  islands  tlu'  tjvnlaiul  traili'  with  ( "hiiia  vas  iiitrtrn|it><l,  to  tliu 
j^rcat  loss  of  liussiau  niorchuiits  wlio  lunl  hifiri'  sums  iimstcd  in  ^'uoils  -.iihililo 
only  in  thu  Cliincse  iniirkct;  wliil'  the  aitick's  jircvionsly  iin|ioit<il  lioiu 
China  dircrtly  into  Hussiu  nnil  I'oiaiul,  such  as  ti'us,  silks,  and  naukl.'t■n^^, 
could  be  obtained  only  through  forei^'n  inurilinio  imtiuntt  ut  u  great  incieuHe 

of  cost. 

''A  t;])ccinl  letter  of  ack.i  i^vledp'ment  was  issued  by  the  sovereiyii  oa 
October  lltli,  which  ia  priiiujd  in  Tikhmtite/,  /ulur.  Olion.,  i.,  niip.,  1. 


310 


ORG^^'IZATION  OF  MONOPOLY. 


While  this  was  but  a  half-way  nieasuro  toward  his 
ambitious  schcincs  Sholikot'  had  to  content  himself 
ior  a  time.  He  returned  to  Irtkutsk,  there  to  tit  out 
two  vessels,  one  for  the  Aleutian  isles,  and  one  for 
the  Kuriles,  and  to  plan  for  a  more  complete  victory, 
by  which  to  beconu;  master  of  all  Alaska. 

Two  important  documents  were  issued  in  1787  by 
the  coninuinder  of  Okhotsk,  which  indicate  that  tlie 
authorities  by  no  means  placed  im})licit  faith  in  the 
humanitv  of  the  Shelikof  Companv  or  its  servants. 
Jjoth  i)ai)ers  bear  the  same  date,  June  loth;  and  om; 
is  directed  to  navigators  and  traders,  while  the  other 
is  intended  as  a  rcassurinj^  j^roclaniation  to  the  native 
chiefs  as  representatives  of  their  [)eople.  The  iirst 
sets  forth  that  in  view  of  many  complaints  of  ill-treat- 
ment of  Aleuts  having?  reached  Okhotsk,  traders  and 
navigatoi's  are  enjoined  to  treat  with  tlu;  utmost  kind- 
ness all  Aleuts  who  have  acknowledged  themselves 
]lussian  subjects,  and  not  to  carry  them  away  Irom 
home  without  tiieir  I'ree  consent.  The  document 
concludt's  as  follows:  "The  highest  authorities  have 
tdreadv  been  infornied  of  all  vour  former  outraLjes 
committed  upon  the  islanders,  but  they  must  cease 
henceforth,  and  you  nuist  endeavor  to  act  in  conform- 
ity with  the  wishes  of  our  most  gi'acious  empres>, 
V\lio  is  anxious  to  p-ive  pi'otection  to  everv  inhabitant 
of  her  dominions.  J3o  not  beHeve  or  Hatter  voui- 
selves  that  yt)ur  foi-mer  deeds  will  escape  puiiishnn'iit. 
but  be  convinced  that  sooner  or  later  everv  transures- 
sion  of  the  laws  of  (Jod  tir  our  monarch  will  me(^t 
v.ith  its  due  rewanl.  I  trust  that  these  presci'iptioiis 
will  be  observed  at  once,  and  you  nuist  not  forget  that 
it  is  tiu>  tirst  duty  of  every  laithful  IJussian  subject 
to  report  any  transgression  of  tlu'  laws  wliich  comes 
luidei'  his  observation.  To  tliis  I  a[ipend  my  own 
signature  anil  the  seals  of  the  ])r<»vince  of  (Okhotsk 
and  of  the  distri'-t  of  Nishekamchatsk,  this  lath  day 
of  June  17s7.  (Iriu'or  Ko/.lof- 1 "ui'enin,  colonel  and 
euimuander  of  the  province  ol' Okhotsk." 


!    I 


PROCLAMATIONS  OF  THE  OKHOTSK  GOVERNOR. 


311 


The  second  clcKiiinent  is  at  once  eharacteristk*  of 
the  oin])rt'ss  and  important  in  itself.  I  reproduce  it 
in  full  in  a  imte." 


' '  To  tlic  Cliiffs  ami  IVoplo  inlialiitin!»  the  Alontinn  Islands  in  the  Nnrtli- 
easti'fii  Ui-van,  suhjii'ts  nf  the  Russian  Kiiiiiiii':  Tlio  MotluT  of  Irt  eoiuitry, 
tlio  great  and  wise  l''.m|uvss  of  tin-  iniin'iial  thidiio  of  AH  tliu  Kiis.iias.  I'^ka- 
tii'ina  Aloxi'U'vna,  having  always  at  lieart  tho  wtlt'arc  of  licr  faithful  sulijciV.s, 
extiiidtt  hir  fsiK.-i.ial  in'oiciliou  and  attention  to  those  nations  who  liave  liut 
lately  ))eeiinio  suhjoets  of  tlio  Russian  Kmiiire,  and  lias  deigned  to  iiistiiiet 
the  pi-esent  (iovernor-general  of  Irkutsk,  Major-general  and  Cavalier Klielike, 
to  send  to  our  islands,  hy  May  of  Kamchatka,  and  to  the  Knrile  Ishiuds, 
Rus.^iau  nietlals,  whieii  have  been  forwarded  to  yon.     They  wire  sent  to  \ou 


as  ])i 


(f  of  th 


itherlv  eare  of  the  Ki'iiu 


.1  it 


ordi  reel  tiiat  tliese 


medals  should  l»e  given  to  tlutse  islanders  who  are  already  under  control  of 


tlie  J 


iussian  erowi),  while  at  the  same  time  it  was  inteiicleil  to  issue  them  also 


to  such  as  wished  to  enter  the  IJussiau  Kmpiro  hereafter.  These  nied;i!s  « ill 
l.e  di.^trihuted  at  every  jilaee  where  the  Ixussi.in  tniding-vessels  can  land  iu 
Kifety,  and  thus  they  will  proteit  you  ag:unst  illtreatmeut  not  oidy  hy  llus- 
sian  hunters,  hut  at  the  hand  of  our  allied  )iowe'rs  w  ho  may  visit  your  shores. 
1  rom  the  latter  yoii  ni.iy  feel  entirely  safe,  for  even  if  any  foreign  vessel 
sliould  attempt  to  apjiropriate  your  islands  to  its  own  eouutry,  the  sight  of 
these  medals  of  the  Russian  Empire  woulil  disjierse  all  sucii  thoughts,  and  if 
any  disputes  should  ari.se  tiny  will  lie  stttled  hy  fiiendly  negotiations  w  iih 
these  |)owers.  As  far  a:'  the  Russian  vessels  m-e  eoncerned  that  visit  your 
islands  for  the  puriio.se  of  trade  anil  hunting  the  fuidiearing  animals,  I  hii\o 
.'h  the  hands  i;f  mv  oltieials  at  Kaniehatkaaiul  Okh'it.k 


ilaints,  till;  liist  through  ."sergeant  .Mexe'i  IhiMiof,  the  seeoinl  from 


ilieaily  ivi-eived  ih 
several  conq 

♦lie  .sou  of  the    chief  of   the  Andreianof  l.--lands,   izossim    I'olutof.  and   the 
third  from  the  Aleut  of  the   Lis.sievski  Islands,  Toukoiitan  .\voiij^iiin:  from 


v,  hich  complaints  I  lia\e  harned  to  my  so 
1j  "  ■  .  - 


if  the  inhumanities  inliieted 
ujon  you  by  our  Ku.ssian  trading-ships,  of  which  the  govirnment  iip  to  ihi.s 


lime  had  leceived  no  infoiination;    it  was  thouL,'ht   that  no  iictital  \iol;it:iii 


>(  the  laws  had  taken  place  in  those  distant  legi 


ons. 


liut  1 


low  your  |ieti- 


tioiis  have  been  forwarded  by  me  to  the  highest  authorities  and  1  trust  that 
you  will  before  long  receive  full  satisfaction.      In  the  mean  tiini'  1  ask  ynii  to 


lie  content  and  not  to  doubt  the  kindness  and  justice  t 


f  tl 


le  ciea 


t  E 


il-i 


if  -Vll  the  Rus.sias  who  is  sure  to  dtfcnd  aiitl  protiet  yoc,  knowing  your  sin- 


cere submission 


to  1^ 


iptri 


St  sh 


tl 


IIS  oi'iler  To  a 


II  i; 


us- laii  ves- 


sels that  visit  yon  and  it  will  protect  yon  in  so  far  that  every  inhabitant  of 

it  be  iiimpelled  to  ;:ii  to  any 


Voiir  islands  may  remain  m  lils  villai;t 


.1 


itlier  island  unknown  to  h 


liut  if  one  of  \i 


111    go 


aliidail  with  his  free 


cnn.sent,  he  will  be  provicled  with  food  and  clothing  until  the  time  of  lii.-f  re- 


turn, 


and  the  food  shall  be  such  as  he  has  bi^i  n  .iccustoiiiic 


d  to.     If 


Voll  bi  iievo 


lie    b. 


tliat   you  have  been  ill-treateil  by  any  peo| 

pile,  or  if  you  have  suH'cied  compulsion  or  injury  a 


oiiLiing  to  the  Riissi;in  I'lni- 


t  tin 


ds,  I 


tak- 


notice  of  their  name  and  tli;it  of  tl 


lilVlsr  you 


and  what  eoiiijiany 


f 


mcrcliants  thev  U'long  to,  and  in  due  time  v<in  can  forwanl  your  coniplaiiit.H 


upon  the  matter,  and   upon  .satistactory  proot   such  men  will  be  punisiiii 


d 


ding  to  their  olVences  and 


ill  gi  t  satisfaction.     Information 


ds 


reuc 


hi'd  me  to  til'.'  etTect  that   the  huiiteis  iiceive  from  you  furs  of  gooil  (ju.d- 


ity  as  trib't.li-,  but  change  them   and    forward    poor  skins   to  the   luiipi 


tiler 


"fore  I  luU 


v.Ve  you  to  mark  such  skins  w  itli  specud  .signs 


d  toki 


niak 


iiig  cuts  or  bran  Is  w  hiih  lannot  be  easily  eliangeil,  iiiul  if  it  is  done  in  spite 
of  tliise  precaiitiDis  the  olltnders  will  be  punished  very  severely.  I-'ui  tlii'i- 
iiiore  I  assure  juti  of  the  continued  protection  ai'd  eare  of  all  the  inhabitaiita 
of  your  islands  by  her  most  gracious  Imperia!  Majesty  aiul  her  suiiri'me  gov- 
ernment, iia  well  «••*  of  the  best  wislies  ol  the  Cuiiunuuder  of  the  I'ruviueu  of 


,1  li 


• 


11^ 


i;i 


312 


ORGANIZATION  OF  MONOPOLY. 


The  new  order  of  things  estiibhshetl  by  Kozlof  did 
not  cause  any  innuecUate  change  in  the  demeanor  of 
the  Kussian  proniy.shleniki,  and  it  is  doubtful  whethir 
the  humane  document  addressed  to  the  natives  was 
ever  read  or  translated  to  one  of  them.  Accord- 
ing to  the  testimony  of  Sarychef  and  Sauer,  matters 
had  not  improved  nmch  when  they  visited  the  country 
srvtral  ycai's  later.  Yet  upon  the  few  individuals 
who  were  then  planninj^  for  a  monopoly  of  the  I'ui'- 
trade  in  the  Kussian  i)ossessions  on  the  An)erican 
Ci)ast,  the  hints  contained  in  the  documents  quoted 
were  not  lost.  They  recoufuized  the  I'act  that  such 
lK)ons  as  they  craved  from  the  tjovi-rnment  could 
be  obtained  t>nly  by  the  adoption  of  a  policy  of  liu- 
raanity  and  obedience  to  the  laws,  wholly  dillvrent 
from  the  ruthless  transactions  of  private  traders. 
Shelikof,  the  shi-ewdest  of  all  the  jilotters,  had,  as  we 
have  shown,  originated  this  policy,  and  he  lived  l>>ng 
enough  to  sei3  that  so  far  as  his  plans  were  con(\  iMU'd 
it  worked  to  perfection.  His  instructions  to  Samoiloi", 
to  whoai  he  lel't  the  conunand  of  his  colony  on  i-eluni- 
ing  to  Okhotsk,  were  admirably  calculated  to  impress 
the  reader  with  a  sense  of  the  wistK»m,  humanitv,  and 

Okli()t>k  aiul  the  tlistrict  ;iii(l  township  of  Nishiakamtchatsk.  Sigmd  the 
l.'tii  i!;iy  cf  .lime  IT"^?,  liy  <  !ri;;oi-  Kd/Iol'-r.vivnin.' 

'Ihi'i'c  <.'ii|iies  still  fNtiiiit  of  til"  orij^iiial  iliici;ni"nt  lioar  the  foUo^viii^  si:;;- 
iiatiiM's:  'llavo  lead  the  oii:;iii,:"i.  Mu^tn*  IJavril  I'riljj  iuf.'  'Have  tea il  the 
eopy.  Muster  I'ntap  Za'ikof.'  'Have  read  the  co].y.  Foruniiin  Leonliy  Na- 
g.-iief.' 

When  Ko/l<ifUL;nniii  i.-<:uied  his  two  iiiaiiitestoes  lie  had  not  met  J-a  1\  - 
iiiiise  and  the  otlier  olli''ilv.  of  the  Fiiiieh  lit iitli-wef tern  ('Xlieditioii,  fur  t!ie 
JloiinM>/f  and  Axlmhthi  did  not  reach  tlie  liay  of  .Avateiia  until  Se|iteiiilier, 
17^7.  Jva  I'l  i-oti.-e  and  M.  de  Lessees,  his  Jtii.^siaii  iiitei  lueter,  testily  Ui  ihe 
I'Seelleiit  ehaiaeler  of  l\!.'renm,  v.ho  aiipeais  to  have  lieen  aetiiated  ly  a 
Hiii.eie  decile  to  iinin'ove  tlic  eonditioii  of  all  the  iiihahitants,  ]{^l^^ialls  and 
Hava,i;es,  of  the  vast  inoviiue  under  his  loinnialid.  At  tiiat  time  the  j,(i\e!U- 
liieiil  of  that  lejiidii  was  or;.'aiii/ecl  as  follows:  Siiieet  'ooi;"s  visit  loKa'iuiiatka 
the  eoiintry  had  Iweli  attaelied  to  the  jnoviiiee  of  Okhotsk,  iindel  olio  /.oV- 
eiin'r,  ( 'oloiiel  Ko/lof-l'^iLiiiii;  imdif  him  <'ai>t:'iii  Shniakf  was  Miperin;!  iid- 
ent  of  the  iiaiive  Kamehatkaiis;  J.ieuteiiaiit  Kalioiof  eoimnanded  at  I'l'tlo- 
l)avlovsk,  with  one  MT^ealit  and  41)  Cossaeks;  at  Xisiiiiekainlehatsk  there 
was  a  Major  I'.Koiiof,  while  at  l-olsheret/k  ami  X'erkliiuikamehat.sk  only  .-cr- 
(•eaiit.s  wci'i'  ill  eomniand.  'I'lie  ineonie  deii\id  from  l\ameliatka  hy  the  i  ov- 
I  rnnient  was  <.iit  I  f  all  jiloportiou  to  the  ■  .Niieiidiiuie  invulved.  In  17"'7  the 
trihute  eolleeted  from  the  natives  aiiioiinted  to  W'M  Nahle-skiiis,  'J(h)  j  ray  and 
led  foxes,  and  a  few  Nea-oUer.s,  whiU'  nearly -llO  stildiel'H  ami  many  uUieel'8 
were  r.iuiiituiiied  in  the  eoiintry.    /."  i'n'uinH,  i'li/.,  iii.  107-0,  '202, 


SHELIKOF'S  INSTRUCTIONS  TO  SAMOILOF. 


313 


iR'anor  "f 

ll  wlR'tluT 

itivL'S  was 
Ac'cord- 
r,  iiuittcis 
10  country 
ndividuals 
,t'  tho  fur- 
AiDcrican 
its  (juoteil 
tluit  siuli 

lOllt     C'OUUI 

icy  «'t'  liu- 
y  diflvivnt 
:o    traders, 
liad,  as  \vc 
lived  l<>n!4- 
conc\'i'iK'd 
)  8aim)il<»r, 
on  return- 
to  iinpriss 
lanilv,  and 

k.     Siymil  tlio 

foUo^vin.t;  si^- 
'llave  ivml  Uio 
in  Lcoutiy  N;i- 

l<it  nut  l^;i  IV- 

(lilioii,  fur  till' 

[til  SoiitiiiilKi", 

[,  tcslily  ti)  I  lie 

Ku:-siaiis  jiii'l 

kic  tllO    J,iAilll- 

ll(>l\;"iiiliiitka 
liulol  olio  j,i>v- 
|:<  MHU'lillU  iiil- 

Jiuliiilsk  tliL'ie 

[idAi  luJy  .-or- 

|i:i  l.y  Uu-  )i>v- 

.    Ill  17^7  tlio 

2()0  (;ray  aii<l 

liuiiiy  oUici-ib 


disinterestedness  of  the  writer,*'  orderinif  as  tliev  did 
the  j^ood  treatment  of  the  natives,  their  instruction 
in  Russian  laws,  customs,  and  religion,  the  estuhlish- 
iiient  of  .schools  for  the  younu;',  and  the  jtroniotion 
dl"  (lisci|)line  and  morality  amonu"  the  liussians  us  an 
(•\anii)le  to  the  aborij^ines.  Much  of  this  wa.s  in- 
tended chieily  lor  the  sake  of  etl'ect,  since  the  coni- 
|.any  l>y  no  means  intended  to  expend  any  particular 
iil'orts  for  the  advancement  of  the  natives.  The 
seciet  instructions  to  the  same  agent,  though  mainly 
verbal,  contained  clauses  which  indicated  how  far 
pl!ilanthro}»y  was  sui)posed  to  further  the  predomi- 
nant aim,  the  advancement  of  the  company.     For  a 

•"This  reniarkal)lo  ilocmiiciit,  of  which  I  have  givoii  siicciniens,  was  ilati'il 
tiie  Mih  I'f  May  17S<),  aiul  has  been  priutcil  in  full  hy  'Jikhinciuf  in  t!io 
ii|'!  I'lulix  to  his  Ki'i'oml  vohinie.  Spuakiny  of  the  natives  of  Kailiak  and  tho 
I  iaigatsehcM,  .Slielikof  Kiys:  'In  pacil'ying  the  iniialiitanls  you  sho'.iM  explain 
t  1  tliLiii  the  henelits  resulting  from  our  Liws  ami  inslitutioiis,  and  tell  tlivin 
t!;;.t  inople  wlio  lieeoiiu'  faitht'ul  anil  peiiniuunt  siiljjeetMof  the  empress  will  bo 
1  iiLceteil,  while  evil-<lis]io.se(.l  pe(i[>le  hliail  feel  the  Ktreu,L;th  of  her  arm.    Wiieii 


\:t  tlio  (lillerent  .stati 


>n;jyiiu  inuist  investiicate  e.impliiints  auMinst  yoiir 


si;l)i)l<liliatea  by  liist  heiaiii;,'  eaeli  party  sepaiately  aii.l  tl'en  loi^ether.  .  .  Vou 
will  ii:!<trtiet  thein  in  biiiklin^'  good  hoiiiie.s,  and  in  liai>its  of  economy  and 


li;-.-.ry 


'J'h: 


Iiool  I  li;ive  e.staldiblieil  l:ir  the  i:i.striu  ii<jn  of  native  e 


I  ikl 


rea 


i:i  leadin;^  and  writing,'  JUrsian  must  be  enlarged.  .  .As  ssoou  as  possilile  tho 
.•~:.i.:ed   books  iiii>!  doetrines  of  our  t'hnreh  should   be  translated  into   their 


h 


<y  la 


jiable  ti 


itor.i. 


.1  take  with  mo  to  Siberia -ID  native.;,  malea 


in:il  fi'males,  old  and  voiiiii^.     Some  of  the.se  I  will  semi  baek  on  the  muio 


alter  nho\\in''  them  some  of  our  vi 


11a 


ami 


:i  ■  a  iunali  nuir!ierv,  ill  lie  i 


(irwiiri 


led 


the  court  of 


wav  we  li\» 


'J 
ler  imperia 


it  1^ 


I  M: 


J''  t.Vl 


til  ■  iviiiainiiiL;  i  hi.dreii  I  v  ill  take  w  ith  me  to  be  instrueted  in  the  schools  of 


1/ 


it^l, 


d  Irk 


(I  thioU'li  them  their  fi'.niil 


better  kiiov. !ed''e  of  our  eoaiitrv  and  the  laws  i;iid 


and  tril>es  will  aeijuiro 


d  ord 


IT  reivniny 


•ted  with  the  three  vessels 
lloli^'  all  classes. 


there.  .  .AVitU  regard  to  the  oUieers  and  iiiei 

i.U  i:iyourcaie  you  will  maiiit:. in  L;ood  order  and  dlseipline  ai 

.Mid  ■liietly  eiiloii"  obi  dieiiee,  as  \\  c  eaimot  e>.[)ect  t!ie  native. f  to  aceejit  rules 

wliich  we  do  not  t>lny  oursi  Kes. .  .'J'l'allic  with  the  Aleuts  iniist  bi^  eaiiied  oa 

ia  an  honest  nuimer,  and  cluaiiiii;  mii.st  la'  luiii.-^Iud.     <^'iiari'cl.Annd  di.j.uteH 

iiii'i.-t  bo  fettled  by  arbitrati^  n.  .  .ll":ila;,es  and  native  <'mi'loyi '.i  lun.'^t  lie  well 

tiiated,  butfliould  not  be  taken  into  oiil' 


.';erviii;;-v,omen  must  not  be  taken  iiiti 


hoii.ses  w  itiiout  your  special  pciiuis- 


■  ho',i.-cs,  iiiil'..'-s  for  tl 


■I  Mwiu'J  and  similar 


ik . 


■"tore: 


s  of  iirovisions  lor  at  least  two 


i.i-ki 


ept  at  every  station  to  mableyoii  to  assi.-t  the  native-;  m  timesof  faniiiie 


iiri'O'e 
years  must 
ffa     ■ 


*.t  all  the  forts  warm 


d  coiiil'ortaMc  iiuartiis  munt 


.\1 


;id  also  stables  for  the  cattle  1  1 


lave  ol'ileri'U 


to   I 


ted    for  ti 

d  fl 


le   slapiiei 


Ol.l.iitsk.  .  .  My  j.;oilson  Nikolai,  who  has  alwayi  f.iillifr.lly  served  the  coiii- 
|.Miy  ;ind  whom  1  have  led  and  clothed  at  ni\  own  expiiise,  1  recomnienl  to 
\iii'.r  sjieeial  care,  and  hope  that  he  will  have  no  cause  to  eoniphiin  of  tlio 
I  I'lapany':!  treatment  in  return  forliis  faithlul  service.<,  and  al.so  tliat  <lii.<t  ,i:oil- 
s"n  of  mine  may  receive  further  instrnetion  and  be  taught  to  respect  <Iod  tind 
tlie  t  niperor.  and  tlio  luwbof  tioil  and  of  the  countiy.'    Tikhinciirj,  hlor.  U6i«i.> 


ipii. 


S  lU. 


314 


ORGANIZATION  OF  MONOPOLY. 


m  '•  : 


!       ■ 


till  10  rival  traders  must  l>o  tolerated,  but  as  soon  as 
sulHciciit  strength  was  acquired  tlicy  should  he  ex- 
cluded I'roui  the  districts  occupied  by  the  Shelikot' 
men.'' 

Limited  as  were  the  plans  with  regard  to  actual 
execution,  Sainoilof  lacked  the  ([Ualifications  to  cairv 
them  out,  or  to  grasp  the  real  object  of  their  Iramei-, 
and  Shelikot'  knew  it.  As  soon  as  he  returned  tr<»)ii 
ivadiak,  therefore,  he  began  to  look  aI)out  for  a  proj)er 
person,  and  his  choice  fell  on  Alexander  ]Jaranoi",  ;i 
merchant  then  engaged  in  trade  (jn  the  Anadir  Ivivcr. 
Slielikof's  tlrst  pn^posals  to  IJaranof  were  declimtl 
principally  because  his  own  business  was  moderately 
j)ro.spurous  and  he  })referred  independence.  One  ot" 
the  partners  of  the  company,  Eustrate  Delarof,  a 
Greek,*"  was  then  selected  to  manage  affairs  in  the 
c(;lony,  but  his  powers  were  more  local  and  conHiud 


'■•Article  24.  'If  any  otlicr  company  sends  out  one  or  two  sliips  and 
peopl''  to  ongu!,'e  in  the  Kamu  trade  with  us,  you  must  treat  them  in  a  IVieiidly 
iiiunni-r  and  assist  them  to  do  tiieir  business (|uiel;ly  and  to  lea\(^  a,LCaiii,  giving 
tJiem  to  nnderstar  :  •'t  llie  same  time  at  wh;it  an  immense  saeiiliee  we  liave 
estaltli.heil  our  stations  and  what  risks  Me  have  run  in  pacifying  the  Anuii- 
cans,  cautioning  tlieni  n^'t  excite  the  natives  by  ill-treatment  or  cheating, 
wliich  would  cause  little  danger  to  them  who  are  here  only  temjiorarily,  Imt 
might  easily  cause  the  destruetiim  of  our  estalilishments,  extended  all  ovi  r 
this  region  at  great  risk  and  expense  ami  to  the  greatest  benetit  of  the 
country  in  general,  liut  when  I  have  sent  out  two  more  vessels  well  maniuil, 
ill  addition  to  the  three  now  at  your  disposal,  you  nnist  take  a  more  resulute 
8tuiid,  drive  otJ'all  intruders,  ami  declare  the  Itusi;i".n  sovereignty  overall  the 
country  on  the  Anu'rican  continent  and  California,  down  to  the  4fllli  degrte 
of  uorth  latitude.'  TiUinuni/,  Istnr.  Hhon.,  ii.,  apj).,  Ki.  Shelikof  himself 
acted  up  to  his  ideas  on  the  subject.  In  I'SC)  the  ship  .S'c  J'airl,  belonging  to 
tlie  Ix.'liedef-I-;istochkin  Company,  came  to  Kadiak  with  .'{5  men,  comnuuidtil 
liy  I'eredoveliik  Kolomin.  They  were  adviseil  to  move  on,  and  told  that 
tliere  was  an  abnmlance  of  sea-otters  in  Cook  Inlet.  Kolomin  followed  the 
.'••dvice,  an<l  established  the  first  i)ernuinent  station  on  the  mainland,  a  fact 
til  which  .'-i|ieliki>f  t(X)k  good  care  never  to  give  any  prominence  before  the 
go'.cnnnent  or  the  iiublic.  TikhtiHucf,  /■■<lor.  Ohox.,  i.  'M.  Sauer  writes  iu 
reference  to  this  jmliey:  'Ever  since  Shelikof  formed  his  establishment  at 
Kadiak  no  other  companies  liave  dared  to  venture  to  the  eastward  of  the 
Miumagin  Islamls.  1  am  inclined  to  think  that  Lukhanin's  vessel  will  be 
the  hist  that  will  attempt  to  visit  these  islamls  f()r  furs,  and  jirobably  he  will 
obtiiin  hardly  any  other  than  f(Axes. '  ii'coij.  itntl  A.ihoii.  J:'r/ii>l.,  '2'('). 

'"Kustrate  I  vanovich  Delarof,  a  native  of  the  reh)]>onese,  established  liim- 
self  as  a  merchant  in  Moscow  and  subseijuently  became  a  partner  in  lirnis 
trading  with  Auierica.  lie  was  in  command  of  many  vessels,  stations,  and 
expeditions,  lie  tinally  became  a  <li;'ector  of  the  Kussian  American  company, 
and  was  liotioreil  by  tlu^  governmeut  with  the  rank  of  eounnercial  couueiUor. 
Kldt'imkoj,  tiluzn.  liuruiivcu,  14. 


DELAROF  AT  KADIAK. 


3K 


as  80011  as 
uld  bo  ex- 
c  Sliolikol' 

I  to  actual 
js  to  c-arry 
cir  irainci', 
Lirnotl  fro)ii 
;)i'a  j»r<)|)i'r 
liaranol",  a 
idir  liivcr. 
'o  (leclii)c'tl 
iiodoratcl  y 
;.  One  of 
Dt'laroi",  a 
lir.s  ill  t!ir 
id  contiiic'd 


two  sliips  ami 

111  ill  a  IVii'ii'Uy 

fo  a.uaiii,  giving 

liru  wo  liavo 

,'  tlio  Atiitii- 

or  eliuatiii;,', 

Hiraiily,  Imt 

ilfil  all  ov(  r 

iictit  of  the 

TL'll  iiiaiiiK'M, 

more  iL'siiluto 

ty  overall  tlie 

4nili  .li'givc 

iikof  ilillisrlf 

litloiigiiiLj  Ij 

,  ooiiiniaiiilcil 

nil   told  that 

lollowc'd  tln! 

iilaiid,  a  f;irt 

liiforc  the 

IK  T  writes  ill 

ilisliiiR'iit  at 

twanl  of  thi! 

■fS.'ffl   will   lir 

ial)ly  lie  will 

:7(i. 

.l)lisheil  liiiii- 

IRT  ill    lilli:s 

itutious,  and 
;m  c'oiii[iaiiy, 
.1  couiieilliir. 


iijii 


tliun  those  Shelikof  had  intended  to  confer  upon 
JKiranof.  Dolarofs  administration  at  Kadiak  won 
liiui  the  good-will  of  all  under  his  connnand,  both 
liussians  and  natives,  and  he  received  well  merited 
praise  from  all  visitors,  Spanish,  ICnylish,  and  llns- 
sian.  In  all  reports  concerning  Delarof,  prominence 
is  given  to  his  justice  to  all,  and  his  kindness  to  the 
natives;  but  just  and  amiable  men  are  not  usually 
of  the  kind  chosen  to  manaufe  a  monoitoly.  In  this 
instance  Delarof  was  too  lenient  to  suit  his  avaricious 
and  unscrupulous  j)arLners.  Shelikof  never  lost  sight 
of  Uaranof,  and  when  tjie  treacherous  Chukchi  with 
whom  he  was  trading  robbed  him  of  his  goods  and 
i('(kiccd  him  to  poverty,  it  did  not  require  nuich  j»er- 
suasion  to  induce  liim  to  enter  the  service  of  the 
Shelikof  Company  at  a  compensation  of  ten  shares, 
cijuivalont  to  about  one  sixth  of  the  net  pi'oc^eeds. 
A  mutual  agreement  M'as  drawn  u[)  between  the  com- 
pany and  ]3aranof  on  the  18th  of  August  171)0,'^  and 
the  instructions  already  issued  to  Samoilol'  and  De- 
larof were  in  the  nuiin  conlirmed.  ()[)erations  must 
be  extended  also  ah^ng  the  coast  southward,  and  steps 
iiiiijiht  be  taken  to  obtain  supphes  from  other  quarters 
besides  Siberia 

Alexandr  Andre'i'cvich  Baranof  was  l)orn  in  Kar- 
gopol,  eastern  Russia,  in  1747.  At  an  early  age  he 
went  to  jMoscow,  and  was  eniraijfed  as  clerk  in  ri'tail 
shops  until  he  established  himself  in  business  in  1771. 

"  The  contract,  in  addition  to  instructions  with  regard  to  the  treatment  of 
ii.ifives,  eoiitailicd  some  oiltlilU'H  of  what  the  eonipaiiy  exiieeted  to  aei  i)iii|ilish 
miller  IJjiraiiof'.s  management.  Jlowas  to  sei'k  a  harlior  on  tho  hit  (nmth) 
siile  of  the  Alaska  jieiiinsula  and  tlienee  a  eoiniminieation  witii  Cnok  Iidet 
hy  means  of  a  short  portage,  reported  liy  the  natives.  Of  this  ho  vas  to 
make  use  in  ease  of  attack  ]>y  hostile  crnisers.  In  addition  ho  was  furiiished 
Willi .  I  iple  instructions  how  to  act  in  case  of  such  attacks  upon  tli(!  ililh:ient 
^tatio..  A  ship  iiccompanicd  by  a  licet  i^f  eaiioes  was  to  j^'o  to  Capi-  St  Klias 
and  tlienco  to  Nootka,  to  ascertain  whether  any  forei;;ii  nations  had  cstali- 
li-!ied  thcniselves  on  tho  coast  between  tlio  Russians  and  Spaniards.  Uaranof 
was  also  to  i'uter  into  eoinniunication  with  tho  Kn^lish  merchant  Mcintosh, 
cii;4aL;cd  in  the  Ivist  India  and  < 'liina  trade,  in  order  to  inako  arrangements 
fur  supplying  the  Russian  scttlcmonta  with  gowls  and  provisions.  TikliiMiuJ', 
Juioi:  OImdh.,  i.  ;]_'-4. 


31U 


ORGANIZATION  OF  MONOPOLY, 


i 


Not  incetinjjf  witli  success  he  ctnij^rated  to  Siljcria  iu 
17yO,  and  imdeitoo):  tlie  iDana^ciiicnt  of  a  j^las.i 
factory  at  Irkutsk.  lie  also  interested  liiniseir  in 
other  industries,  and  on  account  of  several  conin.ii- 
iiications  to  the  Civil  Economical  Society  on  llic 
sul)ji'ct  of  manufactures  lie  was  in  1781)  elected  .1 
nicmher  of  the  society.  It  was  a  humdrum  life  ot" 
which  he  soon  tired,  and  after  ac(|uaintini;'  liimsill"  wit  h 
tlie  resources  and  possihilities  of  tlie  country,  he  set 
out  I'astward  with  an  assortment  of  ^oods  and  li<{Uors 
which  he  sold  to  the  savages  of  Kamchatka  and  the 
adjoinini;-  country.  At  first  his  operations  were  suc- 
cesslul,^-  but  wlien  in  1781)  two  of  his  caravans  were 
captuied  by  Chukchi  he  found  himself  bankrupt,  and 
yielded  to  Shelikof's  imi)ortunate  oilers  to  go  lo 
AiK.rica.  He  had  a  wife  and  children  at  his  home  in 
Kaigopol,  Ivussia,  but  during  his  subsecpicnt  residence 
of  almost  thirty  years  in  the  colonies  he  never  saw  his 
family  again  though  he  provided  amply  I'or  them. 

Alexander  Baranof  was  no  <ndinary  man,  and  nevi  i' 
throughout  his  ■whole  career  did  Shelikof  display 
clearer  discrimination  and  foresight  than  in  the  selec- 
tion of  this  agent.  He  was  a  man  of  bi^ad  expcM'iencc, 
liberal-minded  and  energetic,  politic  enough  to  please 
at  once  the  government  anil  the  comjiany,  not  sulli- 
ciently  just  or  humane  to  interfere  with  the  interest > 
of  the  company,  yet  having  cai'e  enough,  at  what  lie 
decreed  the  proper  tinu',  for  the  conventiomdities  ej" 
the  world  to  avoid  bringing  discredit  on  himself  or 
his  office.  Notwithstanding  what  certain  Russian 
]»rii'sts  and  ]*^nglish  navigators  havt>  sai<l,  he  was  imt 
the  lazy,  licentious  sot  they  would  have  us  believe. 
That  he  was  not  burdened  with  religion,  was  loose  in 
morals,  sometimes  druidv,  and  would  lie  officially 
without  scruple,  there  is  no  doubt;  yet  in  all  this  lie 
Avas  cons[)icuous  over  his  accusers  in  that  his  in<liil 

'-lie  oatal)lishc(l  trading  posts  in  Kanicluitk.a  nnd  im  tlio  Anadir.  Khh'- 
vih]t',  Shizn.  lianinovn,  .'I  .">.  Soo  also  Co.'oc^/w,  in  Maf'  rifihii,].  V  10;  Pitii/, 
Jtim^.  Am.  Co.,  MS.,  1(1;  Jrriiiii'.-i  ..lnhiria,  4Vhi;  JI!-f.  \i>rfliiri.''f  ('o(i-t,ii.  '22'2, 
tliia  series;  and  the  raUicr  inimical  version  uf  Jitruml,  Juitr.,  MS.,  18-1!). 


I!:! 


ALKXANDU  AXDREIFA'ICII  rARAXOF. 


317 


s^riKi's  Wire  pciiodical  rather  than  continuous,  and  nt)t 
(•;i]ii((l  on  un<K'r  veil  (jI"  that  convt'ntLonal  graeo  and 
gravity  which  cover  a  niuhitude  of  sins. 

111!  was  frequentl}'  seized  with  tits  of  inelanelioly, 
due  jiartly  to  uncongenial  surmunchngs/"' and  would 
;i(  other  tiinc^  l>reak  out  in  ])assionate  ra<j:e,  duiintr 
which  even  women  were  not  safe  IVoni  his  hlows. 
Tliis  exhihition,  however,  was  invariahly  followed  l»y 
cnntrite  generosity,  disjilayed  in  ])resents  to  the  suf- 
li  icrs  and  in  a  l)an<|Uet  or  convivial  di!id<ing  hout 
w  ith  singing  and  merriment,  so  that  h\>  iits  came  to 
lie  Welcomed  as  forerunners  to  good  things.  His  hos- 
pitality was  also  extended  to  foreigners,  though  with 
tliein  he  ohserved  prudent  reticence.  The  jmor  could 
always  rely  uj)on  his  aid,  and  this  bene^•<llence  was 
rniipled  with  an  integrity  and  disinteresti'dness  at 
It  ast  far  above  the  usual  standard  among  his  associ- 
ates." 

Compare  him  with  Grigor  Shelikof,  who  certainly 
(lid  not  lack  broad  vision  and  activity,  and  lliraiiof 
was  the  abler  man.  Both  belonged  to  the  shi'ewd 
yet  uiicultured  and  somewhat  coarse  class  which  then 
rornied  the  main  element  oven  among  the  rich  men 
ill  Siberia.  In  vital  tleeds  l>aran<»f  the  agent  rises 
>ii|»erior  to  Shelikof  the  princij)al,  belongs  more  to 
liistory,  as  one  wh(»  in  executing  dilKcult  plans  shows 
liiinself  often  a  ijreater  man  than  he  who  conccivevl 
tlicm.  Indeed,  if  for  the  next  two  or  three  decades 
I'aranof,  his  acts  and  his  iniluence,  were  absent,  Rus- 
sian American  histoiy  for  that  period  would  be  but  a 
I'iank.  Among  all  those  who  came  iVom  IJussia,  he 
;ilone  was  able  to  stem  the  tide  of  encroachment  by 
r<iving  traders  frovn  the  United  States  and  Great 
Ihitain.  He  was  any  day,  druidv  or  sober,  a  match 
lor  the  navigator  who  came  to  spy  out  his  secrets. 


"  To  disgust  at  his  low  coinp.nnion8,  s.ny3  Davitlof ,  Imt  he  was  not  much 
iiiD'c  n'tlncd  himself.    />>•///■/•.  I'utixh..  i.  IJIiJ. 

'•Of  tliis  Uaviilof  !ias  no  ilouitt.  for  'lu'  is  not  !iocnuuihiting  wealth  though 
li:iving  every  opportunity  to  Jo  eo.'  /(/.,  Jtiirnitl,  Jairr.,  MiS.,  10- "JO. 


818 


OnOANIZATIOX  OF  MOXOI'OLY. 


"9;!  if 


Ah  for  tlie  imtivos  his  iiifhu'iicv  over  tlioin  wns  nn- 
l)()Uii(l('(l,  cliicily  tlii'<»H!j^li  till'  ivsjxM't  w  itii  wliich  liis 
iii(l(»iiiital)lo  tourano  and  «'(iiistant  jtnsriK'o  of  ihukI 
iiiil)r(\^so<I  tlit'in.'''  And  yet  tlic  savai^n;  wIk)  caiiii' 
i)ei'lia|>.s  from  afar  rxpn'ssly  to  ln'holil  tlir  faiinil 
leader,  was  not  a  little  disappointed  in  his  insiyiiili- 
cant  appearanee  as  eonipan-d  with  his  fii'i-c*-  and  hushy 
beai'ded  associates.  iJelow  the  nicdiuni  hei<rht,  tliin 
and  sallow  of  eon'.plexioii,  with  seanty  red-tinL;\'(l 
flaxen  hair  frini^inj^  a  hald  erown,  he  seemed  hut  an 
imp  anioni;  uiants.  The  lat<>r  hahit  of  wearin^f  a  short 
black  witx  tied  to  his  head  with  a  hlack  haiidkerehict' 
added  to  his  grotesque  appearanee.*" 

On  the  10th  of  August  1700,  Baranof  sailed  from 
Okhotsk  on  the  ship  Trvkli  Sn'<(tit('fi,  eonunanded  \.y 
blaster  Boeharof,  who  was  then  considered  the  most 
skilful  navi'-ator  in  those  waters. '"^  When  only  a  few 
days  I'rom  [»ort  it  was  discovered  that  the  water-casks 
were  leaking'.  The  ship's  company  was  placed  on  slio;  t 
allowance,  hut  disease  made  its  aj>]iearance,  and  it  was 
thouufht  im])ossii;le  to  sail  direct  to  the  .settlement  at 
Kadiak  as  }iad  \)vvi\  the  intention.  On  the  "JNth  of 
September  the  vessel  was  tui'ned  into  the  hay  of  Kos- 
liinin,  Unalaska.  to  obtain  a  suj»]»ly  of  fresh  water.  I)ut 
on  the  ;30th,  when  about  to  leave  aufaiu,  a  storm  threw 
the  shi|»  u[>on  the  rocky  shore.  The  men  escaped 
with  belon-^inLTs,  but  oidy  a  small  })art  of  tlu'  car«i<) 
was  saved.  Within  tive  days  the  wreck  broke  in 
pieces,  and  a  nic.sseno^er  was  sent  to  Kadiak  to  report 
the  loss,  but  failed  to  reach  that  place.' 


18 


I'rij 


'•'  Oavidof  was  di-cply  impressed  '.^-ith  tliis  leader  fif  men  who  controlled  not 
only  the  iiostile  saviiL'o  Imt  tlie  vieioiis  and  unruly  Kiissiiin,  and  rose  tmprenio 
to  every  liaid.^hip  and  ilanj.'er  in  iidvanciiii;  all'aiis  in  tiii.s  renmte  eornei'. 

"'/«/..  I!t4:   Ti-/iit'/ii)i<i/,Aih:.:-  A:  MiiiLdj.  liii.<l:ii mi  I'tix/n/rhndm,  'i'2. 

"  lloeharof  wa-*  at  Okhotsk  in  1771,  ai  tlie  time  of  the  insurreetiun  luiidi  1 
l>y  th'-  I'lilish  exile.  Count  IJenyvov-ki.  Tin  latti'r  compelled  IJoeharof  t.i  >;•» 
■with  liiin,  and  tinally  took  him  to  France.  Thence  he  was  returned  to  St 
IVtershurg  by  the  Uus.>iian  eniUts-siidor  at  I'aris,  ami  tlie  empress  orderecl  hiia 
to  resume  liis  duties  at  Okhotsk.  To  this  invoh;nt;iry  circunuiavij,'atiou  of  tiie 
world  lk>cliurof  was  indeltted  fur  much  of  his  prv)liciuncy  in  nautical  science 
Khlchnlkof,  Shizii.  iidniiioiHi,  ."). 

"A  man  named  Alexander  Molef  waa  sent  upoa  thia  ciTaud  with  a  nuin- 


;'  1 
..1 


BAUAXOF  IK  ALASKA. 


,■11;; 


n  was  \m- 
wliicli  Iii-; 
?  of  iniiid 

he    faun  1 1 

■<  insiynill- 
iiiid  busliy 

_M<^]lt,   tlli:l 

rod-tinijfii 
0(1  l)ut  a; I 
inuf  a  slioi'1 
ulkc'ichiei", 


lailcd  tVoi:! 
iiaii<K'(l  \y 
I  tlio  must 
only  a  few 
rater-casks 
3d  on  slioit 
and  it  w.is 
enient  at 

2stii  <-r 

IV  of"  Kos- 
:ntv\\  l)ut 

n-in  threw 
oscapt'd 
he  earu<i 
broke  in 
to  report 


pontrolli'd  II.  t 
rosi'  s-ii]iriiu. 
(•to  coriRT. 

hlKiDI,  .VJ. 

•ot'ticiii  luiiili  1 
{i)cliarof  l.<  -  ' 
•tinned  to  Si 
s  (irtl»-iT(l  l.i  I 
^'iition  of  til' 
itical  sciciin . 

with  a  nuMi- 


Thrown  Upon  his  own  resources,  I>aranof  disti'iliuti'd 
his  men,  lifty-two  in  numhtr,  ovi-r  tlie  island  to  shoot 
seals  and  sea-lions  and  »!lg  edihle  roots,  the  only  food 
the  islauil  atfoi'di'd  durin;'  the  wintei'.  The  leader 
lahored  with  the  nn-n  and  livetl  with  them  in  the  un- 
(li'i'L;round  lu?ts  which  tluy  eoiistinicted.  Tl  e  dried 
sahnon  'uid  halihut  obtained  occasionally  from  tlu." 
Aleuts  were  a  luxury,  ami  on  holidays  a  soup  was 
made  of  rye  Hour  of  which  a  small  quantity  had  been 
saved.  The  A\inter  was  nt)t  wholly  lost  to  ]^aianof, 
v.ho  seized  this  opportunity  to  study  the  people,  both 
llussians  and  natives,  with  whom  he  had  thrown  hi-; 
lot  for  so  manv  vears  to  come,  and  whom  he  was  to 
rule  without  a  shadow  of  actual  or  ap]>an'nt  sui)poit 
from  the  govermnent.  It  was  here  that  he  foi'uied 
plans  which  were  afterward  of  great  service  to  the 
company 


ID 


Spring  coming,  three  largo  bidars  wore  made  in 
v.liich  to  push  on  to  Kadiak,  with  two  of  which 
Bocharof  was  to  explore  and  hunt  along  the  nortlieiii 
ct)ast  of  the  Alaska  pi'uinsula.  Twenty-six  men  were 
assigned  to  this  exi^dition  while  IJaranof  took  a  crew 
of  sixteen  in  the  third  boat,  leaving  five  at  Unalaska 
to  guard  what  had  bi'en  saved  from  the  cargo  and 
rigging  of  the  wreckt'd  ship.  Toward  the  en. I  ol' 
April   l~'Jl   the  three  bidars  ]>ut  to  sea,  and  on  the 

I'll-  of  Alouts.  Whrii  only  a  htuKlicil  mill's  fmni  Kailiak  the  party  was 
attinki'd  liy  llif  nati\is  ol  the  Alaska  piiiin.-ula.  on  wiiicli  ociiision  livi'  of  ilii" 
.\Kut.s  Wire  killeil.  MoKf,  thou?,'h  severely  woumleil,  niiin;i_'eil  to  laniivli 
Ills  liidarka  and  make  liis  way  to  l' 
liy  Ihiranof  the  following  year.   /</. . 

'"  Uaranof's  letter  written  at  thi.-t  time  presents  a  vivid  picture  of  life  there. 
'  I  jias.-^ed  the  winter  ill  ;,'ii;it  liaid>hii>;;,' he  says,  'espeeiiilly  w  lien  theweathei 
Was  had.     Suliietiiiies  two  nioiiths  jia.-'.sed  liy  without  a  possihility  of  yoji 
any  di>taiiee,  hut  1   iiiadi 
seureli  of  .SOI 


liLia,  where  lie  reuiallieil  unlil 


1  picked 


t  1   made  n>e  of  ivery  clear  day  to  j.'o  out  with  my  l'iiii   i;i 
ddition  to  our  larder.     On  one  of  these  txcur^ioiis  1  fi  II  into 

y  v.dundcd  ...  I  lii.iifd  s;ilt  of  very 


;htl 


go 


'  >'f  tile  traps  set  for  fo.\es  and  was  sIIl:! 

id  ijUality,  as  w  hite  as  snow,  ami  useil  it  for  sailing  tisli,  and  .seal,  and  .sea- 


ion  nica 


t.     As  f, 


ir  as  cou 


kill"' with  oil  is  eoiicinie(l  we  were  fasiiii 


dl  tl 


tunc 


am 


1   the  Week  liefoie  Master  we  were  coinpelleii  to  fa^t  altoL'etlier,  liiit 
oil  Faster  Moiidiiv  a  dead  vvliale  was  east  ashore  and  furnisheil  i\a  u  least.     Jn 


the  same  week  we  killed  three  seadiipiis,  anU  the  faniim;  was  at  an  em 


1.     I 


had  heeoine  acenstomed  to  think  no  more  of  tlour  or  bread.'  Khklinikoj',  Shhii. 
Itui-uiwni,  S.     Only  three  ineu  died  of  scurvy. 


320 


ORliANIZATIOX  OF  MONOPOLY. 


lOtli  of  May  they  separated  in  Issaiiakli  Strait,  at  tlie 
soutlu-rn  end  of  the  peninsula.  After  an  absence  of 
ilve  niontlis  ]^ocliarof  rejoined  Ids  connades  at  Ka- 
diak  by  a  portage  route  across  the  peninsula,  bringing- 
not  only  iurs  but  a  number  of  j^-ood  eharts.*'  Duj'in^ 
bis  whole  journey  Baranof  was  prostrate  with  fevei ; 
nevirtheless  he  insisted  that  the  party  should  n<il 
only  advance  l)ut  exi)lori',  beinj^  unwilling'  to  lose  t!ic 
calm  weather  so  essential  lor  a  sale  passa;^fe  iVom  island 
to  islantl  or  from  cape  to  cape  alonLC  tlu-  coast  t)f  the 
maiidand.  He  arrived  at  Three  fSaints,  Kadiak,  tlie 
27th  of  June. 

Baranof  at  once  assumed  command  of  all  the  estali- 
lishment.s  of  the  Shelikof-Golikof  Company,  relieving' 
Enstrate  Delarof"'^  At  this  tinu'  the  comj)any  was 
in  actual  possession  of  Kadiak  and  a  few  of  tin- 
smaller  adjacent  isles;  the  prin<ipal  scttK'ment  beiii;^- 
still  at  the  bay  of  Three  ►Saints.  The  supeilicial 
j)acirication  of  the  nati\es  by  Shclikof  hail  been  com- 
jileted  by  Delarof  so  lar  as  Kadiak  and  vicinity  w<  it 
concei'ued,  though  they  remained  in  their  priniili\. 
condition.  The  opinion  of  all  but  Delarof  was  that 
thev  could  be  held  in  subji-ction  onl\'  bv  force  of  arms 
or  fear,  and  that  upon  the  lirst  si^^ii  of  weakness  ..r 
relaxation  of  vij^ilance  on  the  part  of  the  Jiussiaii-- 
they  would  lise  and  ilestr»»y  them.  As  much  system 
had  bei-n  seciu'i'd  as  lay  in  the  powi-i-  of  one  ri^lil- 
miiided,  intelligent  man,  surrounded  by  an  unruly 
band  of  individuals  but  little  if  any  ab(»\t'  the  crim- 
inal class,  I  ha\»'  sai<l  of  Delarof  that  he  was  strict 
lis  sen.si-  «)f  justice  and  of  fair  administrat  i\  •■ 
ty.      The   contemplation  of  this  amiable  (jin-eks 


in    n 
abili 


^"IJciclmntf  iiitiMiilfil  to  «'Xtoii(l  his  «'Xpliiratiiiii«  to  tlio  const  of  tin* 
A;.'li'}iiniit<'s,  Imt  IiIm  ckiu  lioat.s  wiic  I'liuiul  to  lie  waUTloj,j;cil  from  inccHmint 
u-f,  ami  it  wa.t  foiuluilfil  to  tiiakt'  a  |Mirta>;t'  ai'iu.s.s  a  narrow  jiart  of  ll.f 
I>iiiiii>iila.  'J'liis  was  ai'i'oiii|ilis!uiI  in  tlino  I'aVH.  'I'lic  liiilai's  wcm  thru 
I'lpainil  anil  tin-  jiMty  irossuil  to  Kadiak,  iiaohiii).'  Thrfi;  Saints  on  the  I'Jili 

of    Si'IiIiIuIk  T. 

■"  I>i  Inoi  riinninid  iniiiiagi-r  of  liiu  cuniixiiiy  until  July  171*1.    Tikluin  ii-/, 

Jxtoi:  (//<,<-.,  i.  'J7,  -vS. 


CHARACTER  OF  DEL.VROP. 


m 


cliaractor  nfVonls  ji  j)li'asant  nlicf  froni  tho  ordinary 


I'll 


ndiu't  of  the  Kussiaiis  in  Anit'iifu.     llati  tlit'if  Ix 


III 


iiiDre  siU'li  iMCii,  I  s]i(»ul(l  have  loss  to  ivi'ord  <»!'  out- 
la^',  cruelty,  and  eiiininal  neuflect;  had  I  )elarot'  heei» 
had  enoii<j;h  to  ph'ase  his  directors  Baraiiot"  inij^ht  havo 


iriiiamec 


latl 


lonie. 


I'loni  his  head-(juarters  at  Kadiak,  Delarol"  had  de- 
spatched expeditions  to  the  inaiidaiid,  at  tlie  eiitranco 
ot'  Cook  Iidet,  or  the  *^n\\'  of  Kenai,  iis  the  Jxussians 
always  pi'isistod  in  callinj^  it,  and  there  he  had  estah- 
li>lie(l  a  perniaiu'iit  station  which  he  nanutl  Alexaii- 
(Irovsk.  Otherwise'  the  whole  '<'  this  inKt  was  oeeii- 
pii'd  hy  Lehedef'-I^astochkin,  w!io  also  luld  the  inlands 
discovered  I  y  l*iihylof.  The  people  of  the  Alaska 
|ii  niusula  hati  n«»t  yet  permitted  any  Kussiaiis  to  settle 
aiiiojii;-  thcMi,  and  were  held  to  he  hostile.  Tile  ad- 
joiiiint;'  J'lince  William  Sound  was  alsi»  oceupii'd,  and 
ell  the  Aleutian  isK's  threi'  privati'  tratlipi^  conipanie:s 
wci'e  still  doiiii^  husiness.  un<K'r  the  manai^enu-nt  ot' 
Oiikof.  Paiiof,  and  Ivisselef  respectively. 

'I'lius  on  every  side  rival  tstahlishnients  and  traders 
wt  ii"  di'aiiiin^'  the  country  o|"  tlu' valuahle  staple  upon 
V.liicli    rested    the    Vcl'V    e\i>tence    of    the    sell*  liie    of 


cnjdiii/.atioii.     To  tlie  e  1st  and  north  thei 


V   were    liUs- 


s;i 


Ills,  hut  to  the  south-ea>l  the  ships  of  |]nLjli>limeii, 
v\inericans,  and  l"'renchiiien  were  already  tiavcrsiiii^ 
tlie  tortuous  channels  of  the  Alexander  archipelago, 
reaping-  rich  harvests  of  si-a-dtter  skins,  in  the  vety 
ic'jfioii  win  ic  ';  Hanoi'  had  di'cidtd  to  »xtend  llussiaii 
t!«MiiiirKin  Ml  '•oniu'ctioii  wiih  cninpaiiy  sway.  Al- 
tlliiULjli      liev    could     not     expect    to    succeed    so    well 


I'uitlur  iioitli.  here  t!usc  tradi'i's  had  every  athantane. 
Tlicy  eiij'iyed  coiupiiral i vely  easy  cdiiimuiiicat i«iii  with 
liniM'  pi.ints;   they  were  skilled  iiavi^jators,  and  caiiii 


ill 


laru". 


We 


eijUII'I'cu    \('^S( 


'PI 


•Is  ladt  n  with   >roods  far 


superior  to  anythin-^'  the  Ixiissiaiis  cuild  all'ord  to 
iti'iii'^  hy  sled  or  on  tlu'  hacks  of  horses  across  Siheria. 
'i  liey  could  also  he  more  lavish  with  their  low-piiced 
aiticles  since  tliev  wcTo   under  n*>  expeii.so   ill  ujaiii- 


lIiKT   Alaska.    'Jl 


I' 


m 


m 


ORfi.VXIZATIOX  OF  MOXC^POLY. 


taiiiiiig  permanent  forts  or  cstaMisliincnts  or  a  large 
retinue  of  servants.  As  oeeasional  visitors  only,  witli- 
(.at  permanent  intere.ts  in  the  land,  tlu;y  could  <K';il 
out  fire-water,  risk  occasional  eheatings  and  o[»en  aets 
of  violence,  while  Baraiiof,  witJi  his  few  men  of  |»cr- 
luanent  i-esidenee,  among  warlike  trihes,  nuist  he  con- 
stantly on  his  guard  against  acts  provocative  (»r 
hostilities. 

It  was  neoossary  that  he  should  hestir  himself  t.> 
V  itlcn  the  operations  of  the  company  cm  the  field 
v.as  exhausted,  and  this  had  heen  his  deterndnatioii. 
but  he  ilid  not  as  vet  possess  the  necessarv  vessels, 
men,  and  su[)[)lies  to  tlo  much.  The  loss  of  the  '/Vr/A 
Si-i(t(i(c/l  was  indeed  a  foi'midable  hindrance;  skin 
l)oats  alone  couM  wt'll  he  used,  and  to  these  the  men 
had  more  than  oni'  ohjection,  the  risks  of  sea  voyages, 
and  the  disadvantages  in  [loint  of  <lefence,  carrying 
capacity,  and  convenience.  These  objections  weri' 
the  more  serious  in  view  of  tl;e  ureater  stubbornness 
and  hostility  of  the  mainland  tribes  as  compai'ed 
with  the  docile  Aleuts.  Another  trouble  was  that 
for  several  years  no  sujtply-ships  had  aii'ived  fiom 
Siberia,  and  the  Kussian  hunters  and  laboj-ers  weiv 
I'educed  to  the  nc-cessitv  of  sliaTin'-'  the  scantv  suh- 
sistence  of  the  uativi's.  ])issatisfaction  was  there- 
foi-e  general  among  the  enijiloyes,  including  the  ii;i 
tives,  and  this  together  witli  the  sight  of  want  among 
the  con(|uering  race  served  tt»  I'ouse  the  insolence  and 
hostil'ty  of  tribes  .a-ound. 

Some  of  these  troubles  l^aranof  manag<>d  to  ovei - 
come  l»y  his  own    eiiergv  and   strength  <4'  will;    {\>y 
others  he  must  obtain  tlu-  cooperation  of  the  com 
j)any.     Among  other   measures    he    urged    Sheliknl 
most  elo(jUently  to  labor  Ibr  a  consolidation  »»f  tin 
various  trading  comj»anies,  and  thereby  to  secure  t  ■ 
t!ie  new  coj-poration  the  large  muid)erof  valuable  sea- 
otter  skins  then  scattered  throughout  the  small  ii\;i! 
»stablis!iments  of  the  mainland.      At  the  sanu"  tiin- 
he  n|>[)roved  of  a  suggestion  matle  before  his  ilepartiui 


BARAXOF'S  LF.TTKR.S. 


11-3 


III  l)uil(l  ships  ill  Ai!K>ri('a,  and  uiij^cd  that  n<>  di  lay 
he  ailoNVfd  in  lorwardinLj  inaU'rial  U)  him  IVoiii  Kain- 

I  Ii.itka.  IIo  sa'.v  the  advantajjfe  to  tlie  coiiipaiiy  t»t' 
t  \hihitiii<;  vessols  huilt  in  their  colony  tuid  the  neces- 
sity of  makinu:  hiniselt' in<lependent  oi"  the  vessels  lui- 
N.ardetl  at  lonL(  and  irregular  intervals  from  the 
A>iatic  ]K)rts.  This  wonld  ensure  not  oidy  sup[»lies 
hut  the  means  «)f  cruisin*;  down  the  coast. 

Without  havinj^  sc'cn  or  met  any  of  the  ]]n«^lish  or 
American  traders  then  operating'  in  the  Sitka  re<,d<>n 
he  conceived  the  plan  of  obtaininiif  from  them  not 
(iiily  |»rovisions  hut  trading'  <^oods,  and  asUed  Sheiikof 
I'mI'  iir.thority  to  do  so;  he  knew  that  in  tlu'  l*ril)ylof 
I  lands,  then  recently  disc()Vere<l,  he  had  a  tr«a>>urv 

IV  nn  which  he  miyht  draw  the  means  to  pmcha^e 
whatever  he  wante<l  of  th(!  foreijjfii  tradt-rs,  and  that 
!m'  would  thus  he  enahled  to  huy  from  them  willi  one 
t  lass  ot' furs  the  means  of  hattlin^;  vv  ith  them  on  tlnir 
iiwn  i;i-ound  for  the  purchase  of  sea-otter  skins,  then 
the  most  valuahle  fur  in  tin;  n\arkot.     This  plan   ul 


i|i(iation,  though  t<'mj)orarily  delayed,  was  hnaliy 
adiijitt'd  and  successfully  carried  out  under  JJarauofs 
supervision. 

Knowing  that  his  letters  in  scnne  form  woidd  fall 
iMidertho  eye  of  the  government,  UaraiKif  worded  his 


c.  > 


mmunications  with  great  care,  and  with  respect  to 
the  Well  seeming  plau  to  introduce  missioniU'ies  In; 
wi'iite  to  the  directors  ol'  the  com[)any;  "  S-jud  nie  a 
wi  II  intormed  priest,  oiu  who  is  of  a  pe.ieeahle  dis- 
jMisition,  not  superstitious,  and  no  hypocrite."  \\  itli 
the  same  view  of  im|>ressing  u|»on  the  authorities  the 
liuniaiH!  disposition  of  the  company's  traders,  he  le- 
•  jUesti'd  Sheiikof  to'  send  him  mmierous  article>  not 
iiieluded  in  the  invoices  of  the  Mrm,  hut  suitahle  ;is 
gifts  to  tln!  natives",  at  the  same  time  explaining  that 
he  wislu'd  to  con(pier  the  savages  with  kindness.  \[v 
a>ked  to  have  the  articles  purchase<l  and  forwartled 
at  his  Dwn  expi'iisi;  so  that  "should  he  gi\e  tlaiii  all 
away,  tiiu  com[)any 'would  HuU'cr.  ho  lo.ss^  wliile,  on 


t  ''• 


m 


I  •; 

ill'  H 

'. 

li'tS'i        t} 

lit  ORf;ANIZATION  OF  MONOPOLY. 

the  otlior  hand,  any  i>r()rii  made  on  the  consignment 
blioukl  be  transferred  to  the  tirm."  ■' 

Dnrinj:^  the  autinnn  and  winter  of  1791  Baranof 
madu  liimsclf  thorou<j:hlv  acciuainted  with  the  wants 
ami  eajtahilities  «tf'  liis  new  <lomain  nnder  the  intelli- 
iicnt  sj^uidance  and  instruction  <»t"])(larot',wlio  nilnrned 
to  Okliotsk  in  17l)'J,and  at  i\\v  saiiio  tinio  severed  liis 
«*onne<tion  with  colonial  matters.  The  hitter  tool; 
jiassage  in  the  shij)  aSV  Millm'il,  which  had  l)een  in  tlie 
colonies  v\vv  since  Shehhofs  first  an-ival,  taking  with 
him  l-)ocharot'as  navii'atoi',  manvofthe  promvsjdeni'.d 
whose  tcini  ol'  contract  had  expire*!,  and  all  the  furs 
collected  liy  him  during  his  administi-ation. 

The  new  manager  soon  recogni/ed  the  desirahilit y 
of  )emo\i!ig  the  principal  settlement  of  the  company 
iVom  Tlii'ee  Saints  to  J*a\lovsk  harhor,  on  the  north 
sidi'  of  Kadiak,  in  latitude  .")7  .'UJ' jiccording  to  ('aj)- 
t:iin  Lissianski's  ohservations.  The  reasons  layjtartly 
in  the  hetter  harhor,  and  chiefly  in  the  abundance  of 
forests  lit  the  latter  ])lace,  facilitating  the  erection  ot" 
necessary  buildings  :ind  foi-titieatioiis.-"' 

In  the  s|)ring  t>f  l7l)"J,  howe\tr,  l>aranof  was  grati- 
ilcd  by  the  appearance  of  a  chief  from  the  noilhi'in 
side  of  the  jMiiinsula,  whom  Hocharof,  during  hi> 
\oyage  of  e\](lo)at ion  the  pri'ceding  year,  had  pii 
rented  with  a  medal  bi-aiin*"' the  ]lus.sian  coatof  arni.-^. 
The  savage  <lignitai-y,  who  was  at  the  head  t)f  one  of 
the  mo>t  populous  tribes  of  the  peninsula,  broughl 
with  him  «juite  a  large  following,  including  six  host 

"*  '  Siii'li  :nr  my  jilalis,'  \\v  wroti-,  '  Imt  tlu'ir  xoiiitiim  ilfpi'iid!*  minii  |iii>v 
Mciicf.  My  liist  steps  intii  tlusc  ii";.'ii>hH  wim-c  utttnilrcl  w  iili  niif<fiirliini',  l.iit 
jKiimpM  I  shall  ln'  |it'i'iiiitt('il  to  ('iiiii|ii('i- in  tin- fiiil.  I  will  «'itlnr  \aiii|iiisli  ;i 
I'l'UcI  titti.'  or  t.'ill  iiliiirr  its  ii'|M':itril  liliius.  Want  aihl  liai'(lslii|is  I  t.iii  licai 
villi  paticiii'i' ami  trust  in  ]irii\  iilciiic.  tsrccially  wluii  tlit-  hai'i'ili>.'i!  is  iiia<i< 
I'm-  tlu'  siil.r  lit'  trilr  I'lii'liilsliiii,'    A7/'i  Imdul',  Slii.ii.  Ilirnimrti,   10, 

-■'  III  Isso  only  one  ilila|iiilatt  <1  Ixulioiisc  iniil  lUic  lialiM'  semi  siiliti'iraiitaii 
lint  iiiarUril  till' Hitt' iif  tlic  cai  liist  priiiiaiii  lit  |iMalic>ii<>r  tlic  linssiaiis,  juhI 
tlu'.^c  liiiililiii^s  ail'  iii'irlii  >l  iiixiu  till  liillsiili'.  u\'t  I  liHikiii^r  tlu'  raiinl  spit,  f.nin 
wlii.-li  lliiixis  anil  tiilal  wave-.  l:a\i'  luni;  fill''  <  railiiatvil  a  I  tiaci  i  i.(  lunia  i 
«i<'(  iipani'y.  A  ii'pri'si'iit.itnni  nf  tlir  srttU'iiaiit  in  it  appraiv  1  in  I7;«ll'.. 
til  I II  liit'scrvi'il  in  Sninr'i  In  mi.  nnd  .|a'/-i>//.  Lj/.h/.,  uliil  in  .SiU'icluri*  iK- 
Vi'liptloii  ol'  till'  saiiK.'  iXjiriliiiiiii. 


Ni:o(rriATio>:-;  with  tut:  XATrvi:s!. 


,iil>t«'rra!iiMii 

u\  hint,  f   "111 

■s  i.f  liirim  I 
ill  I7;«>  I'  • 
i-yc'iK  f'«  'I' 


nj;"(\'^.  Tfo  assuT-fd  l>;irMHiir  that  his  pcojilc  tl.siivil  t  > 
live  ill  tVic!i<l>hiii  with  the  I Jussiaic^.  In  ivturn  h.- 
;iskr(|  tht'  latttT  to  protiTt  him  a;j,ai'ist  ci-rtaln  tiihc.s 
hviii'j:  tarthtT  north  in  the  intciior  of  the  cDuntrv. 
As  a  |)rn(tf  of  his  sincerity,  the  chid' oilcnd  to  locnt'.; 
himself'  and  all  his  family  in  the  ininiudiati'  xici'iity 
uf  oiu!  <if  the  coiiijiany's  e>tal>lisli:;ients.  The  ])rojiosi- 
tioii  was  evideiitlv  the  resnlt  of  fear  of  his  iieiLrhhofs 
ratlier  than  j^'ood  feeliiiL;"  toward  tlic  llnssians,  iwvi'i- 
tlieloss  it  was  choerfnily  accepted  as  the  first  indica- 
tion of  the  possihility  of  a  hotter  luiderstaiidiiiin"  with 
the  imlependent  natives  of  the  jieiiiiisnla.  An  alli- 
aiicc  of  this  kind  was  esjiecially  de^iruhh;  on  ac'-oiiht 


)<  "Sses 


if  till'  inijMirtance  at  that  time  placed  on  tli(>  j 
>ion  of  the  porta^je  a<'ross  th"  narrow  neck  of  land 
scparatini^  the  waters  lA'  lliammi  I^akt'  from  the 
Koivchak  l\i\ei-,  jmd  with   j'nssi.viis  so  few  in  nuiii- 


jcr  an* 


atten 


I'd    o\  I'l'    so 


lii'oa<l  u  I'eifion, 


relations  v/t  vc  esscn 


tial. 


)e;u'ealile 


Advaiitaife  was  at  oik c  taken  of  tlie  proposal  tn 
extend  operations  in  this  (|uart('r,  and  other  expedi- 
tions Wert!  also  despatched,  one  under  Ismaih^f  in  tht 


oil 


Ivl; 


ir''e  vesst 


■1  leltt..t!lelll,the,SVN 


NIK'Oi'  ,  Cllll 


■th 


se(  Iviiiir  ii(.\v  fields.-'*  l)araiiof  himself  proceeded  to  the 
^nlf  of  ( 'hiiL^atsclmik,  J*riiice  \Villinm  Sound,  with 
two  well  manned  hidars  in  order  to  l)e(;ome  accpiainted 
with  the  inhahitants  of  that  reunion;  Dreading"  tin; 
IJnssians  and  a  possihle  state  of  de|»endence,  the  for- 
I'iddinuf  ( 'hunatsehes  concealed  theiiiseUes  from  iiar- 
.inofat  evi'ry  point.     At  last  he  succeeded  in  nicetiii'^' 

a    few    of    the    tlihes    and    oltttilied    flolll    them    siVcll 


HI  ii '.r 


liostaL^es.  lli'reahont  he  fell  in  with  the  ship  /'A 
Captain  AFoore.  fiom  the  l/ist  Indies,  and  (.htaiiH  d 
infoi'iiiation  on  foreign  trallic  in  the  AK'xander  an-lii- 
|icla;jfo,  which  served  him  orcatly  in  forming"  plans  for 
I'uture  operations,      lie  oont^civul  quite  a  frien('  i   i 


•'llnmniif  wiiiti- coiUTniiii!;  r-ii:iaVliif"H  iu-hiovo'hcnt-t  tlitit  'lii"  \n>nt 


>i,,   \,, 


inUi'  ilJMi'dvrricM,  Init  iliscuvcii  li  ii>it!iiiii,'  iifymul  iliniS'Jiil  imlicatiuiiH  ut  laiiu. 


t:u„ 


I'/,  Ixtor.  Oliv»r.,\\.  ai>p.  ,:i(J. 


3'jn 


OROAXIZATIOX  OF  MONOPOLY. 


'I 


.i...  i^l! 


ill^ 


fi)i-  t!ic  coiiininiKlcr,  fioin  \v]i(»m  licroccivod  as  a  '[nvs- 
r:il'  ii  ii;iti\e  (tf  Bcii<jf;il.-' 

Somi  al'trr  his  iiiertiiin'  with  ^loorc,  llarannf  j)im- 
(•t'edc'd  to  NiU'ht'k  Jshiiid,  near  tht;  mouth  of  ('o]i]i(  )• 
]\ivcr,  and  L-iicaiiipod  within  a  s'loit  distance  of  ihr 
cove  whcro  Huhsc(|uciitly  tlie  Konstantinovsk  redouht 
was  hnih.  Findin^L,'  the  supply  of  fish  limited,  he 
conchide<l  to  send  a  hidar  manni;d  hy  Russians  and  ;i 
]iart  of  the  AK'Ut  hunters  to  Sukli  (Montanu)  Isj.nii! 
in  search  of  Ijetter  lishinn--i,M'ounds,  cai>:d)le  of  furniftli- 
injjf  a  winter's  supjily  for  his  j)arty.  On  the  2(JtIi  of 
June  this  i'X|)edi<ion  ^et  out,  and  Raranof  remained 
on  Xuchek  Island  with  only  sixteen  Kussians.  Ih 
had  heard  runuM's  of  hostile  intentions  on  the  |>ait  of 
liie  savau'es,  hut  placi'd  little  faith  in  them.  To  av<»i  I 
unnecessary  risks,  however,  he  iiJti'uded  t<»  remove  hi 
liltle  fore*'  to  a  small  island  in  the  hay,  on  tin-  day  fol- 
l(iwih'4  tlh-  departure  of  his  exploring'  party.  Jn  tii 
middle  of  the  ni'^lit,  which  was  v«!v  dark  and  stormy, 
tin-  si-ntrics  e;ivc  thi'  alarm.  I"'i\c  of  the  sixteeh 
men  Iiad  heen  pla«'ed  on  j^iiard,  hut  the  dai'kness  wa- 
so  dense  that  a  !Uinu'r<»us  hody  of  armed  nativi-s  Ii.i  I 
advanced  to  within  ton  paces  of  the  eneami»ment  with- 
out lu'inj.,'  seen.     Jn  a  moment  the  ]\ussi;uis  had  .sei/.e  I 

'''  l^'ir.'iiK'f  iiivtA  ill)  iiitcirHtiii','  aoiiiuiit  of  tliis  iiicitiiij,'  in  oiu;  nf  lii.s  K;ttc.  •> 
ti  Slirlikiif:    •  llciii;,'  mImihI  tn  iv.taMi-(li  il  .slatiuli  for  tlif  wiiiti  r,  1  fill  in  wi.ii 
(lit  I'.iil;1mIi  w.ssi  1,  uliiih  li;iil  ••■niio  fitiiii  tlic  l)iiMt  Indies,  liy  way  of  ('aii'u -i 
mill  Manila  to  Aliiciii'a  in  the  viiiiiity  of   .Noolka,  ami  finiii  tlicn-  In.'  hail  t  ■'■ 
I'lWcil  Uic  (oast  lo( 'li'ii^atr*rii.  liailinz  uitli  many  trilpcs  ami  lollictint,'  ii  lar. 
i|;iantity  of  iMrs,      lie  liail  lost  a  ma»t  iH  a  ^'aic  ami  iiplaii'il  it  at  C'lnigatsrli 
mill  for  that  iraMin  hi'  liatl  ioik  linliil  to  ritiiin  ilircct  to  I. 'anion.     I'Ik-  .>i!ii|>. 
nMini'il  till! /'/ill  ■.'./'.  was  7'>  fi<  t  Ion i,' anil  h.'i<l  two  inast't.     'I'lii' caiitaiii  is  ;   i 
liii>:liKhnian,  of  Itirth  cvtiarthni,  nanu'il  Mooiv.    lie  mtt  lii>t  wiiji  my  hiilaiK  i 
I'l'i  t,  ami  thru  camr  to  my  ani  lioia;;<',  w  hri r  lii'  lay  ti\i!  il;iys  (lining  str; 
of  wi'nthiT.      I  was  on  lioiiril  marly  all  tliu  time  anil  wax  <'nti'rtainccl  at  tl 
c.iiitain'.-*  talilo.     W'v  roiivt'iMnl  a  ;.;roat  iloal  on  varioiii  siiliji'fts.  anil  thou:  !i 
V.I'  iliil  not  iimliTstaml  lai  li  ollu  r  \riy  wi'll,  wi'  niaiiii|,'<il  to  make  nwo  of  ll: 
lit'inian  lan^iia^'i-  uhirli  I  h.nl  ini|H'i'li'rtly  loarni'il  as  a  Iniy,  1>iit  ulnioNt  for 
gottt'n  Hini'f.     Tilt' raptain  nauli'  nio  a  |  ri'scnt  of  mi.   |Mant|  Imlian,  who  : 
my  jiiiMiti'  atti'iiilant  iliiiiii!,'  tlu'  wintiT,  hut  in  tin-  ■.iimiiur  he  hitvcs  in  t! 
(';i]iai'ity  of  an  ahh'  Ni'iiinan.     Ili   nmli  rht.imhi  i'lii'.'li.' Ii  wi'll  anil  I  liavo  t-iu:.l  ! 
him  ron.siili'ialili'  l^l^^i'ln.     I  iliil  md  maUo  miy  |>i  I'Nint  in  ntinn  lityonl  < 
fi'W  foV'MkiiiH  ami  .some  kniuiiibt.-  of  .Meat  wi'rkniaii.'>hip  ami  koiin  other  ti'il!> 
I  i.lso  hiaril  mw  «  i^  ( '.ipt.  ( 'oxr  from  him.     Ilo  ilit'u  at  ( 'air.on.  ♦•Wo  wi-ii'  ■. 
\  1  ry  frit'nilly  tirms  ainl  ('apt.  .Mooii'  vi.-itnl  mo  suvuiul  tiniox  un  shore  in  iii.v 
toit.'' y^Wwi /('/,/■*/.  0/,».v;'.,  ii.,  app.,  ;il(. 


BATTLE  AT  NUCHKK. 


3J7 


llnir  arms  aii«l  wore  flriiijjf  on  llic  savaijfos.  Aer-onl- 
i:iL,'  to  Hai'aiiof  their  lii-o  was  tor  a  loii:^  tiiue  without 
;:iiy  visible  eti'cct,  owiii;^  to  the  wooden  ariiior  and 
>hiel(ls  and  lielniets  of  tlic  isava»jfes,  v  hieli  were  of 
>nllieient  thickness  to  stoj)  a  bullet  fired  at  some  di.s- 
taiire.  The  inovenients  ^il'  the  enemy  seemed  to  bo 
'  iiided  by  one  connnander,  and  1)V  shoutin<_r  to  each 
1 4 her  thev  j>reserved  unity  of  a<-tion  in  the  darknes;. 
Their  tlint  and  copper-lieaded  arrows  and  spears  fell 
thi'-k  and  fast,  woundiniuf  several  of  the  Hus^ians  and 
many  of  the  Aleuts,  seviTal  of  them  fatally,  'i'he 
Idiiw  did  not  even  make  a  show  of  resistance,  bi:t 
xemed  jiossessed  (,f  the  one  idea  of  ^'scapinij;;  by  water 
in  their  bidarkas.  As  the  assailants  had  several  lar:^\! 
v/ar-canoes  n(»t  many  of  these  atten)|>ts  were  succcss- 
fnl.  One  small  «'annon,  a  one  and-a-half-|toundrr  fal- 
coiift,  was  at  last  broUL,dit  into  jiosition,  and  did  souk; 
execution,  at  the  same  time  encouia'dn;;  the  Aleuts 
to  r;dly  around  the  Russians  in  their  encam[»ment. 
I-'ortunately  Ismailof'.s  vessid  hajipeiied  to  be  at  anchor 
not  farolf,  and  a  few  of  those  who  lied  in  their  I'anois 
at  the  !)e;fii'!  ini,'  of  the  allVay,  ha<l  in  the  mean  tliih' 
ii  acheil  it,an<l  obtained  a  bidai'  full  of  armed  nU'U  f*  r 
thf  ri'lief  of  Jiaranof.  Tin;  appeai-anct!  of  this  bout 
causetl  six  largo  wooden  war-canoes  to  beat  a  hasty 
i'«  treat.  One  explanation,  thoU!^h  not  very  plau>ible, 
of  this  unexpected  attack  was  that  the  Yakutat  tribu 
of  Kaljushes  had  cond)ined  with  the  A^leoiuutes  to 
a\en<'e  tln'mselves  for  miuiies  rei'eived  at  ihe  hands 
of  the  Chugatsoiies  duriuL,'  the  pre'cedinLjyeai'.  ivnov*  - 
ii\\f  that  the  »SV  Si.nrtm  was  anchon-d  four  \i:rsts  away, 
an<l  io'norant  of  IJara.iof's  pi'»  s^'nce,  they  liad  mistaki  .i 
the  liussian  encampmentjor  a  ('huuratsch  villai^tt  and 
attacked  it  in  the  dai  k.  ^  \\'lien  the  mistake  was 


ul- 


eovcred,  the  savajufos  were  n»duce(l  to  pcrsi'vert;  ni  thi  ir 
otlorts  by  hopes  of.rieh  booty,  <>nly  to  pay  di'arly  ft  r 
tlie  attempt  and'-to  retreat  deeply  tlemoralized." 

-■'■'IlirjiiK.f  wmt.' ti)  Sli'clik.  f  ms  f  ilk.ww:   'We  foitiul  I'J  killiil  i  ii  t!ii'i;i<,t; 
tlic  ^vuuiiiL'd  liutl  bcua  cuirio.l  oil,  but  a  wuku  of  blootl  waa  viiiLilt  u  wrbt 


328 


ORGANIZATION  OF  MONOPOLY. 


Tliis  affair  caiisod  Haraiiof  to  change  liis  plans. 
Instead  of  wintcriii}^  in  i'rinc'c  AVilliain  Sound  as 
liad  Ikhmi  liis  intention,  he  turned  to  the  «,'ulf'  of  Xonai 
l)y  the  shortest  route.  He  strenjjfthened  liis  outlyin;^ 
stations  there  and  hastened  the  work  of  fortilieation 
mill  tlicn  proceeded  to  Kadiak.  On  his  arrival  at 
]*avl()\>k  harl)(>r,  he  found  that  the  shi[)  < h'i'l,  that  is 
Kaj^If,  had  ariMvcd  from  Okhotsk,  connnandcd  hy  the 
Kn;^lishinan  Shii'lds,  and  laden  partly  with  niati  rial 
for  new  ships,  though  by  no  means  of  the  descrip- 
tion most  essential  for  opening  operations.  Although 
despatched  in  the  autunni  of  171)1,  vessels  had  been 
c(»nijielle<l  to  wintei"  in  Kamchatka.  Shields  had 
learned  the  art  of  ship-building  in  England,  but  had 
subs«'(|Uently  enteied  the'  liussian  military  service  and 
obtained  the  raidc  of  sul)-lieutenant."" 

At  the-  same  time  came  ordi-rs  to  proceed  at  once 
vith  ship-buihling.     This  placed   J^aranof  in  an  vaw- 


or  tw>)  Ix'liinil  llirir  <'an()t'M.  At  the  very  fmt  (Hisot  tlicy  killcil  i>ii  our 
villi'  ii  man  iiaiiuil  Kotuvcliikiif  fioiii  ii.vniiiiil,  aii'l  I'aspclot'  from  'I'liiiit'iink 
•li.il  two  Wfi'Us  later.  Of  the  licatluii  tlic  Ak'iils-  !(  wolf  killfcl  ami  l."i 
woiinilcil.  As  for  mvKflf,  (Joil  protcttt'il  mi-,  tlioii;^li  my  uliirt  was  toin  \<\  a 
(njiii:!'  ami  tlu'  arrows  fill  tliiikly  aroiiml  mi'.  Ik'iiig  arouni'il  fioiii  a  ili'i'p 
hli'i  |i  1  liail  no  time  to  (lii'SH,  lint  nisl.i'd  out  aw  I  wi»t  to  cm'oiiraL!!'  fin-  iiu  ii 
(imi  to  hi't!  that  our  only  rannoii  wa.s  movi'd  to  wlii'rt^viT  tin-  ilan^tiT  wan 
j.'r<-;it<-.st.  linat  |iraisi'  i.s  dur  to  tin;  fiarli'.-t.s  ik'ini'anor  of  my  miii,  many  of 
vli'ini  Were  iii'W  nrruit.s.  J  mintioii  anion;;  tlirni  I'coiloi' OstroL'in  ami  /,;ikli- 
milin.  ( )ni'  of  tlii'  ( 'liu;,'atHi'li  lioHtap's  liron^'lit  n.s  lour  mi'li  wlio  liail  been  ra]i- 
tuiiil  liy  tlu' ( 'Inipitsili  pi'opli'.  I'loni  tlii.-^i'  wr  li'arn«'<l  that  our  a.ssailants 
had  cxpi'i'tcd  1(1  i'::notH  full  of  M'arrioi'H  from  tlir  <  'op|ii>r  liivir  and  that  tin  y 
intcndnl  to  proi'ii'd  to  tlw  ).;ulf  of  Krnai  aftm'  annihilating,'  the  ( 'hnj.'at.'^i  li 
tidd'.'  Til.liiiii  III/,  /-^-/•.  0/i(i.s/'.,  ii.  app.  JIT  M.  Khlilmikot,  in  his  life  of  llai 
nnof,  relates  this  ineiilent  in  a  sonx'what  dill'erent  manner  as  to  details,  and, 
»i.iaii;;o  to  nay,  he  i|uotes  as  his  authority  a  letter  from  Haranof  to  Shelikof. 
They  ri'treafi  d  in  .">  lanoes  while  tlu  y  hailarriyed  in  (i.  Sli'r.ii.  Hiirniinvn,  Hi  17. 
Vift  they  earried  oil    I  eaptiyes.    TiUmK  in/,  /xltir.  <)l,iis.,  j.  ;!,S-!»,  til   .'i. 

•■'Shelikof  wrote  to  liarauof  on  this  oeeasion:  'We  send  you  now  iron, 
rope,  and  s.iil-cloth  for  one  shiji  which,  with  the  assi.-itance  of  Shields,  you 
vill  lieal'le  to  lit  out,  au'l  if  you  sueeeed  you  may  lay  the  keel  for-  two  or 
time  other  vi'SHcls  of  vaiious  dimensions.  VouHhould  endeavor  to  push  their 
constiuetioii  far  enoui'li  ahead  to  enalileyon  toeomi>!ete  them  without  further 
O^Atstanee  of  n  NhipwriLiht.  Kverythinj,'  you  need  for  this  shall  hi^  Kent  hy 
the  next  o|iportiniil\ .  ^'ou.shouhl  tiaeh  the  AmerieanH  to  piik  oakum,  make 
r(i|H.-s,  WW  lit  the  Miils,  and  help  the  li'  •eksiuiths. '  /</.,  i,  ;t(l  Id.  The  iron 
oppi-ars  to  have  lieen  forj.'otteu.  Shiehis  had  fiMUierly  servi  1  as  lieu'enaiit 
in  a  N'ekateriidiur).'  leL'iuient,  hut  us  he  was  hoth  ^hip-liidldi  •  ami  navi;4ii  or  hy 

1lrol<•s^j(,n.  Shelikof  eluia'^ed   him   fi^r  service  in   the  neVi   colonies.      'I'll      llrt 
.iiHif  of  his  prolieiency  in  his  lin.-^ineHrt  \\\\»  the  packet  '"'at  O/v/,  which  ho 
Cou^itruuted  at  Okhotsk.  K/iUlmiku/,  Siikii.  Jjnntitova,  18. 


SHIP-nUILDING. 


S29 


plans. 

iiiul    as 

Kc'iiai 

iitlviiiL!; 

llcatioii 

ival  at 

that  is 

l»y  tlu' 

iKitnial 

iloscriit- 

Ithouj^li 

III  bmii 

Ids    IkdI 

hut  liad 

kite  and 

at  (HU'c 
an  (Mil- 


led oil  (lur 
111  'rniiH'iiNk 

llc.l    illMl     I.') 

i~i  toiii  liy  a 

^.'  tin'  nun 
lanu'iT  viis 
II.  iiiiiiiy  of 
Miiil  /akii- 
I  been  (.ip- 
'  a.Hsiiilaiils 
I  thill  tli.v 
Ciiiifiatscli 
ifc  ot  liar- 
tails,  anil, 
I  Sliclikiif. 

UK,  HI      I". 
.1. 

iiuw  inin, 

liicKlH,  yoii 

(ir  two  or 

■(iiihIi  Ull'il' 

lit  Inrtlii  r 

ic  Mint  liV 

nni,  niakx 

Till'  iioii 

llifll'i'lialit 

\>xi\  orliy 

Til     lir.  t 

wliu'h  liu 


liarrnssiiifTf  jiosition,  for  lie  liad  not  yet  ofin^plctrd  the 
fiaiistiT  ot'tlu'  i>iincij)al  scttlriiu'iit  IVoni  Tliirr  Saints 
to  Pavlovsk  iiai'hor  and  tlicrc  was  ur^jcnt  nci-cssity  to 
ci-cct  at  oncf  a  nuinlnT  of  l)uiIdinLjs  at  the  Iatt<i'  placf, 
til  slu'ltor  l)()tli  men  and  st(jrcs  iUninj.,''  tlu;  w  intti-.  llo 
was,  liowi'vcr,  dL'torniincd  to  olu'y,  and  wliih-  piisliiniLj 
tlic  work  at  Pavlovsk  as  mudi  as  possiMc,  lie  lost  no 
time  in  sclcctinir  a  suitaMc  place  for  slii|)-linililino-. 
(hi  Kadiakand  vM'oi^nak  islands  the  trees  wcir  neither 
iihnndant  nor  larj^i-  enou;^h,  and  it  was  lonnd  neces- 


iiv  to  look  to  some  more  distant  re^ri 


(sn. 


]) 


uriii!,,''  his 


r('<eiit  stay  in  Prince  William  Souml  lie'  had  ohscived 
to  the  west  of  it  a  well  j»rotected  hay,  which  seemed 
in  everv  wav  suitable  for  his  undertakinLj.  The  i»lace 
was  called  A^oskressenski,  or  Sunday  haihor,  also 
known  as  lilyin^  Souixl,  and  n<it  only  furnished  ex- 
ctllent  timher,  hut  a  considerable  lise  and  fill  of  the 
tide  allbrded  exceptional  facilities  for  buildino,  launch- 
inn-,  and  ]'e|)aiiinL(  vessels.  Shelikof's  orders  ha<l  been 
jo  send  Shields  back  to  Okhotsk  after  consultiiio-  him 
concerning  the  work  on  hand,  but  Paranof  I'ouiul  it 
necessary  to  detain  him  in  ordei*  to  obtain  ser.  iccablo 
plans  for  his  vessel.  Jle  wroti'  to  Shelikof  that  his 
coniplemeiit  of  men  capable  of  doiiiLj  any  woik  on  the 
\t.ssel  was  so  exceedini^ly  small  that  he  could  not 
ali'ofd  to  send  away  his  most  \aluable  assistant,  but 
would  retain  him  duriiio-  that  and  the  followini;'  season, 
hopiii|ir  iu  the  mean  time  to  receive  further  shipments 
el"  stores  and  material.""* 

The  necessary  buildin<;s,  (piarters  for  the  men.  and 
storehouses  Were  at  once  ei'ected  at  Voskresseiiski 
liarhor,  and  all  that  winter  the  mountains  of  Ki'iiaY 
|Miiiiisula  echoed  t)ie  vigorous  blows  of  axeiiien  and 
the  crash  of  falling  trees.  Nearly  all  the  plaiil>s  \\v\\i 
hewn  out  of  the  whole  log,  a  waste  of  time  and  ma- 

■•'■  'U'c  li.'ivt','  wrote  Iltiranof,  'only  half  a  kit,'  "f  tar,  three  ke;4.s  of  |iiteli, 
not  a  |>oiinil  of  oakiim,  not  a  'in^'le  nail,  ami  very  little  iron  for  .^o  large  ii 


ve!<nel.      What  little  iiilivaM   yon  nent  us  we  have  "l 

hiilaiku  nails  and  tents,  for  those  \\v  had  weie  entirely  «oin  mit  I13   long 


liil'illcd   t< 


for 


•aL'e.'  Tikhmi  i:ij\  iMor.  Vin 


11.,  aini 


:!l». 


1  ;i! 
1  I'! 


3no 


ORGANIZATION  OF  MONOPOLY. 


Irr 


11 


W 


tiii.'il  ina(I(;  lUH'cssjiry  l>v  tlu;  al)soii('e  of  lurw  saws. 
Till'  iron  nc'odod  in  tluj  ('(instruction  had  l)oen  collcctrd 
I'roni  pieces  of  wreck  in  all  ]iarts  of  the  colonies,  and 
thoiij^h  rust-eaten  and  of  |)o<»r  (|ualitv,  it  was  macK^  tn 
ser\i'.  Steel  for  axes  liad  to  lie  |tie|»ared  from  the 
same  material.  In  his  anxiety  to  |)ush  tlu^  work  lUii- 
anof  even  att(Mnpted  to  extract  iron  from  some  ore 
jiis  men  had  picked  up.  lie  had  seen  iron-frnnaces 
du]*inL(  his  life  in  Siheria,  hut  found  himself  unnhle  to 
ohtain  the  coveted  nuftal  hv  any  such  rude  processi  s 
as  ho  could  devi-se.**  For  tar  he  devised  a  ])oor  mix- 
ture of  spruce  jifum  and  oil.  The  Knj^lish  ship-huildrr 
iCLCarded  with  wonder  and  c(»ntemj)t  the  primitive 
dock-yard,  and  without  a  jturveyor  pctssessed  of  tlio 
indomitahK;  determination  and  activity  of  Haranol",  In- 
could  never  have  earned  the  reputation  of  (;onstru«t- 
inL(  the  fir.st  ship  on  the  north-westernmost  coast  of 
America. 

T<»  ohtain  provisions  was  diflicult.  The  nn>n  coi.M 
not  he  allowed  to  hunt  or  fish,  and  no  other  station 
was  prepared  to  I'urnish  supplies.  Heavy  refpiisilions 
were  made  upon  tlie  t/vlo/o,  or  dried  fish,  of  the  n;;- 
tives,  entailiui^  want  and  hardshij>s  ujton  tiieui,  \\hil<' 
the  shi[)-l)uilders  were  re(h>ced  to  the  scantiest  allow- 
ance to  sustain  them  in  their  arduous  task. 

The  lack  of  canvas  was  another  seiious  incoii 
venienc(>.  Without  a  ])i'oper  suit  of  sails  the  fir>t 
American  ship  could  never  reach  the  coast  of  Siheiia 
or  Kamchatka  and  impress  tlu;  authorities  with  the 
icaiity  of  all  the  Shelikof  Company  claimed  to  havi' 
done  in  the  way  of  imjirovenients  and  industrial  »  ii 
terprisi?  in  tlu;  colonies.  It  is  astoiiishinic  to  wlmt 
expense  and  infinite  trouhle  the  company  was  willing' 
to  <jfo  f<)r  the  sole  j)urpose  of  eirect.  A  lar  Ix  tl<;' 
ship  could  have  heen  huilt  without  any  serious  dlili- 
cidty  and  at  much  less  cost  either  in  Kamchatka  or  at 
Okhotsk.      The  prohlem  of  su|)plyin<4'  the  necessaiy 

'■^'' Mjiilimii)  Slu'liUof  iiidii'ntos  that  the  8iiiiltiii;,'iif  iron  oro  jinMiiincd  \\i  !1 
enough  Ij  wmnint  tlio  fiigagiiucut  of  iiu  cxpeiitiiciil  iimii.  LvtUr,  in  /</. 


(|UlSlll()|!S 


LAUXCniXO  OF  THK   '  PIIfEXIX. 


3ni 


canvas  was  iua<lt>  nu)ro  ilifricult  l>y  tho  cinunistaiioo 
tliiit  the  iiativt!  hunters,  wlio  had  luitil  then  hocii  |)ai(l 


I  ni- 


ce» 


th.'i 


r  siasfni  s  \V()i 


k   with  a    few  heads  and   <sla^ 


rals,  it'iused  to  accept  tliat  curnncv  any  loiiLrer,  and 
ahnost  unan'nnously  demanded  to  l)e  paid  in  garment-! 
made  of  canvas. 

April  I71>.')  saw  the  new  cral"t  far  en<)Ui,di  advanced 
lo  make  Sliields'   constant  KUperinti-ndence  unn 
sar 


eces- 


y.     l^aranof,  who  had  no  iL,''i'eat  hkinLf  tor  the  to;-- 
jner,  seize«l  the  opji(»rtunity  of  j^ivini,'  him  ad(htion;d 


rkh 


f  (h 


wniK  i>v  oniermi'  nun  upon  a  voya-^e  ol  discoverv  m 
tile  On/.  Humors  of  tlie  existence  of  mdvnown  isl- 
ands, ri«'h  in  seals  and  si'a-otters,  in  various  parts  of 
the  n(!\v  possessions  had  Keen  alloat  tor  sonu^  time, 
liaranof  never  expressed  any  heliet'in  these  rej)orts,hut 
in  Older  to^'et  Shields  and  his  I'our  Kii'LJclish  sailors  out 


wo 


ol'the  way  tor  the  summ(;r,  he  promised  the  t'orimr  t 
shares  of  the  t'uis  ohtained  iVom  any  island  discovend 
liy  him,  lor  two  y»'ai's,  and  to  tin;  sailors  twenty  sea- 
('tters  each.  With  ^n-im  satisfaction  the  cialty  ol<l 
manai^i-r  note<l   the  fact  that  the  j»remiinns  oll'ered 


Vv('r(!    Jievcr   earnec 


an< 


1    that    the  ( h-rf  was  t 


( )SSl'( 


iliout  hv  storms  and   linallv   reached  \^)skressensl;i 


liarl 


)or  m  a  imu 


h  <h 


unaijed  condition 


lit! 


]n  tl 


le  nu  an 


lime  {\\v  Sv  Simeon  had  arrived  with  nnwe  lahoreiv 


piovisions,  an( 
](newed  vi'^or. 


I    tools,  and  work   was  ri'sumed  with 


At  last  in  Auijfust  1 704  tlu'  «,ncat  work  was  achieved 
as  the  first  vessel  huilt  in  n<»rth-western  Anjerica^^lided 
iVoin  till!  .stocks  into  the  waters  ot"  the  l*acillc,  under 
the  name  of  PIkiuIj-?^  While  not  so  inij)ortant  or  dif- 
ticnlt  a  perfoi'maiiee  as  those  of  \'aseo  Xufie/  iwA 
^  'eftes,  it  was  one  of  whicji  llaraiiof  mie'ht  .justly  feci 
l^oud.  He  had  ina<li!  the  tirst  practical  use  of  the 
tiiiihcr  of  what  was  then  termed  "the  vast  d<'sei'ts  ci' 

^"No  <>\plnimUnii  is  gWiW  liy  my  niitlinrififH  why  llariinnf  r.iKctiii  tliii 
n.inii',  Imt  we  nuiy  <'">in'lu<l<'  tiuit  it  wwn  HUg^'i'stcil  to  liim  l>y  tin-  Kii;.'ii.sii 
\issil  which  visiti'il  those  watfi'M  in  IT'.'-. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


■^IIIIIM    IIIII25 


*«  IlilM 


M       2.2 


m 


12.0 


1.8 


1.25 

1.4       1.6 

^ 

6"     

► 

Hiotographic 

Sdences 
Corporation 


23  V/IEST  MAIN  STtlEET 
W£BSTER,N.Y.  145r,0 


l\ 


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i\ 


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!,  £.(■  ii 


332 


ORGANIZATION  OP  MONOPOLY. 


America,"  and  had  used  it  for  a  purpose  that  might 
be  expected  to  benefit  not  only  his  employers,  but  his 
country. 

Most  of  the  men  who  assisted  Shields  had  seen  only 
the  nondescript  vessels  of  Siberian  traders,  many  of 
theui  half  decked,  and  built  usually  without  an  iron 
bolt  or  brace,  the  planks  being  lashed  together  with 
raw-hide  thongs.  The  present  result  was  therefore 
all  the  more  gratifying,  crude  as  it  was.  The  vessel 
was  built  of  spruce  timber,  and  measured  73  feet  in 
length,  the  upper  deck  being  79  feet,  with  a  beam  of 
23  feet  and  a  depth  of  13^  feet.  Notwithstanding  the 
size,  the  capacity  being  only  about  one  hundred  tons, 
it  was  provided  with  two  decks  and  three  masts,  in 
order  to  present  an  imposing  appearance  and  do  credit 
to  its  projectors.^^  The  calking  above  the  water-line 
was  done  with  moss;  and  for  paint,  tar  and  wliale-oil 
were  used."^  The  sails  consisted  of  pieces  and  scraps 
of  canvas  for  which  the  warehouses  and  magazines  of 
the  company  in  Kamchatka  and  in  the  colonies  had 
been  ransacked.  The  result  was  a  number  of  sheets 
of  different  qualities  and  color,  presenting  the  most 
grotesque  appearance.^'' 

J3y  the  4th  of  September  the  Phcomx  was  despatched 
upon  her  first  voyage  to  Kadiak,  where  Baranof  hoped 
to  improve  upon  the  outfit.  On  the  way  the  flimsy 
rigging  snapped  before  the  first  breeze,  and  the  vessel 
entered  Pavlovsk  not  with  swelling  sails,  but  towed 
by  boats.  She  was  also  badly  ballasted,  and  presented 
on  the  whole  an  appearance  far  from  imposing.    Nev- 


»i  Tikhmenef  calls  it  180  tons.  Ixtor.  06o.<t.,  i.  f)7-8. 

*'■' Boiled  at  various  times  in  small  quantities  the  paint  was  unequnl  in 
color,  giving  the  hull  a  strange,  spotted  appearance.  This,  liowever,  ex- 
tended oidy  a  little  above  the  wattr-line,  as  they  did  not  have  enougli  even  of 
such  paint  to  color  the  whole. 

'•'  These  sails,  some  spars,  and  a  quantity  of  iron  work  for  the  new  vessel 
prcjiared  by  nieclianics  in  Kadiak  were  transported  to  the  ship-yard  early  in 
April,  before  the  sea-going  vessels  had  completed  their  necessary  repairs,  so 
r.iat  the  conveyance  iiad  to  bo  made  in  large  skin  boats  or  bidars,  which 
cri']it  cautiously  to  Cook  Inlet.  From  here  tiie  material  was  carried  over 
<lai;;erous  glaciers  and  mountains  to  Voskrcssenski  harbor.  UuraiwJ',  Shhn., 
152. 


OTHER  SHIPS  r.UILT. 


333 


crtlielcss  joy  roigiicd  in  the  settlement,  and  the  event 
\vas  celebrated  by  solemn  mass  and  merry  feasting.** 

A  few  weeks  were  spent  in  refitting  and  rigging 
the  Phanix,  and  on  the  20th  uay  of  April  this  first- 
born of  the  Alaskan  forests  set  out  upon  the  voyage 
to  the  shores  of  Asia,  commanded  by  Shields,  the 
builder.  The  voyage  was  made  in  about  a  month,  a 
speed  unprecedented  in  the  annals  of  Russian  navi- 
gation in  the  north  Pacific.  At  Okhotsk  the  Phamix 
was  received  with  volleys  of  artillery,  the  ringing  of 
bolls,  and  the  celebration  of  n)ass.  The  ghost  of  the 
great  Peter  is  gratified;  for  in  the  flesh  the  monarch 
never  dreamed  of  so  early  and  so  significant  an 
achievement  resulting  from  the  roj-al  pupilage. 

All  the  servants  of  the  Shelikof  Company  then 
awaiting  transportation  from  this  port,  and  the  .soldiers 
stationed  at  the  ostrog  were  at  once  called  into  requi- 
sition to  assist  in  finishing  Baranof's  wonderful  three- 
master.  She  had  made  her  first  voyage  without  cabin 
or  deck  houses,  and  these  were  now  added,  together 
with  the  necessary  polishing  and  painting,  and  new 
sails  and  rigging.  From  this  time  forth  until  her  los^j 
during  a  dark  stormy  November  night,  in  the  gulf 
of  Alaska,  the  PJirrnix  made  regular  trips  between 
Okhotsk  and  the  colonies.  Shelikof  and  his  partners 
did  not  fail  to  dwell  forcibly  and  pointedly  in  their 
petitions  and  reports  upon  the  fact  that  their  com- 
l);niy  maintained  connnunication  between  the  colonies 
and  the  motlier  country  by  means  of  a  "frigate"  of 
tlu'ir  own  construction,  built  with  American  timber 
and  launched  in  American  waters. 

This  success  Baranof  followed  up  by  laying  the 
keels  of  two  other  vessels,  of  smaller  size,  forty  and 
thirty-five  feet  in  length  respectively,  which  were 
launched  in  1795,  and  WAXwcd  Dclplun  and  Olga.^^ 

"Tim  loadiTs  tried  tlieir  teeth  on  the  only  ram  left  of  the  sheep  oonsiyn- 
iiU'iit,  {in<t  then  HOUL'lit  relief  from  the  struggle  in  copious  ilriumhta  oi'  Lheeriiit; 
liquor,  llfirniio/,  SJhzii.,  l.').V().  Baranof  attended  the  laundiing,  but  eamo 
IvKk  in  a  liidarka.  as  if  distrusting  Shields  and  his  work. 

^'  Td'hrncinf,  Istor.  Obot:.,  i.  40. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

STRIFE  BETWEEN  RIVAL  COMPANIES. 

1791-1794. 

The  Lebedef  Company  Occupies  Cook  Inlet — Quarrels  between  tue 
Lebedef  and  Shelikof  Companies — Hostilities  in  Cook  Inlet- 
Complaints  OF  KoLOMiN  against  Konovalof — Wau  upon  Russians 
AND  Indians  Alike— Life  of  the  Marauders — Pacific  Attitude  op 
Baraxof — IIis  Patience  Exhausted — Playing  the  Autocrat— Ar- 
rest OF  the  Ringleaders — Effect  on  the  Natives — Baraxoi's 
Speech  to  his  Hunters — Expedition  to  Yakutat — Meeting  with 
Vancouver — The  Lebedef  Company  Circumvented — Troubles  witu 
Ivaljcshes— Purtof's  Resolute  Conduct— Zaikof's  Expedition. 

Like  the  Spaniards  in  Central  America  and  Mex- 
ico, no  sooner  had  the  Russians  possession  of  their 
part  of  America  than  they  fell  to  fighting  among 
themselves.  In  1786  the  Sv  Pavl,  of  the  Lebedet- 
Lastochkin  Company,  had  come  to  Kadiak  with 
thirty-eight  men,  commanded  by  Peredovchik  Kolo- 
min.  Jealous  of  intrusion  on  their  recently  acquired 
hunting-ground,  the  Shelikof  party  gave  the  new- 
comers a  hint  to  move  on,  and  incautiously  pointed  to 
Cook  Inlet  or  the  gulf  of  Kenai  as  a  profitable  region. 
The  result  was  a  permanent  establishment  in  Alaska, 
on  Kassilof  River  in  that  inlet.  It  consisted  of  two 
log  buildings  protected  by  a  stockade,  and  bore  iha 
name  of  St  George.^ 

The  Shelikof  Company  already  possessed,  near  tlio 
entrance  of  the  inlet,  a  fort  named  Alexandrovsk, 
which  had  a  more  pretentious  appearance.    It  formed 

'  It  was  8  tuatod  on  a  bluff,  and  presented  to  the  wondering  savages  quite 
a  formidable  aspect.  Juvenal,  Jour.,  MS.,  3U. 

(3S4I 


KONOVALOF'S  EXPEDITIOX. 


333 


a  square  with  poorly  built  bastions  at  two  corners, 
and  displayed  the  imperial  arms  over  the  entrance, 
which  was  protected  by  two  guns.  Within  W(;re 
dwelling  and  store  houses,  one  of  them  provided  with 
a  sentry-box  on  the  roof.'^*  The  situation  of  the  other 
fort  higher  up  the  inlet,  near  the  richer  fur  region, 
gave  it  the  advantage  in  hunting;  yet,  for  a  time, 
iViendly  relations  continued  to  exist  between  the  rivals 
as  well  as  with  the  natives. 

In  August  1791  the  ship  ♦S'^  George,  also  belong- 
ing to  the  Lebedei-Lastochkin  Company,  arrived  in 
the  inlet.  The  commander  of  this  second  expedition 
was  one  Grigor  Konovalof,  and  his  advent  seems  to 
have  been  the  signal  for  strife  and  disorder.  His  pro- 
ceedings were  strange  from  the  beginning;  he  did  not 
laud  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kassilof  Kiver,  where  Kolo- 
min  was  already  established,  but  went  about  twenty 
miles  farther,  to  the  Kaknu,  landed  his  crew  of  sixtv- 
two  Russians,  discharged  his  cargo,  beached  his  ves- 
sel, and  began  to  erect  winter  quarters  and  fortitications 
surrounded  with  a  stockade  and  defended  by  guns. 
This  fort  was  named  St  Nicholas.'  All  this  time  he 
neglected  to  communicate  in  any  manner  with  the 
other  party  of  the  same  company.     Kolomin  at  last 

° Smithy,  room  foi*1joiling  oil,  and  other  conveniences  exited.  Fhlaljo, 
hi  Viajcs  at  Norte,  MS.,  3o8^9.     Sec  also  Jfumboldt,  Esmi  Pol.,  ii.  ■'J48. 

^  Tikhmenef,  in  speaking  of  this  episode,  coniiuits  some  errors  from  insulli- 
oioiit  acriimintunco  with  the  various  localities.  Ho  writes  of  Kassilof  ami  8t 
N iuliolaa  as  thesame  place,  while  in  reality  the  latter  is  tliirty  miles  to  tho  north- 
ward of  tho  former.  In  claiming  that  Konovalof,  by  erecting  fortifications  at 
Kassilof,  or  St  Nicholas,  seized  npon  settlements  founded  by  Shelikof  in  ]'S'>, 
Tikiimonef  makes  another  mistake.  Tho  only  lodgment  made  by  Shelikof  oa 
C\)ok  Inlet  was  near  its  mouth,  and  was  sulwcquuutly  named  Alexamlrovsk. 
Furthermore,  Slielikof  was  a  partner  in  Lebedef-Lastoohkin'a  enterpvi.su,  as 
an  well  as  in  tho  company  formed  under  special  protection  of  the  govcrnmoiit 
T'lkhmencf,  fstor.  Ohos.,  i.  .'W;  Juvenal,  Join:,  MS  ,  G  et  seq.  When  Vancouver 
nnuhore<l  otr  tiio  mouth  of  tho  Kena'i  or  Kaknu  river  in  17'J-t  ho  was  saluted  by 
two  guns  from  a  building  on  tho  high  bank,  from  which  also  Qoated  the  Itussiau 
l!;ig.  A  miserable  path  led  up  tho  steep  ascent  through  masses  of  filtli  and 
od'.il.  Tho  establishment  occupied  a  space  of  about  \'20  yards  sipum*,  en- 
closed with  a  stout  paling  of  pine  logs,  12  feet  iiigii.  Tiio  largest  building, 
S.")  yards  long,  served  as  barracks,  consisting  of  one  largo  room  with  sleeping- 
benches  on  the  sides,  divided  into  stalls.  Tiio  commander,  at  that  time 
Stcpan  Zai'kof,  lived  in  a  smaller  house  by  himself.  There  wore  over  twenty 
otlier  small  building.,.  Tho  70-ton  sloop  belonging  to  the  station,  armed 
with  two  Kuns,  was  in  a  dilapidated  couditiou.    Vancouver'^  Voy.,  in.  liO-l, 


I  guns, 


STllIFE  BETWEEN  RIVAL  COMPANIES. 


''  wi 


veiiturcfl  to  inquire  to  what  company  they  belonge;!. 
The  answer  was  brief  and  insolent,  Konovalof  claim- 
ing tliat  he  had  been  invested  with  supremo  command, 
and  instructed  to  seize  everything  in  the  hands  of 
Kolomin,  who  must  henceforth  report  to  him.  Wliilo 
ready  to  believe  that  such  authority  had  been  con- 
ferred,* the  latter  did  not  choose  to  surrender  either 
his  men  or  his  furs;  but  as  his  terra  was  about  ended, 
he  prepared  to  close  his  affairs  and  transfer  the  com- 
pany's business  to  his  successor  after  the  winder,  in 
the  expectation  of  sailing  for  Okhotsk  in  the  spring. 
While  thus  engaged,  Kolomin's  party  was  surprised 
by  the  arrival  of  a  large  bidar  sent  by  Konovalof,  and 
commanded  by  Amos  Balushin.  Without  making 
any  excuse,  or  explanation,  Balushin  proceeded  a  short 
distance  up  the  Kassilof  River,  to  where  Kolomin's 
winter  supply  of  dried  fish  was  stored,  and  carried 
all  away.**  . 

Shortly  afterward  a  party  of  natives,  en  route  to 
St  George,  were  intercepted  on  the  Kaknu  by  Ko- 
novalofs  men  and  robbed  of  all  their  effects.  This 
outrage  was  repeated  on  a  party  from  Toyunok,  a 
village  on  the  upper  part  of  the  inlet,  no  compensa- 
ti(Mi  whatever  being  tendered  for  the  furs  taken. 
Being  anxious  to  come  to  some  understandinsx,  Kolo- 
min  went  out  to  meet  his  rival,  but  tlie  interview 
was  brought  to  an  end  by  Konovalof  iiriniif  off  his 
pistol,  without  injury,  however,  to  any  one.  After 
this  Kolomin  considered  the  country  in  a  state  of 
war,  kept  constant  watch,  and  posted  sentries.  More- 
over, there  was  fear  that  the  savages,  who  could  not 
fail  to  notice  the  quarrels  between  the  Russians, 
might  attack  the  weaker  with  a  view  to  capturing 
the  furs  gathered  by  Kolomin  during  his  residence  o( 


* '  I  had  only  twonty-sovcn  men  left  of  my  crew,  ami  as  wo  were  waiting  to 
be  called  li.ick  wj  tliought  that  Konovalof  spoke  the  truth,  and  congratuliti;d 
ourselves  on  liaviug  a  now  commander.'  TikknwiKj',  tutor.  0/w,<. ,  ii.  a^ip.  part 
ii.  .'51.  The  .s'y  f'.id  had  been  sent  home  in  17S9  witli  a  cargo  of  hij  furs,  and 
Binco  then  nearly  2,O0J  more  akins  had  been  collected. 

*  A  demand  for  oxplauatioa  elicited  only  threats.  Id. 


OUTRAGES  AT  COOK  IXLET. 


m 


four  years  among  them.  Konovalof  aggravated  the 
situation  by  sending  men  to  press  some  of  Kolomin's 
bijjnrs,  or  native  servants,  into  his  own  service,  and 
the  former  on  meeting  with  objections  threatened  to 
iiie  on  the  other  party.*  The  ease  with  which  this  out- 
rage was  perpetrated  encouraged  another  attack  with 
a  larger  force,  during  which  the  remaining  servants 
and  the  hostages  were  carried  off,  so  that  Kolomin 
Iiad  to  send  both  for  fresh  recruits  and  for  provisions. 
Even  in  this  effort  lie  met  with  trouble,  for  Lossef, 
the  faithful  lieutenant  of  Konovalof,  dogged  his  foot- 
steps, intercepted  most  of  the  levy,  and  maltreated 
the  messengers.^ 

Kolomin  had  already  complained  to  the  Shelikof 
Company  of  this  persecution,  and  as  soon  as  the  ice 
broke  up  on  the  inlet  he  proceeded  to  Kadiak,  to  con- 
firm his  previous  report  and  urge  Baranof  to  occupy 
the  whole  gulf.  He  advanced  the  opinion  that,  unless 
some  responsible  power  interfered  at  once,  all  which  he 
and  his  men  had  accomplished  toward  pacifying  the 
natives  and  building  up  a  profitable  trade  would  be 
lost.  Baranof  by  no  means  felt  inclined  to  interfere 
bi'tween  rival  agents,  particularly  since  the  aggressive 
party  would  evidently  not  hesitate  at  shedding  the 
blood  even  of  their  own  countrymen;  not  that  ho 
lacked  the  courage,  but  he  feared  to  risk  his  company's 
interests  and  men  in  fratricidal  war,  which  might  also 
arouse  the  natives.  Moreover,  his  patron  Shelikof 
l)o8sessed  shares  in  the  other  company,  and  he  pre- 
ferred to  report  to  him  so  that  the  matter  might  be 
settled  by  the  principals.  At  tjje  same  time,  how- 
ever, he  sent  a  warning  to  the  St  Nicholas  people  that 


^  The  men  were  actually  ordered  to  firo,  but  hesitated.  Lossef,  their 
oadir,  upbraided  them,  savin;,':  'It  is  not  your  l.>usincss;  we  have  alixaJy 
Killed  four  Russians.'  'Wait  until  spring,'  he  exclaimed  to  Kolomin's  party, 
'and  wo  will  come  to  your  station  with  fifty  men  and  take  away  all  the  liot;t- 
au'os  you  have.'  Tikhmenef,  IsloVi  Obon.,  11.  app.  part  ii.  52-3.  A  converted 
infi,..  r>f  Tro.ijn^j  ^y^g  robbcd  of  his  youna;  wito  and  unmercif;dly  beaten, 
were  deprived  of  their  wa.ipong  and  placed  in  ihe  st(x;k 


native  of  Kadiak 

Three  men  were  oepriveii  oi  luuir  wa.ipuna  auu  piaceu  in  me  stiAijis  ii;r 
two  days.  Drushinin,  an  elder  among  the  hunters,  who  came  to  expostulate, 
was  put  in  irons. 

Hist.  Alabea.    22 


I 


338 


STRIFE  BETWEEN  RIVAL  COMPANIES. 


ho,  as  representative  of  one  of  the  partners  in  the  Lc- 
bedcf  Company,  coukl  not  allow  any  aggressive  meas- 
ures that  might  bo  prejudicial  to  trade.  This  had  the 
effect  of  greatly  tempering  the  feeling  of  the  St  Nicli- 
olas  party  against  Kolomin'smenasof  theirown  com- 
pany, but  directed  their  hostility  against  the  rival 
company.  They  declared  that  the  whole  territory 
bordering  upon  the  gulf  of  Kenai  belonged  exclusively 
to  the  Lebedef  Company,  ignoring  all  previous  arrang(  - 
ments  between  their  acknowledged  head  and  Sheliki^f. 
They  certainly  controlled  nearly  all  the  trade,  and  t » 
this  end  they  had  erected  another  station  higher  up 
the  inlet,  on  the  western  shore,  and  placed  there  a 
score  of  Russians.^ 

Robbery  and  brutal  outrages  continued  to  bo  the 
order  of  the  day,  though  now  committed  chiefly  for 
the  purpose  of  obtaining  sole  control  of  the  inlet,  to 
the  neglect  of  legitimate  pursuits.  ]\Ieanwhile  Kolo- 
min's  men  managed  to  hold  their  own,  and,  as  the  per- 
secution of  the  Konovalof  party  gradually  relaxed, 
their  sympathies  actually  turned  toward  the  latter  in 
their  effort  to  oust  the  Shelikof  men  from  the  field. 

Thus  the  history  of  Cook  Inlet  during  the  last  dor-- 
ado  of  the  eighteenth  century  is  replete  with  romantic 
incidents — midnight  raids,  ambuscades,  and  open  war- 
fiire — resemblincc  the  doino-s  of  medicoval  raabntter<, 
rather  than  the  exploits  of  peaceable  traders.  The 
leaders  lived  in  rude  comfort  at  the  fortified  stations, 
surrounded  by  a  dusky  harem  containing  contributions 
from  the  various  native  villages  within  the  peredovt- 
chik's  jurisdiction.  Offences  against  the  clignity  of 
the  latter  were  punished  quickly  and  effectually  with 
the  lash  or  confinement  in  irons  or  the  stocks,  if  the 
offender  had  not  too  many  friends  among  the  Russvm 
promyshleniki,  and  with  extreme  seventy,  verging 
upon  cruelty,  in  cases  where  the  culprit  belonged  to  tiie 

*  It  consisted  of  one  large  house  about  60  feet  long  and  24  feet  wide.  Va.i- 
couver'a  Voi/.,  iii.  122. 


LEBEDEF  AND  SIIELIKOF. 


330 


unfortunate  class  of  kayurs.  The  Russians  did  little 
work  beyond  the  regular  .i^uard  duty,  and  evcui  that 
was  sometimes  left  to  trusted  individuals  amoni;  the 
native  workmen  and  hangers-on  of  the  station. 

All  manual  labor  was  performed  by  natives,  csjie- 
fiiiliy  by  the  female  'hostages,'  and  children  of  ohiei's 
I'roni  distant  villages  loft  at  the  stations  by  their 
]Kir('hts  to  be  instructed  in  Russian  life  and  manners. 
I'ho  training  which  they  were  forced  to  undergo,  far 
from  exercising  any  civilizing  influence,  resulted  only 
in  making  them  deceitful,  cunning,  and  njore  vicious 
than  they  had  been  before.  Every  Russian  there  was 
ji  monarch,  who  if  he  wanted  ease  took  it,  or  if  spoils, 
the  word  was  given  to  prepare  for  an  expedition.  Then 
food  was  prepared  by  the  servants,  and  the  boats  made 
ready,  while  the  masters  attended  to  their  arms  and 
equipments.  The  women  and  children  were  intrusted 
to  the  care  of  a  few  superannuated  hunters  left  to  guard 
the  station,  and  the  brave  little  band  would  set  out 
upon  its  depredations,  caring  little  whether  they  were 
Indians  or  Russians  who  should  become  their  victims. 
The  strangest  part  of  it  all  was,  that  the  booty  secured 
wns  duly  accounted  for  among  the  earnings  of  the 
company.'' 

Affiiirs  were  assuming  a  serious  aspect.  Xot  only 
were  the  Shclikof  men  excluded  from  the  greater  part 
of  the  inlet,  but  they  were  opposed  in  their  advance 
round  Prince  William  Sound,  which  was  also  claimed 
by  the  Lebcdef  faction,  though  the  Orekhof  and  other 
companies  were  hunting  there.  The  station  which 
the  Lebedcf  men  made  their  base  of  operations  was 
situated  on  Nuchck  Island,  at  Port  Patches,  and  con- 
sisted of  the  usual  stockade,  enclosing;  dwelling  and 
store  houses.^"     In  support  of  his  claims,  Konovalof 

^  Shclikof,  who  held  shares  in  l)oth  his  own  and  the  Lebedef  Company, 
h:id  the  advantiige  of  not  only  recovering  what  he  lost  liy  these  i)lundcrini; 
piit(,'iprisc3,  but  receiving  his  projwrtionate  siiare  of  the  losses  in  the  Shclikof 
Company. 

'"Vancouver,  Voy.,  iii.  172,  found  one  side  of  it  formed  by  an  armed 
vessel  of  70  tons,  hauled  on  shore. 


4 

in 


310 


STRIFE  BETWEEN  RIV^AL  COMPANIES. 


I    ' 


declared  that  lie  possessed  government  credentiisls 
^•ranting  to  his  company  exclusive  right  to  all  the 
mainland  rc<;ion.  Yet  he  refused  to  exhibit  even 
copies  of  such  documents.  Finding  the  Shclikof 
men  disposed  to  yield,  the  others  began  to  en- 
croach also  on  the  limited  district  round  the  Siielikof 
settlement,  near  the  entrance  to  Cook  Inlet,  by  erect- 
ing a  post  on  Kuchekmak  Bay,  and  the  natives  were 
forbidden,  under  pain  of  death,  from  trading  with 
their  rivals.  From  this  post  they  watched  the  move- 
ments of  the  Shelikof  men  with  a  view  to  circumvent 
them.  Forty  bidarkas  under  Kotelnikof  were  inter- 
cepted, and  although  a  number  escaped,  a  portion  of 
the  crew,  including  the  leader,  was  /captured.  An- 
other party  under  Galaktianof,  on  the  way  from  Prince 
William  Sound,  was  chased  by  a  large  force,  and  efforts 
were  made  to  attack  Baranof  himself.  It  was  not 
j)roposed  to  keep  the  Russians  prisoners,  but  merely 
to  seize  the  furs  and  enslave  all  natives  employed  by 
Shelikof  in  the  interdicted  region.  Fortunately  Bar- 
anof had  left  the  sound  bei'ore  the  raiders  arrived, 
and  they  passed  on  to  the  eastern  shore,  there  to  en- 
croach on  the  trade  established  wuth  the  Yakutat 
Kaljushes  by  the  Shelikof  men,  who  held  hostages 
from  three  of  the  villages.  Not  long  after  came  Ba- 
lushin  with  a  stronger  force;  and  one  day,  when  the 
chief  of  one  of  the  villages  had  set  out  upon  a  hunt 
Mith  nearly  all  the  grown  males,  the  Russians  entered 
it  and  carried  off  the  women  and  children  to  a  neiidi- 
boring  island.^^  They  also  made  inroads  on  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  Alaskan  peninsula  W'hich  had  been 
brought  into  friendly  relations  through  Bocharof. 
Out  of  four  friendly  villages  in  Ilyamna  and  Nusha- 
gak,  they  plundered  two  and  carried  the  people  into 
captivity. 

Their  success  was  due  partly  to  the  personal  bravery 

"  Balnshin  had  destroyed  the  coat-of-arms  bestowed  npon  the  chief  l)y 
order  of  the  governor-general  of  Irkutsk,  telling  him  that  it  was  but  a  chiUrs 
toy.   Tikhmencf,  I-Cor.  Obos.,  IL  app.  part  ii.  43. 


BAIIAXOF'S  POLICY. 


Ml 


and  superior  dash  of  the  men.  Baranof  freely  a-- 
kuDwledged  in  later  years  that,  individually,  the  pro- 
iiiyshleniki  of  the  Lehedef  Company  were  superior 
to  tliose  under  his  command  at  the  heji^inninL!^  of  liis 
tidiiiinistration;  and  according  to  Berjjf,  he  ventured  1  > 
assert  that,  had  he  commanded  such  men  as  Lobc- 
dcfs  vessels  brought  to  the  shores  of  Cook  Inlet  and 
I'riiice  William  Sound,  he  would  have  contjuered  the 
whole  north-western  coast  of  Ameri(,'a. 

Toward  the  cud  of  17U3  Baranof  had  received  a 
small  reenforcement  with  the  Orel,  so  that  alter 
deducting  the  loss  by  drowning  and  other  casualties, 
one  hundred  and  fifty-two  men  were  left  to  him.  The 
number  of  the  Lobedef  men  is  not  recorded,  but  it 
cannot  have  been  much  inferior,  for  reontbrcements 
had  come  in  the  Sv  Ivan.  The  latter  occupied  an 
;>(lmirable  strategic  position,  with  control  of  two  great 
iiavi'_jal)le  estuaries  and  other  i)laces  offering  easy 
connnunication  and  access  to  supplies.  They  were 
also  better  provided  with  goods  and  ship-stores  than 
Shelikof's  conjpany.^^ 

It  was  not  so  much  these  advantages  of  his  assail- 
ants, however,  that  kept  Baranof  from  energetic 
measures  against  them,  l)ut  rather  a  consideration  for 
the  dilferent  interests  of  his  patron,  and  for  the  lives 
of  his  countrymen.  He  was  awaiting  an  answer  to  liis 
reports  from  Siberia.  This  forbearance  served  only 
to  encourage  the  other  party,  as  we  have  seen,  till  at 
last  Baranof's  patience  was  exhausted.  With  the 
report  of  a  fray  between  the  rival  posts  on  the  inlet 
came  the  rumor  that  the  ship-yard  at  Voskressensl;i 
Harbor  was  to  be  taken,  and  this  appeared  probable 
from  the  special  animosity  shown  to  the  Englishmen 
there  emjasfed.  When  not  absolutelv  needed  at  the 
yard,  they  were  sent  to  explore;   and  on  several  of 


'-  Baranof  reported,  late  in  1793,  tliat  he  owed  many  bales  of  rope  and  four 
pouils  of  tobacco  to  the  Lcljcduf  Conipauy,  but,  in  view  of  the  depredations 
cuuiinitted  by  men  belonging  to  the  latter,  he  'liid  not  intend  to  ruLnrn  the 
g  )od.s  until  some  action  was  taken  upou  bis  complaints  to  tlic  authorities  at 


i 


s       I 


•I 


li  ' 


.STRIFE  BETWEEN  RIVAL  COMPANIES. 

tlicso  occasions  tliey  had  hoon  set  upon,  roblicd,  and 
ill-treated,  sometimes  iiarrowlv  esca[)lng  with  their 
li 


ives 


13 


Baranof  now  hastened  to  the  spot,  and  observiiiLf 
the  n(,'ed  for  interference,  assumed  the  peiem[)t()rv' 
tone  of  one  invested  with  authority.  lie  sent  a  let- 
ter to  Konovalof,  then  at  his  stockade  at  St  Xicholas 
on  the  Kaknu  lliver,  with  a  summons  to  appear  iit 
once  before  him,  stating  that  he  iiad  been  authorized 
l)y  the  governor  of  Siberia  to  settle  all  disputes  be- 
tween rival  traders.  He  expected  soon  to  be  invested 
with  such  })Owers,  in  answer  to  the  urgent  petitions 
of  Shclikof  and  his  partners,  and  thought  that  ho 
uiight  exercise  the  privilege  in  advance.  This  had 
its  effect.  Without  suspecting  that  the  order  had 
no  more  foundation  than  his  own  hoastcd  rights  to 
possession,  the  conscience-stricken  man  hastened  to 
obey  what  was  supposed  to  be  an  official  sunnnons. 
He  appeared  before  Baranof  and  offered  apologies  for 
his  conduct,  but  the  latter  would  listen  to  no  expla- 
nation; he  placed  him  in  irons,  and  kept  him  under 
<-lose  guard  until  Ismailof  arrived  with  his  vessels, 
when  not  only  the  ringleader  but  seven  of  his  coiii- 
j)anions  who  had  also  tendered  their  submission  were 
taken  to  Kadiak  and  placed  in  confinement. 

Finally  Konovalof  wa.  made  to  answer  at  Okhotsk, 
but  before  a  lenient  committee,  so  that  he  readily 
managed  to  clear  himself,  and  was  restored  to  a  com- 
mand in  Alaska.  Meanwhile  Stepau  Za'ikof  had 
succeeded  him  as  chief  at  St  Nicholas.  Kolomin  stiil 
held  his  command  and  Balusliin  controlled  the  estab- 
lishment on  Xuchek." 


"  The  prevailing  starvation  at  the  shipyard  was  chiefly  due  to  the  inter- 
ference of  tlie  Lebcik'f  men  witli  supplies. 

"One  reason  for  this  clemency  appears  in  a  letter  addressed  by  LcbeiUf 
and  Shelikof  jointly,  to  the  archimandrite  loassof ,  requesting  hin>  to  in  vesti^'.-to 
tliQ  charges  against  Konovalof  and  otiiers,  yet  expressing  the  hope  tliat  tlui 
accused  will  not  he  found  '  too  guilty  to  be  allowed  to  work  off,  in  one  coin- 
pr.ny  or  the  other,  their  indebtedness  to  their  employers,  and  thus  sii\o 
the  shareholders  from  loss.'  If,  liowever,  Konovalof  should  bo  found  too 
deeply  involved  to  adudt  of  his  further  euiploynieut,  he  waa  '  to  be  set  iit 


to  the  iiitcr- 


FALL  OF  LEBEDEF. 


343 


While  Baranof's  finiuicss  served  to  check  the  per- 
]K'tratioii  of  extreme  abuses,  a  certain  liostility  contin- 
ued to  be  exliibited  for  some  time.  The  evil  was  too 
dee[)ly  rooted  to  be  eradicated  all  at  once,  l)nt  har- 
mony was  gradually  restored,  partly  through  the  in- 
l!uential  mediation  of  Archimandrite  loassof,  who  ar- 
1  ived  sm)n  after  as  leader  of  a  missicjnary  party.  At 
the  same  time  came  a  large  reiinforcement  for  liaranof, 
with  authority  to  form  settlements  in  any  part  of 
Alaska,  and  right  to  claim  the  country  for  five  hun- 
(h'ed  versts  round  such  settlements,  within  which 
•limits  no  other  company  could  set  foot.  Against  such 
power  the  Lebcdef  faction  could  not  possiblv  prevail, 
j)articularly  since  Sholikof  positively  instru d  liar- 
anof to  use  both  force  and  cunninuf  to  remove  the  ri- 
vals.  Reverses  also  overtook  them,  and  a  few  years 
later  they  abandoned  the  tield.^'' 

It  was  indeed  time  that  Baranof  should  .(ssort  hlm- 
■elf,  for  the  insolence  and  outra'^es  of  the  aLjgressors 
had  created  general  discontent  among  the  tribes. 
Those  of  Lake  Skilakh  were  actually  plotting  the  de- 
struction of  all  Russians  on  the  Kc^nai  peninsula,  and 
to  this  end  they  endeavored  to  bridge  over  the  old 
feud  between  them  and  the  Chugatschcs  of  Prince 
William  8ound:  reccivinjx  also  encouragement  from 
the  treacherous  tribes  on  the  other  side  of  the  inlet, 
i'rom  Katma'^;  northward,  who  had  successfully  op- 
posed all  attempts  to  form  Russian  settlements  in 
their  midst.  The  uieasures  now  taken  by  Raranof 
to  maintain  better  order  and  reassure  the  natives,  as 
well  as  the  coup  dc  mai)i  with  Konovalof,  which  added 

liljerty  ti)  shift  for  himself.'  /'/.,  ii.  app.  part  ii.  TiT-S.  lojissof,  indeed,  did 
not  report  him  to  he  so  buil  as  liaranof  desired.  Anioni;  the  aecused  wasStc- 
pan  Ivosniovieh  Ziiikof,  a  brother  of  I'otap  Z;iTkof,  a  man  of  con.siderablo  abil- 
ity and  knowledge.  Ivan  Koeh,  commander  of  Okhotsk,  in  a  letter  np- 
1/raidM  his  dear  friend  Stcpan  Kuzmitch,  and  threatens  him  with  the  severest 
j)imishnicnt  if  found  guilty. 

'•* '  You  must  deelare  in  your  reports,'  wrote  Shelikof,  '  that  the  outrages 
upon  the  Kenaitze  were  of  the  most  disgraceful  character,  but  that  it  ia  in 
vour  power  to  plant  your  settlements  v.hercvrr  yoi;  please,  even  on  the  gulf 
of  Kenai.'  /(/.,  G'J. 


344 


STRIFE  BETWEEN  RIVAL  COMPANIES. 


not  a  little  to  advance  his  influence,  served  to  check 
the  threatersed  uprising.  His  assertion  of  authority- 
was  equally  necessary  among  his  own  subordinates, 
whose  loyalty  had  been  corrupted  by  the  insinuations 
of  emissaries  from  the  other  camp,  and  whose  ]c- 
spect  for  their  chief  had  begun  to  wane  under  his 
forbearance  toward  the  rivals,  whereby  numerous 
hardships  were  entailed  upon  them  through  loss  of 
trade  and  curtailment  of  rations.^"  He  assembled 
the  men,  represented  to  them  the  obligations  to 
which  they  had  voluntarily  subscribed  when  engaged, 
and  showed  the  evil  they  were  inflicting  also  on  them- 
selves by  discontent,  want  of  harmony,  and  refusal  to 
do  the  required  work.  He  had  full  power  to  arrest 
those  who  refused  implicit  obedience,  and  he  would 
use  that  power.  Those  who  had  complaints  should 
present  them,  and  he  would  seek  to  redress  their 
wrongs."  This  firm  speech,  together  with  a  liberal 
distribution  of  liquor,  had  a  wonderful  effect,  and  thus 
by  means  of  a  little  determined  self-assertion  Baranof 
established  for  himself  an  undisputed  authority,  with 
a  reputation  as  a  leader  of  men.^** 

The  party  war  ended,  Baranof  breathed  freely  once 
more,  and  1794  witnessed  a  decided  impulse  to  his  dif- 
ferent enterprises.  The  most  notable  of  these  was  the 
one  intrusted  to  Purtof  and  Kulikatof  for  operating 
in  Yakutat  Bay,  of  which  a  preceding  visit  had  brouglit 
most  encouraging  reports.^"     Preparations  were  made 

'"  They  appear  to  have  received  less  compensation  than  the  other  com- 
pany employees.  Of  the  latter,  Fidalgo  reports:  'Sua  suehlos  Uegabuu  lis 
ma  yores  ii  cuatro  pesos:  quo  los  jefes  Bubalternos  gozaban  500  alafio.'  li'it 
ho  evidently  ignores  tlic  share  sj-stem.  For  each  employee  the  company  pai>l 
a  tribute  of  two  dollars  a  year.  Salkla,  etc.,  in  Viaji^'i  al  Xorte,  MS.,  liti'J. 

^^Tliia  characteristic  address  is  given  in  full  in  TilJiincin/,  iMor.  0/ion.,  ii. 
npp.  part  ii.  47-9.  It  contains  several  allusions  to  histurij  anecdotc;4  cii 
the  value  of  unity,  and  dwells  on  the  absurd  pretensions  to  better  comforts 
by  men  who  .at  home  in  Siberia  were  content  to  live  as  pigs. 

'^  Some  time  before  this  lie  had  iiitorfered  between  rival  traders  of  the 
comiianies  Orckhof,  I'anof,  and  Kisselcf,  located  on  Prince  William  Souii  1, 
and  after  patching  up  a  temporary  peace  between  them  ho  had  seized  t!io 
greater  part  of  their  furs,  under  t'.o  pretext  of  taking  them  to  Kadiak  for  saio 
keeping. 

1'' Tikhmencf  refers  tonfuscdly  to  an  expedition  in  1793  of  170  bidarkas, 


YAKUTAT  EXPEDITION. 


US 


■jO  check 
Lithority 
xlinatc'8, 
[luations 
lose  )'u- 
ider  his 
uiiioroiis 
1  loss  of 
jsemblcd 
tions   tf) 
sngagod, 
)ii  thoin- 
efusal  to 
:o  arrest 
le  would 
s  should 
Dss  thoir 
a  liberal 
and  tlius 
Baraiiof 
ity,  with 

;ely  onco 
ohis  dif- 

was  tho 
Ipcratiuo' 

brought 
|rc  made 

I  other  com- 
llegabiiu  1  IS 
lafio.'  ]5':t 
Inpany  pai-l 
IS.,  :5(J0. 
It:  01)0^.,  ii. 

llCCllotCH    111 

br  couifortd 

tiers  of  t'.io 

lain  Souii  1, 

I  Bcizcil  t!io 

tali  for  sai'o 

I  bi  Jarkus, 


on  a  large  scale.  The  station  on  Cook  Inlet  had 
been  appointed  as  a  rendezvous,  and  on  the  7th  of 
^lay  a  fleet  of  five  hundred  bidarkas  assembled  there, 
l)ringing  natives  from  Kadiak,  Kenai,  the  Alaskan 
])eninsula,  and  the  nearest  Chugatsch  villages.  jSTore 
boats  and  men  were  to  be  collected  at  Prince  William 
Sound,  where  Baranof  had  gone  in  person  to  levy 
forces.  All  these  were  arranged  in  subdivisions, 
each  in  charge  of  a  Russian. 

At  Voskressenski  Bay  the  Yakutat  expedition  was 
furnished  with  additional  tradini::  ejoods  and  some  i^uns 
and  ammunition.  After  being  delayed  at  Grekof 
Island  till  the  22d  of  May,Purtof  set  out  with  his  whole 
fleet  for  the  mouth  of  Copper  River,  intending  to  pass 
l)y  Nuchek  Island,  where  the  Lebedef  Company  was 
then  established.  At  the  eastern  point  of  Montague 
Island  they  were  intercepted  by  some  Lebedef  hunt- 
ers in  bidarkas,  who  presented  a  letter  from  Balu- 
sliin  and  Kolomin.  This  document  warned  Purtof 
not  to  encroach  upon  any  territory  already  occu})ied 
by  the  other  company.  Tho  messengers  were  in- 
structed to  add,  that  they  had  established  an  artel  of 
twenty  Russians  at  Tatitliatzk  village  on  the  gulf  of 
Cliugatsch,  and  also  at  the  mouth  of  Copper  River,  and 
that  the  Shelikof  hunters  must  not  advance  in  that 
direction.  Without  allowing  hiuMielf  to  bo  intimidated, 
Purtof  informed  the  messengers  that  he  was  on  his 
way  to  the  American  contine  it  in  pursuance  of  secret 
orders  from  the  government.  In  hunting  sea-otters 
lie  Avould  not  touch  upon  any  ground  occupied  by 
others. 

The  following  evening,  while  preparing  to  camp  for 
the  night  on  a  small  island  adjoining  Nuchek,  he  dis- 
covered a  party  of  eight  Lebeduf  hunters  near  by  and 
invited  them  to  pupper,  after  which  the  time  passed 
ill  friendly  exchange  of  news.  Early  in  the  morning, 
however,  before  the  Lebedef  men  were  stirring,  l*ui'- 

cscortcd  by  Shields,  which  brouglit  back  2,000  sea-otter  skins.  Intor.  Ohoa., 
i.  4D-1. 


*  - 


"Is  ' 

m 


i 


?A0 


STniFE  BETWEEN  RIVAL  COMPANIES. 


t<)f  moved  silently  away  with  his  force  aiul  made  a 
({iiick  pa^saij^e  to  the  seeotid  mouth  of  Co])j)er  Kivei-, 
and  there  fell  in  with  Chuixaisches  who  had  been  trad- 
in<^  with  the  Lebedef  njen  at  Nuchek.  Findin^jf  that 
no  station  or  regular  hunting  party  of  the  Lebedef 
Com[mny  existed  here,  he  took  his  party  to  Kaiiiak 
Island,  near  the  river,  purposing  to  lay  in  a  supi)ly  of 
halibut  as  provisions,  and  to  hunt  sea-otters.  Over  a 
hundred  skins  were  obtained  the  first  day,  but  the 
second  day's  hunt  proved  entirely  futile  and  the  expech- 
tion  moved  northward  along  the  coast  of  the  mainland.-" 
On  the  31st  of  May  the  whole  party  encamj)ed  on 
the  beach,  and  within  a  short  distance  of  a  large  Agleg- 
nmte  village,  thouii^h  without  being  aware  of  the  fact. 
During  the  night  some  of  the  hunters  became  alarmed 
at  the  sound  of  numerous  voices  proceeding  from  the 
woods.  An  armed  detachuient  composed  of  the  most 
courageous  ventured  to  penetrate  into  the  forest,  and, 
guidetl  by  the  smell  of  smoke  and  the  cries  of  children, 
made  their  way  to  the  village,  which  was  situated  on 
the  opposite  side  of  a  river.  During  the  contusion 
occasioned  by  their  unexpected  arrival,  they  succeeded 
in  ca[)turing  the  chief  and  his  brother,  and  then  made 
good  their  retreat  to  the  camp.  One  of  their  numl)er, 
ho\vev(!r,  a  Kadiak  inter[)reter,  was  intercepted  and 
killed  by  the  natives.  The  chief  and  his  brother  wcic 
taken  to  the  camp,  treated  to  food  and  drink,  and  ]i tiled 
witli  presents,  until  they  promised  to  call  together 
their  people  the  following  day  to  negotiate  with  the 
llus.sians.  The  brother  was  connnissioned  to  arrangt; 
the  matter,  and  by  the  3d  of  June  all  of  the  Aglegmute 
tribe  dwelling  in  that  vicinity  came  to  tlie  c;un[). 
With  the  helj)  of  a  judicious  distribution  of  presents, 
Purtof  succeeded  in  prevailing  upon  the  savages  l<i 
give  seven  hostages,  including  two  natives  of  Yakutat 


IV 


•Ji 


'■"'Purine;  a  l)i'icf  li.ilt  on  tlio  Ijcacli  ft  nntivo  lint  was  diseovorrd,  Ixit  tlio 
inli;!l)itaiits  had  Hod,  Icaxini;  all  their  oflVoLi.  A  littK'  fooil  was  taken  liy  tlio 
Ali'.ti,  in  ri'tura  for  wliio'i  I'urtof  dojicisiti'd  soini"  CDi'al  lieads. 

"ill  iiocurdauco  wilU  oidora  from  tlii;  gi)vunnm;nt,  tlio  wivagcs  ■\vero  tiiK's- 


DEALTX(  JS  WITH  THE  NATIVES. 


347 


As  soon  as  the  weatluu"  perinittGd,  Purtof  pro- 
ceeded to  Icy  Bay,  called  Natcliik  'by  the  natives, 
and  l>y  the  10th  of  June  his  hunters  had  securetl 
i'our  hundred  sea-otter  skins,  all  that  could  be  ob- 
tained. The  party  then  moved  on  to  Yakutat  Bay, 
accompanied  by  the  Aglegniute  chief  of  the  tribe, 
and  a  Kadiak  native  who  sj)oke  the  Kaljush  lan- 
*'uai>'e.  These  two  were  sent  in  advance  to  assure 
the  ])eople  of  the  peaceful  character  of  the  ex[)edi- 
tion.-'-^  The  chief  soon  returned  I'roni  the  Yakutat 
village  with  the  son  of  the  Kaljush  chieftain  and 
three  others  as  liostages,  profusely  ornamented  Vvitli 
beads,  furs,  and  feathers.  The  interpreter  had  been 
detained  as  hostage  on  the  other  side,  but  it  was 
i'ound  necessary  to  surrender  also  a  Russian  ere  con- 
hdence  could  be  established.  Accompanied  by  fif- 
teen of  his  best  warriors,  the  Kaljush  chief  then  pro- 
ceeded in  state  to  the  camp,  and  after  the  usnal 
ceremonies  negotiations  began  in  earnest.  Purtol' 
declared  that  the  liussians  desired  to  live  in  friend- 
ship) with  them,  and  the  chief,  who  probably  had 
been  ])lied  with  strong  drink,  made  a  formal  ])rese!it 
to  his  new  allies  of  the  southei'U  portion  of  the  bay 
antl  the  small  islands  situated  therein.  The  feelings  of 
tlie  latter  underwent  a  change,  however,  when  he 
c;ime  to  reilect  on  the  advantage  gained  by  his  visitoi's, 
and  found  that  tlusyalso  linnted  on  their  own  account, 
venturing  far  out  to  sea  where  the  clumsier  canoes  of 
the  Kaljush  dared  not  follow.  He  and  his  followeiv; 
v/eri!  ready  to  traile,  but  tiny  obji'cted  to  see  their 
stock  of  fur  seals  exhausted  by  strangers  without  any 
benetit  to  themselves.^'* 


tioncfl  whether  thoy  or  any  "f  tlu^  nciuhliorin;;  trihoa  helil  in  their  possoasion 
iiuy  iCur()iii':iii  jirisoiiers,  hut  this  they  pinilivrly  lU'iiiel.  It  \va  i  thou  ;hUh:it 
smiie  of  Jia  IVnmso'.H  mei\  lui'^lit  have  (■.■.I'aiied  (h'owiiiiij;  only  to  fall  into  thu 
liauds  of  tiio  savage  iiihahit^nts  of  Ui<'  vieinity. 

--  At  the  .southern  jxiint  of  Yakutat  IJay  ii  hunt  was  organized,  Iiut  only 
t»n  sea-otters  eouhl  l)u  found.  In  making  a  hiuding  througli  tlie  muf,  tv.o 
natives  of  Kailiak  were  drowned. 

•'  'flio  eliief  male  a  lon^  speceh  before  Lieutenant  I'uget,  which  he  under- 
atuuil  to  eouvey  thit)  lueaning.    \'uncuin'tr'a  I  i.//.,  ii.  '2,A. 


m 


348 


STRIFE  BETWEEN  RIVAL  COMPANIES. 


I 


I       'I 


Trouble  appeared,  indeed,  to  be  brewing,  but  the 
arrival  of  the  'ChafJiam  of  Vancouver's  expedition, 
under  Lieutenant  Puget,  served  to  prevent  any  dis- 
turbance. Purtof  maintained  a  most  friendly  inter- 
course with  the  EnMish,  to  whom  he  also  tendered 
provisions,  and  received  in  acknowledgment  letters 
of  connnendation.  Through  some  of  the  sailors  it 
was  understood  that  English  war-vessels  might  appear 
within  two  years  to  take  possession  of  Cook  Inlet  and 
other  places,  and,  unworthy  of  credit  as  this  report 
v/as,  it  failed  not  to  be  transmitted  to  the  government 
by  tlie  somewhat  agitated  fur  traders.  Vancouver 
himself  held  a  much  higher  opinion,  both  of  their 
territorial  rights  and  control  of  trade,  than  a  clearer 
view  of  affiiirs  miglit  liave  conveyed,  for  he  was 
ignorant  of  their  dissensions,  and  regarded  all  as 
united  in  one  connnon  interest;  while  the  sight  of 
the  largo  native  fleets  controlled  by  Purtof  nuist 
have  exalted  the  idea  of  their  influence  and  of  their 
aljility  to  distance  competitors.  The  departure  of 
Vancouver's  expedition  was  no  doubt  a  great  relief  to 
Ilaranof  at  least,  who  ap[)ears  to  have  been  afraid  of 
his  coming  across  the  En;>'lish  shipwrights,  and  luring 
tliem  away^*  ere  he  could  dispense   with  their  ser- 


vices 


25 


Y'/hilo  tlie  Chatham  remained,  Purtof 's  command 
occupied  a  position  near  the  anchorage.  Other  par- 
ties of  natives  arrived  from  the  interior  of  the  bay 
and  from  Ltua,  giving  occasion  for  further  feasting, 
presents,  and  exchaiiiJfe  of  hostajjes.  The  lar'j^c  num- 
ber  of  guns,  and  the  abundance  of  lead  and  powder  in 
the  possession  of  these  new  arrivals,  ]>ointed  to  visits 
I'rom  ]^]uropean  trading  vessels,  and  at  this  very  time 
the  Jackall,  (^iptain  Brown,  entered  the  bay  in  quest 
of  furs,  to  the  deep  chagrin  of  Purtof. 

*•  The  letters  givoii  to  I'urtof  M-oro  even  suspected  for  a  wliile  to  lio  docii- 
inents  intciiiled  to  support  Eiii,'li.<li  claiiiis.  See  letter  of  Mine  Shelikof,  in 
Til:hmeiiej\  Ixfor.  O/ioh.,  ii.  .'i])p.  part  ii.  1(1S  et  seij. 

'-■■'Of  this  fi^ar  X'jiiK.'oiiver  knew  iiothiiig,  for  tlio  Russians  leaders  were 
jirofuse  iu  oli'ers  of  serviccuj  even  to  tlic  use  of  the  ship-yard. 


K    i\ 


PRESENCE  OF  ENGLISHME>f. 


3-ia 


lio  (locu- 
elikof,  in 

Icis  were 


As  soon  as  the  war-vessel  departed,  the  treacherous 
Kaljushes  assumed  a  threatening  attitude,  and  delayed 
troiii  day  to  day  the  promised  delivery  of  additional 
hostages  under  various  pretexts.  At  the  same  time 
the  interpreters  left  with  the  savages  at  the  beginning 
of  the  negotiations  were  hela  under  strict  surveill- 
ance, and  not  allowed  to  communicate  with  their 
countrymen.  At  last  Purtof  decided  upon  a  display 
of  force  to  support  his  demands  for  the  surrender  of 
his  own  men  at  least,  and  approached  the  village  in 
l)idarka.i  with  all  the  armed  men  at  his  conmiand. 
The  squadron  was  reiinforced  by  a  boat  with  six  armed 
men  from  the  Jackall?'^ 

The  presence  of  the  Englishmen  had  no  doubt  an 
effect,  for  the  interview  resulted  in  the  surrender  of  a 
chief  from  Afognak  Island,  with  a  promise  to  deliver 
up  the  remaining  hostages. 

On  the  following  day  came  eight  men  in  a  large 
])idar,  bringing  three  more  natives  of  Kadiak,  but  two 
were  still  detained.  Fearing  that  foul  l)lay  was 
intended,  Purtof  detained  some  relatives  of  the  Yaku- 
tat  chief,  and  carried  the  hostages  whom  he  held  from 
the  Aijlegmutes  on  board  the  Jackall  for  safe  keei)- 
ing.  This  reprisal  proved  effectual;  the  necessary 
exchange  of  hostages  was  made,  and,  after  expressing 
his  thanks  to  Captain  Brown,  Purtof  took  his  party 
out  of  the  bay  of  Yakutat  with  five  hundred  and  fif- 
teen sea-otter  skins  obtained  in  a  little  over  two 
weeks. 

On  the  return  voyage,  wdiile  the  expeditionary  force 
was  encamped  on  an  island  near  Nuchek,'^'  Purtof 
despatched  a  letter  to  liepin,  of  the  Lebedcf  Com- 
pany, informing  hin)  that  he  had  explored  the  coast 
ni  '  ,;  continent  and  pacified  the  natives  of  several 
villages  by  exchanging  hostages.    He  ofi'ercd  to  verify 

'* Captain  Brown's  Btatemcnt,  as  given  by  Vancouver,  would  make  it 
n(,ipcar  that  I'urtof  asked  for  assistance,  but  tiio  latter  states  tliat  the  EiiKli;,li 
joined  of  tlicir  own  accord,  'though  we  tried  to  dissuade  thcni  from  doin^^ 
this,  and  did  not  re(]uirc  their  assistance.'    This  was  on  July  1st. 

-'  I'urtuf  persisted  in  calling  this  island  Aglitzkoi,  that  is  to  say,  English. 


sso 


STRIFE  BETWEEN  RIVAL  COMPANIES. 


this  statement,  and  on  the  appearance  of  Sanioilof,  the 
navigator  of  the  Lebedef  Company,  allowed  him  to  talk 
freely  with  the  interpreters,  and  to  copy  a  list  of  the 
villasres  and  chiefs  from  whom  he  had  obtained  host- 
ages.  This  would  seem  to  be  a  strange  proceeding 
in  view  of  the  hostility  between  the  two  parties,  but 
it  was  of  the  greatest  importance  for  the  Shelikof 
Company,  at  that  juncture,  to  make  good  their  claim  of 
precedence  on  the  continent,  in  view  of  the  impending 
grant  of  exclusive  imperial  privileges. 

The  success  of  Purtof,  who  brought  with  him  a 
promise  from  the  Thlinkeet  chief  of  a  large  supply  of 
sea-otter  skins  for  the  next  visit,  resulted  in  the  de- 
spatch of  another  expedition  the  following  year,  under 
Za'ikof,  who  commanded  a  sea-going  vessel,^^  The 
chief  failed  to  fulfil  his  promise,  and  the  Russians  had 
to  content  themselves  with  the  sea-otters  captured  by 
their  native  hunters  on  the  bay.  Four  hundred  skins 
were  secured,  and  the  hunters  prepared  to  follow  up 
their  success,  regardless  of  the  manifest  ill-feeling  of  the 
bay  people,  which  threatened  to  become  more  bitter 
than  during  the  former  visit.  What  the  result  may 
have  been  is  difficult  to  say,  for  just  then  two  Aleuts 
were  seized  with  small-pox,  and  panic-stricken  the 
party  hastened  away.-'^  Za'ikof  now  steered  in  search 
of  islands  reported  to  exist  between  Kadiak  and  the 
continent  to  the  east.  He  ranged  for  over  a  month 
to  the  southward  and  again  to  the  north,  until,  sight- 
ing the  snow-clad  peaks  of  the  Chugatsch  alps  and  the 
Kenai  mountains,  he  was  forced  to  admit  the  futility 
of  his  quest. 


'*  Seventeen  Russians,  hesiiies  natives,  accompanied  him. 

^®  La  Perouso  noticed  signs  of  the  disease  among  the  coast  tribes,  and 
Portloek  nssuines  that  they  must  have  caught  it  from  some  vessel  whicli  hiid 
touched  near  Cape  Edgecunilje.  No  person  younger  than  14  years  bore  the 
marks.  Portloek' s  Voy.,  272;  Marchand,  roy.,ii.  52-3. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


COLONIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 

1794-170C. 

Mechanics  and  Missionakies  Arrive  at  Pavlovsk — AiiBiTiors  Schejies 
OF  Colonization — Agricultural  Settlement  Founded  on  Yakutat 
Bay — Shipwreck,  Famine,  and  Sickness — Golovnin's  Report  on  the 
Affairs  of  the  Suelikof  Company — Discontent  of  the  Mlssion- 
auies — Complaints  of  the  Auciiimanduitk — Father  Makar  in  Una- 
laska— Father  Juvenal  in  Kadiak — Divine  Service  at  Three 
Saints— Juvenal's  Voyage  to  Ilyamna — His  Reception  and  Mission- 
ary Labors — He  Attempts  to  Abolish  Polygamy — And  Falls  a 
Victim  to  an  Ilyamna  Damsel — He  is  Butchered  by  the  Natives. 


sio:llt- 


•ihes,  and 

vliich  Ii:ul 

bore  tlio 


Notwithstanding  the  quarrels  between  rival  trad- 
ins^  companies  and  occasional  emeutes  among  the  na- 
tives, caused  in  almost  every  instance  by  the  greed  of 
the  Russians,  colonization  in  Alaska  had  thus  tar  been 
attended  with  fair  success.  The  Russian  seal-hunters 
had  sutiered  no  such  hardships  as  did  the  Spanish 
settlers  in  Central  America,  the  early  colonists  of 
Now  England,  or  the  convict  band  that  ten  years  after 
Captain  Cook  sailed  from  Nootka  in  quest  of  a  north- 
cast  passage  to  Hudson's  Bay  founded  on  Port  Jack- 
son the  first  city  in  Australasia.  Apart  from  the  seal 
tisheries,  however,  the  resources  of  the  countr}'  were  as 
yet  undeveloped.  On  the  island  of  Kadiak  was  raised 
a  scant  crop  of  vegetables;  at  Voskressenski,  as  we 
Iiave  seen,  was  built  the  first  vessel  ever  launched  into 
the  waters  of  the  North  Pacific;  but  throughout  the 
settlements  was  felt  a  sore  need  of  skilled  labor,  and 
in  some  of  them,  as  Shelikof  would  have  us  believe, 
of  missionaries  to  educate  the  natives  and  instruct 

(351) 


HI  I 


3.-2 


COLONIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 


them  in  the  true  faitli.  AppHcation  was  therefore 
inatlc  foi-  clergymen  and  for  exiles  trained  to  handi- 
craft.^ The  request  was  granted,  and  in  August  171)  t 
the  Irelxh  SvialiicU  and  the  Ekciterina,  two  of  tho 
Shelikof  Company's  vessels,"  arrived  at  Pavlovsk  with 
provisions,  stores,  implements,  seeds,  cattle,  and  a  hun- 
dred and  ninety-two  persons  on  board,  among  whom 
were  fifty-two  craftsmen  and  agriculturists,  and  eigh- 
teen clergymen  and  lay  servitors  in  charge  of  tho 
archimandrite  loassaf.^  "I  present  you,"  writes  Sheli- 
kof to  Baranof,  "with  some  guests  who  have  been  se- 
lected by  order  of  the  empress  to  spread  the  word 
of  God  in  America.  I  know  that  you  will  feel  as 
great  a  satisfaction  as  I  do  that  the  country  where  I 
labored  before  you,  and  where  you  are  laboring  now 
for  the  glory  of  our  country,  sees  in  the  arrival  ot* 
these  guests  a  hopeful  prophecy  of  future  })rosperity." 
Shelikof 's  merits  as  teacher  and  pastor  have  already 
been  related;*  the  treatment  which  the  missionaries 
received  from  his  dram-drinkinij  colleaij^ue  will  bo 
mentioned  later.  Priests  were  not  wanted  among  the 
promyshleniki,  and  if  they  sojourned  in  their  midst 
must  earn  their  daily  bread  as  did  the  rest  of  the 
community.  They  might  serve,  however,  to  bring 
into  more  thorough  subjection  the  docile  Aleuts. 

By  the  Ekaterina,  Baranof  received  a  lengthy  com- 
munication from  Shelikof  and  from  Polevoi  Golikofs 
representative,  relating  to  the  establishment  of  an  ag- 
ricultural colony  near  Cape  St  Elias  on  Yakutat  Bay. 
The  instructions  on  this  matter  were  to  take  the  place 

*  Shelikof  and  Golikof  requested  that  clergymen  be  appointed  for  mis- 
sionary work  in  the  Aleutian  Islands  and  ottered  to  defray  all  expenses. 
By  oukaz  of  Juno  30,  1703,  Catherine  II.  ordered  the  petition  granted.  At 
tho  same  time  Shelikof  asked  tho  governor  of  Irkutsk  to  use  hii  influence 
with  tho  crown  to  procure  the  despatch  of  a  certain  number  of  exiles,  skilled 
as  blacksmitlis,  locksmiths,  and  fouudrymen,  and  of  ten  families  tr.aiucd  to 
agriculture.  The  request  was  granted  by  oukaz  of  December  31,  1793. 
TilchincHff,  Istor.  Olios.,  i.  42-3. 

*Uoth  built  at  Okhotsk.  The  former,  though  only  G3  feet  in  length,  had 
on  board  200  tons  of  cargo,  besides  120  casks  of  water. 

"■Tlicre  were  also  121  hunters,  4  clerks,  and  5  Aleuts. 

♦This  vol.,  p.  227. 


PLANS  FOR  A  TOWN. 


3r)3 


(if  all  that  had  previously  been  sent.'"  Accompanying 
tlioin  was  a  document  touching  only  on  the  [)rivate 
affairs  of  the  company.  Thanking  Baranof  for  his 
rxliaustive  reports,  Shelikof  concludes:  "And  now  it 
(iiily  remains  for  us  to  hope  that,  having  selected  on 
the  mainland  a  suitable  place,  you  will  layout  the  set- 
lli'inent  with  some  taste,  and  with  due  regard  for 
hiaiity  of  construction,  in  order  that  when  visits  are 
made  by  foreign  ships,  as  can  not  fail  to  happen,  it 
may  appear  more  like  a  town  than  a  village,  and  that 
tlio  Russians  in  America  may  live  in  a  neat  and  or- 
derly way,  and  not,  as  in  Okhotsk,  in  squalor  and  misery 
caused  by  the  absence  of  nearly  everything  necessary 
to  civilization.  Use  taste  as  well  as  practical  judg- 
iiitnt  in  locating  the  settlement.  Look  to  beauty  as 
whU  as  to  convenience  of  material  and  supplies.  On 
the  plans  as  well  as  in  reality  leave  room  for  spacious 
s(|uares  for  public  assemblies.  Make  the  streets  not 
too  long,  but  wide,  and  let  them  radiate  from  the 
s(|uares.  If  the  site  is  wooded,  let  trees  enough  .stand 
to  line  the  streets  and  to  fill  the  gardens,  in  order 
to  beautify  the  place  and  preserve  a  healthy  atmos- 
j)licre.  Build  the  houses  along  the  streets,  but  at 
some  distance  from  each  other,  in  order  to  increase  the 
extent  of  the  town.  The  roofs  should  be  of  equal 
liciglit,  and  the  architecture  as  uniform  as  possible. 
The  gardens  should  be  of  equal  size,  and  provided  with 
good  fences  along  the  streets.  Thanks  be  to  God 
that  you  will  at  least  have  no  lack  of  timber.  Make 
the  plan  as  full  as  possible,  and  add  views  of  the  sur- 


•'TIio  letter  was  dated  from  Okhotsk  on  tlic  9th  of  August,  1794.  Orders 
liail  been  received  from  the  governor  of  Irkutsk  that  the  agriculturists,  m- 
c'luiling  ten  families,  should  be  forwarded  to  tlio  spot  near  Cape  St  Eliaa 
where  Slielikof  had  promised  to  establish  tlio  first  agricultural  settlement  on 
tlk'  uorth-west  coast  of  America;  but  it  was  claimed  that  a  clause  in  the  in- 
structions permitted  the  site  of  tliis  colony  to  be  changcil,  if  a  more  8uita))Ie 
location  could  be  found,  and  finally  the  exiled  agriculturists  were  scattered 
tlnvingliout  the  settlement  and  employed  in  various  kinds  of  labor.  Most  of 
tl.c  exiles  of  whatever  occupation  arrived  in  the  Catherine  after  much  delay, 
c:uised  by  a  stay  at  Unalaska,  and  by  a  violent  gale  in  Akutan  Pass,  during 
V  :;ieh  several  head  of  cattle  were  lost.  Klilebnikof,  Shim.  Bnrnnomi,  24-5, 
Btittes  that  the  remainder  of  the  live-stock  reached  Kadiak  in  safety. 
Hut.  AI.ABXA.    23 


i 


w^ 


I  mm  t' 


I>1 


r4 


COLONIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 


roundinjTfs.  Your  work  will  be  viewixl  and  diseusscl 
at  the  iin[^crial  court."  In  another  part  of  this  lett.r 
Baranof  is  reproaehctl  for  exchanging  visit.s  with  caji- 
tains  of  Engli.sh  ve.ssels,  and  warned  that  he  might  ho 
carried  otf  to  Nootka  or  California,  or  some  other  des- 
olate place. 

The  latter  portion  of  this  epistle  appears  to  have 
been  written  I'or  the  purj)oseof  deceiving  the  empress, 
to  whon\  the  plans  of  the  projxised  settlement  were  to 
be  shown,  though  we  cannot  but  admire  the  compru- 
hensive  scope  of  Shelikof's  imagination  when  he  thus 
conceives  the  idea  of  building  a  well  ordered  city  lit 
the  American  wilderness.  Although  such  an  under- 
taking would  require  all  the  means  and  men  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Shelikof-dlolikof  Comi)any,he  wasengaged, 
besides  other  ventures,  in  forming  a  second  a.ssociatinn 
under  the  name  of  the  North  American  Company,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  permanent  settlements  on  the 
mainland, and  in  building  ships  for  yet  a  third  enterj)iise 
of  which  he  was  the  leading  man — the  Predtecha 
Company,  then  holding  tempi^rar}^  possession  of  tlio 
Pribvlof  Islands,  but  left  without  means  of  carrviiij: 
away  their  seal-skins  by  the  loss  of  their  only  ve-sil. 
The  estimated  complement  for  the  Xorth  American 
Company  was  a  hundred  and  twenty  men,  of  whom 
seventy  were  despatched  in  July  1794,  and  about 
thirty  in  1795.  Its  main  object  was  to  aid  in  sup- 
planting foreigners  in  the  trade  with  the  natives,  to 
extend  this  traffic  from  Unalaska  to  the  xVrctic  Ocean, 
and  to  enter  into  commercial  intercourse  with  the 
people  living  on  the  American  coast,  opposite  Cape 
Tehcukotsk.  ^Moreover,  Shelikof  cherished  in  secret 
the  hope  of  making  some  new  discovery  on  the  Amer- 
ican continent,  leading  to  the  long-sought-for  passage 
into  Baffin's  Bay. 

As  soon  as  Shelikof  had  despatched  his  vessels  from 
Okhotsk,  he  returned  in  1794  tt)  Irkutsk  for  the  |)ur- 
pose  of  organizing  there  a  central  office  for  the  n)aii- 
agemeut  of  his  many  enterprises,  thus  preparing  for  the 


siir.LiKor's  rnoji'CTS. 


a» 


future  consoli.-'atiim  of  all  the  IJnssian  companies  in 
Anicrica.  This  was  the  inception  ol'thc  u^reat  ltiissi;;ii 
American  Company,  which  was  t<»  he  liilly  orijjanize  1 
(iiily  after  its  oriifiuatn-'s  death,  ^[^anwliile  liaranof 
could  do,  and  knew  that  he  was  expected  to  do,  hut 
little  toward  carryini,'  out  his  superior's  hrilliai;t 
schemes  of  colo'iization.  Un  all  the  principal  ishuivl^ 
of  the  Aleutian  tj^rou[),  and  at  sonic  points  on  the  main- 
laud,  the  l)est  locations  for  aij^riculture  and  cattle-i"ai  ;- 
iuL,^  had  heen  selected  and  fortitied  several  years  hefore; 
iulditional  hnntiuL;  grounds  and  a  few  harhors  had  al:^o 
heen  chosen,  and  sites  marked  out  at  the  mouths  of 
rivers  for  trading  posts  with  the  natives,  Jhit  tlio 
time  was  not  yet  ripi,'  i'or  otahlishiug  new  settlement-;, 
and  meanwhile  in  accortlance  with  piivate  instruction  ; 
Shelikof  kept  the  exiles  hiisily  emjiloyed,  some  of  them 
at  Kadiak,  and  the  mechanics  prohably  at  Voskre.;- 
senski,  where,  it  will  he  rememhered,  the  Dc/phin  aUvl 
Ol.;((  were  launched  in  171>J.^ 

The  7Vc/7/ .SV/r(/<7cA'/ had  arrived  a  lew  weeks  heforo 
these  vessels  were  cornpleted,  after  a  two  years'  voy- 
ai2'e  from  Kamchatka,  with  her  carij^o  of  stores  aiul 
provisions  in  good  order  and  intact — a  rai-e  occurri'nce 
in  the  early  history  of  the  Russian  colonies.  Sevend 
days  were  now  devoted  to  feastinir  and  reioiciii!'-,  in 
which  traders,  priests,  and  servants  alike  ])articipated. 
'i  he  colonists  were,  however,  no  longer  in  fear  of  want, 
lor  experiments  made  in  the  planting  of  several  kinds 
of  vegetahles  and  occasionally  of  cereals  had  been 
fairly  successful,  and,  tliough  they  possessed  few  im- 
plements, they  had  seed  in  ahnndance  for  either  pur- 
pose." Thus,  with  a  never  failing  supply  of  lish,  au 
abundance  of  food  was,  as  thev  thouiiht,  assured. 


''  Four  of  the  exiled  families  selected  for  the  company  were  detr.incd  by 
Shelikof  nt  Okhotsk,  to  serve  as  a  liucleus  for  a  proposed  settlement  on  one 
of  tlio  Kurile  Islands. 

'  Fatiier  Simeon  and  one  of  the  lay  brothers  tif  the  mission,  named  riiili]), 
ni.ide  sonic  experiments  in  sowinj;  turnips  and  potatoes  which  yuccecMU'd  well. 
'J'lic  arcliimandrite  mentions  a  man  uamcd  .Saposhnikof,  who  plimted  a  ])()U!id 
<f  luuloy  in  a  sheltered  nook  and  liarvcstcil  GO  pounds.  TiUmi^  nij\  Is'i.r. 
Vbos.,  ii.  app.  part  ii.  102.     With  this  exception,  nothing  appears  to  h;ivo 


ail! 


■  i]  r  ':  ■ 


;j.-;0 


COLdXIZATIOX  AND  MISSIONS. 


Ill  December  of  tliir<  vcar  l^arauof  sot  forth  on  a 
journey  roiuul  Kadiak,  his  purpose  hein*^  to  make 
a!'raii«;emeiits  for  the  liuntimjf  season,  ami  to  ascertain 
the  ])o|)ulation  of  the  islan<l,  which  was  found  to  con- 
sist of  ('),*JO(J  persons,  the  sexes  beinjjf  about  ecjually 
divided.'*  About  seven  hun<h'ed  bidnikas,  eacli  hold- 
in<jf  two  men,  could  be  assembled  at  the  dili'erent  sta- 
tions. 

Thoujjfh  the  archimandrite  had  previously  described 
Baranof  as  a  n»an  who  "continually  sat  in  his  house 
hatching  mischief,"  and,  in  a  letter  to  Shelikof,  had 
<leclared  that  he  could  see  no  sis^n  that  any  of  his 
schemes  of  colonization  were  likely  to  be  carried  out, 
the  chief  manager  certainly  took  some  steps  toward 
establishing  the  much-talked-of  settlement  near  Cai»o 
St  Elias.  Intrusting  the  management  of  affairs  at 
Kadiak  to  his  assistant  Kuskof,"  he  .sailed  for  Yakutat 
in  the  transport  OA/«,*"  and  arrived  at  the  village  near 
Cape  St  Elias  on  the  15th  of  July,  179G,  finding  there 
ihv  Tnlh  Si'Mtitel('i,wh'\c\\hadrcac\\t'd  the  new  settle- 
ment on  the  2ath  of  June.  The  few  men  left  at  the 
place  the  previous  autunm  were  found  in  good  health, 
but  complained  of  having  been  frequently  in  want  of 
food  during  the  winter.  Baranof  himself  rcniained 
here  two  months,  superintending  the  erection  of  build- 
ings; and  after  taking  hostages  from  the  natives  and 
leavinjj  a  garrison  of  fifty  men,  returned  to  Kadiak. 

^Meanwhile  the  Ekatet'ina,  with  a  portion  of  the 
exiles  on  board,  and  the  transport  Orel,  under  com- 
mand of  Shields,  had  sailed  for  Cape  St  Elias,  the  latter 
convoying  four  hundred  and  fifty  bidarkas  bound  for 


been  done  with  \c  imported  seed  of  rye  and  oats,  as  the  only  implements  for 
lirotiking  up  the    round  v.-ere  forkcil  sticks. 

•■  There  «crt     "221  males  and  "JjOSo  females. 

*  Ivan  Alexi  rovich  Kuskof,  a  mercliant  of  Totma,  came  to  America 
wit'.i  Biiraiiof,  in  e  capacity  of  clerk.  He  was  soon  appointed  assistant,  and 
as  we  shall  see  in.  'sted  with  important  commands.  He  left  the  service  of 
the  company  in  21,  returned  to  Russia  by  way  of  Okhotsk  in  1822,  and 
died  at  Totna  in  1    .'3.  Khlebnikof,  Shizii.  Baranova,  piissim. 

'^It  was  inter  ed  tliat  Pribylof,  tlie  discoverer  of  the  fur-seal  islands, 
should  take  comn  nd,  but  his  decease  occurred  before  the  departure  of  the 
expedition. 


COLONIAL  DISA.STi:i;S. 


Jl*57 


l.tua  Bav,"  wlicro  in  a  few  (layn  1,800 sea  otter  skins 
ucic  socui'cd. 

Thus,  at  lenj^tli,  the  settlement  on  Yakutat  liiy 
^vas  fairly  started  with  every  prospect  of  siieeess;  liiit 
this,  the  iirst  convict  colony  estahli.shed  in  the  l';i!' 
north,  liki'  the  one  sent  I'orth  two  years  hitcr  to  peo|)lc 
the  desert  wastes  of  Australia,  was  doomed  to  suller 
iiiaiiv  disasters.  Durinjjf  the  verv  Iirst  winter  news 
reached  Kadiak  that  the  villa^^e  was  in  danu^er  of 
l»(ini(  abandoned  for  want  of  provisions.'-'  The  Ti'i-kh 
Si'idtitt'h'i,  which  left  tin;  settk'ment  on  her  return 
voyai^'e  a  f<^'W  days  before  l^aranof's  de|)arture,  was 
(hivcn  by  Iieavy  gales  into  Kamuishatzk  JJay.  There 
a  large  iorce  of  men  was  sent  early  in  the  following 
spring  to  i('|)air  the  ••  sscl,  but  she  was  found  to 
be  so  badlvilamawd  that  her  hull  was  set  on  lire,  and 
(tidy  her  iron-woi'k  was  saved.  At  A'oskresscnski  l>ny 
])aranof  was  met  bv  a  messcns>er  irom  Yakutat,  who 
i\]»oited  that  twenty  laborers  and  several  womi'U  had 
])erished  of  scurvy  at  the  settlement  during  the  past 
winter. 

Wliihr  hastening  to  the  relief  of  the  distressed  set- 
tli-rs,  the  chief  manager  found  time  to  visit  Fort 
Konstantine  t>n  Xuclie'c  Island,  where  tlie  Jjcbedef- 
Lastochkin  Company  had  hitherto  maintained  their 
principal  dej)ot.  For  several  years  no  supplies  had 
Itcen  forwarded  to  this  place,  and  in  consecpicnce  great 
dissatisfaction  existed  among  the  employees  of  the 
tirm.  liaranof  found  no  ij^reat  diincultv  in  inducinu  a 
majority  of  the  Lebedef  men  to  enter  the  service  of  the 
Shelikof  Company,  antl  the  remainder  were  promised 
a  j)assage  to  ()kli(!tsk.  At  the  same  time  the  Chu- 
gatsehes  formally  submitted  to  Baranof  and  I'urnished 


t-seal  islanila, 
larturc  of  tUe 


"  Two  other  bitlark.a  flocts  miistorin;'  'ITil  boatis  assi'inlilcd    dur 


til 


saini!  ycr.r  at  the  vill.ige  <»f  Karliik.  ami  ;ifti'i'  obtaining  supjilies  of  ihii'd  lish 
viTc  dcspatclic'd  in  the  same  direction.      ICaeh    liidai'iia  can  ied   from    1(H)  to 


l-"i  lisli,  Imt  tliis  food  was  used  only  in  case  of  actuid  neces.-it 


d( 


flesh  li>li  Were  caught  and  birils  killed  at  evciy  lialtiiig  place.    KhkbiiiLof, 


1 


'jdniiiiirii. 


w-i-: 


'  -  The  nev.  i  v.as  brought  1  ly  ouo  lladiouof,  who  arrived  at  Kadiak  from  Cape 
at  Eliud  iu  a  bidur. 


i'l 


SuS 


COLOXIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 


tin  aclditionul  i^i.nta  of  a  hundred  bidarkas  to  rccnforco 
liis  hunting  parties,  thus  rehevinjjf  him  of  all  apj>reheii- 
sions  of  a  native  uprising  west  of  Yakutat,  and  enabling 
liini  to  turn  his  undivided  attention  to  the  wants  of 
the  new  colony. 

After  relieving  the  existing  distress  and  establisli- 
inir  order  nnion<j:  the  settlers,  Baranof  returned  toXa- 
(!i>ik,  arriving  there  on  the  tirst  of  Octc^bcr.  Shields, 
wlu)  commanded  the  Orel,  had  in  the  mean  time  pro- 
<'('ctied  south-west  I'roni  Ltua  Bay  with  his  fleet  of 
lour  hundred  and  fifty  bidarkas,  and  succeetled  iu 
reaching  Norfolk  Sound,  where  he  soon  collected  two 
thousand  sea-otter  skins. 

We  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  later  to  the  prog- 
ivss  of  the  convict  colony  at  Yakutat.  Shelikof 
and  his  colleagues,  when  ]>etitioning  the  empress  that 
a  band  )f  exiles  should  bo  sent  to  Alaska  to  aid  in 
<levolopmg  the  resources  of  liussian  America,  and  a 
partv  of  clerii^vmen  to  convert  and  educate  the  natives, 
assured  the  government  "that  their  wishes  tended  only 
t')  add  new  ])ossessi()ns  to  Ilussia  and  new^  parishes  to 
the  church."  "But,"  savs  Golovnin,  who  was  in- 
structed  by  the  government  to  investigate  the  afiairs 
of  the  colony,  "the  clergy  and  the  poor  mechanics 
had  hardly  arrived  at  Katliak,  when  the  former  wvvc 
set  tv)  earn  their  bread  by  the  sweat  *)f  their  brow, 
and  the  latter  were  distributed  over  different  locali- 
ties, wherever  furs  could  be  got  to  swell  the  j)rolits 
of  the  Shelikof  Company.  "Between  171)4  and  18I,S 
the  missions  received  irom  the  co'miianv  neither  bii)lis 
nor  new  <:estaments,  nor  any  other  religious  bot)lcs, 
not  even  spelling-books  to  teach  the  children,  whilo 
wax  candles,  wine,  etc.,  necessary  for  the  performanco 
of  sacred  ceremonies,  could  not  be  obtained  from  them. 
But  of  the  thirty-five  families  of  mechanics  only  threo 
men  and   one  woman    remained  in  1818."     The  re- 

"  About  tlio  year  187f>  Ivnn  Pctrof  etatca  that  there  are  at  Niniltchik, 
on  I'oolc  Inlet,  r.ix  families,  includiug  souio  forty  soub,  claiming  to  bo  tic- 
nccnchints  c*"  these  exiles. 


DECEIVED  SETTLERS. 


359 


inarulcr  were  killed  or  died  from  want  and  hardship, 
\\  hile  hunting  for  the  company.  For  all  this  I  am 
ill  possession  of  written  proofs.  And  thus  Siiolikof 
showed  to  the  world  that  between  traders  on  a  larj^e 
or  small  scale  there  is  no  difTercnce.  As  the  shopman 
ill  the  market  makes  the  siiju  of  the  cross  and  calls 
( rod  to  witness  in  order  to  sell  his  goods  a  few  cojieks 
dearer,  so  Shclikof  used  the  name  of  Christ  and  this 
sacred  faith  to  deceive  the  government  and  entice 
Ihirty-five  unfortunate  families  to  the  savage  shores 
of  America,  where  they  fell  victims  to  his  avarice  and 
that  of  his  successors."" 

All  this  is  sufticiently  bitter,  and  if  any  further 
])roof  be  wanted  that  Golovnin  was  somewhat  biased, 
iiis  mention  of  Baranof,  whom  he  describes  as  "a 
man  who  became  fanious  on  account  of  his  long  resi- 
dence amon<j[  the  savages,  and  still  more  so  because 
he,  while  enlii^hteninix  them,  ijrew  wikl  himself  and 
sunk  to  a  degree  below  the  savage,"  is  further  c\'i- 
dence.*'^  It  is  but  due  to  the  memory  of  Shelikof, 
whose  decease  occurred  in  Jul}'  1705,  to  quote  a  few 
lines  from  the  letter  of  his  widow,  adih-essed  t.)n 
Xovendier  22d  of  that  year  to  the  governor  of 
Tauris:  "The  administration  of  the  colony  has  made 
nrrangements  that  these  settlers  shall  not  be  ham- 
l)ered  in  their  work  of  construct in<jf  the  new  villagi^ 
i)y  anxiety  with  regard  to  producing  the  necessary 
provisions  during  the  first  year,  and  has  provided 
ample  supplies  ol"  food  to  last  them  until  they  can 
provide  for  themselves,  as  well  as  tools,  etc.,  all  of 
Vvhich  have  ^  een  i)urchased  at  Okhotsk  by  my  late 
husband  at  his  own  expense.  At  tlie  same  time  an 
agent  was  appointed  ti>  attiMid  to  the  issue  of  these 
supplies,  according  to  the  wants  of  the  ])eople.  lint 
linally  they  got  uj)  a  conspiracy,  and  threatened  to 
take  the  agent's  life  uuk^ss  he  gave  them  guns  and 
amnuuiition  to  protect  themselves  against  the  sav- 

^' ^fater!'1lni  Lilor.  Jfiiss.,  i.  lA, 

»^  Jd.,  5;{.  .        • 


3G0 


COLONIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 


ages  when  they  would  reach  the  mainland,  and  that 
they  would  take  possession  of  the  ship  and  sail  for 
the  Kurile  Islands,  selecting  one  of  their  men  as 
navigator.  They  had  three  great  guns  with  animuiii- 
tion,  all  ready  for  use,  but  the  chief  agent  of  the  com- 
pany discovered  their  conspiracy,  and  three  of  the 
ringleaders  were,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions 
of  the  commanding  officer  at  Okiiotsk,  punished  by 
flogging,  and  separated  among  the  hunters  at  various 
stations."^® 


i^'iiill 


Knowing  how  he  had  compromised  liimself  in  liis 
dealings  with  the  turbulent  traders  on  Cook  Inlet  by 
assuming  official  authority  which  did  not  belong  to 
him,  Baranof  had  to  exert  all  his  ingenuity,  and  jaob- 
ably  resorted  to  threats  and  violence,  in  order  to  keep 
the  knowledge  of  his  proceedings  from  the  priests,  who 
were  only  too  ready  to  meddle  with  the  concerns  of  the 
Shelikof  Company.^"  Though  outwardly  professing 
the  veneration  of  an  orthodox  member  of  the  Russian 
church  for  its  ordained  representatives,  Baranof  con- 
sidered them  as  enemies  and  acted  accordingly.  Ho 
knew  that  in  the  pursuit  of  his  business  tlie  full  con- 
trol of  the  natives  was  essential  to  his  success,  and  ha 
believed  that  ever}'  one  of  the  missionaries  would 
strive  to  obtain  such  control  for  himself  in  the  name 
of  the  holy  synod.  In  order  to  lessen  the  number  of 
his  enemies,  he  ur<xed  upon  loassaf  the  necessity  of 
sending  out  missionaries  to  the  savage  tribes  of  the 
mainland,  from  whom  the  light  of  Christianity  was  still 
entirely  hidden.  The  chief  of  the  mission  expressed 
his  full  understanding  of  this  necessity,  but  winter 


ii^n 


"  Tikhmeiu'f,  Istoi:  Olios.,  ii.  app.  part  ii.  109. 

"  The  following  is  n  list  of  uieiuncrs  of  this  first  mission:  Archinianilritc 
loAsanf,  drowned  on  tlie  J'tiiiks  in  170!);  li'rouionnkh  Juvun.il,  killed  by  tlio 
savages  in  nortiieni  America,  iia  will  ho  afterward  related;  lerornonakh  Alakar, 
returneil  voluntflrily  to  Okhotsk;  AlTanassie.  returned  to  Irkutsk  in  \S-'>; 
Ii'rodiakou  Stefan,  drowned  i!i  the  suite  of  the  bishop;  Xcktar,  sent  to  Irkutsk 
by  Father  Oideon  in  1807;  ^lonk  (ierman,  still  among  tho  living  in  ls:i,"i; 
Jlonk  lonssaf,  who  died  at  Kudiuk  in  1S'J3;  and  ten  church  servitors  not  be- 
longing to  the  priesthood. 


COMPL^^INTS  OF  THE  PRIESTS. 


331 


Avas  then  approaching  fast  and  the  journey  to  the  con- 
tinent was  becoming  dangerous.  Thus  Baranof  was 
obliged  to  face  his  adversaries  during  tho  wliole  of  a 
Ion<''  arctic  winter,  and  to  counteract  their  intrigues 
as  best  he  nught. 

The  attitude  assumed  by  the  first  apostles  of  Chris- 
tianity in  Alaska  from  the  very  beginning  of  their  res- 
idence in  America  was  decidedly  hostile  to  all  who 
managed  and  carried  on  business  enter})rises  in  the 
colonies.  Previous  to  reaching  their  destination  tho 
nuinbers  of  this  mission  were  detained  for  a  whole 
winter  in  the  wretched  sea-port  towns  of  eastern 
Siberia  and  Kamchatka,  where  they  met  with  numbers 
of  the  former  servants  of  the  various  trading  com- 
panies, who  were  full  of  discontent  and  resentment, 
and  painted  to  them  in  the  blackest  colors  the  condi- 
tion of  the  country  and  the  people  inhabiting  it.  The 
result  was  that  the  priests  finally  sailed  for  the  Amer- 
ican coast  imbued  with  a  prejudice  against  everything 
and  everybody  belonging  to  the  colonies.  Being  thus 
prej)ared  to  see  nothing  but  evil,  priestly  ingenuity 
and  craft  succeeded  in  finding  much  more  than  had 
been  discovered  by  their  ignorant  informers.  In  the 
correspondence  transmitted  by  members  of  tho  mission 
to  Shelikof,  and  to  dignitaries  of  the  synod,  during 
this  first  period  of  their  missionary  work,  they  make 
the  worst  of  everything. 

The  archimandrite  was  especially  bitter  in  his  de- 
nunciations of  the  chief  manager,  but  there  is  little 
doubt  that  many  of  his  accusations  were  unfounded.^* 

'°  Tlioiigh  tlie  tone  of  his  letters  and  reports  is  decidedly  hostile  to  linraiiof, 
the  hitter  Bcenis  to  have  succecdecl  in  c meialiii^  from  tin;  )ii(|uisitivo  (.■lor"y 
lii.s  M  ri)n,L:ful  assumption  of  authority  in  Cook  inlet,  wliioli  would  have  exposed 
liiiii  to  tlie  most  severe  pnnishment  by  the  autlioritien.  1  make  t!ie  foUowia',' 
1  xtiact  from  the  letter  of  the  archimandrite  to  Shelikof,  written  in  May  \~'X>: 
'W'v  have  no  jiroper  elmrch  as  yet,  and  though  1  personally  urged  Alex- 
ander Andreieviteh  [Daranof]  to  huild  a  small  ehuivh  at  this  place  as  s,)oa 
as  jxiMsilile,  and  olTered  a  plan  for  a  chapel  only  four  fathoms  long  hy  a 
faiiiiim  antl  a  half  in  width,  the  timl)er  for  it  still  reuiaina  uncut.  Since 
my  arrival  at  this  harhor  I  have  seen  nothing  hut  what  seems  to  he  in 
ilircct  opposition  to  j'our  kind  intentions.  Tlio  only  thing  whicii  gives 
1110  satisfaction  is  tho  fact  that  the  natives  ilock  in  from  everywhere  to 
become    christianized,   but  the  Russians  not  only  make  no  etfort  to   help 


^ 


302 


COLONIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 


i 

III 


It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  the  ev?clesiastios 
suffcretl  many  privations  through  the  neglect  of  Bai- 
an(jf  and  the  traders,  who  regarded  them  simply  as 
inter  meddlers,  of  whom  they  must  rid  themselves  as 
speedily  as  possible.  During  their  first  winter  tliu 
missionaries  were  without  sufficient  food  and  shelter;''^ 
no  encouragement  was  afforded  them  in  their  work, 
and  it  was  not  until  July  1796  that  the  first  church 
was  built  in  Kadiak,  at  Three  Saints,  though  before 
that  time  it  was  claimed  that  twelve  thousand  natives 
had  been  baptized. 

While  making  his  report  to  Shelikof,  the  archiman- 

in  the  work  of  enlightenment,  but  use  every  means  to  discourage  them, 
ii:i(l  the  cause  of  this  in  the  vicious  lives  they  have  been  leading  from  the  first 
with  American  [native]  women.  I  have  barely  succeeded  in  persuading  a  few 
hunters  to  get  married,  but  the  others  will  not  even  listen  to  such  a  proposal. 
Thus  far  I  have  not  Ijceu  enabled  to  discover  whether  it  is  ^Ir  Baranof  or  his 
assistants  who  are  endeavoring  to  cause  ill-feeling  against  us  and  you.  All 
I  can  say  is  that  tlio  hunter.s  are  incense;!  against  you.  All  do  tlieir  best  to 
evade  compliance  with  the  written  clauses  of  their  contracts  with  you.  Ships 
and  other  property  of  tiie  company  arc  neglected,  and  many  say  that  tlio 
company's  interests  are  opposed  to  those  of  the  settlers,  and  try  to  pcr.suailu 
others  to  thiidc  the  same.'    Tlkhmeiicf,  I.^tor.  Ohoa.,  ii.  app.  part  ii.  101 -'2. 

'"'About  the  domestic  arraugcmcnta,'  continues  loas-saf,  'notliing  good 
can  be  said.  Since  our  arrival  there  has  been  a  famine  during  the  whole  win- 
ter. Yukola  [dried  salmon]  three  years  old  is  all  that  is  offered  us,  and 
t!iough  we  do  not  like  dried  llsh,  we  are  compelled  to  eat  it.  The  hil)orcrs 
do  nothing  toward  providing  food.  The  UJts  were  left  on  the  ground  near 
the  beach  all  winter,  being  thoroughly  spoiled.  Tlie  dogs  have  eaten  u])  two 
of  the  calves  which  we  brought  witli  us,  and  of  the  two  slieep  which  rcmainL(l 
to  us  on  our  arrival,  one  was  devoured  by  dogs.  The  goats  all  perished.  In 
accordance  witii  your  instructions,  I  w-as  to  accustom  my  clergymen  to  the 
fool  of  the  cf)untry,  and  to  employ  them  at  various  kinds  of  labor,  but  this 
v.ould  liave  been  done  without  your  instructions.  We  are  not  troubled  witli 
an  abundance  of  pi«ovisions,  l^eepiug  our  table  upon  tiie  beach,  picking  up  uir.s- 
!;els,  clams,  and  crabs.  In  a  '.aition  to  this,  we  have  a  little  bread,  and  that  wiil 
soon  be  exhausted.  Jiaranof  and  his  favorites  do  not  suffer;  for  him  they  sliont 
birds,  sea-lions,  and  seals.  From  tiie  Alaskan  peninsula  they  bring  him  reindoor 
i.ieat.  Milk  he  has  always,  even  in  the  winter,  two  cows  being  reserved  for  his 
u;-.e  alone.  Tiioy  nsecl  to  give  us  milk  enough  for  our  tea,  but  at  the  present 
time,  when  ten  cows  have  calved,  we  get  only  one  toa-cupful  a  day,  exclusive 
of  fast-days.  Our  li;,'ht  is  mi.scrable,  as  we  gat  notliing  but  wlialc-oil  for  t!i;it 
purpose.  Then  the  winter  was  very  cold,  the  roofs  le.iky,  and  tiie  windows 
very  bad ;  thus  we  passed  the  whole  winter.  I  liave  never  felt  eomfortibk' 
since  my  arrival  here.  I  bore  wit!i  our  miserable  accommodations  as  long  ;n 
I  couhl,  .ami  sent  the  brotliers  to  the  b.irracks  where  the  vvorking  ]ieo]ik;  liv^'; 
Init  it  wrmld  not  do  for  ine  to  go  there  in  tlio  position  of  <lignity  I  hold  here; 
and  tiie  barracks  were  full  and  even  crowded.  They  had  frequent  asscmli'.ics 
and  games  there,  and  often  whole  nights  were  passed  in  singing  and  danciu','. 
Tlicy  kept  it  up  every  Sunday  and  holiday,  and  s  jmetiincrj  even  0:1  v.jr!;- 
dw-j.  On  .Ash  Wednesday  they  came  to  ino  and  asl^cd  mo  to  postpone  t\\<'. 
coiileasiou  imtil  cvcnin:,',  when  they  would  have  finished  their  games.'  I.L, 
102-4. 


lOASSAF  AGAINST  BARANOF. 


3G3 


;clesiastios 
Lt  of  Bar- 
f-'iinply  as 
nselves  as 
,'intor  tlu' 
I  shelter;'' 
heir  work, 
•st  cliurch 
ofli  before 
ncl  natives 

archiman- 

scouragc  thciii, 

5  from  the  iir.-it 

rsuadins  a  few 

ich  .1  proposdl. 

Baraiiof  or  his 

an<l  you.     All 

0  tlieir  best  tu 

th  you.    Ship.s 

r  siiy  that  tlio 

;ry  to  pcrsiuulc 

rtii.  101--2. 

'nothing  good 

the  whole  win- 

)ffcretl  us,  and 

The  hiliorei's 

0  ground  nuiii' 

eaten  uj)  tvio 

Inch  reniaiucd 

perished.     lu 

■gymcn  to  the 

ahor,  but  this 

troubled  witii 

eking  up  nii'.s- 

audthat  will 

lini  they  shoi.t 

him  reindeer 

served  for  hi h 

t  the  present 

ay,  oxelu:Aivi! 

le-oilf<.rth;'t 

the  windows 

comfortidilc 

ons  as  long  :i  < 

g  ]ieoplo  live; 

f  I  hold  here ; 

at  as3cml)'.it'-^ 

and  danciu'^', 

vcn  on  v,'v)r!.- 

postpono  t'.i'' 

games.'    //., 


(Irite  states  that  he  could  fill  a  book  with  the  evil 
(loiiiL^'s  and  atrocities  that  canio  under  his  observation, 

I  (lit  that  out  of  consideration  for  him  he  would  not 
J :.vl'>'e  a  formal  coni{)laint  with  the  supreme  church 
jiuthoiities.  He  felt  that  even  if  Baranof  knew  that 
lie  was  writing  the  truth  to  the  head  of  the  companj', 
lie  wouid  be  prevented  from  making  any  further 
])rogress  in  his  work,  and  perhaps  even  endanger  his 
life.  He  expressed  his  firm  belief  that  no  admonition 
of  the  managers  by  his  superiors  could  do  any  j'ood, 
and  that  removal  alone  could  remedy  the  evil.  Sliould 

II  Kit  be  considered  impracticable,  he  would  suffer  in 
silence,  d(^ing  all  the  good  that  was  possible  under 
such  unfavorable  circumstances,  and  patiently  await- 
ing the  time  when  providence  would  carry  him  and 
liis  mucli-abu.sed  brethren  back  to  Russia,  beyond  the 
control  of  their  'untiring  persecutor.'  The  reverend 
correspondent  likewise  throws  out  hints  of  misman- 
iigemeiit  and  peculation  in  business  aflairs.-' 

On  the  other  hand,  the  letters  of  Baranof  and  his 
chief  assistants,  wi'itten  during  the  same  period,  dis- 
jilay  a  marked  forbearance  in  speaking  of  the  mis- 
;.i(jnaries  and  their  doings.'-^  The  difficulties  of  Bar- 
iuiof's  position  during  this  winter  of  clo.se  comj)anion- 
sliip  with  inquisitive,  suspicious  priests,  rebellious 
servants,  and   discontented   natives    cannot   well    be 


'•"'Tansfiaf  wrote:  He  (Baranof)  has  sold  his  tobacco  at  400  roubles  per 
]>oud  (10  lbs.)  and  more,  though  he  had  on  hand  o\er  "JOpouds  bel(mgiug  t^> 
tlie  company.    LI.,  10,'). 

-''  Thia  must  of  course  be  partly  a.scribo<l  to  policy  jn  their  part,  but  a 
];crusal  of  these  documents  imjires-scs  upon  the  nai'ci-  the  conviction  that  the 
p.irt  v>  hieh  the  traders  Vicre  obliged  to  play  i'.  this  controversy  was  nif)ru 
ililiicidt  than  that  of  the  priest^  and  that  t'lc  ''ormer  were  perfectly  honest  in 
attempting  to  avoid  all  (•omplications.  Tlie  charges  advanced  by  ndssion- 
avics,  of  being  starved  and  forced  to  pick  up  their  f<iod  on  the  beach  while 
IJaranof  and  his  favorites  feasted  upon  the  fat  of  tlie  land,  is  not  sustained  by 
F,ac!i  critdible  witnes.ses  as  lieutenants  Khvostof  autl  Davidof  and  other  nav.d 
o'lUcers  then  entering  the  employ  of  the  llussian-American  Company,  v.ho 
all  testiiied  to  the  fact  that  Daranof  and  hi.i  favored  leaders  shared  all  jiriva- 
tions  with  their  subordinates.  At  the  very  time  when  I(wssaf  complained 
in  his  letter  of  Baranof 'a  delay  in  erecting  a  church  or  chapel,  the  latter, 
tlu'urh  lacking  time,  men,  and  means  to  employ  in  church  building  just  then, 
donated  1,."<0U  roubles  from  his  own  salary  for  the  purpose.  Id.,  i.  oO,  and  ii. 
api).  IJJ-I. 


' 


lii 


i    ! 


I! 


f  w 

It 


W 


864 


COLONIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 


r  -I 


exaggerated.  No  .supplies  of  provisions  had  arrived 
with  the  missionaries,  who,  to  a  certain  extent,  were 
responsible  for  their  own  privations,  having  feasted 
and  lived  in  too  great  abu^dance  during  their  deten- 
tion on  the  coast  of  Sibei  la  and  on  the  sea  voyage. 

In  the  spring  of  1795  the  missionaries,  witli  one 
exception,  proceeded  to  the  mainland,  there  to  labor 
with  but  indifferent  success  among  the  native  tribes 
not  previously  approached  by  the  pioneers  of  Mus- 
covite civilization. 

At  Unalaska  and  the  neighboring  islands  Father 
Makar,  though  meeting  with  little  opposition  from  the 
few  promyshleniki  remaining  there, labored  with  appar- 
ent succoss.^^  The  natives  were  now  thoroughly  sub- 
dued, and  hundreds  of  them  had  been  carried  away  tf) 
join  the  hunting  parties  of  Baranof  Their  territory 
n(j  longer  afforded  sites  for  profitable  stations,  and  they 
were  left  almost  to  theniselves.  An  indifference  bor- 
dering on  apathy  had  succeeded  to  the  formei  warlike 
spirit  of  the  Aleuts,  who  in  earlier  days  had  wreaked 
d're  vengeance  upon  their  Russian  oppressors  when- 
ever opportunity  offered.  It  is  impossible  to  ascer- 
tain wlictlicr  Makar  was  really  an  eloquent  preacher 
of  tlie  gospel,  or  whether  his  success  was  solely  due  to 
circumstances;  but  success  he  certainly  had.  In  a  few 
years  nearly  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  \.leutian  Isles 
wore  baptized  and  duly  reported  to  the  holy  synod  as 
voluntary  converts  and  good  Christians.  The  circum- 
stance that  no  attempt  was  made  to  translate  the  con- 
fession of  faith,  or  any  portion  of  the  scripture  or 
ritual,  into  the  native  lanij^uacje  at  that  earlv  time,  sug- 
gcsts  serious  doubts  as  to  the  agency  of  eloquence 
and  argument  in  this  wholesale  conversion.  When 
Veniaminof  entered  upon  his  missionary  career  on  tiie 

'-  Tlie  father  appenra  to  have  been  a  somewhat  medtlleaome  ecclesiastic. 
In  .icopy  of  an  impci'ial  res-cript  issued  a  few  years  later,  wo  read:  '  Tlie  monk 
Makar,  mIio  has  exceeded  the  boiinda  of  his  duties  and  meddled  with  allairs 
tliiib  dill  not  concern  liini,  is  hereby  informed  that  tiiongh  wo  pardon  liini  thia 
tli!;c  for  aliaentiiig  himself  wilfully  from  his  appointed  post  of  duty,  he  must 
noG  repeat  the  oH'cnee,  and  must  allow  conipluints  made  by  the  Aleutiaus  to 
go  tnroUi;h  their  pro^iur  channel.'  /(/.,  173. 


*  ■    ! 


AN  UNLUCKY  BISHOP. 


865 


islancls  twenty  years  later,  he  found  the  people  Chris- 
tians by  name,  but  was  compollecl  to  begin  from  the 
joundation  the  work  of  enlightenment  and  explanation 
of  the  creed  in  which  they  had  been  baptized  by 
r^Iakar. 

With  the  death  of  Shelikof  the  missionaries  lost 
their  principal  support,  and  no  further  attenn)t  was 
made  to  extend  their  operations  until  the  archiman- 
di  ite  loassaf  was  recalled  to  Irkutsk  by  order  of  the 
synod,  in  order  to  be  consecrated  as  bishop.  Ho 
started  upon  his  journey  full  of  ambitious  plans,  and 
with  the  determination  to  make  use  of  his  new  dijjf- 
nity  in  overcoming  all  opposition,  real  or  imaginary,  on 
the  part  of  his  persecutors.  Visions  of  building  up 
an  ecclesiastical  empire  in  Russian  America  may  have 
gladdened  his  soul  after  years  of  suffering  and  humil- 
iation; but  whatever  his  ambitious  dreams  may  have 
been,  they  must  have  lost  much  in  scope  and  vivid- 
ness long  before  he  embarked  in  the  Feniks  a  second 
time,  not  to  return  in  splendor  to  the  scene  of  former 
misery,  but  to  find  a  watery  grave  at  some  unknown 
point  within  a  few  days'  sail  of  his  destination. 

Prominent  among  the  missionaries  who  accompa- 
nied the  archimandrite  was  Father  Juvenal,  who  in 
1795  was  sent  to  Yakutat  Bay,  probably  to  draw 
j)lans  for  Baranof,  and  on  his  return  conmienced  to 
labor  ot  Kadiak  as  a  priest  and  teacher.  "With  the 
help  of  God,"  he  writes  from  Three  Saints  Har- 
bor on  June  19,  179G,  "a  school  was  opened  to-day 
at  this  place,  the  first  since  the  attempt  of  the  late 
Mr  Shelikof  to  instruct  the  natives  of  this  neighbor- 
hood. Eleven  boys  and  several  grown  men  were  in 
attendance.  When  I  read  prayers  they  seemed  very 
attentive,  and  were  evidently  deeply  impressed,  though 
they  did  not  understand  the  language."  On  the  fol- 
lowing day  two  more  youths  were  placed  under  his 
charge,  and  "when  school  was  closed,"  continues  the 
father,  "I  went  to  the  river  with  my  boys,  and  with 


ii 


SGG 


COLONIZATION  AND  Mi.^SIONS. 


lip 

''*m 


tlio  ])clp  of  God  wo  caiij]flit  ovie  hundred  and  tliroo  f-al- 
nion  of  large  size,  which  some  of  the  women  assisted 
lis  in  cutting  up  ready  for  drying."'''  Other  sdiolai-s 
were  quickly  enrolled,  and  though  the  })upils  had  an 
unpleasant  trick  of  running  off  without  ceremony  t;) 
trade  furs  whenever  opportunity  offered,  all  went  well 
until  the  12th  of  July,  when  Baranof  arrived  at  tlu; 
settlement,  with  instructions  from  the  bishop  of 
Irkutsk  that  Juvenal  should  proceed  to  Ilyamna  sta- 
tion. 

On  the  following  sabbath  the  priest  celebrated 
divine  service  for  the  last  time  at  Three  Saints.  A 
biief  description  of  the  ceremony  may  not  be  without 
interest:  "  We  had  a  very  solemn  and  impressi\  (> 
service  this  morning.  Mr  Baranof  and  officers  and 
sailors  from  the  ship  attended,  and  also  a  large  num- 
ber of  natives.  We  had  fine  singing,  and  a  congrega- 
tion with  great  outward  appearance  of  devotion.  I 
could  not  help  but  marvel  at  Alexander  Alexandre- 
ievitch  [Baranof],  who  stood  there  and  listened  and 
crossed  himself,  gave  the  responses  at  the  proper  tinu;, 
and  joined  in  the  singing  with  the  same  hoarse  voice 
with  which  he  was  shouting  obscene  sonsj^s  the  nii>'lit 
before,  when  I  saw  him  in  the  midst  of  a  drunken 
carousal  with  a  woman  seated  in  his  lap.  I  dispensed 
with  services  in  the  afternoon,  because  the  traders 
were  drunk  again,  and  might  have  disturbed  us  and 
disgusted  the  natives." 

The  next  day  Juvenal  repaired  to  Baranof 's  tent  to 
inquire  what  disposition  was  to  be  made  of  the  [)upil.) 
under  his  charge.  The  reply  was  that  tliey  were  to 
bo  removed  to  Pavlovsk,  where  Father  Gorman  had 
arrived  and  opened  a  school  for  girls;  he  would  doubt 
less  bo  willing  to  take  the  boys  also. 

^^Jour.,  MS.,  1-2.  Of  the  visit  of  some  strangers  who  came  from  Tugi- 
dak  Island  to  trade,  he  relates  the  following:  '  They  asked  mo  if  I  could  tiiio 
a  man  when  ho  was  very  sick,  and  I  answered  that  with  the  help  of  God  I 
mi^dit.  At  this  they  siiruggod  their  shoulders,  and  one  man  said:  "  We  have 
a  shaman  at  home  who  oucc  brought  a  dead  mau  back  to  life;  and  ho  did  it 
ail  alone."'  /c/.,  9. 


JUVENAL'S  TROUBLES. 


3G7 


After  blessing  hix  flock  and  takinjjf  leave  of  tlieiu 
one  by  one,  the  priest  embarked  for  Pavlovsk  on  the 
Kith  of  July  on  board  che  brigantine  Catherine,  where, 
lie  tells  us,  the  cabin  being  taken  up  by  Baranof  and 
liis  party,  he  was  shown  a  small  space  in  the  hold 
between  some  bales  of  goods  and  a  pile  of  dried  fish. 
In  this  dark  and  noisome  berth,  by  the  liglit  of  a 
w  retched  lantern,  he  wrote  a  portion  of  his  journal, 
(iltou  disturbed  by  the  ribald  songs  which  the  chief 
uiaiiager's  attendants  sang  for  his  amusement.  On 
l!ie  second  day  of  the  voyage  a  strong  head  wind  set 
ill,  accompanied  with  a  heavy  chopping  sea.  Baranof, 
being  out  of  humor,  sent  for  the  father  and  asked  him 
wliether  he  had  blessed  the  ship.  On  being  told  that 
ho  liad  done  so,  he  was  ordered  with  many  curses  to 
liglit  a  taper  before  an  image  of  Nikolai  Ugodnik, 
which  hung  in  the  cabin.  Juvenal  complied  without 
a  word,  and  then  retired  to  his  berth,  which,  foul  as  it 
was,  he  preferred  to  the  company  of  the  chief  man- 
ager. The  gale  continued  over  night,  and  at  daybreak 
tlio  vessel  was  out  of  siglit  of  land,  whereupon  in  pres- 
ence of  the  sailors  and  passengers  Baranof  spoke  of 
the  priest  as  a  second  Jonah,  and  observed  that  there 
were  plenty  of  whales  about,  x^ll  this  time  the  lat- 
ti.'r  was  unable  to  partake  of  food,  and,  as  he  says, 
was  buried  under  a  heap  of  dried  fish  whenever  the 
vessel  rolled  heavily. 

At  Pavlovsk,  Juvenal  noticed  the  great  activity  in 
building,  which  was  not  even  interrupted  on  the  sab- 
bath. On  the  fourth  day  after  his  arrival  he  took 
his  leave  of  Baranof,  who  promised  him  a  passage  in 
his  fleet  of  bidarkas  as  far  as  St  George  on  the  gulf 
of  Kenai,  but  told  him  that  afterward  he  must  depend 
on  the  Lebedef  Comjiany,  whose  traders,  he  added 
with  a  malicious  grin,  "were  little  better  than  robbers 
and  murderers."-* 

'*  During  his  stay  at  Pavlovak  Juvenal  was  lodged  in  a  half-finished  hub 
intended  for  a  salt-Iiuuse,  where  swarms  of  mosquitoes  deprived  him  of  rest. 
Ikforo  his  departure  ho  liad  an  interview  with  Fatiier  German,  who,  ho  says, 
waa  ou  the  best  terms  with  liaruuof.     When  asked  wliether  ho  had  any  ma- 


308 


COLONIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 


After  .1  tedious  passage  from  island  to  island,  some- 
times meeting  with  long  delays,  the  priest  reached 
the  Kaknu  or  Kenai  River,  where  was  the  nearest 
station  of  the  Lebedef  Company,  on  the  11th  (»f 
August.  Here,  notwithstanding  Baranof's  warning, 
he  met  with  the  first  signs  of  religious  observance 
bv  promyshleniki  during  his  travels  in  the  colonies.-'^ 
During  his  stay  of  about  a  fortnight  he  married  sev- 
eral couples,  baptized  a  number  of  infants  and  adults, 
and  at  intervals  held  divine  service,  which  was  well 
attended.-^ 

Soon,  however,  the  religious  ardor  cooled,  and  so 
little  interest  did  the  natives  take  in  the  missionary 
that,  when  ready  to  depart,  he  found  it  difficult  to  ob- 
tain men  and  bidarkas  to  take  him  across  the  inlet  to 
his  destination.  At  last  one  morning  after  service  ho 
appealed  to  the  natives  for  men  to  assist  him  across 
the  water,  telling  them  that  he  must  go  to  the  Ily- 
amna  country  to  preach  the  new  word  to  the  people, 
who  had  never  yet  heard  it.  Thereupon  an  old  man 
arose  and  remarked  that  he  ought  not  to  go;  that  the 
Kenaitze  people  had  been  the  friends  of  the  Russians 
for  long  years,  and  had  a  better  right  to  have  a  priest 
among  them  than  the  Ilyamnas,  who  were  very  bad. 
The  missionary,  in  his  journal,  confessed  that  he  was 
puzzled  for  a  fitting  reply  to  this  argument.  On  the 
25th,  however,  he  set  out  from  the  station,  accom- 
panied by  two  men  from  Chekituk  village, 

A  delay  was  again  occasioned  by  his  guides  indulg- 
ing in  a  seal-hunt  on  Kalgin  Island,  situated  midway 

iron  in  charge  of  his  school  for  girls,  German  laughed  and  said  there  xras  no 
need  of  one.  'I  intended,'  writes  Juvenal,  'to  recommend  my  boys  at  Three 
Saints  Harlior  to  the  special  attention  of  Father  German,  but  his  repulsive 
manner  caused  me  to  change  my  intention,  and  now  I  pray  that  the  poor  little 
fellows  may  never  be  intrusted  to  his  care. '  Id. ,  24-5. 

'■^  Juvenal  writes:  'Stepan  Laduiguin  is  the  trader  for  the  Lebedef-Las- 
tochkiu  Company,  and  he  has  with  liim  four  other  Russians  and  nearly  a  Iran- 
died  Kenaitze,  wlio  are  all  Christians.  Ignatiy  Terentief,  one  of  the  Russians, 
roads  prayei's  on  the  sabbatli,  but  no  priest  has  visited  the  place  since  the 
archimandrite's  arbitration. '  /(/. ,  40. 

*  During  this  time  several  chocks  of  eartbcluake  occurred,  and  a  stabbing 
affray  between  two  natives,  v«hicli  was  punished  by  flogging  both  oiienders 
kovcrcly. 


MISSIONARY  WORK. 


860 


in  the  inlot,  and  the  western  sh(>'*e  was  not  n.^aclied 
till  the  29th.  On  tlie  ;30th  lie  writes:  "This  nioriiinir 
two  natives  eunie  out  of  the  forest  ui id  shouted  to  uiy 
coiiipanions.  Two  of  the  latter  went  out  to  meet 
tliein.  There  was  a  jjreat  deal  of  talkinj;  before  the 
.strangers  concluded  to  come  to  our  tents.  When  they 
came  at  last,  and  I  was  i)ointed  out  to  them  as  the 
mail  who  was  to  live  among  them,  they  wished  to  see 
my  goods.  I  encountered  some  difficulty  in  making 
then)  understand  that  I  am  not  here  to  trade  and  bar- 
ter, and  have  nothing  for  sale.  Finally,  when  they 
Avere  told  that  I  had  come  among  them  to  make  better 
111(11  of  them,  one  of  them,  named  Katlewah,  the 
hiother  of  a  chief,  said  he  was  glad  of  that,  as  they 
had  many  bad  men  among  the  Ilyamna  |)eo])lo,  espe- 
cially his  brother.  The  two  savages  have  agreed  to 
carry  my  chattels  for  mo  to  their  village,  but,  to  sat- 
isiy  Katlewah,  I  was  compelled  to  open  every  bundle 
.'uid  show  him  the  contents.  I  did  not  like  the  greedy 
glitter  in  his  eye  when  he  saw  and  felt  of  my  vest- 
ments." 

On  the  3d  of  September  the  party  reached  Il- 
yamna village,  after  a  fatiguing  journey  over  the 
iiiouiitains  and  a  canoe  voyage  on  the  lake.  Shakmut, 
the  chief,  received  the  missionary  with  friendly  words, 
interpreted  by  a  boy  named  Xikita,  who  had  been  a 
liostage  with  the  Ilussians.  He  invited  him  to  his 
own  Jiouse,  and  on  the  [)riest's  expressing  a  wish  for 
a  s(>parate  residence,  promised  to  have  one  built  for 
liiiii,  and  allowed  him  ti^  retain  Xikita  in  his  service, 
rinding  that  the  latter,  though  living  with  the  Kus- 
sians  for  years,  had  not  been  ba[)tized,  Juvenal  ])er- 
f  iniied  that  ceremony  at  the  first  opportunity,  before 
tile  astonished  natives,  who  regarded  it  as  sorcery, 
and  one  asked  whether  Xikita  would  live  many  days.'^ 

-'  Under  date  of  September  5th,  Juvenal  writes:  '  It  will  be  a  relief  to  got 
nuay  from  the  crowded  I"  juseot  the  chief,  where  persons  of  itll  ages  and  sexes 
iiiin^lo  without  any  regard  to  decency  or  inorals.  To  my  utter  astonishment 
Sli.^kmut  asked  mo  last  night  to  share  the  couch  of  one  of  his  wives.  Ho 
has  three  or  four.  I  suppose  such  abomination  is  the  custom  of  the  couu- 
Hist.  Ai.a8Ka.    U 


370 


COLONIZATION  AND  MISSIONS. 


Juvonal's  success  was  not  roniaikablo,  to  ju(li,'i; 
from  his  diary.  Oiio  younj^  woman  asked  to  be  b.)])- 
tized  like  the  boy  Nikita,  expressiii;Lf  tlie  liope  that 
then  she  could  also  live  in  tiie  new  house  with  tlid 
missionary.  An  old  woman  brout^ht  two  boys,  stat- 
ing that  they  were  orphans  who  had  nobody  to  care 
for  them,  and  that  she  would  like  to  see  them  baptized, 
"to  change  their  luck."  Tiie  chief  Shaknmt  also 
promised  to  consider  the  question  of  embracing  Cinis- 
tianity,  and  for  some  reason  he  did  so  promise  in  the 
])rescnce  of  the  whole  tribe,  and  amidst  great  feasting 
and  rejoicing.  Tw-  servants  and  one  of  his  wives 
were  included  in  the  ceremony,  the  priest  not  daiin.;' 
to  refuse  them  on  the  ground  tliat  they  had  received 
no  instmctions,  for  fear  of  losing  the  advantage  which 
the  chief's  exam[)le  might  give  him  in  his  future 
work.^^ 

The  conversion  of  the  chief  had  not,  hovv^ever,  the 
desired  effect;  it  only  led  to  dissensions  among  the 
people,  and  when  the  priest  began  to  tell  the  converts 

try,  and  lie  intended  no  insult.  God  gave  mo  grace  to  overcome  my  indigna- 
tion, .iiid  decline  tlie  often  in  a  friendly  and  dignified  manner.  My  lir.st  duty, 
when  1  liavo  soniewliat  mastered  the  language,  shall  bo  to  preach  a^'ainst  Buch 
wicked  practices,  but  I  could  not  touch  upon  such  subjects  through  a  boy  in- 
terpreter.' I(l.,ii't~Q. 

**  Juvenal  evidently  had  no  faith  in  his  convert,  as  livinced  in  the  follow- 
ing extracts  from  his  journal,  p.  04-7:  '  Sluikmut  comes  regularly  for  instruc- 
tion, but  I  iiavo  my  doubts  of  liis  sincerity.  In  order  to  givo  more  solemnity 
to  the  occasion,  he  has  concluded  to  have  two  of  his  servants  or  slaves  bapLi/.id 
also.  They  only  come  at  his  connnand,  of  course,  but  I  nmst  bear  with  :i 
great  deal  until  tins  conversion  has  become  an  accomplished  fact.  Katlcwah, 
the  chief's  brother,  called  upon  mo  to-day,  and  repeated  that  ho  was  glad 
that  Shakmut  M\ns  to  be  baptized,  for  he  was  very  bad,  and  if  I  made  h.ni  a 
good  man,  he  and  all  the  llyammi  people  would  rejoice  and  bo  baptized  al-o. 
1  do  not  like  this  way  of  tcstiri^  the  eHi,'acy  of  Christianity;  only  a  miiac'o 
of  Gotl  could  effect  such  a  sudil'ii  .-hango  in  Shakmut'a  he.art.'  It  was  inak- 
ing  altogether  too  practical  nr.d  lit  .r  i  a  matter  of  conversion  to  suit  the  good 
Juvenal.  On  Septeml)cr  2lst  he  wcites:  'The  great  step  which  is  to  lay  the 
foundation  of  future  success  i*^'  'i',  labors  has  been  taken.  The  chief  of  t!io 
Ilyamnas  has  been  Iwiptized,  witli  two  of  his  slaves  and  one  of  his  wives,  'i'ljc 
latter  came  forward  at  the  last  moment,  but  I  tlared  not  refuse  her  for  fear  of 
stopping  the  whole  ceremony.  Shakmut  was  gorgeously  arrayed  in  dcii- 
skin  robes  nearly  covereil  with  costly  beads.  Katlewah  asked  mo  if  his 
brother  would  bo  allowed  to  wear  such  clothes  as  a  Russian,  and  when  I  le- 
plied  in  the  atBrmativc  the  fellow  seemed  disappointed.  I  do  not  like  eitlicr 
of  the  brothers;  it  is  dillicult  to  say  whether  the  new  Christian  or  the  pagan 
is  the  worse.  I  gave  the  name  of  Alexander  to  the  chief,  telling  him  that  it 
was  the  name  of  his  majesty,  the  emperor,  at  which  he  seemed  to  feel  llattered  ' 


YIELDING  TO  TEMPTATION. 


371 


to  ju<l;4'^ 
:o  bo  Ikiji- 
lopo  that 

with  tli.^ 
>()ys,  stat- 
ly  to  care- 
I  l)a|>ti/AMi, 
vuiut  alsi) 
in«r  Chris- 
iiisc  ill  tlio 
it  foastiu;^' 

liis  wivi's 
not  (Uiriii.;' 
ul  received 
tai^e  which 
his   future 

(wevor,  the 
auiong  the 
ic  converts 

inc  my  imli,!,Mi;i- 

My  lii'.st  iliiiy, 

ich  a^aiuHt  biK-li 

louijli  a  boy  iu- 


Let.     Katlowa 


that  they  must  put  away  tluir  secondary  wives,  the 
chief  and  others  hej^au  to  plot  his  downfall.  It  had 
hiMii  a  marvel  to  the  .savan;es  that  a  man  should  put 
a  hridle  U|>on  his  passions  and  live  in  celibacy,  but 
tlioir  wonder  was  minjj^leil  with  feelings  of  respect. 
To  overconjo  the  inlluence  which  the  missionary  was 
j^aiiiing  over  some  of  his  people,  Shakmut,  or  Alex- 
ander as  he  was  now  chiistened,  plotted  to  throw 
temptation  in  his  wjjy,  and  alas  for  Juvenal!  whoso 
})ii.stly  wrath  had  been  so  lately  roused  by  the  im- 
morality of  Baranof  and  his  godless  crew  of  promy- 
shleiiiki,  it  must  be  related  that  ho  fell.  In  the  dead 
of  night,  according  to  his  own  confession,  an  Ilyamna 
damsel  captured  him  by  storm." 

On  tho  day  after  this  incident,  the  outraged  ecclesi- 
astic received  a  visit  from  Katlewah,  who  expressed 
a  wish  to  be  baptized  on  tho  following  sabbath.  "I 
can  tell  by  his  tnanner,"  writes  tho  ])riest  on  Septem- 
ber 2Gtli,  "that  ho  knows  of  my  disgrace,  tiiough  he 
did  not  say  anything.  When  I  walked  to  the  forest 
to-day  to  cut  some  wood,  I  heard  two  girls  laughing 
at  me,  behind  my  back;  and  in  tho  morning,  when  I 
was  making  a  wooden  bolt  for  the  door  of  my  sleej)- 
iiiLT-room,  a  woman  looked  in  and  laughed  rhAit  into 
my  face.  She  may  be  the  one  who  caused  my  fall, 
for  it  was  dark  and  I  never  saw  her  countenance. 
Alexander  visited  me,  also,  and  insisted  upon  having 

■■"  I  quote  from  the  journal,  p.  C9-70,  the  father's  own  acconnt  of  tho 
nir.ttcf:  'September  2.")th.  With  a  trembling  hand  I  write  tlio  sad  occur- 
roiices  of  the  past  day  and  night.  Mncli  rather  I  wouhl  leave  the  dis<,'raeefiil 
Ktory  untold,  Imt  I  must  overcome  my  «)\vn  shame  and  mortification,  .-md 
write  it  down  as  a  warning  to  otlier  missionaries  who  may  come  after  me.  I-iist 
nii'ht  I  retired  at  my  usual  hour,  alter  ])rayer  with  tho  boys  M'ho  sleep  in 
another  room.  In  tlie  middle  of  the  night  I  awoke  to  find  myself  in  tlm 
arms  of  a  woman  whose  fiery  embraces  excited  me  to  such  on  extent  tluit 
I  fell  a  victim  to  lust,  and  a  grievous  sin  was  committed  before  I  couid  extri- 
c:ito  myself.  As  soon  as  I  regained  my  senses  I  drove  the  womaj'  out.  but  I 
fcit  too  guilty  to  be  very  harsli  with  her.  Wliata  terrible  blow  this  is  to  all 
my  recent  hopes!  How  can  I  hold  up  my  head  among  the  people,  who,  of 
course,  will  hear  of  thisaft'air?  I  am  not  sure,  even,  that  tho  boys  in  tho 
ailjoinint;  room  were  not  awakened  by  the  noise.  God  is  my  witness  that  I 
have  set  down  the  truth  here  in  the  face  of  anything  that  may  be  said  al)out 
it  hereafter.  I  have  kept  myself  secluded  to-day  from  everybody.  I  have 
not  yet  the  strength  to  face  the  world.' 


COLONIZATIOX  AND  MISSIONS. 


I'  h 


If* 


his  wives  1)aj)tizc(l  next  Sunday.  I  had  no  spirit  hh 
to  contest  the  matter  with  hiuj,  and  consented;  hut  1 
shall  not  shrink  from  my  duty  to  make  him  relinquisli 
all  hut  one  wit)  when  the  proper  time  arrives.  If  1 
M'ink  at  polyj^^ainy  now,  I  shall  he  forever  unahle  to 
comhat  it.  Perhaps  it  is  oidy  imagination,  hut  I 
think  I  can  discover  a  lack  of  respect  in  Nikita's  he- 
havior  toward  me  since  yesterday."  Continuing  his 
journal  on  the  27th,  he  adds:  "My  disgrace  has  he- 
come  puhlic  already,  and  I  am  laughed  at  wherever  I 
go,  especially  hy  the  women.  Of  course  they  do  not 
understand  the  sin^  hut  rather  look  upon  it  as  a  good 
joke.  It  will  require  great  firnmess  on  my  part  t » 
I'egain  what  respect  I  have  lost  for  m^'self  as  well  as 
on  hehalf  of  the  church.  I  have  vowed  to  hurn  no 
fuel  in  my  hedroom  during  the  whole  winter,  in  ordcv 
to  chastise  my  hody — a  nnld  punishment,  indeed, 
compared  to  the  hlackness  of  my  sin." 

The  next  day  ^vas  Sunday.  "  With  a  heavy 
heart,"  says  Juvenal,  "  Init  with  a  firm  })urpose,  I  ha})- 
ti.'^ed  Katlowah  and  his  familv,  the  three  wives  of 
the  chief,  seven  children,  and  one  aged  couple.  Un- 
der any  other  circumstances  such  a  rich  harvest  vv'ouM 
have  filled  me  with  joy,  hut  I  am  filled  with  gloom." 
Tn  the  evening  he  called  on  Alexander  and  found  him 
and  his  wives  carousing  together.  Notwithstanding 
his  recent  downfall,  the  [)riest's  wrath  was  kindled,  and 
throun'h  Nikita  he  informed  the  chief  that  he  nuist 
marry  one  of  his  wives  according  to  the  rites  of  the 
church,  and  put  away  the  rest,  or  ho  forever  danmed. 
Alexander  now  hecame  angry  in  his  turn  and  hade  him 
h'a\e  the  house.  On  his  way  home  he  met  Katlewah," ' 
who  rated  him  soundly,  declaring  that  he  had  lied  to 
tliem  all,  for  "his  hrother  was  as  had  as  ever,  and  no 
good  had  come  of  any  of  his  haptisms." 

The  career  of  Father  Juvenal  was  now  ended,  and 
the  little  that  remains  to  he  said  is  host  told  in  his  own 


'"  Baptized  luuler  the  name  of  Grcgor. 


MURDER  OF  FATHER  JITV^EXAL. 


373 


words  :  "  September  20th.  The  chief  and  his  brother 
have  both  been  here  this  morninfj^  and  abused  nie 
shamefully.  Their  language  I  could  not  understand, 
liut  they  spat  in  my  face,  and  what  was  worse,  U]K)n 
the  sacred  images  on  the  walls.  Katlewah  seized  my 
vestments  and  carried  them  off,  and  I  was  left  bleed- 
ing from  a  blow  struck  with  an  ivory  club^^  by  the 
chief  Nikita  has  bandaged  and  washed  my  wounds; 
but  from  his  anxious  manner  I  can  see  that  I  am  still 
in  danger.  The  other  boys  have  run  away.  ^ly 
wound  pains  me  so  that  I  can  scarcely — "  Here  the 
manuscript  journal  breaks  off,  and  probably  the  mo- 
ment after  the  last  line  was  penned  his  assassins  en- 
tered and  completed  their  work  by  stabbing  him  to 
the  heart. ^"    This  at  least  was  his  fate,  as  represented 

"  Such  as  are  used  to  kill  salmon  and  seals. 

'-  Klilcbnikof,  the  liiograplier  of  15iirauof,  simply  states  that  Juvenal  wt.nt 
among  the  Aglogniutes  aioiio,  and  that  it  is  not  (lodnitcly  known  whfii  nv 
whi'ii!  lie  was  killo<l  by  the  savages.  Vcniaminof  says:  'The  cause  of  his 
death  was  not  so  much  that  ho  jirohibited  polygiimy,  as  the  fact  that  tlie 
chiots  and  prominent  natives,  having  given  him  tlieir  children  to  bo  educntid 
at  Kadiak,  repented  of  their  action,  and  failing  to  recover  them,  turned 
against  him  and  tinally  slew  him  as  a  deceiver.  They  declare  that,  during 
tiie  attack  of  the  savages,  .luvenal  never  thought  of  (light  or  self-defence,  but 
surrendered  himself  into  their  hands  without  resistance,  asking  only  for  mercy 
for  his  companions.  The  natives  lelato  that  the  missionary,  after  being  kill  d, 
rose  up  and  fo!!owe«l  his  murderers,  asking.  Why  do  yon  clo  this?  Thereupon 
the  savages,  thinking  lie  was  still  alive,  fell  upon  and  beat  him;  but  ho  again 
.■nose  and  approached  them.  1'his  happened  several  times.  Finally  they  tut 
liini  in  pieces,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  iiim,  and  then  the  preacher  of  tiie  word 
(if  (!od,  who  may  be  called  a  martyr,  was  silent.  But  the  same  natives  tell 
us  that,  from  the  place  where  his  remains  lay,  a  column  of  smoke  arose,  reaih- 
i:ig  to  heaven.  How  long  this  apparition  listed  is  not  known.'  Z<ti>iik'i, 
iii,u(t.l(i.thk,  ld.")-G.  Other  Russian  writers,  as  IJerg  and  Da  v'idof,  affirm  that 
ho  was  killed  near  Lake  Ilynmna,  bo  iiuse  he  j. reached  too  vigorously  against 
imlygamy.  Dall,  Alaska,  317,  whose  vork,  .so  far  as  the  historical  part  of  it 
i<  roncoriied,  is  but  a  brief  conipend  uni  car^'osvly  compiled,  says  that  he  was 
lulled  while  in  the  act  of  preacl'i'g  t'>  the  natives.  I  have  before  me  a  trans- 
lation of  Juvenal's  own  jonrnii'..  /nini  .lune  10,  17!I0,  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
lis  Iwuidod  by  the  boy  Xikita  to  Veiiiauiinof,  and  by  him  to  liinokentius  Shas- 
uikof,  the  priest  at  LTnalaska.  The  toner  of  this  document,  the  authenticity 
of  which  I  have  no  reason  to  doubt,  is  siioh  as  to  iuijiress  on  the  reader  the 
oiiiiviction  that  Juvenal,  with  all  his  failings,  was  a  man  of  higher  character 
than  his  companions.  He  a])]iears,  however,  to  have  been  of  weak  iiitelloot, 
ami  his  blind  trust  in  providence  and  the  saints  sometimes  stands  out  in 
ludicrous  contrast  with  his  pitiful  lack  of  success  and  self-command.  WIhii 
visiting  B""  nof  to  inijuire  as  to  the  disposition  of  the  scholars  whom  ho  must 
k'ave  111  .'  !  atThroe  Saints,  ho  Ihnls  him  seated  in  fi'ont  of  his  tent  while  his 
si'vvnnt  was  preparing  tea.  '  He  did  not  ask  me  to  be  seated  or  to  partako  i  f 
toil,' writes  the  priest,  'thougli  it  was  nearly  a  year  since  I  hid  tasted  any. 
lie  only  asked  mo  gniUly  what  I  wanted  so  early  in  the  morning.'    After 


I 


r  i 


374 


COLOXIZATIOX  AND  MISSIONS. 


by  the  boy  Nikita,  wlio  oscnpcd  with  the  diary  and 
other  papers  to  a  Russian  settlement,  and  dehvered 
tlieni  into  tlie  liands  of  Father  Veniauiiiiot'  on  his  first 
visit  to  the  Nusheivak  villai^es. 

stating  that  the  boys  were  to  he  intrusted  to  the  charge  of  Father  German, wlio 
liail  opent'd  a,  girls'  school  at  Pavlov.sk,  Baranof  indulged  in  some  obsw-no 
jokes,  'which  put  him  into  such  good  iiumor  that  ho  finally  offered  mc  Puniu 
tea.  I  felt  that  I  ought  to  refuse  under  the  circumstjinces,  but  my  longing 
for  till'  beverage  was  too  strong.  I  degraded  niysolf  before  God  ;;n<l  man  for 
tiic  sake  of  a  drink  of  tea.  Jiefreshed,  but  ashamed  of  myself,  I  left  the 
wicked  man  to  ])ray  in  my  liumldo  retreat  for  strength  and  pride  in  the  sanc- 
tity of  my  calling.'  p.  18-'20.  Xevcrtheless  Juvenal's  cxpressiona  are  far 
more  elevated  in  tone,  temper,  and  diction  than  those  of  the  archimaudritc, 
a  few  of  whose  letters  arc  still  e.xtaut. 


i 


:: 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY. 

1790-1799. 

TnnrATRNEi)  ExiiArsTiov  of  the  SE.vr-FisnERiES— Special  Privileges 
Given  to  Siberian  Mi:rciiant.s — Siiklikof  Pethioxs  for  a  Grant  of 
TUB  Entire  North-west — He  is  Supported  ny  IIezaxof — Muilni- 
kof'h  Entkuprise — The  United  Amkimoan  Companv — Irs  Act  of  Cdn- 
holidation  Confirmed  iiy  Impeiual  Oukaz — And  its  Name  Changed 
to  the  IvPssiAN  American  Company — Text  of  the  Oukaz— OuLUiA- 
TI0N3  of  the  Company. 

It  will  be  romcinbercJ  that  after  Berini^  and  Clii- 
]il«;()f  had  diseovored  the  Aleutian  Islands  and  the 
iidjaecnt  coast  in  1741,  their  wealth  in  iiir-beariiiL;' 
animals  was  soon  made  known  to  Kurope  and  north- 
ern Asia.  Trading",  or,  as  they  were  termed,  'contri- 
bution' companies  were  quickly  formed;  some  of  the 
lirst  vessels  despatched  from  Okhotsk  returned  with 
c;u'tifoes  that  enricluid  their  owners  by  a  single  voyage; 
ai.ii  it  was  believed  that  in  tiui  far  north  a  nevei'-fail- 
'M'.;;  :^(Airce  of  riches  had  been  discovcnnl,  greater  and 
];!<!•  certain  than  the  mines  of  Espauola,  which  yielded 
^h"!'  millions  in  the  time  of  IJobadilla,  (»r  those  of 
V  u  <til!,'>  del  Oro,  where  lay,  as  the  great  navigator 
lien.  \eu,  the  viu'itable  0})hir  of  the  <lays  of  Solomon. 
Of  course  many  of  the  fur-hunters  found  oidy  a  i-rave 
wh(}rc  they  had  gone  in  quest  of  wealtli;  but,  like;  tlie 
iSpaniards  who  followed  Cortes  and  Pedro  de  Alva- 
]M(Io,  they  set  little  value  on  their  lives  or  on  those 
ol'  others.  Moreover,  the  faint-heaited  Aleuts  i)ll'ere(l 
no  such  resistance  as  was  encountered  by  the  cin- 
pierors  of  Mexico  and  (juatemalu.  The  promyshlciiii..i 

(J75) 


Vv, 


If 


3:g 


THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY. 


II 


II 


■I 

I 

ii  t 


could  easily  take  by  force  what  'hey  had  not  tlio 
money  to  buy,  or  what  the  natives  did  not  care  to 
sell.  They  had  no  fear  of  punishment.  liobbeiy, 
rape,  and  even  murder  could  be  committed  with  im- 
punity, for,  to  use  their  own  phrase,  "God  was  high 
above,  and  the  tzar  was  far  away." 

Thus  for  many  years  matters  were  allowed  to  take 
their  course;  but  toward  the  end  of  the  eiijhteeiith 
century  the  threatened  exhaustion  of  the  known 
sources  of  supply  caused  much  uneasiness  among  the 
Siberian  merchants  enQ:a<xed  in  the  fur  track?,  and 
some  of  them  endeavored  to  remedy  the  evil  by  solic- 
iting spi .  •'•1  nrivileges  from  the  government  for  the 
exclusive   '  to  certain   islands,  with   the   under- 

staixling  thai  fixed  percenta<>"e  of  the  j^ross  yield  — 
usualK  one  tenth — was  to  be  paid  into  the  public 
treasury.  Such  ])rivileges  were  ufranted  freely  enouLrh, 
but  it  was  another  matter  to  mako  the  numerou:-; 
hall'-pii-atical  traders,  who  roamed  Bering  Sea  and 
the  Xortli  l^icilic,  respect  or  even  pay  the  least  atten- 
tion to  them. 

The  encounters  which  took  place  between  rival  com- 
panies have  already  been  rekited,  and  now  only  two 
remained — the  Shelikof-Golikof  and  the  Lebedef- 
Ijastochkir..  The  fonner  had  established  itself  in 
Kadiak  by  force  of  arms,  and  Shelikof,  by  greatly 
exaggerating  the  importance  of  his  conquest,  and  np- 
resenting  that  he  had  added  iii'ty  thousand  subjects 
to  tlie  liussian  empire^  and  as  many  converts  to  tlie 
(Ire. 'k  cliurch,  had  so  worked  upon  the  authorities  at 
St  Petersburg  that  his  petition  for  exclusive  privileges 
for  his  company  was  favorably  received.  These  priv- 
ileges amounted  in  fact  to  a  grant  of  all  the  llussitui 
discoveries    in    north-western    America,  and   of  the 

islands  that  lay  between  them  and  the  coast  of  Asia, 

t/ 

'  Tlioro  lun-cr  wore  50,000  nativi'S  nt  Kittliak  nt  any  period  sul)?L'4ueiit  to 
its  ooii(|U(.'.st.  (lolovniii  o;<tini;iten  the  number  at  the  time  of  Slu  likni's  laml- 
in,'  at  I."). 000.  See  p.  .'iOti,  note,  tliia  vol,  U  hile  the  eenaus  vakeu  J)y  JJaran- 
(jf  "s  iirdri-,  in  the  winter  of  1705-0,  showed  only  0,'JOU  natives.  Tikhmi'mf, 
Jfitor.  Obon.,  i.  01. 


REZAXOF'S  PLANS. 


wt 


iiicliKliiig  also  the  Kuiile  Islands  and  the  coast  of 
Kanicluitka. 

Xikt>lai  llczanof,  of  whom  mention  has  already 
been  made,  and  who  later  becomes  a  prominent  li,L!;- 
ure  in  the  history  of  the  colonies,  making  Shelikof's 
acquaintance  at  St  Petersburg,  was  somewliat  im- 
pressed with  the  scope  of  his  plans.  A  man  of  parts 
and  ambition,  of  noble  birth  but  scant  patrimony,  he 
solicited  the  hand  of  Shelikof's  daughter  and  was 
accepted.  But  the  plans  of  Shelikof,  bt)ld  as  they 
sLH'med  to  many,  were  thrown  into  the  sliade  by 
those  of  his  son-in-law,  who  purposed  to  obtain  for 
himself  and  hit:  partners  in  America  rights  similar 
ti)  those  grantee  !  v  the  Englisli  government  to  the 
East  India  Company.  Matters  })rospcred  for  a  time. 
Shares  in  the  association  were  taken  by  members  t)f 
the  nobility,  and  alter  nrach  astute  intrigue  had  been 
brought  to  bear,  Catherine  II.  was  t)n  tlu*  point  ()f 
granting  a  charter,  when  her  decease  occurred  in 
171)0. 

]\Ieanwhile  Shelikof  had  returned  to  Irkutsk, 
wliere  he  died,  as  will  be  remembered,  in  1795. 
After  this  event,  his  wife  Natalia,  who  had  accom- 
jianied  her  husband  in  all  his  travels  in  the  wilds  of 
Siberia  and  even  to  Kadiak,  and  had  always  success- 
full  v  conducted  ^ior  husband's  business  during  his  ab- 
sencc,  at  once  undertook  the  management  of  aftairs, 
with  Rezanof  as  chief  adviser. 

During  the  year  1707  an  Irkutsk  merchant  named 
]\ruilnikof  organized  a  comi)an},  with  a  capital  of 
l'2'.i,000  roubles,  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  tho 
fur  trade;  but  fearing  that  his  capital  was  inadequate, 
;uid  that  complications  might  ensue  from  the  I'act  that 
Shelikof's  widow,  who  was  to  share  in  the  enter[)rise, 
was  interested  in  other  associations  already  perma- 
nently established,  Muilnikof  proposed  to  join  himself 
with  the  Shelikof  Conjpany.  Tho  offer  was  accepted, 
ail  agreement  made  which  included  all  the  partners, 
and  on  the  od  of  August,  171)8,  an  association,  inchul- 


)73 


THE  RUSSIAN  AMEKICAX  COMrANY. 


iir^  two  smaller  concerns,  and  known  as  the  Unltel 
American  Company,  was  organized  at  Irkutsk,"  with 
a  cajMtal  of  724,000  roubles,  divided  into  724  sluircs 
of  1,000  roubles  each.  All  hunters,  or  'small  traders' 
as  they  were  more  frequently  called,  in  llussiaa 
America  were  invited  to  become  partners  in  tliij 
company,  on  the  same  conditions  as  had  been  granted 
to  other  members,  and  were  forbidden  to  hunt  or 
trade  in  the  territory  claimed  by  the  company  with- 
out their  permission. 

If  we  can  believe  the  report  of  the  committee  on 
the  organization  of  the  Russian  xVmerican  colonies, 
made  l)y  ro^-al  permission  and  extending  back  to  the 
time  of  the  eailicsl  discoveries,  the  need  of  such  an 
institution  as  the  United  American  Company  was 
greatly  felt  by  the  government.  "Having  received 
inforniation  from  all  .sides,"  says  tliis  report,  "of  dis- 
orders, outrages,  and  op[)ressions  of  the  natives,  caused 
in  the  colonies  by  parties  of  Russian  hunters,  as  well 
as  of  groundless  claims  advanced  by  foreign  navi^a- 
tors  to  lands  discovered  by  Russians,  it  had  some  rea- 
son to  hope  that  [)lacing  the  business  of  that  distant 
rei^ion  in  the  hands  of  one  strong  company  wt)uld 
serve  on  the  one  hand  to  perpetuate  Russian  suprem- 
acy there,  anJ  on  the  other  would  prevent  man}'  dis- 
orders and  preserve  the  fur  trade,  the  principal  wealth 
of  the  country,  affording  protection  to  the  natives 
against  violence  and  abuse,  and  tendin;j[  toward  a  ijen- 
cral  improvement  of  their  condition." 

Nevertheless  it  was  at  first  feared  that  the  decease 
of  Catherine  II.  would  be  a  <leath-blow  to  the  ambi- 
tious schemes  of  the  Shelikof  party,  for  it  was  knovv  ii 
that  her  successor,  Paul  I.,  was  opposed  to  them.  But. 
Rezanof  never  for  a  moment  lost  heart,  and  with  tlio 
versatility  of  a  true  courtier,  quickly  adapted  himseU' 
to   the  change  of  circumstances.      He   had    been  a 

'Tho  nasociatiou  iiichulcil,  licsiJcs  the  Shelikof,  Golikof,  i;n<l  Mui'.iiikof 
campanios,  t'.io  American  and  Noi'lii-cnstcra  mul  t!ic  Xuithcin  r.iul  Kiirilo 
c  .nipauica.  J!rp:irt  on  Riis.-i.  A  nu  r.  ('  lojiif',  ^IS. ,  \  i.  \',].  Tli?  full  text  v( 
tiic  ucu  of  cuiiiioiiilalio.!  id  jjivoii  iu  Cioluvuin,  Jlali)\altii,  i.  0>J-(>3. 


IMPERI^U.  OUKAZ. 


373 


fliitliful  servant  to  the  pleasure-loving  empress,  and 
lie  now  beeanio  a  constant  comj)anion  and  attemlant 
ii[)on  the  feeble-minded  man  who  wore  the  crown. 
So  successfLd  were  his  eilbrts,  that  on  the  lUh  of 
August,  1790,  the  act  of  consolidation  of  the  United 
American  Company  was  confirmed  by  imperial  oukaz, 
and  the  association  then  received  the  name  of  the 
llus.slan  American  Company.  "By  the  same  oukaz,"^ 
continues    the   re[)ort   above  quoted,  "the   company 


'  The  following  is  a  literal  translation  of  the  oukaz  granted  by  Paul  I.  to  tlie 
Russian  American  Company,  taken  from  (tolovniii.  in  Materialiii,  i.  77-80: 

'Uy  tlie  f,'raceuf  a  merciful  tioil,  we,  Paul  tlio  First,  emperor  and  autocrat 
of  all  tlio  lUissias,  etc.  To  tlic  Prussian  American  Company  under  our  Iii^licst 
jii-oiection.  The  lieneiits  and  advantages  resulting  to  our  cm])iro  from  tlio 
luuiliii;}  and  trading  carried  (>n  by  our  loyal  subject  on  the  north-eas'.crn  sein 
anil  along  the  coasts  of  America  liavo  attraetcil  our  rt)yal  attentiou  and  con- 
i^i.icration;  therefore,  liaving  taken  under  our  immeiliato  protection  a  company 
or;.'ani;!ed  for  the  above-named  purposo  of  carrying  oa  hunting  and  trading, 
vo  allow  it  to  assume  t!ic  appellation  of  "Russian  American  Company  under 
o;ir  highest  protection;"  and  for  the  purposo  of  aiding  tho  eomjiany  in  iis  <  n- 
tirprises,  we  allow  the  coiniuanders  of  our  land  and  8ca  forces  to  cm]'lny  said 
forces  in  the  company's  aid  if  occasion  rccpiires  it,  while  for  further  relief  and 
assistance  of  said  company,  and  having  examined  their  rules  and  regulations, 
we  hereby  declare  it  to  be  our  highest  imperial  will  to  grant  to  this  company 
for  a  period  of  "JO  years  tho  following  rights  and  privileges: 

'I.  l>y  the  right  of  discovery  in  past  times,  by  Russian  navigators  of  tho 
rortli-easteru  part  of  America,  beginning  from  tho  Ootli  degree  of  north  lati- 
tude and  of  the  chain  of  islands  extending  from  Kamchatka  to  tho  north  to 
America,  and  southward  to  Japan,  and  by  right  of  possession  of  tho  same  by 
Russia,  we  most  graciously  permit  tho  company  to  have  tho  use  of  all  liniiting- 
grounds  and  establishments  now  existing  on  the  north-eastern  [sic,  this  blun- 
der is  made  all  through  tho  document]  coast  of  America,  from  the  above 
iiientioned  5.")tli  degree  t^)  Bering  Strait,  and  on  tho  same  also  on  the  Aleu- 
tian. Kurile,  find  other  islands  situated  in  the  north-eastern  ocean. 

'  II.  To  make  new  discoveries  not  only  north  of  tho  .Ooth  degree  of  nortli 
latitude,  but  farther  to  tho  south,  and  to  occupy  the  new  lands  discovered, 
as  liussiau  posjcssioiis,  according  to  prescribed  rules,  if  they  have  not  been 
picvi.Hislyoceupiedbyany  other  nation,  or  been  dependent  on  another  nation. 

'111.  To  use  and  prolit  by  everything  which  has  been  or  shall  be  dis- 
covered in  thoso  localiiies,  on  tho  surface uud  iu  tho  bosom  of  tho  earth,  with- 
out any  competition  by  others. 

'  IV.  Wo  most  graciously  pennit  this  company  to  establish  settlements  in 
future  times,  wherever  they  arc  wanted,  according  to  their  best  knowledge 
nnd  lielief,  and  foi'tify  them  to  insure  the  .safety  of  tho  inhabitants,  jiiid  to 
send  .ships  to  thoso  sjiorcs  with  goods  and  hunters,  without  any  obstacles  oil 
the  ])art  of  tho  government. 

'  V.  To  extend  their  navigation  to  nil  adjoining  nations  and  hoM  Iniiuness 
intercourse  with  all  surrounding  powers,  upon  obtaining  tlieir  free  onscnt  lor 
the  purpose,  and  under  our  highest  protection,  to  enable  them  to  i>rosecuto 
their  enterprises  with  greater  force  nnd  advantage. 

'  VI.  To  employ  for  navigation,  hunting,  and  all  other  business,  free  and 
unsuspcctc  I  1  cople,  having  uo  illegal  views  or  intcnlions.  \n  connidiiration 
of  t'ledisl-aiico  of  tiie  1  icaLties  where  they  will  i)Ci  cent,  tho  jirovincial  auJior- 
itioa  v.iil  grant  to  all  persons  sent  out  us  Bottlers,  hunters,  and  in  otiier  ca- 


>:i  \ 


9» 


THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY. 


was  granted  full  privileges,  for  a  period  of  twenty 
years,  on  the  eoust  of  north-western  America,  he- 
ginning  from  latitude   55'  north,  and  including  the 

pacitiea,  p.-issports  for  seven  ycara.  Soi-fs  ami  lioiisc-sen'iints  will  ouly  be 
employed  by  the  company  witb  tlio  consmitof  their  lauilholders,  and  govern- 
ment taxes  will  bo  paid  for  all  serfs  thus  employed. 

'  VII.  Though  it  is  forbidden  by  our  highest  order  to  cut  government 
timlx!r  anywhere  without  the  permission  of  the  college  of  admiralty,  this  com- 
pany ia  hereby  permitted,  on  account  of  the  distance  of  the  admiralty  from 
Okhotsk,  when  it  needs  timber  for  repairs,  and  occasionally  for  the  coustruo- 
tion  of  new  ships,  to  use  freely  such  timber  as  is  rc([uircd. 

'  VIII.  For  shooting  animals,  for  marine  signals,  and  on  all  unexpected 
emergencies  on  the  mainland  of  America  and  on  the  islands,  the  company  is 
permitted  to  buy  for  cash,  at  cost  price,  from  the  government  artillery  mag- 
azine at  Irkutsk  yearly  40  or  50  pouds  of  powder,  aud  from  the  Nertcliinsk 
mine  '200  pouds  of  lead. 

'  IX.  If  one  of  the  partners  of  the  company  becomes  indebted  to  the  gov- 
ernment or  to  pri\-ato  persons,  and  is  not  in  a  condition  to  pay  them  from  any 
other  property  except  wliat  he  holds  in  the  company,  such  property  cannot 
be  seized  for  tlio  satisfaction  of  such  del)ts,  but  the  debtor  shall  not  be  per- 
mitted to  use  anything  but  the  interest  or  dividends  of  such  property  until 
the  term  of  the  company's  privileges  expires,  wlien  it  will  be  at  his  or  his 
creditors'  disposal. 

'X.  The  exclusive  right  most  graciously  granted  to  the  company  for  .a 
period  of  'JO  years,  to  use  and  enjoy,  in  the  above-described  extent  of  country 
and  islands,  all  profits  and  advantages  dcrive<l  from  hunting,  trade,  indus- 
tri'is,  and  tliscovery  of  new  lands,  prohibiting  the  enjoyment  of  these  prouts 
and  advantages  not  only  to  those  wiio  would  wish  to  sail  to  those  countries 
on  their  r)\vn  account,  but  to  all  former  hunters  and  trappers  who  have  been 
engaged  in  this  trade,  and  have  their  vessels  and  furs  at  those  j)iaces;  and 
other  companies  which  may  have  been  formed  M-ill  not  be  allowed  to  con- 
tinue tlieir  business  unless  they  unite  with  the  present  company  w  ith  their 
free  consent;  but  such  ]>riv;.te  companies  or  traders  as  have  their  vessels  in 
those  regions  can  either  sell  their  property,  or,  with  the  company's  consent, 
remain  until  they  have  obtained  a  cargo,  but  no  longer  than  is  required  for 
tbcloadiug  aud  return  of  their  vessel;  aud  after  that  nol)oily  will  have  any 
privileges  but  this  one  company,  which  will  be  protected  in  the  enjoyment  of 
all  the  advantages  mentioned. 

'XI.  Under  our  highest  protection,  the  Russian  American  Company  will 
have  full  contnd  over  all  above-mentioned  localities,  and  cxcrciso  judicial 
powers  in  minor  cases.  The  company  will  also  be  permitted  to  use  all  local 
facilities  for  fortifications  in  the  defence  of  the  country  under  their  ciuitml 
against  foreign  attacks.  Only  partners  of  the  company  shall  be  employed  in 
the  administration  of  the  new  possessions  in  charge  of  the  company. 

'In  conclusion  of  tliis  our  most  gracious  order  for  the  benefit  of  the  Iius- 
eian  American  Company  under  highest  protection,  wc  enjoin  all  our  mili- 
tary and  civil  authoritcs  in  the  abi)ve-menti(med  localities  not  only  not  to 
prevent  them  fi'om  enjoying  to  the  fullest  extent  the  privileges  granted  by 
us,  but  in  case  of  need  to  protect  them  with  all  their  power  from  loss  or 
injm-y,  and  to  render  them,  upon  application  of  the  company's  authorities,  all 
necessary  aid,  assistance,  and  protection.  To  give  ctl'ect  to  this  our  most 
gracious  order,  we  subscribe  it  with  our  own  hand  and  give  orders  to  contirm 
it  with  our  imperial  seal.  (Jiven  at  St  Petersburg,  in  the  year  after  the  birth 
of  Ch.ist  17'J'J,  the  '27th  day  of  Deceniber,  in  the  fourth  year  of  our  rei.;n. 

'I'AVI,.' 

Tlien  follows  a  copy  of  the  company's  rules  and  regulations,  for  which  the 
CTi'.pevnr's  approval  was  solicited  before  the  oukaz  was  granted.  At  the 
begimiing  of  them  is  written  in  the  emperor's  own  luaulwriting,  'Be  it  tlius.' 


ORGAXIZATION. 


3S1 


[)f  twenty 
erica,  be- 
nding the 

i  will  only  lie 
s,  and  govurn- 

it  govprninciit 
alty,  this  com- 
uliniralty  from 
i-  the  coustruo- 

vU  unexpected 

lie  coiupaiiy  i.4 

artillery  ma;,'- 

;Iie  Nertcliinsk 

;ed  to  tho  gov- 
them  from  any 
ivopcrty  cannot 
ill  not  1)c  por- 
proporty  until 
le  at  Ilia  or  his 

company  for  a 

tent  of  country 

g,  trade,  indus- 

lof  these  profits 

[those  countries 

ivho  have  been 

[)sc  ))iaces;  and 

llowcd  to  con- 

[uiy  with  their 

lu'ir  vessels  in 

mny's  consent, 

s  required  for 

will  have  any 

enjoyment  of 


cluiiii  of  ishmd.s  extemliiig  from  Kamchatka  noi-th- 
ward  to  America  and  southward  to  Japan;  the  cxcUi- 
sive  I'ij^ht  to  all  enterprises,  whetiier  liuntiiiii^,  trading, 
or  buildinn^,  and  to  new  discoveries,  with  strict  ju'ohi- 
l)ition  from  prolitinijf  by  any  of  these  pursuits,  not 
only  to  all  parties  who  might  engage  in  them  on  their 
own  responsibility,  but  also  to  those  who  formei-ly 
liad  ships  and  establishments  there,  except  those  who 
liave  united  with  the  now  company."  All  who  refused 
to  join  the  com|)any,  and  had  capital  invested  in  fur 
adventures,  were  allowed  to  carry  on  t)\eir  business 
only  until  their  vessels  returned  to  porf/ 

In  addition  to  the  original  capital,  a  further  issue  of 
one  thousand  shares  was  authorized;  but  it  was  for- 
bidden that  foreigners  should  be  alU)wed  to  invest  in 
the  enterprise.  Subscriptions  flowed  in  rapidly,  and 
the  entire  amount  was  quickly  absorbed,  most  of  it 
probably  in  St  Petersburg;  for  by  oukaz  of  October 
10,  1800,  it  was  ordered  that  the  heaihjuarters  of  the 
company,  which  had  formerly  been  at  Irkutsk,  should 
1)0  transferred  to  that  city.  Two  years  later,  the  em- 
peror, empress,  and  Grand  Duke  Constantine  each  sub- 
scribed for  twenty  shares,  giving  directions  that  the 

*  All  the  private  trading  and  hunting  parties  in  existence  at  the  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century  were  niei'ged  into  the  liussian  Anieiican  Company,  and 
h»  far  as  is  known,  witii  litthi  diliiculty.  I'olitoH'sky  dillors  materially  in  his 
dtscription  of  tho  pri\ileges  grante<l  by  Paul  1.  to  tiie  Russian  .Vmerican 
Ciiuipany.  First  of  all,  ho  (-ays  they  were  eonferreil  on  the  Stii  of  July,  17'.'!), 
while  Dall,  who  follows  Tikhmeuef  closely,  though  with  fre(juent  blunders, 
givciiJuue  8,  179'.),  as  the  date.  According  to  the  furmer  authority,  'the 
eoinpany  was  empowered  to  make  discoveries  not  only  above  latitude  .'to' 
uurtli,  l)ut  nlso  south  of  that  i),iralltd,  ami  to  incorporate  the  lands  thus  dis- 
ciivered  with  tlie  Kussian  possessions,  jji'ovuled  tint  no  other  [luwcr  hail  ))re- 
\ iously  seized  them  or  established  a  claim  to  them,  it  Mas  empo«en;d  to 
CMlablish  settlements  wherevLr  it  was  most  convenient  for  its  luisiness,  or 
niDst  advantageous  to  the  counti-y  at  large,  and  also  to  erect  fortillcations  fur 
the  protection  of  the  inhabitants,  and  to  make  voyages  to  nil  neighboring 
1. Mills  and  nations,  and  maintain  conmu'rcial  intercourse  witli  all  surrounding 
ji  )\vers,  with  their  free  consent  and  under  permission  of  tho  emjicn  r.  All 
t!io  location.s  selected  as  sites  for  settlements  ))y  the  general  administration 
for  business  purposes  w«ro  to  be  respected  as  such.  In  coiiclusion,  all  mili- 
tary or  civil  RuLhorities  stiitioned  at  those  places  were  enjoined,  not  only  to 
throw  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of  enjoyment  of  all  tlio  rights  and  privileges 
granted,  but  also  to  endeavor,  as  far  as  was  in  their  power,  to  ])rotect  tho 
eoini)any  against  loss  or  injury,  and  to  offer  in  this  intercourse  with  tlie  eum- 
]i:iny's()Hieers  every  assistance,  protection,  and  means  of  defence.'  Jstur.  Ubos,, 
J'jciS.  Amerik  Kom.,  4-S. 


382 


THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY. 


hm 


dividends  bo  devoted  to  cliarity.  The  company  was 
allowed  to  emjatjo  all  classes  of  free  labor,  anil  to  em- 
ploy  serf's  with  the  consent  of  their  masters;'  but 
nothinj^  was  mentioned  in  the  text  of  the  oukaz  of 
1799  as  to  the  obliij^ations  of  the  company  in  relation 
to  the  native  inhabitants.  The  only  rejjfulations  on 
this  subject  are  contained  in  the  first  paraL;raph  of  the 
act  of  consolidation,  in  which  "the  company  binds 
itscH',"  to  quote  the  words  of  the  report  ()ncc  more, 
"to  maintain  a  mission  of  the  Grajco-Catholic  church 
in  America,  niembers  of  which  were  to  accompany  all 
trading  and  huntinjjf  expeditions,  and  voyaijcs  of  dis- 
covery which  were  likely  to  bring  them  in  contact 
with  known  or  uidinown  tribes,  and  to  use  every  en- 
deavor to  christianize  them  and  encourage  their  alle- 
giance to  Russia.  They  were  to  use  eiibrts  to  promoto 
ship-building  and  dcnnestic  industries  on  the  part  <;f 
Russian  settlers  who  might  take  possession  of  unin- 
habiteil  lands,  as  well  as  to  encourage  the  introduc- 
tion of  a<Triculture  and  cattle-breedinnf  on  the  American 
islands  and  continent.  They  were  also  to  keep  con- 
stantly ii\  view  the  maintenance  of  friciuUy  relations 
with  the  Americans  and  islanders,  employing  them  at 
their  establishments  and  cngaGfing  in  trade  witli  them. ' 
Thus  was  the  famous  Russian  American  Company 
established  on  a  firm  basis,  and  little  did  Shelikof 
droam,  when  representing  an  obscure  company  of  Si- 
berian merchants  he  founded  on  the  island  of  Kadiak 
the  villaije  of  Three  Saints,  that  he  was  laying  the  basis 
of  a  monopoly  which  was  destined,  as  we  shall  see  later, 
to  hold  sway  over  a  territory  almost  as  vast  as  v.as 
then  the  European  domain  of  the  tzar.**     As  yet,  how- 

*  After  Shelikof'g  decease,  his  widow,  being  possessed  of  a  small  estate  in 
Russia,  petitioned  Count  Zubof,  one  of  the  emperor's  ministers,  for  permission 
to  transfer  the  serfs  upon  her  estate  to  Alaska,  to  form  there  tlie  nucleus  of 
an  .igricultural  settlement.  At  the  same  time  she  entered  into  corresiiond- 
cnce  willi  tlie  metropolitans  of  Moscow  and  Novgorod,  and  other  chureh  dig- 
nitaries, on  the  subject  of  missionary  enterprise  in  tlie  new  colonies,  and  thus 
secured  their  assistance  iu  furthering  the  plans  of  the  comjxiny.  Count  Zu- 
bof not  only  granted  the  roniiest,  but  ofl'ered  to  send  an  additional  force  of  a 
hundred  serfs  from  crown  lanils  in  Siberia  for  the  same  purjicse. 

•  In  1S21,  when  the  charter  of  the  company  was  reucwe,!,  as  will  be  men- 


SUBJECTION  OF  Til'::  NATIVES. 


383 


paiiy  was 
ikI  to  oiu- 
ters;"  l)ut 

oukaz  oi' 
n  relation 
ations  on 
ijdi  (if  the 
my  binds 
K'C  more, 
ic  chureli 
mjiatiy  all 
fcs  of  ilis- 
n  contact 

every  cn- 
tlieir  alle- 

0  promott) 
ic  part  of 

1  of  imin- 
introdur- 

Anierican 

keep  con- 

'  relations 

j^  tliem  ;jt 

til  them."' 

Conipanv 

Shelib'.f 

ny  of  Si- 

f  Kadiak 

the  basis 

see  later, 

t  as  was 

ret.  liow- 

niall  estate  in 
jr  pcrinissioii 
|c  nucleus  nf 
corrcsiMiml- 
■  chinch  <lig- 
|ies,  ami  tliiis 
Count  Z;i- 
Lal  force  of  ;i 


ever,  the  boundaries  of  this  territory''  wore  not  clearly 
detined,  and  its  inhabitants  were  for  the  most  part  un- 
subdued. The  Aleuts  were  indeed  helil  in  subjection, 
but  none  of  the  warlike  tribes  that  peopled  the  penin- 
sula and  the  adjoinin;^  continent  had  yet  been  con- 
(juered.  The  Russian  colonies  at  Yakutat  and  else- 
where on  the  mainland  were  constantly  threatened, 
and,  as  will  jn'esently  be  described,  a  settlement  that 
was  founded  about  this  time  near  the  site  where  now 
stands  the  capital  of  Alaska  was  attacked  and  de- 
stroyed by  savages.  • 

tioned  in  its  place,  the  emperor  issue<l  a  ouknz,  in  which  the  whole  north  west 
coast  of  America  north  of  oV  was  declared  Russian  territory. 


Ivill  be  men- 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


TUE    FOUNDING    OF    SITKA. 

1708-1801. 

Bakaxof's  Difficilties  am»  Dk.sp<)n1)Encv — Sick  and  Hopeless — Arrivaf, 

OP    THE     '  KlIZAVKTa' — An    Kxi'EltlTIO.V    SAILS     FOR  NORFOLK   SoCNl> — 

Loss  OK  (' WOKS— The  Party  Attacked  iiv  Jvoi.osii— Treat v  with  the 
SiTKANs— Yankee  Visitors — A  Fort  Kheited — The  Yakitat  Bav 
Settlement — IUranof  Desikes  to  be  Uelieveh — His  Ofkkial  Tocr 
«)F  THE  (,'oLoxiEs— The  Chief  Manager's  J'iety — His  Complaints  of 
Foreign  Encroachments — British  Augressiveness. 


The  hows  of  tlic  final  omaiiization  of  the  Russian 
Anjerican  Company,  the  gl•antin^'  of  its  p^ivilt\n•^-'^ 
by  the  ouiperor,  and  of  liis  own  ap])ointnient  as  clii 
luanag'cr,  reached  Baranof  at  a  time  wlien  he  \\\... 
])hinged  in  despondency.  Nearly  every  undertakinj^ 
of  the  preceding  seasons  liad  failed.  He  had  lost 
numbers  of  men,  both  Russians  and  natives,  during 
the  hmg  voyages  to  distant  liuntiniy-grounds.  A 
S[)irit  of  revolt  was  still  alive,  csjiecially  among  those 
who  had  transferred  their  alleiriance  from  former  op- 
pressors.  At  every  point  eastward  of  Kadiak  where 
lie  had  endeavored  to  open  trade  he  had  found  iiim- 
self  forestalled  by  English  and  American  ships,  whicli 
had  raised  the  j>rices  of  skins  almost  beyond  his  lim- 
ited means.  In  his  attempts  to  hunt  with  his  Aleuts, 
he  had  also  been  unfortunate,  whole  parties  having 
been  surprised  and  slaughtered  by  the  warlike  Thlin- 
kects.  One  of  his  sKxjps  built  at  Voskressenski  Ray 
foundered  during  her  first  voyage,  while  others  had 
been  injured  on  the  shoals  lining  the  mouth  of  Copper 
River,  and  he  had  just  returned  to  Pavlovsk,  in  the 


|3M) 


HARD  TIMES  AND  RELIEF. 


3So 


damaged  sloop  Olga,  intending  to  repair  the  vessels 
as  best  he  might,  in  order  to  carry  out  during  the  fol- 
lowing spring  his  cherished  plan  of  locating  a  perma- 
ent  settlement  in  the  vicinity  of  Norfolk  Sound.' 

He  landed,  suffering  the  agonies  of  inflammatory 
rheumatism  and  depressed  in  spirit,  only  to  meet  with 
upbraidings  and  complaints  on  the  part  of  his  subor- 
dinates, who  were  on  short  rations,  owing  to  the  non- 
airival  of  the  supply-ship.  Certain  leaders  of  the 
inalecontents  openly  refused  obedience  unless  provis- 
ions were  first  given  them.  Sick  and  dejected,  he 
was  unable  to  address  them  as  he  was  wont  to  do, 
and  retired  to  his  wretched  little  cabin  and  to  bed, 
when  a  little  later  the  cry  was  heard,  "A  ship  in 
the  offing!"  Once  more  inspired  with  life  and  hope, 
the  sick  man  rose  from  his  couch  and  climbed  the 
mountain  overlooking  the  settlement  of  St  Paul.  It 
was  true;  a  large"  vessel,  the  brigantiiio  Elizaveta, 
commanded  by  Bocharof,  was  standing  in  under  full 
sail,  and  soon  was  lying  at  anchor  in  the  roadstead, 
with  Baranof  on  board.  She  had  sailed  from  Okhotsk 
the  preceding  autumn,  and  had  wintered  on  one  of 
the  westernmost  Aleutian  Isles,  where  the  passen- 
«,'ers  and  crew  had  lived  on  what  they  could  gather; 
bo  that  the  cargo  remained  intact,  and  plenty  reigned 
once  more  in  the  half-famished  settlement.  Fifty- 
two  laborers  and  mechanics  were  now  added  to  Bar- 
anof's  force ;  and  though  the  season  was  far  advanced, 
a  small  party  was  at  once  despatched  to  Prince  Will- 
iam Sound  to  complete  another  sloop. 

The  winter  of  1798-9  was  passed  by  the  colonists 
at  Kadiak  in  cheerful  content,  for  they  were  busy  in 
preparing  for  the  great  movement  to  the  eastward  in 
the  following  spring,  and  the  letters  written  by  Bar- 


'  The  immediate  causes  for  the  founding  of  this  settlement  were  the  de- 
crease in  fur-bearing  animals  on  the  islands  to  the  west,  and  the  discovery  of 
Lirge  numbers  of  sea-otter  on  the  straits  and  sounds  adjoining  the  mainland. 
Moreover,  to  incorporate  with  Russia  the  whole  of  north-western  Ameiica, 
and  to  prevent  other  nations  from  establishing  a  trade  with  the  natives,  was, 
the  unvarying  policy  of  Baranof.  LiUke,  in  McUerialui,  iv.  149. 
Hut.  AI.ABKA.    a 


880 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SITKA. 


anof  at  this  juncture  bear  evidence  of  his  confidence. 
Early  in  Diarcli  the  new  sloop  KouManthi  arr'ved 
at  Kadiak  from  Prince  William  Sound,  and  was  sup- 
plied with  sails  and  rigging  from  the  stores  brouglit 
by  Bocharof.  On  the  10th  of  April,  Baranof  set  sail 
with  the  two  vessels,  manned  by  twenty-two  Russians 
and  accompanied  by  a  fleet  of  nearly  two  hundred 
canoes.  The  course  was  along  the  coast  of  the  Kena'i 
peninsula  to  Prince  William  Sound,  where  the  expe- 
dition was  joined  by  Baranof's  mo.st  trusted  assistant, 
Kuskof,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  additional  canoes 
which  had  wintered  on  Nuchek  Island. 

I\Iisfortune  attended  Baranof's  enterprise  from  its 
inception  On  the  2d  of  May,  while  weathering  Capo 
Suckling  on  the  coast  opposite  Kayak,  thirty  of  the 
canoes,  containing  two  men  each,  were  swallowed  by 
the  heavy  seas  into  which  even  a  moderate  breeze 
raises  these  shallow  vraters.  In  a  letter  to  his  friend 
Delarof,  Baranof  tells  of  his  further  troubles :  "  While 
we  were  still  mourning  the  loss  of  our  hunters,  night 
came  on,  and  as  I  saw  further  indications  of  storm,  I 
ordered  all  the  canoes  to  make  for  the  shore,  accom- 
panying them  in  person  in  my  own  bidarka.  In  the 
darkness  we  underestimated  the  distance,  and  wheu 
at  last  we  reached  the  sandy  beach,  exhausted  fioiu 
continued  paddling,  we  threw  ourselves  upon  the  sand 
overshadowed  by  dense  forests.  No  sooner  had  w«.' 
closed  our  eyes,  than  the  dreaded  war-cry  of  the  Jv<  >- 
losli  brought  us  again  to  our  feet.  The  greatest  con- 
sternation prevailed  among  the  naturally  timid  Aleuts, 
who  were  filled  with  such  dread  of  the  well-known 
enemy  as  to  think  it  useless  to  make  any  resistance. 
jMany  of  them  rushed  into  the  forest,  into  the  very 
hands  of  their  assailants,  instead  of  launching  their 
canoes  and  putting  to  sea.  I  had  only  two  Russians 
with  me,  and  we  fired  our  guns  into  the  darkness 
wherever  tiie  cries  of  the  Kolosh  were  loudest;  but 
when  our  amnmnition  was  expended,  we  did  not  know 
what  execution  we  had  done.     A  few  of  the  native 


A  FIGHT  WITH  THE  KOLOSH. 


837 


luinters  who  had  been  presented  with  fowhiig-picce.s 
tilso  made  a  feeble  show  of  resistance;  but  what  saved 
lis  from  total  destruction  was  the  intervcninjjj  darkness, 
which  prevented  our  assailants  from  distinguisliiu;^ 
friends  from  enemies.  After  an  unequal  contest,  last- 
ing over  an  hour,  the  Kolosh  retired  to  the  woods, 
wliile  I  and  my  assistants  endeavored  to  rally  our 
scattered  men.  By  shouting  to  them  in  the  Aleutian 
tongue,  we  succeeded  in  gathering  the  survivors,  still 
liidden  in  the  woods  and  among  the  driftwood  lining 
tlie  shore,  and  before  morning  ileparted  from  the  iu- 
liospitable  beach,  leaving  thirteen  canoes,  the  owners 
of  which  had  been  killed  or  carried  into  captivity. 
The  rising  sun  showed  us  the  sloops  in  the  offing,  an  I 
wo  lost  no  time  in  seeking  their  welcome  protection." 

This  attack  by  the  natives,  added  to  the  loss  at  sea, 
had  so  reduced  the  force,  that  Kuskof  advised  a  return 
to  Prince  William  Sound;  but  Baranof  was  not  to  bu 
tlius  thwarted.  He  pressed  forward,  travelling  along 
the  coast,  chiefly  by  night,  and  daring  to  camj)  only 
on  prominent  points,  where  there  was  least  danger  of 
surprise.  At  last,  on  the  25th,  the  expedition  en- 
tered the  sheltered  basin  of  Norfolk,  or  Sitka  Sound. 
The  towering  heights  were  still  covered  with  snow, 
almost  to  the  water's  edge,  and  the  weather  was 
stormy;  rain,  snow,  and  sleet  alternating  with  furious 
gusts  of  wind.  The  landing  was  accomplished  at  a 
point  still  known  as  Old  Sitka,  about  six  miles  north 
of  the  present  town  of  that  name.  A  large  crow<l  of 
natives  had  assembled  to  watch  the  movements  of  the 
new-comers.  A  Sitkan  chief,  Katleut,  or  Katlean, 
whom  Kuskof  had  met  during  his  hunting  expedition 
of  the  preceding  summer,  approached  J3aranof  and 
demanded  to  know  his  intentions,  telling  him  at  tlie 
same  time  that  a  Boston  ship  was  anchored  a  short 
distance  to  the  southward,  and  that  her  captain  had 
purchased  many  skins. 

Baranof  replied  in  a  lengthy  harangue,  reciting  the 
long-stereotyped   European  falsehood,  that  the  em- 


3S3 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SITKA. 


pcror  of  all  the  Russias,  who  was  the  lord  of  that 
country,  had  sent  him  to  establish  a  settlement  for 
trade,  and  to  assure  his  new  subjects  of  his  fatherly 
care  and  protection.  At  the  same  time  he  asked  for 
the  grant  of  a  small  piece  of  ground  for  the  erection 
of  buildings,  and  for  which  he  offered  to  pay  in  beads 
and  other  trading  goods.  The  barter  was  concluded, 
and  Katleut  even  asserted  that  ho  could  force  the 
other  chiefs  into  the  agreement.  A  few  hours  after- 
ward the  sound  of  Russian  axes  was  heard  in  the 
virgin  forest,  the  crash  of  falling  timber  was  echoed 
from  the  sides  of  Verstovoi,  and  all  v;as  bustle  and 
high  determination.  The  site  bordered  a  shallow 
stream  alive  with  salmon.  One  half  of  the  company 
v.ere  employed  in  building,  while  the  remainder  were 
sent  to  hunt  sea-otter  in  the  vicinity.  On  the  follow- 
ing day  the  chief  manager  received  a  visit  from  tlie 
Boston  ship,  which  proved  to  be  the  Caroline,  in 
charge  of  Captain  Cleveland,  who  stated  that  ho  had 
only  ten  men  before  the  mast,  and  that  on  account  of 
the  fierce  character  of  the  natives  he  had  found  it 
necessary  to  take  great  precautions.  He  had  placed 
a  screen  of  hides  round  the  ship  with  the  exception  of 
the  stern,  whence  trade  was  carried  on  with  the  na- 
tives," who  could  not  see  the  deck,  or  know  how  few 
men  he  had.  Two  pieces  of  cannon  were  placed  in 
position,  and  on  the  taffrail  was  a  pair  of  blunderbusses 
on  swivels. 

The  savages  who  then  inhabited  the  neigliborhood 
of  Norfolk  Sound  were  among  the  most  treacherous 
and  repulsive  of  all  the  Alaskan  tribes.  "A  more 
hideous  set  of  beings  in  the  form  of  men  and  women," 


*Clovelanil  states  that  on  the  first  ilay  he  bought  100  skins  at  the  clionp 
rate  of  two  janU  of  broiulcloth  per  skin.  On  tlic  secon-l  day  he  purc!iai> .1 
'200.  During  hia  xtayat  Norfolk  .Sound  the  natives  made  several  attenipt.s  t) 
capture  the  vessel,  loy.,  i.  9'2-5  (Boston  ed.,  IS.jO).  On  one  occa.siou  a  iia- 
ti>"0  dressed  in  n,  bear-skin  came  down  to  the  beach,  on  all  fours,  imitating' 
the  niovenicnts  of  the  animal,  in  order  to  decoy  the  crew  on  shore,  wliilc  .in 
armed  party  lay  in  ambush  close  l)y.  A  lx>at  was  lowered  to  tako  houio  "l" 
tiic  men  in  pursuit  of  tlio  bcir,  but  one  of  the  ambushed  party  exposed  hinistlf, 
and  tliat  gave  the  alarm.    Id.,i.\Qo. 


I'  I  ■,    '  :■'•  t  > 


■\\  ^  \>  i 


FEAR  ■;  OF  SPiUN. 


3S3 


\vrites  the  captain,  "I  bad  never  before  seen.  The 
taiitastic  manner  in  which  many  of  the  faces  of  the 
men  were  painted  was  probably  intended  to  give 
them  a  ferocious  appearance;  and  some  j^roups  looked 
really  as  if  they  had  escaped  from  the  dominions 
of  Satan  himself  One  had  a  perpendicular  line 
dividing  the  two  sides  of  the  face,  one  side  of 
which  was  painted  red,  the  other  black;  with  the  hair 
daubed  with  grease  and  red  ochre,  and  filled  with  the 
down  of  birds.  Another  had  the  face  divided  with  a 
horizontal  line  in  the  middle,  and  painted  black  and 
white.  The  visage  of  a  third  was  painted  in  checkers, 
etc.  Most  of  them  had  little  mirrors ;  before  the  ac- 
quisition of  which  they  must  have  been  dependent 
on  each  other  for  those  correct  touches  of  the  pencil 
wliich  are  so  much  in  vogue,  and  which  daily  require 
more  time  than  the  toilet  of  a  Parisian  belle." 


From  the  ship  Enterprise,  which  arrived  at  Kadiak 
from  New  York'  on  the  24th  of  April,  1800,  the  chief 
manager  heard  that  hostilities  had  broken  out  in 
Europe,  that  Spain  had  formed  an  alliance  with 
France,  and  that  a  Spanish  frigate  was  to  be  sent  to 
Kussian  America.  Tlio  news  was  received  witli  .0 
little  anxiety.  At  this  time  all  the  storehousL'.s  at 
Three  Saints  were  full  of  choice  furs,  whicli  Baranof 
1)1  )W  caused  to  be  concealed  in  the  adjacent  islands. 
"Truly,"  he  writes,  "if  the  terrible  emergency  should 
aii.se,  and  the  enemy  come  upon  us,  they  cannot  tako 
much  more  than  our  lives,  and  these  are  in  God's 
hands.  It  would  take  more  than  mortal  eyes  to  dis- 
cover where  ouv  ])recious  skins  are  concealed."* 

Several  other  American  vessels,  among  them  the 
brig  Z<7/srt,  under  Captain  Rowan,  visited  the  bay  dur- 
ing the  summer,  and  absorbed  the  trade,  while  tlio 

'  Daranof  purchascil  fnnii  her  captain  a  ijuaiitity  of  cootls,  partly  with  a 
vii'w  to  pi-cveiit  liim  fi-oni  trmliiig  with  the  natives,  ami  partly  hecaiwo  tho 
Fiiiiti  bcinjjiiow  ^ivi'u  up  for  lost,  uo  supplies  could  bo  cxpectcil  for  that 
Beasoii.    Khkbniko/,  Shizn.  JJaraiiova,  G3-4. 

•/(/.,  08. 


I 


I 


li 


3^0 


THE  rOLTNDINa  OF  SITKA. 


rJujisians  were  preparing  to  occupy  the  field  in  tli'^ 
future.  During  the  preceding  winter  the  relations 
liotween  the  colonists  and  the  natives  had  been  peace- 
able, but  there  was  much  suffering  on  account  (tf 
iiisufticient  food  and  shelter.  A  fort  was  erected,  and 
named  after  the  archangel  Michael,'"  in  "the  hope  that 
the  great  champion  of  the  Lord  would  protect  tlie 
promysldeniki;"  nevertheless,  soon  after  the  estai)- 
lishnient  of  the  settlement  misfortune  again  reducod 
])aranof's  force.  On  the  18th  of  July,  ho  received 
i!«\vs  from  an  Aleutian  party  which  had  camped  fnr 
tlie  night  on  the  tortuous  jiassage  connecting  Norfolk 
Sound  with  Chatham  Strait,  that  a  number  of  tlio 
men  had  died  from  eating  }>oisonous  nmssels.  The 
jiassage  was  thereafter  named  Pogibshie,  or  Destvuc- 
1  ion  Strait,  wliicli  name  has  subsequently  been  changed 
by  Americans  to  Peril  Strait. 

While  Baranof  was  thus  engaged  in  establishing  liis 
iK'W  colony,  a  block-house  and  stockade  had  l)et-'!i 
built  bv  Polomoshnoi  at  Yakutat,  or  Berinuj  Bav,  \'ov 
the  reception  of  the  Siberian  convicts,  or  agricultui'al 
settlers,  as  they  were  called.  The  site  for  this  settle- 
ment had  been  chosen  by  mistake.  After  his  iirst 
visit  to  Prince  William  Sount',  Baranof  had  recoin- 
luended  the  country  bordering  on  Comptroller  Bay  as 
]  irobably  adapted  to  agricultural  pursuits.  Cape  Suck- 
ling, till'  western  point  of  this  bay,  had  been  erroneously 
called  Cape  St  Elias,  the  name  a[»plied  to  the  south 

'III  aU'ttcr  to  Rodianof,  agent  at  Xm'Iu'k.  dated  May  14,  ISOO,  Baraii  'f 
V'itcs:  '  Wc  enjiiycd  godil  health  and  fair  success  during  our  winter  tluii', 
mid  thuugh  we  hud  some  ditlicultiesi  with  the  jK'ople,  wo  linuliy  estulili'^ln'l 
f.icudly  intercourse  witli  them.  I  resolved  to  establish  a  iicrmaneiit  settle 
iiu  lit,  and  at  once  set  to  work  to  erect  the  necessiiry  liuildings,  one  of  which 
V.  .IS  a  two-story  structure,  8  fathoms  long  and  4  wide,  protected  on  ail 
sM<'<  liy  [lalisades  ami  two  strong  iilock  houses  or  towers.  Another  buiMiii-' 
I  h;id  |>ut  up  for  myself  and  future  coininanders,  with  the  iieeess.iry  acciiu- 
i.iodation  for  servants  and  ollicers,  and  tiiere  I  have  lived  from  tlie  iniiUlle  "f 
IVhniary  to  '.lie  present  date.  A  small  temjxirary  hath-liouse  liad  h -i  ii 
erect<!d,  wherein  I  pas.sed  tlie  first  iwrt  of  the  winter,  a  sheil  and  sleeiiiii:: 
rooms  for  the  members  of  the  party,  a  hlack^mitirs  shop,  and  t''mpor.ii/ 
kitchen.  One  fortified  Mock-house  is  not  quite  finished,  while  two  otlurs 
have  l)een  only  Just  hegun.  Tlie  men  here  iiumher  'Jo  Rubsians  and  5.5  AU  u- 
tiuii  luintera.'    Tikhnuin-/,  Istor,  Obos,,  ii.  app.  part  ii.  13). 


YAKUTAT  SETTLEMENT. 


301 


point  of  Kayak  Island  by  Boring,  and  in  his  recom- 
mendation liaranof  s})oke  of  tho  country  about  Cajie 
St  Elias.  Subsequently  the  bay  of  Yakutat  had 
been  visited  l)y  Purtof  and  Kuskof ;  and  as  this  affords 
ihe  only  good  harbor  on  that  \)i\rt  of  the  coast,  and 
is  overshadowed  by  the  })eak  of  St  Elias,  the  pro- 
posed settlement  had  l)een  located  there  in  a  deso- 
late region  of  ice  and  rock,  entirely  unfit  for  occupation 
Ity  man.  Polonu)shnoi  only  obeyed  orders  in  locating 
tlie  block-house  there,  but  as  soon  as  the  buildings 
\vi.re completed,  he  returned  to  Kadiak  to  remonstrate 
against  any  attempts  at  founding  an  agricultural 
c>  lony  in  such  a  place.     He  was  ordered  back,  liow- 


7 


Cafij 


Yakutat  Bay  Settlement. 

(  ver,  by  Baranof's  representative,  and  sailed  for  his 
d.'stination  on  the  brig  Orel,  laden  with  previsions  for 
the  new  settlement,  in  charge  of  Talin,  a  naval  officer 
ill  the  service  of  the  company,  but  one  who,  like  all  of 
his  profession,  was  little  dis[)osed  to  heed  the  chief 
manager's  instructions,  and  when  his  vessel  was  lying 
ill  Norfolk  Sound  had  threatened  to  hang  Baranof 
tVom  the  mast-head  if  he  tiared  to  show  himself  on 
I'oard.  While  beating  against  head  winds,  the  ship 
was  wrecked  on  the  island  of  Sukluk  (Montague), 
and  Polomoshnoi,  with  five  men,  perished.* 


"  rour  hundred  se.vottcr  skins,  valiu'd  at'2'J.OOO  r<i\i1)les.  were  lost  on  this 
ocLiisiou,  iu  aJJitiou  to  the  rigging  and  uuchois  and  ship's  stores.     Tuliii  iiaJ 


392 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SITIvA. 


.Hi 


From  other  parts  of  tlie  country  news  of  dis- 
aster had  also  reached  Baranof.  The  year  before  his 
departure  for  Norfolk  Sound  he  had  been  informed 
that  two  of  the  company's  establishments,  at  Ilyamna 
and  Kadiak,  had  been  surprised,  and  all  the  Russians 
stationed  there,  twenty-one  in  number,  massacrtd. 
The  outbreak  appears  to  have  been  caused,  as  usual, 
by  the  cruelty  of  the  settlers,  for  all  the  native  ser- 
vants were  spared. 

Notwithstanding  occasional  misfortunes,  Baranof's 
management  of  the  affairs  of  the  company  appears  to 
have  met  with  the  approval  of  most  of  the  directors, 

been  from  the  beginning  overbearing  ami  insolent  in  las  intercourse  villi 
liaranuf,  whom  lie  considered  as  a  mere  kiijK/z,  or  trader,  fur  beneatli  lii.a 
in  social  rank.  It  grated  upon  his  aristocratic  Bcusibilitics  to  receive  orik  i^) 
from  such  a  man,  and  acting  in  this  spirit,  ho  sei/cd  upon  every  opportunity  to 
evade  obedience  ami  raise  obstacles. 

In  order  to  sliow  the  unfortunate  relations  existing  between  the  naval  gentU'- 
man  and  liaranof ,  and  also  the  character  of  the  latter,  I  will  copy  here  iKjrtioiiH 
of  a  letter  written  by  him  to  Lieutenant  Talin,  dated  in  May  1709:  '  Oracious 
Sir:  In  your  communication  to  mc,  you  arc  pleased  to  ask  why  I  meddle  wit!i 
nautical  affairs.  Do  you  refuse  to  follow  my  instructions  because  I  am  a  lui'i-- 
chant?  Does  it  compromise  your  honor,  as  an  ofliccr  ami  geutlcmun,  U> 
execute  the  company's  wislies  when  expressed  through  me?  If  such  be  tlic 
case,  I  must  inform  you  that  the  managing  partners  of  the  company,  Goliknf 
and  Shelikof,  have  intrusted  the  management  of  all  its  colonial  alTairs,  inchnl- 
ing  navigation,  to  mc  ever  since  the  year  1790;  and  since  tlien  I  liavu  fiv- 
quently  been  honored  by  ilirect  instructions  from  the  government,  both  puliiic 
and  secret,  the  execution  of  which  was  always  left  tome  alone;  and  thercfcro 
all  the  navigators  in  the  service  of  the  company  were  under  my  orders.  Fur 
pi-oof  of  this,  I  refer  you  to  a  secret  order,  dated  August  14,  1790,  umler  Xn. 
19,  of  which  I  send  you  a  copy  to  keep  for  your  own  use.  The  last  cominn- 
nicationon  this  subject  is  dated  May  1797,  and  speaks  also  of  you,  dear  sir,  and 
tlie  navigators  in  our  ser-vico,  and  oi  your  positii>n  with  regard  to  the  comjiai.y 
in  the  following  terms:  "One  of  the  partners  of  the  company,  Ivan  Larionof. 
asked  the  late  cmpi-ess  Ekntcrina  Alcxeievna,  of  blesseil  memory,  to  furnish 
tlie  company  with  a  number  of  naval  otHcers,  in  view  of  the  importance  of  the 
company's  voyages  of  discovery,  and  the  ditliculty  of  navigating  these  n<irt!i 
em  seas  without  thoroughly  trained  and  experienced  navigators,  promising 
to  such  oHiccrs  twice  the  salary  which  they  received  from  the  government. 
This  petition  was  approved  l)y  our  august  monarch,  I'^mperor  Pavl  Petrovioh, 
who  had  succeeded  to  the  throne  in  the  mean  time.  Though  these  ollicers  it- 
main  in  tlio  imperial  service,  they  were  ordered  to  obey  all  commands  iind 
regulations  of  tlie  company  as  strictly  and  punctually  as  if  proceeding  from 
their  military  commandors;  and  it  is  the  M-ill  of  our  august  monarcii  i\  xt  tluy 
should  conform  in  every  respect  with  the  arrangements  made  by  the  company, 
be  it  during  expeditions  for  special  purposes  or  on  voyages  of  discovery  aiicl 
exploration." 

'Ill  transmitting  and  presenting  to  you  these  orders  and  instructions  witli 
regard  to  tiio  extent  of  my  power  and  responsibility  in  these  matters,  I  Icavii 
you  entirely  free  to  follow  or  not  to  follow  my  instructions  with  regard 


BARANOF'S  TROUBLES. 


393 


though  he  hhnsclf  was  dissatisfied  with  his  position. 
Ill  answer  to  a  letter  from  Larionof,  in  1799,  he  re- 
marks: "The  lowest  and  most  insignificant  official  in 
the  service  of  tho  company  pretends  to  know  more 
about  the  business  of  this  section  than  its  head,  and 
expresses  his  opinion  on  everything.  They  write 
;il)out  us,  but  nobody  ever  thinks  of  asking,  How  do 
thoy  live  there,  and  what  are  they  doing?"  When 
writing  to  his  friend  Delarof,  he  mentions  that  he  had 
never  failed  to  earn  for  the  shareholders  a  dividend, 
and  that  its  amount  for  1795  was  22,000  roubles.  Ho 
also  refers  to  his  request  to  the  managers  of  the  com- 

to  tilis  voyage,  which  is  of  the  greatest  importance,  not  only  to  the  coni- 
lijiny,  but  to  the  country  at  large.  If  you  do  not  obey,  I  cannot  compel 
you:  but  you  will  be  kind  enough  to  send  mo  a  written  refusal  and  co{)ie8  of 
iny  other  letters  relating  to  this  subject,  in  order  to  enable  mo  to  take  other 
iiita-surcs  which  the  interests  of  the  company  immediately  require.  As  for 
the  cliarts  and  journals  which  you  think  it  superfluous  to  prepare  and  keep, 
I  liad  alreaily  the  honor  to  mention  m  my  first  communication  that  they  arc 
tnisitlered  indispensable  in  the  company's  office.  You  cannot  but  aeknowl- 
i'il<:fc  that  in  tho  science  of  practical  navigation  I  have  never  attempted  to 
iutorferi!  with  you,  but  have  only  made  you  ac(iuaintcd,  where  it  was  neces- 
s;i!-y,  with  the  views  of  the  company  and  of  the  government  in  regard  to 
certain  voyages  of  discovery  to  be  made  during  the  present  summer;  and  if 
it  insults  your  honor  to  receive  such  information  through  the  mouth  of  a 
iiic'ix'hunt,  a  class  of  people  whom  you  consider  aa  far  beneath  you,  I  can  only 
lie  sorry  that  I  am  prevented  from  giving  you  the  satisfaction  which  you  pcr- 
liups  desire,  on  account  of  being  neither  in  tho  military  nor  the  naval  servico 
of  tlie  goveniment,  and  not  even  holding  any  civil  position  or  rank.  At  tho 
tiunc  time,  I  take  the  liberty  of  informing  you  that  we  are  a  company  (jf 
inoruhants,  accustomed  to  commercial  usages  only,  and  exacting  business-lii;u 
behavior  on  the  part  of  our  8er\'ants.  If  you  really  had  no  idea  of  this  on 
leaving  the  admiralty  college,  you  certainly  cannot  have  failed  to  under- 
stand the  character  of  our  enterprise  when  siL'ning  tho  mutual  agreeinoiit 
Ic'fore  the  commanding  otHcer  at  Okhotsk,  and  have  had  every  opportunity 
<if  acrpiainting  yourself  with  the  nature  of  your  engagement  during  your 
jiiissagc  on  the  /c«itt  and  on  the  Orel.  Now  that  you  are  navigating  one  of 
Diir  vessels  on  the  caost  of  America,  you  have  no  choice  but  either  to  obey 
(inr  instructions  (even  though  it  conio  from  a  person  without  official  rank), 
or  to  give  up  the  whole  business  and  revoke  tlie  contract.  Tlie  an-angemcnts 
concerning  your  entrance  into  our  service  were  made  by  higher  authorities 
tlian  j'ours  or  mine,  and  how  the  proposjil  to  revoke  ihein  would  be  rei;eived 
by  them  I  cannot  tell.  In  conclusion,  I  would  ask  ytm  again  either  to  Sfud 
me  a  peremptory  written  refusal,  or  to  comply  witli  the  instructions  drawn  up 
by  nie,  in  conformity  with  the  views  of  tho  government  and  of  the  managing 
partners  of  the  company.  Hoping  that  you  will  soon  lionor  me  with  a  com- 
munication on  this  subject,  I  remain  with  due  respect,  dear  sir,  your  honor's 
ohedicnt  servant,  AloNander  Baranof.'  Id.,  ii.  app.  part  ii.  l-.V.'JO.  Tliis 
letter,  so  polite  and  yet  so  brimming  with  satire,  affords  us  another  in^iglit 
into  tho  mind  of  the  'common  trader,'  despised  by  his  military  or  naval  t-wh- 
onlinatcs.  The  allusion  to  his  regrets  at  being  unable  to  give  Talin  tiie  '  sat- 
isfaction of  a  gentleman '  is  especially  iiertincut,  coming  from  one  as  brave  as 
Biirauof  was  known  to  be. 


304 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SITKA. 


pany  to  send  from  Russia  some  one  to  relievo  him. 
As  we  shall  see,  this  request  was  repeated  seveial 
times  during  a  period  of  nearly  twenty  years  before  a 
sueccssor  tinallv  reached  the  colonies,  thouifh  two  were 
ai)pointed  meanwhile,  but  were  shipwrecked  on  the 
way.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  chief  cause  of 
his  dissatisfaction  was  the  unpleasant  relatioiis  with 
the  naval  officers  and  the  intrigues  of  the  mi^<sioIl- 
aries,  though  his  failing  health  and  the  condition  of 
his  finances  were  additional  reasons.^ 

Believing  the  Sitka  settlement  to  be  now  firmly 
established  and  safe  from  hostile  attacks,  Baranof  re- 
turned to  Kadiak  in  the  autumn  of  1800.  But  prior 
to  his  return  he  made  an  official  visit  to  various  set- 
tlements, an  account  of  which  I  give  in  his  own  words. 

Writing  to  Larionof,  the  agent  at  Unalaska,  in  July 
of  this  year,  he  says:  "On  Kenai  Bay  at  Il^'amiia 
Lake  the  rebellious  tribes  have  killed  three  of  our 
men  since  Lebedefs  people  departed.  Our  establish- 
ments on  the  gulf  of  Kenai  have  been  broken  up  three 
times,  and  a  conspiracy  has  been  discovered  to  destroy 
all  places  occupied  by  Russians,  and  to  kill  them  as 
well  as  the  natives  of  Kadiak  in  their  employ;  and 
we  have  not  been  able  as  j'et  entirely  to  suppress  the 
spirit  of  rebellion.  But  the  saddest  news  of  all,  and 
the  most  disastrous  to  us,  is  of  the  wreck  of  the  Fciu'ks, 

'  His  yiecuniary  affairs  at  this  time  were  in  an  unsatisfactory  state.  '  Of 
9,000  roubles  which  1  hail  left  in  the  hamls  of  Kretcheotzall",'  he  writes,  '  only 
cue  half  has  been  returned,  anil  I  have  met  with  losses  in  other  (juartors.  If 
I  were  to  i-etuni  to  Siberia  now,  I  would  not  be  a  roul)le  lietter  oti'than  I  M;i;i 
when  I  came  to  this  country.  The  class  factory  in  Irkutsk  in  which  1  had  in- 
vested 4,000  roubles  has  fallen  into  (fecay,  and  the  stock  gone  into  iwssessiun  of 
my  former  partner,  Lackmaii.  I  inijuired  concerning  the  sale  of  the  projjcrty 
of  my  late  wife,  butnever  received  an  answer.  This  is  the  way,  my  friend,  all 
the  little  property  I  had,  and  left  in  charge  of  my  wife  and  friends,  has  boeii 
Scattered.  Some  of  it  has  been  absorbed  by  unjust  claims  advanced  by  Slmr- 
iliof  anil  Lebedef.  For  this  reason  it  would  be  advisable  that  I  should  return 
hence  before  I  am  left  entirely  destitute  in  my  old  age.  But  unfortunately, 
the  shareholders  have  paid  no  attention  to  my  demand  for  a  successor,  ami 
I  cannot  conscientiously  almndon  my  position  and  duties  without  leaving  some 
one  in  my  place,  as  such  action  might  involve  the  comiMiny  in  inextricable 
ditiiculties.  For  the  proper  uianagement  of  affairs  here,  a  man  in  the  jn'iuic 
of  life,  in  the  enjoyment  of  full  health  and  all  his  faculties,  is  recjuired,  and  nut 
a  person  worn  out  with  hardship  and  fatigue,  and  with  u  temper  soured  by 
adversity.' 


THE  DIRECTOR'S  TRAVELS. 


m 


and  the  loss  of  the  whole  carjjo  and  all  on  board. 
Tor  two  months  portions  of  the  wreck  have  been  cast 
on  the  beach  in  various  localities,  but  the  exact  place 
of  the  di.saster  remains  unknown. 

"  I  set  out  in  person  in  July,  first  for  the  gulf  of  Ke- 
iiai,  to  subdue  the  rebellious  tribes,  and  the  remnant 
o\'  the  Lebedef  Company,  who  had  killed  over  a  hun- 
dred people  between  them,  and  had  divided  them- 
selves into  several  bands  of  robbers.  Man\^  of  them 
threatened  our  men  on  the  Kaknu  River,  whicJi  sta- 
tion they  had  occupied  after  the  breaking-up  of  tlie 
Lebedef  Company,  but  fortunately  the  leaders  of  the 
conspiracy  dispersed  upon  my  arrival,  and  though  the 
combination  was  not  entirely  dissolved,  I  succeeded 
in  obtaining  several  hostages  for  the  safety  of  our 
agent  in  command,  Vassili  Malakhof,  but  in  the  more 
distant  settlements  there  is  still  a  stronu  inclination 
t<^  warfare  and  plunder.  I  remained  there  until  the 
1 5th  of  August,  making  necessary  arrangements  to  in- 
sure the  safety  of  the  place  b}-^  strengthening  its  for- 
1  ideations.  I  also  selected  a  more  convenient  site  for 
the  fort,  made  a  plan  in  accordance  with  the  local 
iacilities,  and  left  its  execution  to  the  agent  ]\Ialakhof; 
and  after  collecting  all  the  furs  at  the  station,  c<msist- 
iiig  chiefly  of  those  of  small  land-animals,  I  proceeded 
to  Fort  Alexandroffsk  at  the  entrance  of  the  gulf. 
Here  I  furnished  the  ajrent  Ostrocfin  with  further  in- 
structions,  and  sailed  again  on  the  30th  of  August, 
shaping  my  course  for  the  redoubt  at  Voskressenski 
J^ay.  Thence  I  proceeded  to  Nuchek  Island,  whore  I 
made  a  searching  investigation  of  everything,  and  js- 
tablished  the  fort  St  Konstantin  upon  a  new  site. 
I  also  had  several  interviews  with  the  natives,  and 
placed,  my  assistant  Kuskof  in  conunand  of  that  re- 
gion." 

"Concerning the  new  settlement  at  Sitka,"  the  man- 
ager says,  for  I  cannot  do  better  than  permit  hiju 
to  continue  his  story,  "I  thought  there  would  be 
no  danger  with   proper  protection   from   the   larger 


iii- 


V 


390 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SITKA. 


vessels,  though  the  natives  there  possess  large  quan- 
tities of  fire-arms  and  all  kinds  of  ammunition,  receiv- 
ing new  supplies  annually  from  the  English  and 
from  the  republicans  of  Boston  and  America,  whoso 
object  is  not  permanent  settlement  on  these  shorts, 
but  who  have  been  in  the  habit  of  making  trading 
trips  to  these  regions.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
fruits  of  the  discoveries  of  Russian  navigators  mav 
not  be  enjoyed  by  European  or  other  companies,  de- 
priving us  of  our  hard-earned  advantages,  I  trust 
that  God  in  his  justice  will  allow  us  to  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  our  enterprise,  and  as,  with  his  help,  I,  an 
ignorant  subject,  have  been  able  to  add  something  to 
the  vast  dominion  of  his  imperial  Majesty,  we  must 
hope  that  we  shall  find  the  means  to  preserve  our  new 
possessions  intact,  and  make  them  profitable. 

"At  the  settlement  of  Yakutat  I  found  nothing  but 
trouble  and  disorder  in  every  department.  This  was 
partly  owing  to  the  old  difficulties  between  Polomosli- 
noi^  and  your  brother  Stepan,  who  was  appointed 
assistant  manager  in  1796.  During  the  first  winter 
thirteen  of  the  twenty-five  hunters  and  seven  of  the 
settlers  died  of  scurvy,  besides  women  and  children. 
Polomoshnoi  had  written  a  whole  ream  of  trash  and 
nonsense  which  he  forwarded  to  Kadiak,  the  whole 
report  containing  only  what  one  settler  had  said  of 
another,  what  the  settlers  had  said  of  the  hunters,  and 
the  threats  made  by  the  latter  against  his  life.  In 
conclusion,  he  asked  to  be  relieved.  The  wish  was  com- 
plied with,  and  Nikolai  Moukhin,  who  was  thought 
to  possess  considerable  administrative  ability,  was  sent 
as  his  substitute.  I  had  all  the  property  forwarded 
to  Yakutat  on  behalf  of  the  settlers  transferred  to  him, 
though  it  was  almost  impossible  to  obtain  any  cleai' 
statement  with  regard  to  it  from  the  confused  mass  of 
papers  left  by  Polomoshnoi.  His  reports  spoke  <»f 
many  acts  of  cruelty  and  abuse  committed  by  the 
hunters,  and  he  had  even  gone  so  far  as  to  appoint  a 

B  Baranof  bad  not  yet  heard  of  Polomoshnoi's  death. 


BARANOPS  LETTERS. 


397 


commission  to  investigate  the  chariyes :  but  as  tlic  mem- 
bers  of  the  commission  were  all  ignorant  settlers  who 
were  interested  in  the  case,  they  did  nothing  beyond 
getting  up  a  voluminous  pile  of  testimony  which 
amounts  to  nothing  but  empty  words.  Several  times 
I  was  on  the  point  of  solving  all  difficulties  by  dis- 
l)anding  the  settlement;  but  better  thoughts  prevailed, 
and  remembering  the  importance  of  the  success  of 
this  experiment  to  the  company  and  to  the  country 
at  large,  I  did  my  best  to  restore  order  and  reconcile 
the  parties  involved. 

"The  tribes  living  in  the  vicinity  of  our  Sitka  set- 
tlement at  first  met  us  in  a  very  friendly  manner,  but 
of  late  they  have  displayed  some  distrust,  and  when 
our  men  had  formed  a  procession  during  holy  week  in 
honor  of  the  emperor,  they  thought  we  were  preparing 
for  a  fight,  and  seized  our  interpreter,  who  happened 
to  be  in  the  native  village.  The  procession  was  con- 
ducted with  great  solenmity  and  pomp,  and  after  it 
liad  been  disbanded,  our  men  went  through  some  mil- 
itary evolutions,  all  of  which  had  been  witnessed  by  the 
chiefs  of  the  savages,  who  listened  frowningly  to  our 
discharges  of  musketry  and  artillery;  but  all  this  dis- 
play did  not  induce  them  to  give  up  the  interpreter, 
and  some  property  which  they  had  stolen;  and  I  found 
it  necessary  to  assure  them  that  we  were  not  afraid  of 
tliem.  Therefore,  on  the  third  day  I  proceeded  to  the 
l»rincipal  village  w^ith  twenty-two  men,  landed  fear- 
lessly on  the  beach,  and  placed  two  small  cannon  in 
front  of  their  houses.  Over  three  hundred  armed  men 
surrounded  us,  but  we  marched  directly  to  the  house 
where  the  ]5risoner  was  reported  to  be.  We  fired  a  few 
blank  volleys  to  keep  the  crowd  in  awe,  and  seized  a 
few  men  who  seemed  inclined  to  offer  resistance.  Our 
determined  attitude  held  the  people  in  check,  and 
when  we  had  accomplished  our  object  and  released  the 
])risoner,  they  began  to  ridicule  the  affair,  bandying 
words  with  oui  men,  and  offering  them  food.  I  re- 
joiced in  having  accomplished  my  end  without  blood- 


M 


THE  FOUXDINO  OF  SITKA. 


sliud,  ami  made  up  my  mind  not  to  allow  the  slighti'st 
offence  on  their  part  to  pass  unnoticed  in  the  future." 

The  admixture  of  business  and  piety  in  this  despatch 
is  somewhat  noteworthy.  "With  God's  help,"  he 
writes,  **our  men  killed  40  sea-lions  and  150  seals 
during  the  winter."  Speaking  of  the  hunter  Mikhail, 
whom  ho  had  ordered  to  travel  around  Kadiak  "f<»r 
the  purpose  of  taking  a  census  of  that  island,  and  to 
make  presents  to  the  leading  men  among  the  Aleuts 
of  tobacco  and  other  trifles,"  he  remarks,  "  I  thought 
this  course  of  action  best,  in  view  of  the  misfortune 
which  had  happened  last  year,  as  I  wrote  to  you 
from  Sitka;  and  with  God's  help,  he  succeeded  so  well 
in  his  mission  that  the  necessary  number  of  men  were 
obtained  in  all  districts,  from  the  first  to  the  last,  even 
to  bird-hunting  parties." 

Again,  in  a  letter  to  Larionof,  dated  March  22, 
1801,  the  chief  manager  thus  expresses  his  gratitude: 
"  The  All-creator  of  the  world,  in  his  infinite  mercy, 
has  overlooked  and  forgiven  our  sins,  and  tempered 
the  cruel  blows  of  misfortune  wit:  success  in  sea-ottei 
hunting.  In  the  three  years  which  have  elapsed 
since  the  arrival  of  the  last  transport,  we  have  col- 
lected over  4,000  skins  of  sea-otters — males,  females, 
and  yearlings,  besides  cubs.  The  skins  secured  at 
Nuchek  and  Sitka  will  probably  amount  to  nearly 
4,000,  with  the  help  of  God.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
trappers  have  had  but  little  success,  on  account  of  the 
unfavorable  weather  during  the  winter;  and,  as  you 
see  from  the  statement,  only  1,500  skins  were  obtained 
from  that  source,  while  in  former  years  from  2,000 
to  2,500  was  the  average  number."" 

Baranof's  complaints  of  foreign  encroachment  ap- 
pear to  have  been  well  grounded.  Within  a  few 
leagues  of  Sitka  the  captains  of  three  Boston  shi}).s 
secured  2,000  skins,  though  paying  very  high  prices, 
each   one  trying  to  outbid  the   other.     For  a   sin- 

•In  1800  tbo  skins  obtained  from  Sitka  amounted  to  2,600,  and  for  Iho 
whole  colony  to  3,500.  Khkhmkof,  Shizn.  Baranova,  02. 


"  ho 


3nt  ap- 
a   few 

|n  sliip?^ 
pricL^s 
a   shi- 

1(1  for  tUo 


AMERICANS  AND  ENOLISIIMEN. 


309 


gle  skin  they  gave  t-loth  wortli  twenty-eight  roubles, 
or  three  eoats  of  frieze  Hncd  with  cotton.  In 
the  ,,an)e  neighborliood  two  skins  were  formerly 
bartered  for  cloth  valued  at  ton  and  a  half  roubles. 
"  The  Americans,"  writes  the  chief  manager,  "  who 
liavc  been  acquainted  with  these  tribes  I'or  two  or 
three  years,  and  have  sent  fro:ii  six  to  eight  sliips 
each  year,  speak  of  the  trade  as  follows:  *  The  Amer- 
ican republic  is  greatly  in  need  of  Chinese  goods,  the 
Chinese  teas,  the  various  silk  materials  and  other 
products  of  that  country,  which  had  formerly  to  bo 
purchased  for  coin,  the  S[>anish  silver  dollar  exclu- 
siveh',  but  since  these  shores  have  been  discovered, 
with  their  abundance  of  furs,  they  were  no  longer 
obliged  to  take  coin  with  them,  but  loaded  their  ves- 
sels with  full  cargoes  of  European  goods  and  products 
of  their  own  countrv,  which  are  easier  obtained  than 
coin.'"  After  touching  on  the  political  complications 
that  marked  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  centurv, 
Baranof  continues:  "The  resources  of  this  region  arc 
such  tliat  millions  may  be  made  there  for  our  country 
with  proper  management  in  the  future,  but  for  over 
ten  vears  from  six  to  ten  Eufrlish  and  American  ves- 
sels  have  called  here  every  year.  It  is  safe  to  calcu- 
late an  average  of  2,000  skins  on  eight,  or  say  six 
vessels,  which  would  make  12,000  a  year,  and  if  wo 
even  take  10,000  as  a  minimum,  it  would  amount  in 
ten  years  to  100,000  skins,  which  at  the  price  at 
Canton  of  45  roubles  per  skin  would  amount  to 
4,500,000  roubles."'" 

For  the  next  year  and  a  half,  little  worthy  of  record 
occurred  in  connection  wath  the  affairs  of  the  Russian 
American  Company.  A  number  of  agriculturists  and 
mechanics,  placed  at  the  disjoosal  of  the  company  by 
Count  Zubof,  arrived  at  Kadiak,  together  with  a  reiin- 

'"/(Z.,  ii.  app.  part  ii.  145-8.  The  total  value  of  furs  shipped  by  the  She- 
likof-fJolikof  ComiKiny  between  17SG  and  1797  was  only  1,479,000  roubles. 
Jjt.rij,  Kronol.  1st.,  109. 


if 


il 


■i  y 


m^ 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  SITKA. 


forccment  of  missionaries.  The  chief  manaj^er  has 
little  to  report,  save  that  he  has  succeeded  in  bringin<jf 
into  friendly  relations  with  the  Russians  a  number  of 
tribes,  among  whom,  as  he  supposed,  were  the  Kolosh. 
The  question  of  boundaries  between  the  Russian  and 
British  American  possessions  had  been  mooted,  how- 
ever, almost  from  the  time  that  Spain  ceded  Nootka 
to  the  English,  and  Baranof  feared  that  his  people 
might  be  driven  from  their  settlements,"  altliougli 
their  right  of  discovery  and  occupation  north  of  the 
55th  parallel  left  little  room  for  dispute.  He  begs 
the  governor  of  Irkutsk  to  intercede  with  the  emperor, 
more  especially  in  relation  to  the  establishment  of  a  i 
agricultural  settlement,  for  it  was  useless  to  select  a 
site  until  some  definite  action  was  takcn,^^  and  tlio 
colony  at  Cape  St  Elias  was  of  no  benefit. 

''  The  Engliah  claimed  Ltua  Bay,  and  even  the  gulf  of  Konai  and  Priuuo 
William  Sonnd. 

■'^  In  thia  despatch  Baranof  says:  'Our  greatest  need  is  now  skilled  naviga- 
101*8,  since  uf  five  vessels  in  Aincricau  waters  only  one  has  on  experienced 
master,  and  he  is  in  poor  health.' 


ii  li 


If.' 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


i  and  Priuco 

tilled  naviga- 
i  experienced 


THE   fclTKA   MASSACRE. 

180'2. 

RrjiousoF  Revolt  amont.  thk.  Kolosii — Tiiey  AxTAfK  Fv^ut  Sv  MiKitAVt- — 
Tksti.mony  of  AiiiiossiM   1'l()..<ik<)F — Am>  of  l';KA'ri...iNA  Ij:iii:iikf — 

SiTIUils'    KyllViX.'AL  StaTKMFNT— CaI'TAIN    HaKI-.I-.K  as    a   I'lllLANTIIIli)- 

ri<T  -Kiii.rnMKoF's  Vkusion  of  the  Massaciik — SfyuF.r  iNSTUinrioNs 

TO  IjXUASOK— TlKINT.S   FROM    TNALASKA  -  FrKTlll.ll    I'UOMOTIOX  OF  TIIK 

(.'iiiiF  MANAiiKU— llr.  I)kti:ioiim:s  to  Kecai'Ti  he  Sitka — I'uei'aua- 

TIONS  Ft)ll  THE  JvXrEDU'IU.V, 

IIau/xof's  liopo  tliiit  tlio  K(^losli  \v(>ro  ui  li '111,411 
finally  j);u  ilied  provi'd  to  bo  ill  iVmiidcd.  AJtlioti'j^ii 
he  was  not  uware  of  it,  disairoetion  had  huyj;  Iiecii  lil'o 
aiiionuf  the  w :M-likt>  nations  of'  Sitkii  and  of  the  main- 
land, in  the  vieinitv  of  the  Yakutat  settlenu'iit.     it  is 


sa 


id   that  the  liostih'  spirit  was  fostered  hy  the  En;j,'- 


I  !•,  .^ 


lisli  and  Aincrieuii  traders,  who  siipphwd  the  sava 
witli  iire-aniis,  aininunition,  and  intoxieatiiii^  di-ink. 
Humors  had  ivached  the  ('onnnand''rs  of  hoth  Sitka 
and  Yakutat  that  an  oi"L!;aniz(Ml  attack  was  conlcm- 
plaled  on  the  Itussian  slron,L;holds;  hut  as  the  chiefs 
in  tlieij-  vicinity  continued  to  profess  friendshij),  and 
as  tralhc  was  cai'i'ie<l  on  as  usual,  the  ai^euts  paid 
little  h(  ed  to  the  n'jx'atid  wai'nin<;'s.  Xo  chan^'e  was 
made  in  the  daily  routine  ahout  the  s(;tt kment.  l*ar- 
tiis  were  sent  out  to  cut  tind)er  in  the  forests,  and  to 
hunt  on  the  islands  and  hays.  Sentries  were  jxisted  i:i 
accordances  with  ];>aranof's  instructions,  hut  as  the  forc(? 
was  small  in  either  place,  only  tlie  sick  and  disahlod 
\V(  re  sideoted  for  such  <Iuty,  and  it  was  tlu-refore  pi-i- 
f iiuied  in  the  most  ineilicient  maiiuur.     In  the  nieaiii 


: 


ItUT.  Alai'Ka.     20 


(*ou 


402 


TilF.  SITKV  MASSACRE. 


time,  tlic  savai^os  liad  matured  their  plans.  Allies 
had  l)een  secured  from  all  the  villajxes  throui^hout  tin' 
Alexander  Arehi])ela<j:o,  and  iVom  the  populous  valltv 
of  th(>  Stakhin  liiver,  and  durinj;^  the  sunmier  of  i80J 
the  Mow  was  struck  which  swept  from  earth  the  in- 
fant colony. 

The  exact  date  of  the  Sitka  massacre  is  not  known ; 
the  only  survivors  were  Russian  laborers  and  nativcN, 
who  were  so  terrified  as  to  have  taken  no  note  of  tiiuf. 
It  is  certain,  however,  that  the  event  occurred  in  the 
month  of  June.  The  best  statements  of  this  incident 
are  co?itaiiKxl  in  depositions  made  l)y  the  few  survivois 
in  the  otticc  of  the  company's  agent  at  Kadiak.'  Tin  y 
were  rude,  ignorant  men,  and  their  ideas  and  word-; 
are  crude;  hut  they  are  blotter  for  the  purpose  thai" 
mine  would  be,  and  I  will  not  mar  their  testimony  Ijy 
another  ro'.ulering. 

.Vbrossin  Plotnikof,  a  hunt(>r.  who  was  among  tliosc 
who  were  rescued,  testified  as  follows;  "  In  this  jiresuiit. 
vear,  ISO'J,  about  the  'J4th  tlav  of  June — I  do  not  iv- 
member  the  exact  date,  but  it  was  a  holiday — about 
two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  I  went  to  tlu)  river  ti» 
look  aft(,'r  our  calves,  as  I  had  been  di'tailed  by  tln' 
commander  of  the  I'ort,  A'^assili  ^fedvi'dnikof,  to  tal^'' 
care  of  the  cattle.  On  I'eturning  soon  after,  1  noticed 
at  the  f(»rt  a  great  nndtitudeof  Kolosh  peo|>le,  who 
had  not  only  surrounded  the  barracks  below,  but  weiv 
alreadv  climbinuf  over  the  baleonv  and  to  the  roof  with 
guns  andcanncMi;  anil  standing  upon  a  littli>  knoll  in 
IVont  of  the  out-houses  was  the  Sitka  foi/on,  or  chiel'. 
Mikhail,  giving  orders  to  those  who  were  around  the 
l)arracks,  and  shouting  t(^  some  people  in  canoes  not  far 
away,  to  make  haste  and  assist  in  the  light.  1  < 
answer  to  his  shouts,  sixty-two  canoes  emerjjci'd  iVom 
behind  points  of  rocks.  Even  if  I  had  reached  th' 
barracks,  they  were  already  closed  and    barricaded, 

'  Thcsp  8iirviv()i-H  wrro  carried  to  Kndiak  by  Cn^it-ain  Bnrl)er,  tlio  com- 
mnndiT  c*'  un  l')iiglisli  •  issid,  wliu,  aa  will  bu  sceu,  played  a  Boiucwlmt  am- 
bij^'UDUs  role  iu  tlio  tragedy. 


PLOTNIKOF'S  STORY. 


403 


istiiiiouv  li\' 


and  there  was  no  safety  outside;  therefore  I  rushed 
away  to  the  cattle-yard,  wliere  I  had  a  jj^uii.  I  only 
waited  to  tell  a  girl,  who  was  emjdoyed  in  the  yard, 
to  take  her  little  child  and  lly  to  the  woods,  when, 
seizin*^  my  gun,  I  closed  up  the  shed.  Very  soon 
after  this  four  Kolosh  came  to  the  door  and  knocked 
three  times.  As  soon  as  I  ran  out  of  the  shed  tluy 
seized  me  by  the  coat  and  took  my  gun  from  me. 
I  ,.  s  compelled  to  leave  both  in  their  hands,  and 
juinjiing  through  a  window,  ran  past  the  fort  antl  liiil 
in  the  thick  underbrush  of  the  forest,  th(»ugh  two 
Kolosh  ran  after  me,  but  could  not  find  me  in  the 
woods.  Soon  after,  I  emerged  from  the  underbrush, 
and  approached  the  barracks  to  see  if  the  attack  luul 
been  repulsed,  but  I  saw  that  not  only  the  barracks, 
but  the  ship  recently  built,  the  warehouse  and  sheds, 
the  cattle-sheds,  bath-house,  and  other  small  l)uilding.s 
had  l)een  set  on  fire,  and  were  already  in  full  blaze. 
The  sea-otter  skins  and  other  property  of  the  company, 
as  well  as  the  private  property  of  the  connnander  ^[ed- 
\e(lnikof  and  the  hunters,  the  savages  were  throw- 
ing to  the  ground  from  the  balcony  on  the  water  side, 
wliile  otluM's  seized  them  and  carried  them  to  the 
canoes,  which  were  close  to  the  fort." 

After  mentioning  that  there  were  sixteen  men  in 
t!ie  barracks,  and  i^ivinu'  the  names  of  others  who  were 
ahsenton  hunting  or  fishing  expeditions,  he  continues: 
"All  at  once  1  saw  two  Kolosh  nuuiing  towaj'd  mo 
armed  with  guns  and  lances,  and  1  was  coin[)elled  to 
hide  again  in  the  woods.  I  threw  myself  down  among 
tile  underbi'usli  on  the  Qih^c  of  the  fort'st,  covering 
myself  with  pieces  of  bark.  Front  there  I  saw 
Xakvassin  tlrop  frt>m  the  U])per  balcony  and  nm 
toward  the  woods;  but  when  near'ly  across  the  open 
s|)ace  he  fell  to  the  ground,  and  .our  warriors  rushed 
U|>  and  carried  him  back  to  the  barracks  on  the  i)oints 
of  their  lances  and  cut  oft'  his  head.  Kabanof  was 
dragged  from  the  barracks  mto  tlu'  street,  whi-re  tlu! 
Kolosh  pierced  him  with  their  lances;  but  how   the 


4Dt 


TnE  STTKA  MASSACRE. 


<'Mi('r  Russian^<  who  wire  tlioro  otiiiio  to  tlicir  on  ]  I 
<!i>  iiot  know.  Tlio  slaug'litor  i\\u\  iiu^endinrisni  \V(')\j 
<•  •ntimu'd  by  the  sava::jft's  until  thoevenin<j|',  hut  iiiiallv 
1   stoli'  out  anionu:  the   ruins  and   ashes,  and  in  n;v 


v.andei'Ui'jfs  oanic  across   some  o 


f  ou 


r  cows,  ana  sa 


I 


that  oven  tlie  poor  dunih animals  liad  not  escaped  tlio 
hh)od-thirsty  fiends,  liavin<4  spears  stuck  in  their  side-;. 
ExercisinL!;  all  mv  streniiih,  I  was  barelv  ahle  to  imiU 
(»ut  some  (»f  tlie  s])oars,  when  I  was  observed  l)y  tv.o 
Ivolosli,  and  com[).'llcd  to  leave  the  cows  to  their  I'at  • 


cl  1 


and  Jiide  aixain  m  llio  woods 


th 


d.. 


"1  passed  the  nii^ht  not  far  trt-ni  the  I'uins  of  i]\.\ 
foi't.  In  the  morninu;  I  heard  the  report  of  a  cami''.i 
idid  looked  out  ol'  the  brush,  but  could  see  nobody, 
aiid  not  wishin'4'  to  expose  myself  aijjain  to  furtlu;- 
<!an;jfer,  wiMit  hi^^her  u])  the  mountain  through  the 
forest.  While  advancini^  cautiously  through  tin 
v.oods,  I  met  two  other  persons  who  wore  in  tli  • 
i-ap.u'  coMditlon  as  myself:  a  o-irl  iVom  the  Chini^it.: 
\  illa^'o,  ]v;Mli,il<,  witli  an  infant  on  lu^r  bi'oast,  and  i 
ma!i  from  Kiliuda  xilla^-e,  wlio  had  bei'ii  left  btdun  I 
by  the  hun;''M<4'  party  on  account  of  sickness.  I  took 
them  bdlli  wiih  nu'  to  the  mountain,  but  each   niuht 


I  went  to  t!\e  ruins  of  the  f  »rt  Vvith  \\\y  oompanic 
\  bewailed  tlu'  iate  of  the  slain.     In  this  nii> 


)U.' 


an 


ibl( 


•  lit 


lulc  condiiion   wo  riMuanu'd  loi*  ei 


I   f. 


•lit   d; 


U'S,   Wl 


thout 


an3'thini4'  to  eat  and  nnthiuL;-  but  water  to  drinl;. 
.\bout  noon  <il"  thi'  last  day  we  heard  from  the  nunui- 
tain  two  cannon-siiots,  which  i-aised  some  hoj)e  in  ni'  , 
and  1  told  my  companions  to  iblK)w  mo  at  a  littl- 
di>tance,  and  then  went  <!own  toward  the  rivei' 
through  the  woods  to  hide  myscdf  near  tho  shore,  and 
see  whether  thoro  was  a  shi]*  in  t!ie  bay.  When  i 
reached  the  beach  I  saw  behind  a  small  island  a  ves- 
sel which  looked  to  mo  like  our  /■y,<ifrr(i)(i,  but.  wlun 
1  came  to  our  liarbor  which  overhK)ked  the  entire 
]iay  I  found  that  it  was  not  tho  J'Jcafcn'na,  but  an 
Knulish  shij). 

'J  tlien  ascended  the  rock  where  a  tent  had  been 


RESCUE  OF  THE  SURVR'ORS. 


40.1 


r  on  I  I 
-iiu  wcro 
t  linally 
l  in  n;y 
\n(l  saw 
ipod  tlio 
iir  sitli'^. 
V  to  pnU 
.  by  two 
heir  111  to 

is   of  tll-l 

a  ciinnnii 
n()bt)(ly, 
)  furtli<!- 
)n;.;'i  tlio 
nij:;li   til' 
•o   in  til ' 
Cliini^it.', 
^t,  and  a 
\  lu-lun  I 
I  took 
li   niu'lit 
ii|»an;t»us, 
lis  misor- 
williout 
i(»  (Irinlv. 
lit'  niouM- 
|)o  in  ni'  , 
a  littl- 
110    rivci- 
iKM'e,  and 
IWl.cn   1 
|l  a  V.' 
lilt  wlun 
I'  ontii'! 
Imt  an 

lad  boon 


set  up  wlion  the  (•hicf  inanaLjor  was  presenl,  ;>.n  I 
shouted  tor  lielp.  Sonic  Kolo.sh,  who  were  near  tli  i 
river,  heard  my  voiee,  and  .six  of  them  had  ahnost 
ri 'ached  me  before  I  saw  them,  and  I  barely  ^'Ueeeoded 


in    e.sea 


)in'j:    iVom    them    and    hidiuL''    in   th 


e  woous 


Thus  1  had  been  chased  three  times  by  tlie  sava''es. 
'i'hey  drove  mo  to  anotlier  ])oint  on  the  beach,  near 
the  capo.  wJiero  aij;ain  I  liailed  the  ship,  and  to  my 
Ui'oat  joy  a  boat  put  (»{f  from  tlie  vessel  to  the  jilace 
where  I  was  standiiiL;'.  I  had  barely  time  to  jump 
i:ito  it  when  the  Kolosh  in  pursuit  of 


mo   came    i;i 


.-i;4iit  ai^ain,  but  when  thoy  saw  I  was  already  in   Ih. 
1.  Kit,  they  went  away  a^'ain.     The  commander  of  th' 


•I    was   in   the   boat, 


aiK 


I   wl 


ion   we 


had 


)t   on 


l.'oard,  I  ^ave  him  a  full  account  of  tho  sad  disasttT, 
and  asked  him  tt)  save  the  jjfirl  with  her  infmt  S'Ui, 
and  tho   man   whom   I   had  left  ashore,  and    showr.l 


SOI 


l!iom  tho  place  where  I  had  told  the  girl  and  man  (■> 
].i;lo.  The  captain  at  once  despatched  an  armed  yawl, 
and  ibrtunately  we  hit  upon  the  verys[)ot  where  th;y' 
were  hidinu',  and  they  were  taken  into  tho  boat  and 
li!'')U';'ht  on  l)oard  the  sliij).  Tho  boat  was  sent  off 
ai'-ain  immediatelv  to  the  other  side  of  the  bav,  an  1 

m  returned,  t(»  my  great  astonishment,  with  ]>ati:- 
rln,  anotlu-r  liussian,  whom  I  rocogni;x'd  with  un- 
spoak;iijlo  joy,  and  we  soon  related  to  each  other  our 
experience. 

"We  asked  the  commander  of  tho  ship  to  escort  u> 
(o  tho  site  of  the  destroyed  fort,  to  see  if  aiivthrn'jf 
had  been  snared  bv  tho  sava-'es.  J  [o  yerv  kimllv' 
•  •onsentod,  had  the  yawl  manned  again,  got  in  him- 
M  If,  and  took  mc  with  him.  When  we  arrived  at  iho 
ruins  iio  examined  (he  bodies  of  tho  dead,  all  of  which 
v.cre  without  head.'x,  except  Kabaiiof,  and  we  buried 
them.  Of  ])ro[H,>rty,  we  found  nothing  but  tlie  melted 
li.irrel  of  a  brass  gun,  and  a  broki'ii  cannon,  whirh  vro 
pirked  nj)  and  !)roUght  to  the  ship.  When  we  had 
h  'in  on  board  tho  ship  throi^  days,  two  bidarkas  camo 
i'Oia  the  shore  w  ith  the  Sitkaii  chief,  Mikhail,  a:i  I 


!0G 


THK  SITKA  MASSACRE. 


1 


his  nephew.  The  former  asked  the  captain  if  there 
were  any  Russians  on  board,  aiid  wliether  he  wished  to 
tra(h'.  The  captain  said  nothing  of  our  presence,  and 
Y.ith  rriemlly  words  coaxed  liini  on  l)oai'd,  toij^etlicr 
v.itli  Ills  iiephew,  and  the  Kolosli  ^drl  who  had  hem 
in  Kuzmiclicf's  service  at  the  settlement.  At  our 
re(piest,  the  captain  seizetl  tlie  chief  and  Ids  nej)he\v, 
and  ordered  them  to  he  kc})t  in  coiitinement,  ironed 
hand  and  foot,  until  all  the  persons  captured  at  tin; 
time  of  tlie  destruction  of  the  settlement  had  hccii 
L;iven  ui).  The  chief  told  his  men  who  had  remaincil 
in  tlii^  hidarkas  to  go  and  bring  tliem.  After  tluit 
Wwy  l)eu'an  to  restore  our  servant-ijii'ls  and  chililrcii, 
not  all  at  once,  however,  but  one  l)V  one.  Finally, 
tlie  cai)tain  told  the  chief  that  if  he  did  not  give  U[)  ;it 
once  all  the  prisoners  in  his  hands,  he  would  hang 
him,  and  in  order  to  frighten  him,  the  necessary 
]ire|)arations  for  the  cKecution  were  made. 

"  '^n  tlu>  mean  time  two  other  English  ships  enteriMl 
the  bay  and  anchored  close  to  eacii  other.  With  tin; 
cajttain  of  one  of  them  we  were  somewhat  acquainted, 
as  lie  had  once  wintered  with  liis  vessi'l  near  our  f  irt. 
Tliis  was  the  Ahctz?  The  Kolosh  put  oif  to  the  two 
shi[)s  in  many  canoes,  and  when  th(.>  commander  (tf  tin: 
Ahc(z  learned  of  our  misfortunes,  he  held  a  consulta- 
tion with  the  ca[)tains  of  the  other  vessels.  As  tlni 
savages  approached  in  their  canoes  he  fireil  gra[)e-shot 
at  them  from  the  cannon,  destroying  several.  Soiih' 
of  the  occupants  reached  the  shore,  v.hile  many  weii; 
drowned.  Several  of  the  Kolosh  the  captain  of  tlu! 
.ihetz  kept  as  prisoners,  and  by  that  means  succeeded 

-  Pi-iihalily  tho  .(/(';•/,  Captain  Kl)1)cts,  from  IJitston.  I'lotnikof  m'iir  (>^i• 
<li  iilly  iiiialilo  to  ili.stiiimiish  taiitaiiis'  (iiiil  ships'  nauius,  or  I'Viii  iiatioiiaMtir^. 
'I'lu!  ship  ciiimiiaiKK'tl  by  Jlarln-r  must  havo  lifi'ii  tlio  I'liirnrn,  ini'iitii'iii'l  t  i 
the  li-'t  of  vts.sils  winttriiii;  oil  tho  coast  in  I.SOl,  in  Siunjis'  ^arr.,  MS.,  7, 
ns  hailiny;  from  J.ouiliin.  Tim  .ll<rt  liist  iipiicais  in  tho  Ntui'^'is  list  ni  1">''-, 
'piit  lis  it  r<'L;isti'i'i'il  tlioio  with  1?,()(K)  Hoji-ottor  skins  on  liiard,  tlii'  vi'ssil  iiii:  t 
liavi!  ivachid  tho  coast  previous  to  that  time.  In  tiio  list  of  north-\n-t 
trailers  niailc  by  .faniis  (!.  Swan,  I  liml  tho  Bhip  Al'rl,  Captain  Howies,  iu 
IT'.l!',  wliilo  it  occurs  ii^'ftin  ill  ISO)  nndcr  comniaiul  of  Captain  Kliln'ts.  'I'lu' 
I'liiiorii,  t'antain  Ikii'licr,  mnst  luivo  t'soai)i;d  Mr  Swan's  uutico,  thou^jh  tlio 
inaile  severul  vitjita  to  the  vuust. 


EKATERIXA'S  STATKMEXT. 


m 


liii  if  thoro 
10  wished  to 
•osonce,  ami 
■(],  toi^etluT 
o  had  hcHii 
t.  At  our 
lis  nephew, 
lent,  iroiii'd 
iired  at  the 
t  liad  hi'cu 
d  reuiaiiu'il 
After  tliat 
id  chihh'cii, 
Finally, 
t  give  u[)  ;it 
A'ould  haii;^' 
3    noccssarv 

liips  entered 

With  the 

acquainted, 

,>ar  our  fort. 

:' to  the  two 

vnder  of  the 

a  eonsulta- 

^.     As  the 

;^'ra[)e-shot 

ral.     Soiiii' 

many  were 

tain  of  the 

succeeded 

Itiiikof  WHS  evi- 

•11  iiatitiiiaHtit's. 

\i,  ini'iitiiiiM'il  ill 

L'iH  list  la  isivj, 

ItllO    Vl'SMll   lllU>t 

of  mutli-wist 
Jtaiii  Iliiwlf.H,  ill 
|i  Kill  lots.  'rii>> 
li'i>,  thoiiyii  bIio 


in  ol)taining  tlie  release  of  a  few  more  of  the  ca})turfd 
N.omeii.  As  soon  as  the  Kolosh  discovered  what  had 
lii'cn  done,  they  would  not  visit  the  ships  any  more; 
hut  from  the  girls  we  learned  that  they  held  pi-isoin-r 
oiir  of  our  men,  Taradanof,  We  asked  the  cajitaiii 
lint  to  release  the  chief;  and  when  the  Kolosh  saw 
that  he  and  his  nephew  were  not  set  at  libertv,  tlicv 
hi  lught  us  Taradanof,  four  more  women,  and  a  largo 
iiuiuher  of  sea-otter  skins.  After  takin<;  Taradanof 
and  the  women  on  board,  the  captain  released  the  chief 
and  his  nei)hew,  though  we  entreated  him  not  to  do 
so,  hut  to  take  them  to  Kadiak.  l^otli  at  Sitka  and 
<'ii  the  Voyage  the  captain  supplitnl  us  with  clothing 
iiiitl  abundant  food.  The  commanders  of  the  other  ves- 
sels also  made  us  presents  of  clothing,  as  wo  hud  lost 
everything." 

Of  another  statement  concerning  this  affair,  I  will 
make  an  abstract.  Ekaterina,  wife  (jf  the  Ivusslan 
Zakhar  Lebedef,  testified  as  follows:  "She  was  in  tin- 
street  (jf  Fort  Sv  ^likhail  at  noon — the  day  and  month 
hlic  did  not  know-  near  the  ladder  which  led  to  the 
uppt-r  stoi-y  where  the  conmiander  Medvednikof 
ii\t'd.  She  heard  a  Iiussian  shouting,  but  could  not 
<!istinguish  the  words.  A  man  named  Tumakaicf  ran 
tVoiii  the  kitchen  and  told  her  to  hfisten  to  the  b.-n-- 
lacks,  as  the  Kol(»sli  wei'e  coming  with  guns.  While 
lie  was  still  speaking,  all  the  Kussians  an<l  women 
who  had  been  in  the  strei't  ran  into  the  barracks.  The 
iloors  were  then  baiiicaded;  bnt  from  the  windows 
\\i'  saw  an  innneiise  crowd  of  Jvolosh  appi'oaehing, 
and  they  .soon  surrounded  the  barracks,  armed  with 
guns  and  lances." 

The  witni'ss  then  gives  the  names  of  those  who 
Were  within  the  barracks,  and  also  of  those  who  were 
absent,  agii-eing  in  this  j>art  of  her  statenu-nt  with 
I'lotnikof,  and  continues:  "When  the  Kolosh  cam<; 
i!|»  they  at  once  rushed  at  the  windows  and  began  a 
•  ontinuous  tii-e,  while  the  doors  were  soon  br<ik«'n 
down  in  spite  of  those  inside.     Among  the  first  who 


i 


■■■  ! 


fc  i: 


103 


THE  SITKA  MASSACnn. 


wore  liit  wcro  tlio  coinniiiiidcr  aii-l  Tmiiakot';  otlicrs 
were  also  wo  muled,  when  the  rest  were  onlon^il  to 
tlio  upper  .story,  but  tliough  they  kept  uj)  a  constant 
lire,  thev  could  not  do  much.  When  the  KoLjsU 
liroke  into  the  buikUng,  Tumakof,  tliougii  woundcl, 
fired  the  camion  at  the  entrance  and  killed  a  ilw 
Kolo.sh;  whenaipon  the  renuunder  retreated  a  little. 
It  was  soon  evident  that  there  was  not  ammunition 
enough  for  the  camion  in  the  lower  f^tory,  and  to  get 
a  new  supi)ly,  one  of  the  men  broke  through  the  ceil- 
ing between  the  upper  and  lower  stories,  when  llame.s 
came  through  the  opening  and  suffocating  smoke. 
When  the  lire  spread  in  the  lower  story  the  wouk..! 
Were  thrust  into  the  basement;  but  soon  afterward 
some  of  the  llussians  again  tired  the  cannon,  and  tiif 
concussion  broke  the  door  leading  from  the  basement 
into  the  street.  The  womcMi  then  ran  out  and  were 
sei/.od  by  the  Kolosh  and  carried  to  the  canoes  which 
lay  close  l)y.  Thence  they  couLl  see  the  Itusslaiis 
jumj)ing  down  into  the  jstreet  when  the  lire  dro\'e 
them  out.  There  they  were  caught  and  pierced  with 
k 


a  noes 


"3 


"  TiUimcnrf,  hfor.  Ohm.,  ii.  .ipj-i.  part  ii.  17J-0.  The  nccount  of  Stiirpi-!, 
c,tpt;iiii  iif  tho  t'uroliiit',  iuv  vcracnty  ii  u  fair  ppccimcii  of  liio  iiifoi'iiiati'Hi 
;;ivi'ii  of  llio  lliissiiins  Ky  Auk  liraii  ami  l^ii' !isli  sliip  ca]ita'''.3  of  that  day. 
Kiiowiiii;  the  facta,  it  is  not  pnssihlo  tliat  tho  wiitcr  iiitomled  to  till  tins 
truth.  'Ill  thu  year  IT'.*'','  iio  say.s,  'tlm  Uiis.siau3  from  KaiiiehatUa  h.i  1 
foniii'il  an  cstaijlishiufiit  at  Xorfolk  Soiiiul,  co!iaistiii;,'ot  o!)  Ilii.vsiau.s  auil  Ti'i) 
or  S;»(}  iiativi'3  of  Kudi.ik  ami  I'lial.iska,  for  thn  ])urposo  of  killiiiL,' 8ca-o;.tt'is 
anil  olhcr  aiuiiials.  'iluy  hail  Imiltii  .stroii'j;  f  >rt,  contrary  to  tho  wislns  if 
X\w  natives,  who  hail  notuiihst.iiuliiig  uiiiiilintLil  thi'iiiHclvcs  in  a  pi'accahlo 
iiiaiiiior,  proliahly  .awoil  liy  tho  .superior  jiower  of  iho  iiivatkrs.  Mucli  to 
thiii'  (liscruilit,  tho  Itussiau.s  did  not  adopt  tho  s.inio  oouciiiatory  oonduct,  Inifc 
on  .sonio  real  or  pretended  su.s])iiions  of  a  couspiiaey,  pursued  t!io  most  ;:iii- 
};uiiiarv  eour.so  t'lWard  theso  people,  sonieof  wlmni  weio  massacred,  and  othc.s 
Hilt  int.)  captivity  to  K.idial;  J.ilaud.  Stimuhilt'd  to  reven;;u  lij' tlio  loi^s  i  f 
friends  and  relatives,  and  lindiii;,' their  stores  of  wealth,  and  almost  of  Bul).-i-;i- 
ence,  bei/el  liy  slrangi  rs  settled  amon;jst  tliem  emilrary  to  their  ^^ijhes,  lli.' 
natives  foiinid  a  plan  to  att.ick  the  fort,  and  eitiiert'Xieiaiinate  theiropprc-s- 
ois  at  a  liliiw  or  ])eris!i  in  the  attem]it.  They  succeeded,  got  possessinn  of 
t!io  f  lit  l)y  surprise,  and  instantly  put  to  death  t^evi  lal  men  in  tho  ;rarrisnu.  . 
Previoiis  to  thi~i,  the  shiji  Jniiii/,  of  I'mston,  had  l)e('n  at  Norfolk  Sound, 
where  seven  of  the  men  deserted  and  took  refairc  with  the  liassian.s.  T!;i) 
n.'tives  knew  this,  and  willin.;  to  m;di(;  ii  just  di.iiinction  hetweeii  tlio;;o  whom 
<hry  considered  as  eommerci;d  friends  and  thiir  arliitrary  op]M'c.s.sor.«,  iluy 
.'■out  a  mcs.sa^jo  reipipstili;.?  the  Americans  to  niako  ihem  a  friendly  vi'iit  pt 
their  village.     Six  of  them  accepted  tho  iuvit-ition;  the  other  was  out  wiia  a 


DIFFERENT  VERSIONS. 


409 


ordered  to 
a  cotistuiit 
he  Koli).sri 
1  wound* '.!, 
llrd  a  i\'\v 
ted  a  littlr. 
Limimnitio'.i 
and  to  get 
^•li  the  celi- 
vheu  lluiK.s 
in;^  smoke, 
the  women 
J  afterward 
on,  and  th-- 
,0  hasemeiit. 
it  and  were 
inot'S  whleh 
o  llussians 
iire  (h'ove 
erced  with 


lint  (if  Sturpis 
lie  iafi(nii;iti')U 

I'.S   (jf  thilt  il.'lV. 

kvl  to  ttll  tiio 
;imcli;itl;;i  hail 
li.isiiiiiH  aii'l  7*'" 
llin^'  ac;i-()Ltfis 
tlio  wialu  3  I  I 
ill  ii  pcacc;il>lc 
Lra.  Alucli  to 
jy  comlucf,  liiik 
t!io  most  ;  .'i;!- 
|((1,  ami  oilic  -t 

[liy  tlio  los;i  (  f 

ist  (if  Biibsi--;- 
ir  wiilics,  t!i} 
|tliiii'f'ppvc?s- 
ji()r;scpsii>u  if 
o  (rarrisnu.  . 
irfolk  Souml, 
lissiaiis.     T!;-! 

|)  tllDKC  \v!lO!!l 

ircssor.i,  llicy 
iiidly  vi-ir  i)t 
xa  out  wiia  a 


Wlien  all  was  over,  the  witness  was  taken  to  the 
winter  village  of  the  Kolosh,  where  she  was  treated 
j!s  a  slave.  ])uring  her  presence  th(>re,  a  niessenL>,.i> 
was  captured,  ironi  whom  the  savages  learned  of  the 
ft|>})roach  of  a  large  Aleutian  hunting  party  under 
Ivuskof.     An  armed  force  was  sent  to  overtake  and 

]  irty  of  Kacliak  natives  huntinr.     Whoa  tlicy  aiTivod  at  tho  villii"o,  tlic 


i  idiaJis  coiiumuiioiitLd  to  lliciii  llieir  (losi^'u.s,  aiil  nuiK'stfil  tla 


ir  a.s:  I  aaiic-e, 


Tliii  thoy  ilccliiud  {.'iviiiL',  ami 


tlu'ii  ns.sLiri'il  tliat  no  injury  ilioiild  In 


oil'i'K'l  t  >  tlieni,  l)iiL  \V(-To  at  tlie  siinio  tiini;  iiil'orin(jil  tliat  liu'V 


lid   hi;  (le- 


taiut'il  at  tlio  villa;,'e  to  picvcnt  any  infoiniaiiou  \n:iwj  i:\vi  »  to  thu  Uiia.siaii.i 


( f  v.Iiat 


inUuiiIcil.     From  tlio  tiini!  of  tlicir  sue 


iful  attiKk  on  t'lo 


lIii.isianH,  thu  Iiiilian.s  constantly ])rotioteil  and  Siuppliod  t'lo  Am(;iican.s  uniil 
t  .vo  Aiiii;iicaii  aud  (Jiio  English  ship  anivod,  alioul  twenty  d.iys  lat(.r.  Thi  y 
v.rc!  tiii'ii  ]>cnnittpd  to  po  wliero  they  chose.'  Tiii.s  poriioa  of  St-.n-f^in'  naira- 
t;,i!  is  partly  conliniicd  hy  tliu  mention  of  oiiu  Eiiglislimaii  as  lia\  in  ;  perislicd 
■\.ith  tli<3  lliissians,  in  t'.uj  narrative  of  the  widow  J,iheilef:  'Sueli  eoiKh'.e'u 
t 'warils  their  countrymen  merited  tho  most  friendly  return  oii  tlio  part 
of  the  Auieric;iMS,  and  policy  as  well  as  juslieo  foil)ado  any  attempt  to 
.•iveii','(!  tho  cause  of  tlio  J'.Uisians;  but  unfortunately  the  men  an. I  oiiicd'.s  \\(  ro 
of  ii  (lilierent  oiilnion.  lam  inclined  to  KU])poso  tliat  tliey  \\ei'o  in  tliis  iu- 
btaiico  too  much  inliuoneed  by  tho  niastc  of  tho  Eiiijii.sh  ship,  \\lio  was  in- 
duced from  niotivesof  interest  to  take  partwitli  tho  llus.-iaiis.  llr  \v;:s  lior.iid 
fir  Ivadiak,  and  knew  that  whatever  prisoners  mii^lit  Iio  re:(cueil  \\  luhl  bo  for- 
v.arded  in  his  ship.  This  ho  expected  would  iii;,'raliato  him  with  tho  li.is- 
si.iiiM,  and  procure  him  commercial  advantages  with  them.     At  ii  incelin'  of 


,(lli.' 


ersot  the  dinerent  vcs.sels,  it  was( 


det( 


dt. 


1  seixe  the  native eliieis 


v.lio  were  alon;,'.nde  in  tho  most  friendly  manner,  and  to  keep  them  as  ho.  L. 
n  'i :'  until  tho  Kadiuk  women  and  other  jirisnuers  on  hhoro  were  deliverecl  up. 
lapui.nianco  of  this  resolve,  several  natives  wliocluiiieed  to  bo  on  t  la;  deck  were 
i  ::)!( (liately  jsecnred,  and  an  atteiujit  was  male  to  «ei/.o  tlioso  in  the-  eano -s, 
V.  u  )  however  lied  to  tlu!  shore.  They  were  tired  on  from  thoshijis.  and  to  the 
eViual  diaifiaco  of  t!uir  civilised  vi-itonf,  luimliers  were  killed.  .  .1  ho  en[ilivo 
eliicfs  were  now  told  that  unless  all  tho  prisoners  on  slioro  wire  delivi  red 
U]'.  they  must  expect  no  mercy.  One  of  tho  natives  atteiiiptcd  to  escape,  but 
faded,  and  in  llio  altemiit  was  slightly  woundcil.  ilo  %vas  immeiliatcly  k,in- 
gled  out  us  a  propi'r  object  f>ir  vengeance.  After  a  moc!;-tiial,  lie  w.u  placed, 
in  was  the  custom  in  naval  executions,  on  a  jrun  on  tlio  forecaslle  with  a  lial- 


tir  from  the  yard-arm  -iroiind  his  neck.     TIi' 


lired. 


i  I  tlie  smoke  of  it.'     Mr  Stii 


IS  itiTo  ni( 


lull 


nd  lu!.s'.rnn;,'  up 
res  III  a  (UscussKui  of  tuo  atroci;  v 


;un  we.slire 
d 


(f  l;llliii'.j  'peaee;d,lo  Indians,' and  inserts  a  tipreeli  siipposeil  to  have  been 
iiiado  by  tho  coad'aine  I  s  iva  ,'e.  which  woal  1  do  honor  lo  the  liciitiotis  red- 
v. allied  iierocs  of  Coojier  in  i)otli  eloipienco  an.l  lo^ie,  .-'nd  then  continues:  '  I 
vo  before  observed  that  this  f-jieech  hid  no  eli'e(  t.     'Iho  man  was  executed. 


.'.fur 

t':eE 


several  days,  soni'^  of  tho  Kadiak 


k  pns(.ini  IS  were  lilierated,  patoii  biai 


d 


ngli.sli  vessel,  (I'vd  smt  to  their  loraier  jilaeo  ot  lesidenee 


X< 


.M^ 


e  (/f  tho  seed  ad  Aliierie; 


l.t-l'l.     I  have  not  1;      i  able  to  discover  tie;  nam 

\.  s-el,  bat  have  conviiKed  myself  that  Mr  Slurgis  was  not  well  inlormed  as 

to  this  oecurrcnc(>,  and  that  the  jtretendeil  speech  is  pure  invention. 

iaiiskv,  ill  his  st  iry  of  the  Sitka,  massacre,  says:   'Among  the  ns.snilauta 


i.is 


V  ij  t'.rco  seamen  be!  iii.,'iiig  to  tho  United  t<tates,  who,  havin 


rted  fr 


laeirship,  had  entered  into  the  service  of  tho  iJussiaiis,  and  tlieii  look  part 
dust  tlieni.     Tlieyo  double  traitors  W(  re  among  tlio  most  active  in  tho  plit. 


'i.i  V  Contrived  eonibusliblo  wads,  which  tliey  !i  .hted,  innltliri 


th 


hiiiiilin.'S  where  th(  y  kiu'W  tho  inuipowder  was  kept,  which  took  tire  and 
\.e;c  blown  11^),     Every  jiei-aou  who  was  found  iu  tho  fort  waa  jiut  to  de.iili. 


"t. 


410 


THE  SITKA  MASiSACRE. 


tlestroy  tlieiii,  but  tlu-y  rutiiniLNl  witlitnit  liavin<» 
accoiijidisliod  tlu'ir  oliii'c,',,  AIUt  uiaiiv  davs  the 
willow  J^cln'ilel'aiul  tu(»  naiivc  wuiiit'ij,  tittr^.thcr  willi 


flft' 


a-ottor  skins  stnlcn  fVom  tlio  Ilussiaii 


s,  wore 


]»la(.'r<|  (»M  hoard  an  English  sliij*  and  finally  brounlit 
to  Kadiak.  While  on  \iv.v  way  to  the  ship  in  a  eanor, 
a  savage  seated  eloso  hy  the  woman  whispered  to  her 
that  diirinj^  the  attack  ui)on  Kuskof's  luirty  only  ten 
natives  had  heen  kilK'd. 

On  account  of  tlu'  inipo!'tance  (»f  the  event,  I  «;ivc 
one  more  nari'ative  of  the  massacre,  that  of  13aran<>l's 
hioL^i-apher,  Khh-hnikof,  a  patient  investigator,  thou;^'h 
t)f  course  somewhat  hiased  in  favor  of  liis  count ry- 
nu'n.      Hi'  relates  that  "on  Sund;iv,  the  ISth  oi"  iDtli 


o 


f  J 


unc 


after   dinner,  ^ledveduikof  sent  off  a   f 


e\v 


men  to  fish,  others  to  look  after  the  nets  in  the  rivei', 
and  sonie  of  the  women  went  to  the  woods  to  pick 
berries.  Onlv  fifteen  Ilussians  remained  in  the  «>arri- 
son,  restinuf  from  their  labor  without  the  slightest  sus- 
j>icioii.      A  few  of  these  and  some  of  the  wt)men  werij 


o 


ut>i«le  of  the  barracks. 


'The  Kolosh  women  livinir  with  the  Russians  had  in- 


lonnc 


d  tl 


leu'  coui 


itrvmen,  not  onlv  of  the  numlu'r  <  I" 


people  in  the  garrison,  but  of  all  i)recautionary  meas- 
ures and  means  of  defence,  and  the  Kolosh  chose  a 
hoiidav  foi-  the  attack.  Tlu'V  suddeidv  emerged 
n(»iselessly  from  the  shelter  of  the  imj)enetrable  foi- 


ai 


ined    with   ijfu 


ns. 


^pe 


irs.  an< 


I  dag 


r-'ers. 


Tl 


ifir 


laces  were  covered  with  masks  re[)resenting  the  heads 

Xot  content  with  this,  the  Sitcnns  Jisppi-scil  in  search  l>oth  of  Rnssiaiis  ;iii  1 
Alriits,  and  iiail  many  oppoi-tunitios  of  exorcisinj,'  tlicir  barUirity.  'i "^^  > 
Rus:>ian.s  in  particular  wcro  put  to  tlio  most  cxcruciatinij  torture.  1'iio  ]ila.  i' 
was  Ko  ri<-h  in  mcrcluuuli.'so,  tliat  two  tliousiind  st-a-otter  skins  aiul  otii.  ;• 
artiilcs  of  value  wcro  saved  hy  the  Sitcuns  from  the  contlagration.'  Ic/., 
'Jl'J  -.tt,  London  ed.,  1SI4. 

I>avid<>f  siys:  'At  tlie  station  there  lived  several  sailors  who  had  desertrd 
from  !v  raited  States  ship  anil  had  heen  allowed  to  stiiy  and  work  for  tin  ir 
suhsisteii' e.  These  made  joint  cause  with  the  sava^'es,  set  lire  to  the  bir- 
nicks,  and  lircu  upon  the  llussiuns  at  thu  time  of  the  attack  by  tho  Kolosh.' 
Ijviil.r,  ii.  iii. 

*That  idl  the  narrators  of  the  events  just  decriljed  are  in  error  as  to  dato 
is  evident  from  liiiranof's  own  diary,  in  which  it  is  stated  tliat  the  C'/iiVo/"** 
arrived  ut  KadLik  on  June  -Uh. 


KHLEr.MKOFS  TESTIMONY. 


411 


^viniieii  wore 


(if  animals,  and  snwarod  with  ifd  and  other  paint: 
llii'ir  Iiair  was  tied  up  and  powderi'd  with  eagle  down, 
SiMUO  of  the  masks  were  shaped  in  imitation  of  I'ero- 
(ions  animals  with  t^leaminij:  tei-th  and  of  monstrous 
Ix'iuLjs.  Thoy  wore  not  observed  until  they  were  eloso 
to  the  barracks;  and  the  people  louii.jing  about  tlio 
door  had  barely  time  to  rallvand  run  into  the  bnildin;^ 
V.  hen  the  sa values,  surroundiiii^  them  in  a  moment  with 
wild  and  savaj^e  yells,  opentd  a  heavy  fire  iVoi;,  (iieir 
gnns  at  the  windows.  A  terrific  uproar  was  ciMitinued 
in  imitation  of  the  cries  (»f  the  animals  represented 
by  their  masks,  with  the  object  of  inspiring  greater 
terror. 

"  Medvednikof  hail  only  time  to  hurry  down  from  the 
upper  story,  and  bravely  atrmipti'd  to  repulse  the 
sudden  attack  with  the  twelve  men  at  his  disposal. 
]>ut  th(^  wailing  of  the  women,  and  the  frightened 
cries  of  the  children,  added  to  the  confusion,  and 
!;t  the  same  time  nerved  the  defenders  to  do  their 
utmost.  The  assailants  broke  into  the  door  of  the 
\estibule,  cut  through  the  inside  door,  and  kept  up  a 
w  ild  but  continuous  fire.  Finally  the  last  door  of  the 
barracks  was  broken  in,  the  last  weak  barrier  which 
lirot(H'ted  the  besieged,  and  in  the  savages  poured. 
Suddenly  the  I'eport  of  a  cannon  was  heard.  Those 
within  range  threw  themsi>lvi's  tlown.  while  others  ran 
away  in  terror.  A  few  mi>re  well  directed  and  rapid 
discharges,  and  it  might  have  been  possibbi  to  frighten 
away  the  enemy,  who  were  mimerous  but  cowardly. 
The  bold  defenders  Medvfdnikof,  Tumakof,  and 
Sliashin  were  killed,  and  others  daiiLierously  wounded. 
Thewoinen  in  the  upperstory,cra/ed  by  fright, crowded 
v.ith  their  children  to  the  trap-door  over  the  stairway. 
Another  cannon-shot  was  heard,  ami  the  trap-door 
gave  way.  The  women  were  precipitated  into  the 
street,  and  in  a  moment  were  seized  aiul  carried  olf 
to  the  boats." 

iNIeanwhile  the  savages  had  set  fire  to  the  building. 
'The  llanies  increased,"  continues  Khlebnikof,  "in  the 


« 


I 


!;! 


SI  f 


ii 


412 


Tirr:  t-ttka  massacrr. 


ii{)|)or  story  of  t'lc  iKiirjieks,  and  tlio  rtus;sians  still 
li^htiii;^  tlioiv,  Mjd'x'atcil  in  I  lie  dciiso  sniokt;  and 
licat,  jinnpL'il  (Voin  the  balcony  li>  tlic  j^n'onnd,  in  tlio 
liojx;  (if  ^^alnin;^'  tin;  slicltcr  of  the  wooils.  Jjuttho 
(•nrai^c'd  Kolosli  rushed  after  flioni  willi  hidcons  criL-, 
tlirust  tlu'ir  lancos  tliroir^h  tlioin,  and  drajjfi^ed  tlic;a 
al)()ut  for  Ji  lon;^  tinio  to  increase  their  sufierini^,  and 
tlicn,  with  cnrses  and  foul  abuse,  slowly  cut  olF  tlie 
heads  ot'the  dviii''  men. 

"Skaoushleoot,  the  false  frieiid  of  Ilaranof,  w!i  > 
had  been  Jiamed  !Mikha"il  )f  by  the  Kussians,  stood  at 
the  time  of  the  attack  U])on  a  knoll  o|tpo,site  the 
a;^ent's  house,  and  havin;^  given  the  si;.^nal  for  the  at- 
tack, shouted  to  the  canoes  with  terrible  yells  to  ha-;- 
ten  to  the  slaughter.  Amid  tierce  outcries,  about 
sixty  of  these  instantly  appeared  round  tlie  point, 
tilled  with  arm"d  men  who,  as  soon  as  they  landed, 
made  a  rush  for  the  barracks.     The  number  of  assai!- 


n 


mts  may  be  estimated,  wilhout  ex;i'jjgei-ation,  at  over 
thousand,  and   the    few  bt;ive  defeiidei-s  could  not 


long  hold  out  against  them.  The}-  f '11,  struck  with  bul- 
lets, daggei's,  and  lances,  amid  the  tlames  and  in  tor- 
ture, but  with  honor.  They  were  sacrificed  ibr  their 
counti'y.  The  hordes  of  Kolosh  then  poured  intoth" 
np|)er  story,  and  carried  away  through  the  smoke  an  I 
flames  furs,  trading  goods,  and  articles  belonging  to 
the  murdered  men,  throwing  them  to  the  ground  ovir 
the  balcony,  while  others  seized  the  booty  and  car- 
ried it  off  to  th<j  canoes.  In  the  mean  time,  not  only 
the  bai'racks,  but  the  connnander's  house,  tlie  wart- 
house,  and  other  Ituildings,  as  well  as  a  small  vess*  I 
just  completed,  had  been  burned;  and  as  the  flames, 
fam\ed  by  the  wind,  leaped  upward  amid  the  unearthly 
howls  of  the    mad.  huirviuLr  s. 


•res. 


tl 


ic 


hid 


ecame  indeous  and  awe-ms[)irn)g, 


spei 


.'tacl 


"When  the  massacre  occurrcMl  the  chief  manager  was 
at  Afognak  Island;  but  on  hearing  that  Barber  had 
»J/(ir(r. /«■/. /.W-.  Z/*>.,  4G-7. 


A\  i:X!:iJ-:ir  p:!:lantii::opi>;t. 


413 


].r<»U''lit  ^vitll  liim   tliivc  liiHsiaiis,  t 


wo 


W'uU 


au( 


I 


ti'^lih'cn  \v(»i!it'ii  Nvlioin  Ik;  liad  ivscucd  lV'>m  (ho 
ICdlosIi  at  SiflvM.  ]\v  retiini<(l  in  all  liasto  to  Kadiak. 
Iiist<'a<l  <»r  laiitliiiLf  till'  rchvisfd  luisoiu'i-s  at  oiicrf, 
( 'ajitain  liarluT,  under  l!n!  idoa  tliat  tliorc  was  w;;r 
l)otWfon  ICnulaiid  ;tnd  ]iussia,  cleared  Ills  deck>!  I'>r 
artioii,  ])i('j)ared  his  twenty  jifuns  for  service,  and 
jiniied  liis  men.  At  the  s.mie  tinio  In,'  declared  th.it 
iVeni  motives  of  hunianily  he  had  rescued  the  [)rison- 
crs  IVoni  the  hands  of  savai:es,  fed  and  clothed  them. 


•IK 


I  noi/le(.-tcd  his  basin 


ess 


anc 


1  ho  d 


eman( 


led 


:is  com- 


an  cquiva 


dent 


ji'iisatioii   50,000   rouhles  in   cash,   or 
ill   i'uis   at   prices   to   Ix;   fiKcd   liy  himself      l^ai'aiiof 
1  armd,  however,  that  JJarlx  r  had   not  only  pai.l  no 
ransom,  i»ut  had  even  aj)|)i'opriated  a  lai-jjfo  nuiniier  of 


luid  rohhel  ih 


f-ca-otter  skms  ot  \vliich  the  sava'^es  jkkI  r(>i)!)e  i  me 
Kiissian  ma^xa/ino.  J  lis  ojdv  exiieiisc  had  heen  in 
ciothintr  the  captives,  and  feedin'^  them  on  the  w;«\'  (o 
ICadiak.  ^J'lie  demand  was  of  couise  refusetl,  v.here- 
i;pf»n  the  captain  threatened  to  use  force  if  it  were  not 
sntislied  within  a  month.  Ijaranof  was  souKnvhat  dis- 
concerted, lie  was  without  news  Iroiu  luirope,  and 
vnawai'o  of  any  «leclaration  of  war,  hut  he  [U'ejiared 
Lis  .settlem'-'iit  ior  defence  as  I'ar  as  lay  in  his  p  iwer, 
ai'd  remonstrate<l  with  IJarher  on  the  injustice  ol'  his 
<-laiins.  At  last,  after  much  ha'L>L,din^'  iind  re]nate  I 
threats  on  the  part  of  the  J^nu'lishman,  a  connn'omiso 
was  arrived  at,  and  the  Lrilish  philanthro|iist  de- 
jMi-ted  after  reeeiviuL,'  furs  to    the    value    of   10,000 


i<> 


ul.l 


es. 


The  lo?H  of  Fort  Sv  !^^ikhal■l  was  a  heavy  Mow  to 
llie  liusslans.  Baranof  saw  at  <mce  tliat  his  plans 
ior  an  advance  heyond  Silka  to  the  eastward  must  he 
ahandoned  until  the  Russians  had  been  avenged,  and 

* /}"rniio/,  Cnrrf^pondevrr,  MS.,  iO-I.  .Sturt^is  innkcs  no  mention  of  tlio 
captaia'8  ik-nuinil  for  <uinpen'--a;i()ii,  iind  i)r(il);il)ly  liiiiw  iii)t!ii;i:;  i.hoiit  it, 
t'niiigli  it  is  iiiuntionetl  liy  iiUtlic  IcailinL; autlioi-itii's.  Klildinikof  f-tatcs  that 
laranof  tcxik  .1  ri'ccipt  from  tin*  captain  in  oiilcr  t'J  explain  liis  acliun  to  tiio 
Ili:;a«iuu  Auiurican  Loinpany.  Shiz.i,  Linnniova,  70. 


'I 


414 


TnE  SITKA  MASSACRE. 


to  do  (his  he  felt  liiiiiself  powerless.  Ilis  loss  in  men 
had  been  considerable,  and  in  property  enormous. 
JMoreover,  lie  knew  not  in  what  light  the  misfortune, 
oceuriing  as  it  did  dui'ing  his  absence,  would  l)e 
viewt  (I  by  the  company. 

I^efore  the  close  of  the  year  matters  assumed  a 
brighter  aspect.  On  the  13th  of  September  the  inig 
AI(\C(fii<h'  arrived  from  Okhotsk,  and  on  the  1st  (  f 
November  the  brig  Elizairta  un<ler  Lieutenant 
Khvostof,  the  two  vessels  having  on  board  a  hundred 
and  twenty  hunters  and  laborers,  and  an  immense 
stock  of  i)rovisions  and  trading  gooils.' 

By  the  Klizavetn  Baranof  received  secret  instruc- 
tions from  the  managers  of  the  company,''  that  were 
of  considerable  im|)ortance,  as  they  touched  on  j)oints 
that  subse(|uenlly  arose  between  the?  governments  of 
Russia,  England,  S[)ain,  and  the  United  Stat(\s,  in 
I'egard  to  tei'ritoiial  claims.  He  was  directed  to  push 
forward  his  settlements  to  the  aath  parallel,  to  lay 
claiui  to  Nootka  Sound,  and  to  establish  i'orts  ami 
garrisons,"  with  a  view  to  obtain  from  the  English 
government  a  settlement  of  the  boundary  question." 
All  exploitations  to  the  northward  were  to  cease 
meanwhil<\  unless  the  advance  traders  of  the  company 
should  come  in  contact  with  Englishmen,  in  whicli 
case  a  line  of   posts  must  be  constructed.      Hi;  was 

'  Hariiiiitf  now  lonrnod  fnr  tlie  first  tinio  tlint  liis  nM  enemy  Ionss.Tf  Iml 
ju'tislii'il  on  liDiiril  till!  /'Vnt/l'x,  with  the  crow  and  iMiuiiengers,  imnil)fring  liO 
sonl^. 

*Tlii>  original  inMtrni'tiims  li.ivti  been  prcaorvi'd  in  the  nrdiivcs  of  the  Hiis- 
BJiin  .\nii:rii^-in  C'lnipany,  nnw  deposited  in  tlio  di'imrtinuut  of  utato  in  Wasli- 
invfon. 

"  If  niitiv(M  (di-cady  occupird  tlio  most  conveniniit  sites,  TJnrnnof  wan  ji  r- 
niittcd  to  form  prttlenient-t  at  the  Hjuno  iiointo,  proviilcil  lie  ol)t;iined  tli  ii' 
consent  liy  juirclm^ie  or  liy  niakinjx  pU'sents.  In  Til:lim<ii<'l\  Isinr.  oln.--..  i. 
IIT-l'v  is  ;i  list  of  till' fortilied  HtatJKnsofiMiiiicil  liy  tlio  eonipiiny  in  ISO.'!,  'liny 
we!'<"  1\m1v<'  ill  iiJiiulM'r,  imd  included,  besides  those  at  I'avlovsli  mid'rhfcj 
Saints,  three  on  llio  ;,Milf  of  Kenni'  I5iiy- forts  St  (t'or^'e,  St  I'anl,  iiihI  St 
Xieholas  two  in  the  ( 'hii^'iitseh  territory-  one  named  |''ort  Constantiiie  an  I 
Helen  at  Niuliek,  :uid  tlie  other  at  I'ort  I)elarof  two  on  Vakiitat  InIV.  ati  I 
one  eaeliatC'ape  St  l'".lias,  Afojiiiak  Island,  mid  Capo  Kenai,  the  hist  hiin  ' 
named  I'ort  .Mexander.  Most  of  them  wens  arined  with  three-pounder  jiivi  I 
L'lins,  and  \\  it!)  duo  precautions  were  xtruug  enough  to  resist  tlio  attackb  <  f 
hostde  natives. 

"At  tliL-  oOtii  parallel,  if  pwsible. 


SW,.* 


INTERNATIONAL  MATTERS. 


m 


Qss  111  mm 

onorinous. 

nisfortmH', 

would   l)c 

assunio(l  a 
er  thu  l)ii,:^' 
the  1st  .'.f 
Lieutenant 
a  hundred 
II   innnense 

•ct  instrne- 
'  that  were 
il  on  ]iolnts 
rnnient-^  <il" 
I  States,  ill 
ted  tt)  jiusli 
idlel,  to  lay 
I'orts  and 
lie  English 
ijueslion." 
;e    to    ceasu 
le  company 
n,  in  wliieh 
111;  was 

liny  lonssaf  liml 
niiial)criiig  I'O 

lives  of  llic  Itim- 
MtlltO  ill  Wusli- 

JiiraiKif  wiiH  ]).  r- 
I'  (il)t;iincil  til 'ii' 

/.s/l.;\    0/)n,s'.,    i. 

■ill  lS():t.  Tiny 
kivsl;  iiiiil  Tlivcj 
It  I'liul,  mill  .'^t 
|i>nst;ilitilio  iiikI 
lkiit.it  I'liy,  iiti'l 

till!  last  lifiii.; 

-)K)Uiiil('r  iiivi  t 
I  tlie  iittaciib  I'i 


instructed  to  avoid  disputes  as  to  boundary  lines,  and 
sliould  tliov  beeome  unavoidaI>l(>,  to  declare  that,  while 
insistiui;  on  the  riirhts  of  Russia,  he  was  n<tt  author- 
izetl  to  tr<>at  on  such  a  suhjiM-t,  and  that  the  govern- 
iiie!it  of  Great  Britain  nuist  address  the  tzar  dii'ectly.'^ 

The  instructions  then  touch  on  the  political  chani^es 
which  had  occurred  in  ]']urope.  Baranof  h^ar-ns  lor 
the  tirst  tinio  that  "the  French  nation  had  heen 
uiiiversall}''  acknowledged  as  a  repuhlic,  that  the  wise 
administration  of  the  iirst  consul  had  eut  an  end  to 
thu  sheddini!f  of  blood,  and  that  a  universal  ])eaco  had 
been  declared."  Little  did  (he  managers  of  the  Rus- 
sian American  Comjuiny  dream  how  soon  this  miiver- 
.'^al  peace  would  1x5  followed  by  Austerlitz  and  Fried- 
land.  Allusion  is  also  made  to  Nelson's  app(>aranco 
ill  the  Baltic  after  the  battle  of  CopenhagiMi;  and 
though  harmony  was  now  restored  between  J*]ngland 
and  Russia,  Baranof  is  cautioned  that  such  misunder- 
standings might  arise  again,  and  is  ordered  to  collect 
all  the  furs  gathenHl  at  Favlovsk  and  its  vicinity,  or 
to  ship  them  to  Siberia  without  delay.  In  future  a 
naval  officer  was  to  be  sent  A\ith  each  ti-ansjtort  to 
tak(:  chai'ire  of  tli(.>  vi'ssel  on  the  return  vova'''e. 

With  regard  to  th(>  navi<jfator  Shields,  t!ie  man- 
ngers  write  that,  "though  they  hav(>  no  reason  to 
doubt  his  zeal,  his  kinshi[)  with  the  l*]nglish  may  lead 
him  to  act  to  their  a<l\  ■  n1ag(>,  and  th(M-efore  adviso 
Baranof  to  use  every  precaution,  jo  watch  his  every 
ste]),an(l  to  keep  t  lie  iioardinformed.endeavoiingattho 
same  time  not  to  iriitiite  him  with  suspicions,  and  n<»t 
only  to  abstain  from  the  slightest  provocation  of  a 
(juarrel  with  him,  buttc  treat  him  kindly  and  ply  him 
with  promises  of  nnvard  from  the  govei'imient  and 
jx'cuniaiy  ri'cognition  i'roni  the  company,  in  order  to 
attach  him  the  more  lirmly  to  the  l\ussians.  and  that, 
under  the  fatherly  rule  of  his  im[)erial  Majesty,  this 

"Tim  inannt^cni  remark  that  in  ]'nii-n>iri'r\i  J'n/n;/*'  it  i«  Htatod  tliiit  minio 
"f  llaraiidt's  trailirs  luid  ^^ivcii  cliartrt  uf  tlio  llutuiuu  voyugua  to  tlio  Knglish, 
unci  fuiljid  uiiy  rojiutitiuu  of  tlim  iiraclicu. 


jl 

"I 


•ilG 


TIIK  SITKA  MASSACRE. 


rort'iu;iii*r  may  fcil  to  tin-  fiillrsi  i-xtciit  flic  Mossiness 
of  liis  liuu,  and  see  no  ruasoii  to  Hoek  his  I'ortiuu;  clsi.'- 
V.  Iicrc. 

In  conclusion,  l>aranof'  is  cnjoiiUMJ  to  maintain  pcaco 
and  i;()od  fiH-linLf  anioiiL;'  all,  as  a  necessary  condition 
to  the  success  of  tiio  i^rcat  and  jn-omisin^  cntcrjii-iso 
on  wliicli  till"  ctMnpany  lias  jnst  entered.  The  execu- 
tion of  all  j)lans  is  left  to  him  as  chief  nianaLjcr  of  the 
Iviissian  American  [»ossi'ssions,  "under  (!ie  lonviciioa 
that  he  will  <levot(!  his  streu'^'fli  and  lahors  to  the 
servicv"  of  llie  emjtcvor,  and  tliu.s  make  known  his  luinie 
in  liussian  history."  '^ 

l''i'om  l^nalaska  also  had  come  cr'>f>d  news,  thoU'^h 
not  unmixed  with  e\  11  (iilin^s.  In  May  tin;  councill "• 
liamicf'''"  arrived  willi  inlelli'j^ence  that  the  Tlussia.i 
American  Company  had  o!»tained  a  new  charter  a;i  I 
fresh  [»rivile!;-is.  Jjaranof  had  lu'en  a[)j)()inted  a  sharc- 
holdci',  and  hy  pi'i'mission  of  <he  emperor  Alexander 
was  allowed  to  wear  llu;  L;()ld  medal  of  (he  order  ■>{ 
St  A'ladimii",  pi'e\i;>usly  Itestowed  on  him  l<y  l*aul  1. 
The  day  on  wliicli  he  heard  of  his  advancement  li  • 
counted  a.s  one  of  the  happiest  of  his  lil'e.     "  I  went 


At  1 


'•Ibraii'if  i,s  informed  thnttlio  govornmi-nt  liad  views  oonoprnin;'  Anicric.v 
tlir.t  must  !"•  lii'jit  ii  jnofmiinl  Hi'cfct,  iiinl  is  iiistnu'lcil  to  fifiwl  lii  i  i(c's]iatc!ir:» 
(liifci  III  till-  l>i>;ir.l"f  m  iiiM ;'crs,  iii'-tcjul  (.f  tlu'i  uj^Ii  ilipjnitlinir  icsiit  Oklints!;, 
with  wliiiin  iiiiMtcn't  wiis  Kite.  As  ii  iironi  of  tliis,  accipy  <>f  S/irtihi'j'M  Trni'  I* 
\\n%  I'li'l.i.-H  il,  wliii'li  i'iiiisi.i!('il  iiiiTiIy  >  t'  lii<  i'liiniai,  ]i:'«'SL'iit('il  cunfuli'iilinUy 
to  tlio  j^'.jvciii'ii' of  f-iljiriii,  i:ii  I  nil  liis  rciniiv.;!  Mtnlfii  fi^ni  tlu'  I'lnini'lfy,  .'in  I, 
c'lintrnry  to  tin)  vvi-ilics  iif  tlio  <li'cc;»scil,  priiiti-cl  iii  Moscow,  tliiis  cxiidbIm^ 
Htiiii'  a('iTct«,  r«ii''fially  liio  loc:ilioii  (,i  UiMits  fliimiii:.!  p. niaiMsioii  of  tin 
uoiiiitry  f  •!•  llnssi.'i.  l>;ir:iir  f  is  oiiliir.l  (,)  caiiic  tlu-  iiuiuciliafc  n  inoval  if 
tlu"-o  tjil'ict'i  toBUuli  ]i(.iiit.s  as  lie  may  se)(H<f,  iiiiil  in  futnn^  to  iiiMrcs:*  cncry- 
tliiiij^  III  rlainiii:,'  to  <iiMooi(  ric'<  diivi't  to  llu'  maiia^iTs,  in  ^<lll•(•ial  ri'imrt  •, 
lii;:rk(.'il  'R  t'nt.'  Tln'  iVciimcnt  is  si  ;iu(l  liy  tho  (lir<i-tor.<  Miiiliail  IVi'ilaUit, 
Kiistralt)  h'iai'of,  ami  Iva-i  SlH'liliuf.  ainl  .ipprovi'il  liy  ii  coiumitt'O  of  f';- 
(iliarcIri'.'Uv.iii--  xmlilcil  at  tliooiiiccof  tliemiiii.sturnf  iMjininiTco,  L'ouut  Xiliol  i 
I'oiiovii'li  ltnminnt:"'f. 

'•"Ivan  Ivaiiov  iiii  r>iiiiiier  li.-ul  liccn  formerly  in  tho  piivornmeiit  service  ii 
tho  pr;iviii(''>  of  JrUiit 'U  ;i  I  iiovi'iri.il  iti-iiiectir  in  /^umIh  ivcvsk.  On  leaviii ; 
til''  service,  he  w.is  ctt'Taj^erl  liy  the  coitiiiaiiy  to  proceoil  to  |?eiiii|!  IJav  witU  k 
1  oloiiy  <>i  a'^ricnlMirists.  'I'lu!  vesstel  w.is  injureil  loi  llu)  voyare,  an  1  detain'  1 
for  nearly  a  year  on  oiie  of  the  l{iiiilc  I  lands.  At  rmiliidui  tho  vessel  v  t 
ii;'!  ill  d.  tiiiiK  il  liy  l.ati'nof,  and  a  i  I'le  jilan  of  a  nettlemeiit  in  tlwit,  rej.''on  h:i  I 
li.en  ahalld  iiied,  IJalilii  r  w  aa  or-Iercd  f'»  Kadiak,  where  he  leiiiaiind  llir  I 
his  death  in  IH|((.  Ho  was  favoraMy  iniiitioned  hy  i,aii),'Mloi'ir,  IN'zan-i'', 
L'ain|ilH'Il.  and  oilier  visitoi'H  lo  tlic  iiiliitid  duiing  liin  rcsidiiacii  thvru  uf  IhuIvj 
ycar».    //.,  (W. 


HONORS  FOR  RARAXOP. 


•117 


l)lossin'Lrs 
,11  no  C'lsi;- 

;»in  jiotjco 

(■ollditioil 

•ntoi-pri.-'! 
Ill'  exrcti- 

rt'l'  of  the 

■oiivirlin.i 

I'S    to    tll't 

,  his  nanio 

•s,  thou;4li 
conncill  '.' 
!  llussinu 
lartcr  an  I 
•d  a  shni-  - 
(VK'xandi  r 
i>  onliT  '>f 
V  Paul  1. 
I'lneut  li  ; 
"  I  went 

niii;?  Anicri  ■  v 

li  I  il<'s]iati''.i  I 
I'Mit  Olilutt-*':, 
I.!:"J'k  Ttiii'  '< 

.■..nfKK'iitinlly 
li'iiii'i'lry,  nil  1. 

Aiwx  cxi«)»iiu' 
i.-iiiii  >if   t    ■ 

:<'  ri  inoviil  ■  f 
liMfi's.-)  evcfv 

H'OKil  ri'ivTi  , 

iuil  R'.r.l.U  -  . 

iiiitt«-<»  "f  ' 
'oimt  Nik"!  i 

I'ut  service  •  i 

Oil  li'iivi 
^if;  Rjiy  wit'i  i 
1nn>\(i<!ltiin    I 

\\0  Vf'SW'l  V      . 
lt,r('f.''oll  1; 

■  ll.lUK  >l    «<l      i 

litr,   ItczJin    . 

If  10  of  1*«1' 


fo  tlio  harraclvs,"  lie  says,  "where  thi.>  iiupeiM  il  ordi  .•; 
and  doeunu'iits  conccrniiii'  mv  iJioinotioii  wcro  icnd 
oiit,  and  also  the  new  charter  and  privdeijes  i,n';»iitcd  hy 
hi'^hest  onh-r.  1'he  undeserved  favors  whlcli  <»ui' 
t^ncat  monaj'cli  lias  tliiis  showen^l  iii)on  ine,  ahnost 
n\  (  rwhelnied  nie.  I  |»rav'ed  from  the  hottoni  of  my 
]i  ,irt  that  (jrod's  hlessiiiL,rs  nii^'ht  fall  upon  him.  A-^  a 
siii;dl  token  of  my  <;ratituile,  I  donated  a  thousand 
MiiMes  for  the  estabhshmeiit  of  a  school  here  foi'  the 
ill  truetiou  of  the  children  of  the  liussians  and  the 
natives.  On  the  occasion  of  this  holiday  I  kilh'd  a 
sliccp  which  had  heen  on  the  island  from  our  tir-t 
srttl(Miient.     What  j^duttony!" 

l-'rom  Larionof,  who  had  heen  a[)pointed  aLjent  at 
Knal.'iskii  in  1797,  the  (.'hief  inanaufer  received  letters, 
ill  which  the  condition  of  affairs  was  dc^picted  in  i^dooiay 
(I'lors.  Supplies  of  ijfoods  and  provisions  were  nearly 
i  \hausted,'*  and  no  vessels  had  arrived;  whili?  scurvy 

'    oth(^r  disease's  were   playinj^  havoc   anionic  the 

iiders  and  the  few  discontented  hunters  who  still 
remained. 

It  is  prohahle  that  Baranof  now  proposed  to  nh.iii- 
(li'ii  this  settliMU(!nt;  lor  in  April  l.S()3,  lui  ordtM-<'il 
Mniner  to  sail  for  Fnalaska  in  the  (>A/ff,  and  slii[> 
tlii-iii-e,  in  the  /'c/r  //  I'm/,  all  the  men  that  could  he 
sjiared,  the  furs  and  tradin;^  nfoods  in  the  Ktoreh(»UNc-, 
liid  all  tht!  provisions,  except  what  were;  n(>eded  t  > 
supply  the  islanders  until  the  next  visit.  He  was  t1i>ii 
t'l  take  his  hest  seamen  and  jifoce(>(l  for  the  hunt iir^ 
si  ason  to  the  islands  of  St  Paul  and  St  Creori^e,  wlil.!i 
li.id  not  hei'ii  \isited  foi-  many  years,  and  where  a  \a-t 
ii;i!nlterof  skins  must  have  heen  accumulated  hv  the 
natives. 

At  Kadiak  also  much  dissatisfaction  was  cau-i  d 
uhout  this  tinje  by  a  change  in  the  relations  hetweeu 

"  I<nn;.'t<iliiHT  hiivm  tint  ilniiiiv;  his  nt.'iy  "t  l'imlii«kii,  in   ISO.I,  Ijirinivf  ii<- 
*iiro(l  liini  tliiit  for  livo  yi-ars  lu!  liml  mjiiuiii  tastitil  luciul.     Soiiu?  tiiiif  U't'.'io 
111' li:iil   |>n)(Miri'<l  llvo  or  hIx   ixtiiil-i  nf  in<'ul  finiii  Okirilnk.  Ijiit  only  mt  raru 
• ' '  ixious  WM  \,i\'n,\  (ir  pa.stry  muilc  of  it.     I'l'//.,  part  ii.  M. 
UiKT,  Alaska,    il 


in 


•lis 


TUV.  SITKA  MASSACRE. 


i\ 


JO  C()in[)nny  and  its  (Miiplovoi 


1  its 


iritlurto  allliad 


!'t^- 


CMMvod  a  share  in  (he  prot-t'ods  of  t!i(>  sale  of  furs  in  the 
]?iissian  inarlct'ts,  hut  now  payiucnt  was  inado  for  furs 
jii'ocuivd  in  aecoi'danri'  w  ith  apricc-hst  niadoout  hythc 
iiianaijfors,  witli<>ut  iVLTard  to  ihictuations  in  value.  ( )t" 
course,  in  inakin;^  this  arran<jjiMuent,  tliey  insured 
theinselvea  a-jcainst  the  j>ossihihty  of  loss,  l)y  fixin;^' 
llieprif'cs  below  the  inark(>t  rates.  (M>in|»laints  mikI 
ii-nionstranecs  wi^ie  frecjuent,  and  the  hunters  wcr.' 
sorely  aij^iLifri»!Vcd  ;  for  a  lew  months  hef  n-e,  JJaranot 
had  shipped  on  tlu>  lllizitvcta  the  most  valuahje  ear^o 
ever  sent  home  to  Russia,  oonslstinu^  of  17,000  se.i- 
otter  skins,  in  addition  to  othtM's,  re|)i'esen(in'jf  iii  all 
a  sum  of  not  h-^s  than  1,200,000  rouhles.  The  value 
•  if  thisshipiut'iit  will  he  the  better  eom[)rehended  wli  ii 
1  >^tate  thai  tli<'  earij^oes  of  the  77  privati;  tradinjjf  ves- 


N« 


L'ls  which  left  tiie  coast  of  Russian  America  betwi 


I'll 


the  years  171.")  and  I  SO;]  were  estimated  as  wortli 
little  more  tlian  ').(;oo.0()0  i)iastres;"  while  those  of  tli.- 
seven  ships  beJou'Lii'ini.j  tt)  the  Slielikof-( jt>likof  (!oiti- 
]Mny.  between  1780  ami  17'.)7,  were  valued  at  lesstii.ui 
1.'J6o,000  j.iastres;!"  and  the  30  craft  which  sailed 
from  Alaskan  ports  in  the  employ  of  the  Russian 
American  Company,  between  l7'.>Hand  1S2'2,  had-ni 
board,  ajiait  from  other  car^'o,  only  about  8(5,000  sea- 
otter  skins." 

Fei^Iini;^  that  lu>  had  now  t^fiven  tlie  shareholders  nt" 
the    company  .a    pi'oof  of   his  ze^d    iu  their  sei'vier, 

'^Tlu'ir  i'!U%'m'n  iiu'liiilcil  !)il,(M7  .Tu-ottiT  Hitiiis,  ."iS,(i|S  hi'd -otter  tiii'--, 
•1I7.7''S  liir-H.al  sUih,  I.(i:i7  oltii',  lo.UI  Ma.-k  f<i\,  I.'.. 1 17  hilvii- 1  .\-,  11,"!,; 
i.'il  fox,  ami  (iJ,;MI  irf-fox  skins,  !>77  poinlH  of  wliali'ljiiiw,  ninl  77-  pnmli 
<:  waiiin  tiKsks.  Mii'i  i-iii'id,  lil"r.  /■'.'•'-•.,  jiart  iv.  n|>l>.,  wlioroiv  list,  is  uivii 
of  the  iiaiiH'-i  of  m'n.scU  ami  tlu'ir  eniiiiiiaiiilcrrt,  iliu  vatnaliou  uf  ciirgucH,  nu<l 
the  ilati'4  of  Hiiiliii);. 

'"Iii.Imliii:,'  l.".,(!l7«cii-oftorRkin8,  I.l.nil  scwottor  tail"*,  nO.C'lfl  fiir-m- .1. 
n,:'.(i'l  ottT.  I.e...'.")  l.l.ick  fiix,  .'>,•-•■-'•-»  Hh-i-rfox.  .5,7<>»  ro'1  f"N,  (itHI  ioo  fo\,  !.'S 
Li'uvcr,  mill  'JiM)  H.iliji'  nkiii'<.    /i/.,  wIhto  n  i<iiiiil!ir  list  is  jiivi'ii. 

'•  n.'si.l,H  7l,l:'.0  H.aott-T  tills,  l,7tl7,;U(>  fur-s.Ml.  l7,7t'>S  ottir,  1.*>.II2 
Itkn'k  fix,  '-'l,,">;i"inilv(r  fov,  .V>,  iri(J  ivl  fox,  .''i,i:U»  wiiito  i.o  fox,  l.i.lHU  t'ny 
iri'-fox,  MSM  licMViT,  '.'.Cirii*  liiar,  \.^\\)  lynx,  l,'j;tl  I'hittoii.  .',ai!t  mink. 
I7.'.>-1  salili-  hkiii.i,  '.Vnll  |hiii<N  of  whuliliiim'.  ami  I,U6'J  pouiU  of  walni* 
tUHk-i.    /.f.     'l'!io  valuation  i.f  tliorai„'"i'-' i-«  iH)t  yivcU. 


rilKPA RATION'S  FOR  VKN'CM.WCE. 


410 


ami  nil  oarnest  of  wliai  Ik;  iiii^lit  accoiiijtlisli  in  tlio 
liituiv,  J]arauot'  iV-lt  at  liln-rty  to  turn  his  thou'ulit.s 
niK'o  more  to  tliat  tlioi'n  in  liis  i\o^\\,  tlio  loss  of 
Sitka.  In  S(>i>ti'iMlH'r,  ISO",  In-  sailrd  for  Yakutai 
\.  ith  tlio  iiitentioa  oi'  assfml)]inL;-  tlurc  tln>  dillriTiil 
liimtiiig  parties  oprratiiiL;"  uikKi-  Kuskof's  suprriiitfiKl- 


ciice,  au( 


Ith 


ion  i)rocoo( 


linsj;' 


r  on  nis  iTi'ahc 


lot' 


Nonirt'anci.', 


Ku.skof,  however,  persuadinl  him   that   tliis  j)lan    was 
i  ii[>raotical>!e  witlioiit  tlu'  aid  ol'sea-^'oinL^  vessels;  and 


was  conij)! 


lied  t 


o   hiidle   Ins  wrath   anc 


I   let 


urn   {o 


J\adiak,  taking  with  him  hut  a  small  tjuantify  ofi  itt  !• 
skins  as  the  result  ofthe  summer's  opi-rations.  ^leaii- 
\.liilo  Kuskot'  was  let"t  at  ^'akutat,  with  onh^rs  to 
I  iiild  two  small  sailinijf  vessels  and  luivo  tliem  in 
ivadiness  lor  the  lollowinjjf  year. 

in  Mareli  1804  the  mate  Uuhnof,  of  the  company's 
.-'  I  \  iee,  arrived  at  Pavlovsk,*U)rini];in;^'  intelliufenei'  ot 
\<\  one  more  distinction  eonferi-ed  on  \\\e  ehi(^f  man- 
;  ;er.     lie  was  a[)[)ointed  ]>y  the  enipt^'or  to  the  ra  ik 


<'(»lleL,'iat(!   c-ouneillor,  and  thus  | 


ilaeed 


on  a 


Irvrl 


V  ith  the  proud  olli(H>rs  of  tlu;  naval  service;  who  had 
caused  him  no  little  trouhle.  Uarjiiiof  was  dei-plv 
atlceted,  and  tears  courstul  down  his  weather-luviteii 
clu'(.'ksas  he  t^xelaimed:  "  I  am  a  nohleman;  hut  Sitl;a 
is  lost!  I  do  not  care  to  live;  1  will  l;'o  and  eitiiei'die 
tir  restore  the  i)ossessions  of  mv  august  lienefactor." 


True  to  this  declaration,  he  heuan  at  once  to  nial 


\e 


iiis  tinal  [(reparations  for  the  comin;^  canipaiu;'n.  As 
usual,  the  natives  hail  to  fui'nish  a  oitntinjj^ent,  though 
(•If  years  the  settl(Mn(Mit  had  Ixmmi  di'ained  of  ahle- 
Itiilii'd  men  to  rei-ruit  the  sea-otter  parties,  until  then; 
wci-i;  barelv  enouijjh  left  at  home  to  provide  f(»r  the 
\  lUiien  and  children.  Three  hundred  hid;»rkas  with 
;il»out  eight  hundre(l  Aleuts,  aiula  hundri>d  and  twenty 
Iliissians  on  hoard  four  small  ships,  lei't  8t  Paul  liai- 
liiir  un  the  2d  of  A[)ril,  under  command  of  Demian- 

'"Fi'om  I'lialn.Hliii  ill  a  liularka.  He  nailed  fnuu  Okh<it»U  for  Ka'liaU  at 
till' I'liiso  nf  lsu;{,  ill  iMiiiiiiaiicI  111  till'  (nin-iiiiirt  IhnHii,  Imt  was  wiicUol  on 
tint  ialund  of  Oiumiak.     Tlio  trcw  uiul  carj,'o  wcro  wivt'J. 


420 


THE  SITKA  MASSACRE. 


onkf>r,  Ixmiul  for  the  Sitka  coast,  by  way  of  LodiaiKif 
(Cross)  Sound,  and  Baranof  in  person  sailed  two  <liiy.s 
later  witli  the  sloops  Ekaterimi  and  Alcxumlr,  leavinn; 
Banner  in  charge  at  St  Paul.  On  arriving  at  Yak- 
utat,  he  found  that  Kuskof  had  strictly  obeyed  his 
orders,  and  that  two  craft  lay  on  the  shore  ready  to  In 
launched.  The  vessels  were  named  the  Yeri)iak  and 
tiie  Uostldaf. 


CIIArTER  XX. 

SITKA    IlKCAPTUUED. 

lS03-i805. 

The  'NAr)K<»nr>A'  and 'Vrvv' S\ii,  kuch  Khon-stadt— Lrsivv^Kr  ArtniVF<» 

Al'  NdUKilI.K  S(ilM)  IN  TlIK  '\j.Va'-  llvllANtiK  StIS  KoltTII  HU)M  VaK- 
I  lAl— HlH  NaHKoW  KsfAl'K  FIIDM  Slill'WKKCK  — Hk  JoiXS  FoUCKM 
Wlllt  LlSIANSKV  — Kuril  LKXS  NKUoTIAIInSS — DkKKAI'  <)K  THK  IU'S- 
MA.NS—TlIK      |•^^KTll^>S      ll<i.MllAni>K.I>  -  AM>     KvAC'lTAIEU     UY    TIIK     SaV 

AiiKH— TiiK  Natives  Masmaphk  tiikiu  CniLUREN— Lihiasskt 's  Vimt 

■M  KaMAK-IIiS  l>f>«  KII'IION  oK  THK  Sl,l  TI.KMKNTS— A  Kol.OSll  Km- 
IlAvHY  — A  1>INNKH  I'aKIY  AT  NoVO  AuKIUNOt^LSK— TU£  'NkVAIJ' 
lloMKWAUli  VoVACIK— lllULtUdRAriir. 

'{kfimik  procrcdiiii::^  f'rtluT  witli  tlio  narrntiv<^  <>(' 
l>ai;iii()r's  (nx'iiitioiis,  it  is  lu'CCHsary  tc»  }^ivo  noiiio  ju- 
(•f»uiit  of  Jiu  ox|nMlititni  wliicli  huJ  previously  .sailed 
IVoiii  8t  IV'U'rshur;^^  While  ho  was  yet  siiuirtini^  iiiider 
the  loss  iuHiete*!  hy  the  .suva;jfes  of  Sitka,  ami  look- 
ing,'ahoiit  in  vjiiii  r<»r  men  and  means  to  avenge  hiniself, 
a  vuim'f  naval  olliet  r  in  that  eity  was  si'ttinu'  in  motion 
a  ehaiii  of  events  that  were;  destined  to  aid  iu  the 
a<rom|»lishn»ent  of  the  ehiel"  mana^rer's  wishes. 

huriiii,^  the  years  17i)8-!),  Lieutenant  Kriisenstern, 
•  •t"  the  lliissian  navy,  sailed  for  ('ai. ton  on  l»(»ard  an 
lin;ilish  merehanl  vrssel,  fnr  the  purpose  of  heeomin;^ 
aeijUainti'd  with  the  navi;^ati(in  of  the  China  Sea. 
There  he  noticed  the  arrival  of  an  Knj^dish  trading' 
ves.sil*  from  the  American  coast,  ami  the  disposal  of 
her  rarni'o  of  furs  for  (!0,()()<^  j)iastres.  On  his  r'rturn 
to  liiissia,  Krusoiisteni  pre.sented  a  memorial  to  the 


'  I'rob- 1,'/  Mcarca'  ship. 


(iai) 


,f( 


f  i- 


I'  . 


if'   :(i 


J  , 


I;   i 


!§ 


i 


SITKA  llKCAI'TUKKrt. 


iiiiiiistrr  of  marine,^  propositi;^  the  ili'spntcl)  (lircr-t 
IV.du  Kroiistfult,  to  fli(!  liussiaii  Amcricjvii  colonics  ot' 
two  ships,  fitted  with  all  tlu>  inatorial  nc<'<l"'(l  for  tlu; 
coiisli'uction  and  e(piipniunt  of  vessels,  and  havin<jf  on 
hoard  a  forco  of  shipwrights  and  skilled  workmen, 
and  a  .sui)ply  of  charts,  instruments,  and  naiiti'vil 
works. 

The  trade  with  China  was  then  conducted  Ity  way 
of  Okhotsk  and  Kiakhta,  thus  (^ntailinii^  a  loss  in 
time  of  more  than  two  years  with  each  cartro.  If 
suitahle  vessels  could  he  huilt  on  the  American  coast, 
or  Ihe  adjacent  islands,  furs  shi|)[)ed  thence  direct  t.> 
Canton,  the  procetnls  expended  in  the  [)urchase  of 
Chinese  jjfoods  for  shipment  to  llussi;*,  tlu*  vessels 
tonchin<x  at  Manila,  JJatavia,  or  some  port  in  the  East 
Indies  to  com[)lete  their  frei_i,dit,  a  commerce  iniLcht 
Ik;  (U'veloped  which  erelonuf  would  pkun;  the  .Hussi;iii 
v\merican  Conijiany  heyiMid  the  competition  of  th(j 
J']n"4lish  and  Duteh  I'^ast  India  comi)anies. 

Such  was  Krusi  nstern's  jiroject;  and  though,  .'h 
he  nays,  thert;  was  nothinij  novel  al)out  the  iciea,  i' 
does  not  seem  to  liav(3  occurred  to  the  manajjjers  <i|' 
the  company.  'JMie  memoiial  nu-t  with  the'  approval 
(tf  the  minister  of  marine,  who  discussed  the  matter 
with  the  minister  of  commerce;  and  within  a  low 
months,  the  youuLfoihcer  was  summoned  to  St  Peters- 
Imrg,  and,  nuuh  to  his  astonishment,  itd'oi-mi'd  that 
the  emperor  had  selected  him  to  carry  his  own  [)la:i 
into  (execution. 

(  aptain  jjisiaiisky,  who  had  served  with  Krusen- 
stern  on  hoanl  the  Mn^lish  fleet  durint^  the  American 
war  of  independence,  was  a]t[)oinled  second  in  com 
mand.and  to  him  was  intrusted  tiie  purchase  ol'suitable 
Vessels.  Two  ships,  n-named  tin.'  \tii/('sli(/ii,  or  Ifo/n, 
and    the  Acra,  were  secureil  in  London   for  .L'l7,0():i 

'  All  iilKtrnct  iif  tile  riii'moriiil  woh  first  |ir<'M'Mte<l  toroiint  Kn*  lu'lff,  w'?  • 
rctnnii  i|  II  ilistouiiiyiiig  aiiswir.     Uii  tliu  uixfs.tioii  <if  AIcniuuIii  I.,  Ailiin 
Mui'iliv  iniif  \Mit4  ii]>|iiiiiiti  rt  minister  (if  in:i>'it!<',  .iiiii  <>>liiiii  tlic  ■'ii<'!iiti)'i;il  \     ' 
pri'Hriiti il  ill  .Itiiuiuiy  IsOJ,  wiili  «  favuruMi)  iTiiult,  Ki-u.ytiiiitirn''*  Wnj,  ,iyi. 


V 


Yuil'l,  iiitroil. 


I>.   XXIX. -XXX. 


!  !: 


n:i!m'.5't'^  " 


!v  tiflulirlpf ,  w!i'> 
11  1.,  Ailiuir.  1 

illtlllDl'i.ll    W.'.l 


KUUSKXSTKKN'S  KXPEDITIOX. 


42S 


.stt-rliiii^,  nnd  an  acMitioiial  sum  (tf  .£."), 000  was  iiiiiiie- 
diatcly  I'XpcmU'd  for  rt'[)nirs/''  On  llu-ir  arrival  iit 
jvroii.statit  I'urtlier  repairs  wcro  foiiiid  iicL-t'ssarv,  an  I 
it  \va.s  not  until  late  in  tho  summer  oi  1803  that  tli"! 
cxiH'ditiou  was  ready  i*<>r  sea. 

Meauwliile  Kruseiisterii  was  inroniuul  tliat  advaii- 
t;l'^^-'  would  l>e  taken  ol'  the  oj)j)oi'tunIty  to  (h's|);itrh  an 
embassy  to  Ja[)an,  with  a  view  to  oj>enin'_C  the  |)oits 
of  that  country  to  Russian  eonuneire.     Jiczanol'was 


'PI 


)ointcd 


imbassa< 


lor 


am 


1    was    inti'Usted    with    an 


auton^i'aj)h  letter  addressed  hy  the  tzar  to  tlie  mikado, 
ami  with  presents  lor  that  di'^nitai-y.  To  lu'/.anot' was 
probably  due,  in  part,  the  favor  witii  which  Krusen- 
stern's  j)rojeet  was  rej^arded,  lor,  as  wo  have  seen,  li  ; 
had  gieat  inlluenco  at  court.  Moreover,  the  dowry 
ol'liis  wife,  who  had  diijd  soon  after  htr  n)arria<4e,  was 
entirely  invested  in  the  stock  of  the  Ivussian  .Vnierieaii 
Coinjjan}'. 

Aljout  a  mo!ith  before  the  departure  of  the  (Wpedl- 
tion,  the  conunandrr  had  the  honoi"  ol"  i'(  ccivin'^  tli  • 
t/ar  on  board  his  vessel.  "The  objcc;  oi"  his\i.--il,' 
says  Kruse'nstern,  "  was  to  sec  the  two  .^iiiijs  whie!i 
were  to  i.'arry  the  JIussian  llai;'  f"r  the  lli'.-t  lime  round 
the  world — an  event  whirh,  after  a  hundivd  years'  im- 
|)rovemont  in  Russia,  was  reserved  l"«>r  tin.'  ri;i,L,Mi  nt 
Alexander.  lEe  noticed  evi-rythin;^  with  the  ^reat<i'>t 
iitlention,  as  well  with  tlie  shi]>s  them-dves  as  v/itli 
tlie  dilferent  articles  which  were  brou-dit  i\\)m  YjWj:- 
land  for  the  voyage,  lli;  convirsed  witli  tin  eoin- 
nianders,  and  attended  for  some  tiim'  with  ple-asuri'  to 
the  Work  which  was  ,L,^oini,^  on  on  board  the  ship.'"* 

On  the  7ta  of  August,  exactly  one  ye;)i-  after  Kru- 
senstern    had    received  his  appointment,  the  ves.^t  Is 

^  I'i.,  .'J.  'ri!;liiiicti('f,  lifor.  tfhin.,  i.  lis,  fiiiys  ;ii(!  .V'cA  ~',/'t  w.n  fiiirrli.-i-,'  I 
f 'r  VJ,()'J4  ruul»lua,  tiiiil  tin;  \vva  for  H!>,ill  !  roiit)ii'M,  iu  jiaichintiit  iiKHiL-y. 
■|  licni!  lij^mva  iiro  certainly  iiiacuiiruti-,  for  (larcliiitciit  luum-y  was  at  u  m  ry 
)iua\  y  Uisoiiiint. 

'  Kruat'iiMtcrn  liiul  imw  uii  ojiportiinity  i.f  tlmiil.iiit;  tlu'  t/.ar  in  piTsnn  (it 
ussij;niiij^  tn  his  witV,  for  twelve  yoar.<,  lln'  iinium'  nf  iiii  t-Miato  umc.iiiitiii>,'  to 
I,."iii0  roiitiK'rt  ;i  year,  iu  urder,  us  llio  niHMriii-  Buiil,  to  ict  lii^  lulutl  jterfojlly 
ot  tasu  Willi  rotpui;!  to  iliu  wclfmo  ui  liij  I'ai.iily.    /(/.,  I.  7. 


I 


4JI 


SITKA  RECAPTURKD. 


it'; 


n 


l:'^ 


i  ;  :i 


fviilf'l  from  Kronstadt,  sui)|)lii.'tl  with  two  or  thrco 
vrars'  jtrovisions,  and  liaviiii;'  on  hoani  a  liini<lr«'«l  ;ui(l 
tliirty-iiiiii'  persons.  TIk'  \rn(  was  jilaccd  in  <'luMm' 
of  Lisiansky,  while  on  board  tin-  Xiith.slnlit  were  the 
fonunander,  tlic  ainl>Jissador  and  his  suite,  tlie  natui- 
aH^t  Laiii^sdoiff,  and  two  sons  of  the  counsellor  Kot- 
zi'IiiU',  one  of  whom  afterward  heeame  famous  as  an 
e\i'l(»rer  in  tlie  north-west.' 

As  only  one;  ship  was  all<»wed  hy  the  mika<lo  to  «;ill 
yearly  at  Japan,"  it  was  arraiiij^ed  tiiat  they  shonl  I 
part  eompany  at  the  Saiulwich  Islands,  the  Xojfcs/tdn 
^;lilinl;  for  Japan,  thenee  f  )r  Kadiak,  ami  aft«rward  I'lr 
Ivamciiatka,  there  to  winter,  whiK'  the  Xent  sailtd 
dir»<'t  for  the  harbor  of  Three  Saints.  In  the  foUowln^j 
summer  both  were  to  procee«l  to  Canton  freighted 
with  fins,  and  after  takin<^  in  a  eargo  of  Chinese 
w:ii(s  to  return  to  Kronstadt. 

Alter  ealliui^  at  Cojt^idiaijfen  and  Fahnoutli,  the 
vessels  sailed  for  tlu,'  island  of  Teuerilfe,  and  thenn' 
f(»r  Santa  ( 'atliarina,  on  the  cf)ast  of  Brazil,  where  they 
were  repaired  and  njlltted.  Here  disputes  broke  out 
between  the  members  of  the  emiiassy  and  the  naval 
•'ommanders,  Kezanof  attempt  inLj  to  control  the  move- 
nu  nts  of  the  expedition  by  virtue  <»f  his  raiik  and 
soeial  jtosition.  In  Aj)ril  1804  the  two  ships  rounded 
(.'a[»e  llorn.  Explorations  amoui^  the  South  Sea  Is- 
lands caused  fuither  delay,  and  it  was  not  until  tlic 
.«erond  week  in  Jime  that  the  expedition  sailed  from 
the  Hawaiian  Islands.  The  pitx'ramme  of  the  vov- 
age  was  now  somewhat  altered,  the  X<i(h'shil<(,  befo)-i' 
proceeding  to  Japan,  steering  for  Pitr(»pavlovsk,  wlnic 


*The  Xnilfuhda  was  a  vessel  of  4.')0  tons,  and  had  04  persons  on  lv)aril. 
Tin'  <oinpI>iiu;iit  of  the  Xcmi,  a  .'170- ton  i'liii>,  I'misistod  of  8  officers  aiid  Vi 
Kitlloi'H  and  |K.'tty  ollicui's.  A  list  of  tll'J  otlioers.  the  aml>a»s."ah>r'«  Hiiite.  and 
th>-  Mi'ifiititiu  nieu  wild  nceomiNinitd  tlio  expedition  is  given  in  /</.,  1<>  IS. 
With  two  exceptions  all  the  nieniliers  of  the  eiidci.ssy  returned  to  .St  IVter..- 
Ijur;.',  after  li-uviiij^  the  XiulcKhda  at  Kciiicliatkii  in  ]iH)5. 

*  An  endiasriy  sent  to  .Tapan  in  17!)'2  hud  been  favorably  received,  per- 
mission Iteinjj  given  for  one  Russian  vessel  to  l)e  admitted  eaih  jear  to  tl'.e 
iK>rt  lit  Xan^fasaki,  for  tradinj^  purposes;  but  until  1S03  no  use  upiwars  to 
Lave  been  made  of  this  concession. 


LISIANSKVS  VOYACK 


425 


0118  on  boan). 
Iilficcrs  ami  4'! 

ii'a  HlliU'.  ilU'l 

liti  /</.,  1  •■'!«. 
|l  to  St  IVterb- 


fi>r  tlio  present  we  will  leave  her,  while  the  Xcra  was 
ht'iiih'd  i\>v  Kadiiik. 

Oil  the  13th  of  July,  IHOt,  I/isiuiisky  siLjhted 
]'jivl<)vsk,  (»r,  as  we  shall  now  call  it,  St  l*aul  Ilarhor, 
wliere  he  thus  deseiihes  his  reeejitioii:  "Shortly  alter 
iiiidiii^ht,  two  lar^^e  leatliern  hoats  ea\uo  to  (jur  assist- 
;iiu.-e,  ill  «"oiise<jUeiK'e  of  a  l«tter  I  had  sent  the  day 
lu'tore,  l»y  means  of  a  small  Mdaika,  to  annoumie  our 
iirrival,  in  one  of  whieh  was  ('a|)tain  iJandia'/  deputy 
(onunander  vi'  the  llussian  estahlishment  here.  The 
weather  was  so  thick  and  dark  that  he  fotuid  us  mere- 


ly hv  the  n(<ise  we  made  in 


furl 


in<r  oui'  sails. 


JI 


IS 


"s 


stay  with  us  was  short,  hut  he  left  his  pilot  on  board, 
who  l)roUi,dit  the  ves.sel  into  the  harbor  about  two 
oCloek  in  the  afternoon.  On  passinn;;  the  fort,  wo 
wei'e  saluti'd  by  eleven  ^uns;  and  as  so(»n  as  the 
jiiichor  was  d«>un,  Mr.  ]>ander  returned,  ac(;oinpiinied 
liy  several  Hu>sians,  who  wiie  eai,^'r  to  congratulate 
us  on  our  happy  arrival.  It  is  not  easy  to  e<[)ress 
\.  liat  I  felt  on  this  occasion.  IJeinj^  the  first  Russian 
that  had  hitlu>rto  perfornu'd  so  Iohlj  ami  t(.'dious  a 
voyage,  a  device  of  reiit^ious  ferv(»r  mixed  itself  with 
the  delight  an<l  satisfaction  of  my  mind 

liisiansky  hoped  that  his  hardships  for  that  year 
at  least  were  over,  and  that  he  would  have  time  to 
repair  and  refit  after  his  l(»nt^  voya;j^(.!;  but  no  sooner 
had  he  landed,  than  ]>amier  jdacrd  in  his  hands  a 
•  onnnunieation  from  l^araiioi"  relating- the  di'structioii 
"f  the  Sitka  settlement,^  and  beL^.^ini;"  assistance  ill 
eoiuiucrinu"  the  sava<j:es  and  rebuildiiiL;'  the  fort.  Con- 
\  inced  of  the  importance  of  recoverini^  this  point,  he 
t(tni[tlied  at  oiu-e  with  the  re(|uest.  Only  the  most 
iiecessarv  repairs  were  made,  and  afti'ibeinij;  dt.'taiiied 
tor  a  lew  days  by  unfavorable  weather,  the  Xrra 
sailed  from  Kadiak  on  the  Ijth  of  August,  and  five 

'  Ikuiiei-.  I^tngHdurtf  makes  Uic  same  luUtakc  in  hU  Voy,  and  Tntv.,  part 
ii.  .")(). 

''  Li-iiiDiyli/'n  I'd)/,  round  World,  I4l!-.1. 
LiHiau.sky  liail  licanl  a  ruiuor  of  the  disaster  during  liis  brief  Btuy  at 


lio  Sandwicli  i» 


luudd 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


1.0 


I.I 


m 
& 


m  IIIII2.5 


13.2 


IIIIIM 


^  m  i|2.o 


1.8 


1.25      1.4 

1.6 

.4 6"     - 

► 

VI 


^ 


/a 


^;; 


y 


/A 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


\ 


4, 


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:<\^ 


:\ 


\ 


^ 


'4> 


'^^ 


^3  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  HS80 

(716)  872  4503 


^ 


428 


SITKA  RECAPTURED. 


(lays  later  entered  Sitka  Sound,  where  the  Alcxandr 
and  Ekateruia  were  found  at  anchor,  awaiting  tlio 
arrival  of  Baranof,  who  was  then  engaged  in  a  hunt- 
ing expedition.  From  one  of  the  ofUcers  it  was  as- 
certained that  the  natives  had  taken  up  their  position 
on  a  bluff,  a  few  miles  distant,  where  they  had  forti- 
fied themselves,  and  were  resolved  to  try  issue  with 
the  Russians. 

Relating  his  impressions  of  the  surrounding  country, 
Lisiansky  says:  "On  our  entrance  into  Sitca  Sound 
to  the  place  where  we  now  were,  there  was  not  to  bo 
seen  on  the  shore  the  least  vestige  of  habitation. 
Nothing  presented  itself  to  our  view  but  impenetra- 
ble woods  reaching  from  the  water-side  to  the  very 
tops  of  the  mountains.  I  never  saw  a  country  so 
wild  and  gloomy;  it  appeared  more  adapted  for  the 
residence  of  wild  beasts  than  of  men." 


On  the  25th  of  August,  the  chief  manager  sailed 
from  Yakutat  on  board  the  Yermah,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  his  boats  and  bidarkas  entered  Ledianof 
Sound.  A  swift  current  runs  by  these  shores,  and 
great  care  was  needed  to  keep  the  vessels  on  their 
course.  Moreover,  the  fog  which  overhangs  the  sound 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year  completely  hid  the  boats  from 
sight.  A  strong  tide  was  setting  in,  which  carried 
the  Yermah  avvay  from  the  remainder  of  the  flotilla, 
and  soon  all  the  vessels  were  rapidly  closing  in  witli 
the  shore.  Presently  the  wind  calmed,  the  sails  hung 
to  the  mast,  the  boats  would  not  obey  the  rudder,  and 
the  depth  of  water  prevented  them  from  anchoring. 
There  appeared  to  be  no  hope  of  keeping  off  tlio 
beach,  where  the  Ktdosh  might  be  upon  them  at  any 
moment.  "  There  was  nothing  to  be  done,"  says 
Khlebnikof,  "but  to  leave  everything  to  providence. "''' 

'"  Tho  Russians  appear  to  have  been  somewhat  unmindful  of  the  maxim 
on  proviilcnco  and  seli-holp.  A  laughable  story  is  told  of  a  skipper  wlio,  be- 
ing caught  ill  ii  squall  about  thi.s  year,  and  his  vessel  thrown  on  hur  brain-cnd*, 
v.as  roused  fn.Mii  his  Khuubcra  by  the  water  coming  into  'us  berth,  and  by  oiu^ 
of  tho  ntutea  who  cumo  to  warn  him  of  tho  danger.     '  Now  the  ship  is  in 


IMPENDING  SHIPWRECK. 


427 


The  chief  manager  preserved  the  greatest  cahiincss, 
;ui(1  by  his  demeanor  inspired  his  frightened  men  witli 
some  confidence.  Thus  encouraged,  their  exertions 
never  relaxed,  and  from  time  to  time  they  would  ob- 
tain glimpses  of  each  other  through  the  fog,  as  they 
continued  to  keep  off  the  dreaded  shore.  Baranof 
writes  of  this  incident:  "What  a  position  to  be  in; 
working  desperately  to  hold  our  own  between  steep 
cliffs  and  rapid  currents  1  At  last  the  tide  turned,  and 
we  were  drawn  toward  the  opposite  shore.  At  tho 
same  time  a  breeze  sprung  up  and  allowed  the  hoisting 
of  sail,  while  the  fog  dispersed.  But  nothing  seemed 
to  1)0  in  our  favor  that  day.  Soon  the  breeze  freshened 
into  a  gale,  threatening  the  expedition  with  another 
danger.  The  ships  barely  escaped  stranding,  as  they 
tacked  frequently  and  cleared  the  strait  in  the  teeth 
of  the  storm.  The  bidarkas  were  scattered  over  tho 
sound,  and  some  sought  shelter  under  tho  rocks, 
trusting  rather  to  the  protection  of  providence  from 
the  savages  than  risking  exposure  to  the  merciless 
elements.  Finally  the  ])rayers  of  so  many  anxious 
souls  were  hoard,  and  with  almost  superhuman  exer- 
tion a  sheltered  ba}'  was  reached,  and  tho  boats 
anchored,  tlie  Iioslislof  coming  in  last.  The  Ycnnab 
had  lost  a  skiff,  the  Ilosfislqfa  considerable  part  of  her 
ri^•<^Jinlx,  while  one  of  tlie  bidarkas  went  down  in  the 
storm."" 

Without  further  incident  worthy  of  mention,  Bar- 
anof arrived  at  Sitka  Sound  on  the  10th  of  September, 
and  on  tho  following  day  went  on  board  tho  Neva  to 
consult  with  Lisiansky.  "  Hearing  nothing,"  writes 
the  latter,  "  of  the  hunters  who  had  been  separated 


'  ;')(1'm  hamls,'  he  exclaimed,  as  lie  tiinictl  over  in  liis  bed,  and  commencing  to 
I'liiy,  tlieru  remained  until  one  of  tlio  officers  had  sense  enough  to  let  go  tho 
iiuiiu-sail,  when  tho  ship  righted. 

"  Liiugsdorir,  who  passed  through  this  channel  in  a  bidarka,  in  company 
^vith  tho  navigator  Do  Wolf,  says:  'At  this  point  the  force  of  the  cun-cnt  and 
tiilo  is  considuralilo.  Tho  passage  ia  only  150  toises  wide,  whilo  the  average 
ili^ptli  is  200  fatiioms,  with  rocks  coming  up  within  5  feet  at  low  tide.'  l>o 
Wolf  remarks  tliat  nowhere  in  hin  travels  has  ho  met  with  anything  to  com- 
l.irc  with  the  violence  of  the  current.    Khkhnikoj',  Shizn.  Baraiiova,  80-1. 


m 


SITKA  RECAPTURED. 


in  the  gale,  an  armed  vessel  was  on  the  23d  sent  in 
search  of  them,  and  everything  in  the  mean  time  pro- 
pared  for  their  reception,  in  a  small  bay  opposite  to  us. 
At  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  sixty  bidarkas  belong- 
ing to  this  party,  among  whom  were  twenty  Russians, 
arrived,  under  the  command  of  Mr  KooskofF,  who,  on 
passing  us,  fired  a  salute  of  muskets,  in  answer  to 
which  I  ordered  two  rockets  to  be  sent  up.  Expect- 
ing more  of  these  bidarkas  in  the  course  of  the  nitifht, 
we  hung  out  a  lantern  to  each  top-gallant  mast-head 
of  our  vessel. 

"The  next  morning,  as  soon  as  it  was  light,  ol)- 
serving  the  shore  to  the  extent  of  three  hundred 
yards  completely  covered  with  the  hunting-boats,  wo 
sent  our  launch  armed  with  four  swivels,  to  cruise  on 
the  sound,  to  prevent  them  from  being  attacked  by 
the  Sitcans;  and  shortly  after  I  went  with  some  of 
my  officers  on  shore,  where  the  picture  that  presented 
itself  to  our  view  was  new  to  us, 

"Of  the  numerous  families  of  hunters  several  had 
already  fixed  their  tents;    others  were  busy  in  erect- 


ing 


them.     Some  were  hanging  up  their  clothes  to 


dry,  some  kindling  a  fire,  some  cooking  victuals;  some 
again,  overcome  with  fatigue,  had  stretched  them- 
selves on  the  ground,  expecting,  amidst  this  clash  of 
sounds  and  hum  of  men,  to  take  a  little  repose;  whilst 
at  a  distance  boats  were  seen  arriving  every  moment, 
and  by  adding  to  the  numbers,  increasing  the  interest 
of  the  scene.  On  coming  out  of  the  barge  we  were 
met  by  at  least  five  hundred  of  these,  our  new  coun- 
trymen, among  whom  were  many  toyons." 

On  the  28th  of  September  the  united  squadron 
moved  out  of  Krestovsky  Bay,  the  Neva  being  towed 
by  over  one  hundred  canoes.  In  the  evening  an  an- 
chorage was  found  near  the  high  bluff  upon  which  tlio 
Sitkans'  stronghold  was  situated.  All  night  the  weird 
song  of  the  chaman  was  heard  by  the  Russians,  but 
no  opposition  was  oftered,  when  on  michaelmas  day 


■I 

I 


A  BATTLE. 


4SS 


of  1804  Baranof  and  his  party  landed  near  the  site  of 
the  modern  town  of  Sitka. ^'' 

At  dusk  an  envoy  from  the  Kolosh  came  to  the 
Russians  with  friendly  overtures.  He  was  told  that 
conditions  of  peace  could  be  made  only  with  the  chiefs. 
The  next  morning  he  rea{)peared  in  company  with  a 
hostage,  whom  he  delivered  up,  but  received  tlie  same 
answer.  At  noon  thirty  armed  savages  approached, 
and  halting  just  beyond  musket-shot,  commenced  to 
parley.  Baranof's  terms  were  that  the  Russians 
should  be  allowed  to  retain  permanent  possession  of 
tlie  bluff,  and  that  two  additional  hostages  should  be 
given.  To  this  the  Kolosh  would  not  consent,  and 
soon  afterward  withdrew,  bein<j  warned  throuti'h  the 
interpreters  that  the  ships  would  be  immediately  moved 
close  to  their  fort,  and  that  they  had  only  themselves 
to  blame  for  what  might  follow. 

On  the  1  st  of  October  four  of  the  ships  were  drawn 
up  in  line  before  the  enemy's  fort,"  in  readiness  for 
action,  and  a  white  flag  hoisted  on  board  the  Neva. 
As  no  response  was  made,  the  order  was  given  to 
open  fire,  and  Lieutenant  Arbusof,  with  two  boats  and  a 
field-piece,  was  instructed  to  destroy  the  canoes  which 
lay  on  the  beach,  and  to  set  fire  to  a  lar'^e  barn  near 
the  shore,  which  was  supposed  to  be  the  storehouse 
of  the  Kolosh.  Findinij  that  he  could  do  little  damaGjo 
iu  his  boats,  Arbusof  landed  and  marched  toward  tlic 
fort,  whereupon  Baranofwent  to  his  support  with  a 
hundred  and  fifty  men  and  several  guns.  The  sur- 
rounding woods  were  so  dense  that  the  two  parties 

'-Thia  was  tho  Bpot  selected  by  Baranof  on  his  first  appearance  on  Norfolk 
Sound,  but  another  site  was  chosen  on  account  of  the  dismcUnatiou  of  the 
natives  to  sec  a  Russian  settlement  established  there. 

"  Khlebnikof  gives  Sept.  '20th  as  tlie  date.  .S7i/;;i.  Baranova,  85.  Thia 
fort  was  in  the  shape  of  an  irregular  polygon,  its  lonj^est  side  facing  the  sea. 
It  was  protected  by  a  breastwork  two  lugs  in  thickness,  and  about  six  feet 
liij^h.  Around  and  above  it  tangled  brush-wood  was  piled.  Grape-shot  did 
liUle  damage,  even  at  the  distance  of  a  cable's  length.  There  were  two  em- 
brasures for  cannon  in  the  side  facing  the  sea,  and  two  gates  facing  tho  forest. 
Witiiin  were  fourteen  largo  huts,  or,  as  they  were  called  by  tho  natives,  bara- 
liaras.  Judging  from  the  quantity  of  provisions  and  domestic  im|)Iements 
found  there,  it  must  have  contained  at  least  800  warriors.  Linianaky^a  Voy, 
round  World,  103,  where  n  plan  of  tho  fort  ia  given. 


■    ! 


430 


SITKA  RECAPTURED. 


!■■' 


could  not  see  each  other  as  they  advanced;  their 
progress  was  slow,  and  night  was  upon  them  when 
they  reached  the  stronghold.  JMeanwhilo  the  savages 
remained  perfectly  quiet,  except  that  occasionally  a 
musket-sbot  was  fired,  probably  as  a  signal.  Mistaking 
this  inaction  for  timidity,  Baranof  rashly  ordered  his 
men  to  carry  the  foit  by  storm.  lie  was  met  by  the 
savages  in  a  compact  bod}',  and  a  well-directed  firo 
was  opened  on  his  men,  causing  a  stampede  among 
the  natives,  who  were  dragging  along  the  guns.  Loi't 
with  a  mere  handful  of  sailors  and  promyshkmlki,  the 
commander  was  forced  to  retire.  The  Kolosh  then 
rushed  forth  in  pursuit.  The  Russians  fought  gal- 
lantly, and  succeeded  in  saving  their  lield-pieces,  though 
with  the  loss  of  ten  killed  and  twenty-six  wounded, 
among  the  latter  being  the  cliief  manager,  v.ho  v\\;s 
shot  through  the  arm  with  a  nmsket-ball."  As  they 
neared  the  shore,  their  retreat  was  covered  by  the 
guns  of  the  flotilla,  but  for  which  circumstance  it  is 
probable  that  none  would  have  escaped,  and  that  Bar- 
anof's  career  would  now  have  been  brought  to  a  close. 
The  following  day  Lisiansky  was  requested  by 
Baranof  to  take  charge  of  the  expedition.  He  at  once 
opened  a  brisk  fire  on  the  fort.  In  the  afternoon, 
messengers  were  sent  by  the  Kolosh  to  sue  for  peace, 
with  the  promise  to  give  as  hostages  some  members 
of  the  most  prominent  families,  and  to  liberate  all  the 
Kadiak  natives  who  were  detained  as  prisoners.  TIk; 
overture  was  favorably  received,  and  on  this  and  the 
three  following  days  a  number  of  hostages  were  deliv- 
ered into  the  hands  of  the  Bussians.  Meanwhile  tlio 
evacuation  of  the  fort  was  demanded,  and  to  show 
that  he  was  in  earnest,  Lisiansky  moved  his  ship  flir- 
ther  in  shore.  To  this  the  chief  toyon  consented 
after  a  brief  ncirotiation. 


'*  Of  tho  iWra's  men  nJono  two  were  killed,  and  a  lieutenant  (Po%'alisliiii1, 
a  masters  mate,  a  surgeon's  mate,  a  quartermaster,  anil  ten  sailors  of  the 
sixteen  who  accompanied  them,  were  wounded.  Of  the  two  that  were  kilkd, 
one  was  iiimiediately  Iield  up  on  tho  speara  of  the  savages.    /(/.,  loS. 


MURDER  OF  CHILDREN. 


Oil  the  morning  of  the  Gth,  an  interpreter  was  sent 
to  ask  wliethcr  the  Kolosh  were  ready  to  abandon 
their  stron*>;hold.  He  was  answered  that  tlicv  would 
do  so  at  high  water.  At  noon  the  tide  was  at  its 
height,  and  as  there  was  no  sign  of  preparation 
lor  departure,  the  savages  were  again  liailed,  and  no 
answer  being  returned,  fire  was  opened  from  tlie  Neva. 
Duringthe  dava  raftwas  constructed, on  which  themius 
could  be  brought  close  up  to  the  fort.  Toward  evening 
two  large  canoes  appeared,  one  of  them  belonging  to 
an  old  man,  "who,"  says  Lisiansky,  "like  another 
Charon,  had  in  general  brought  the  hostages  to  us." 
Ho  was  advised  to  return  and  persuade  his  country- 
men to  retire  at  once  if  they  valued  their  safety.  To 
this  he  consented,  and  it  was  arranged  that  if  he  wore 
successful,  it  slicndd  be  made  known  to  the  llussians 
by  a  certain  signal.'''  Two  or  three  hours  later  the 
signal  was  heard  and  Avas  answered  by  a  cheer  I'rom 
those  on  board  the  vessels.  Then  fir  into  the  nig'ht 
a  strantje  chant  was  wafted  on  the  still  air  i'rom  the 
encampment  of  the  savages,  expressing  their  relief, 
as  the  interpreters  said,  that  now  their  lives  were  no 
longer  in  peril. 

Ihit  the  chant  had  other  significance.  At  davlight 
no  sound  was  heard  from  shore,  nor  was  any  living 
creature  in  sight,  save  flocks  of  carrion  birds  hover- 
ing aroun<l  the  fort.  The  Kolosh  had  fled  to  the 
woods,  and  within  the  stronghold  lay  the  dead  bodi(\s 
of  their  children,  slaughtLTod  h^st  their  cries  should 
betray  the  ku-king  place  of  the  fugitives.^*^     The  fort- 

'^Shoutinij;  tlirico  tlie  word  "oo,"  meaning;  "eiul." 

'"  Tiiii'ty  of  llio  Kulosli  warriors  wore  also  found  dead  in  the  fort.  It 
Mas  at  first  supposed  that  the  survivors  had  ciossed  the  mountains  to  K!iu.i- 
ii'iir>lcy  Sound,  but  soc  n  afterward  they  at  taoliod  a  partj'  of  Aleuts  a  few  versts 
liistant,  killing  nine  of  thcni.  KhUhnikof,  Shhii.  JJuraiiora,  87-8.  Lisiansky 
thinks  that  iiieir  flight  was  due  to  fear  of  ven.^eanee,  on  aeeount  of  their  late 
rruelty  and  perfidy,  but  that  if  ammunition  liad  not  failed  them,  they  would 
have  defended  themselves  to  the  last  extremity.  Ho  is  of  opinion  that  if 
r.aranof  liad  adopted  liis  suggestion  to  harass  the  enemy  from  tlio  ships,  and  out 
till'  their  water  supply  and  their  commnniuation  with  the  sea,  the  fort  mijzlit 
have  been  captured  by  the  Russians  without  the  loss  of  a  8iny;lo  man.  Tho 
Kolo.^h  left  behind  them  a  quantity  of  provisions  and  more  than  tw<;nty  largo 
canoes.    I'oi/.  rouiul  World,  102-4. 


! 


m 


SITKA  RECAPTURED. 


)'■:    1 


ress  was  then  burned  to  the  ground,  and  the  construc- 
tion of  niagazhies  was  immediately  commenced,  to- 
gether witli  spacious  barracks  and  a  residence  for  tho 
chief  manager.  The  buildinurs  were  surrounded  with 
a  stockade,  block-houses  being  erected  at  each  corner, 
and  a  stronghold  was  thus  formed  that  was  believed 
to  be  impregnable  against  the  attacks  of  the  Kolosh. 
To  this  settlement  was  given  the  name  of  Novo  Ark- 
hangelsk. Under  the  bluff  were  anchored  all  the  ves- 
sels, with  the  exception  of  the  despatch  boat  liostislaf 
and  the  Neva,  both  of  which  sailed  for  Kadiak,  Lisi- 
ansky  purposing  to  winter  there,  and  after  taking  in 
supplies,  to  return  in  the  spring  to  Sitka  Sound,  whence 
he  proposed  to  sail  for  Cauton.^^ 


During  his  stay  in  Kadiak,  Lisiansky  visited  se\-- 
eral  of  the  settlements  on  that  island,  concerning 
which  he  gives  some  interesting  details.  The  entire 
population  apart  from  the  Russians  he  estimates  at 
only  four  thousand,'^  and  remarks  that  according  to 
the  report  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  it  had  decreased 
by  one  half  since  the  arrival  of  the  Russians.  The 
wholesale  mortality  which  had  thus  prevailed  since 
Shelikof  landed  there  in  1784  was  mainly  due  to  dis- 
eases introduced  by  the  invaders,  and  to  the  severe  toil 
and  hardship  to  which  the  natives  were  exposed  dur- 
ing the  long  hunting  expeditions  required  of  them  by 


"  Banner  was  ordered  to  supply  the  N'eva  with  all  the  fish  and  game 
needed,  and  all  the  cattle  that  could  be  spared.  On  boai'd  the  ship  were  two 
Kolosh  prisoners.  Baranof  sent  instructions  to  keep  them  confined  in  tlio 
stockade  at  St  Paul,  and  make  them  work  along  with  the  Aleuts,  who  were 
placed  there  for  punishment.  KhMmihof,  Shizn.  Baranova,  89. 

""  His  calculation  is  based  on  the  number  of  barabaras  in  the  several  dis- 
tricts, and  these  he  found  to  be  202.  Allowing  18  persona  to  each  Ixirabara, 
w^e  have  a  total  of  3,6.36,  the  remainder  consisting  of  Aleuts  i:  the  com- 
pany's service.  Voy.  round  World,  19.3.  This  is  probably  near  tlio  truth, 
for  a  census  list  lodged  in  the  office  of  the  directors  at  St  Petersbi  rg  in  1804 
gives  4,834  as  the  population  of  Kadiak  and  the  adjacent  islands  about  that 
date,  against  6,519  in  1795.  Delarof  in  1790  places  the  number  ts  low  as 
3,000,  and  Bnranof  and  Banner  in  1805  state  that  there  were  only  t50  nitii 
in  Kadiak  capable  of  labor.  Langsdorff^,  who  was  at  Kadiak  in  t.'ie  latter 
year,  is  inclined  to  believe  that  tlic  number  of  men  lit  for  work  or  huutiuij 
did  not  exceed  500.    Toy.  and  Trav.,  part  ii.  60. 


POVERTY  OF  THE  NATIVES. 


m 


tTieir  task-masters,^^  Other  causes  were  the  clestruc- 
t'ou  of  the  sea-ottor,  on  which  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed* to  rely  for  food  doting  winter,  and  their  neg. 
ket  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  dried  salmon  for  the  season 
ol'  scarcity.  In  winter  and  early  spring  the  islanders 
lived  mainly  on  shell-fish,  and  this  in  a  country  where, 
between  the  months  of  May  and  October,  salmon 
could  be  taken  out  of  the  rivers  by  hand,  and  s»ea- 
l)oars^°  could  catch  them  in  their  paws  so  easily  that 
they  devoured  only  the  head,  and  threw  away  the 
remainder. 

On  visiting  Igak  on  the  24th  of  March,  1805, 
Li^iansky  reports  that  he  found  all  the  people  in 
search  of  shell-fish  along  the  beach,  only  the  young 
children  being  left  in  the  eleven  filthy  barabaras  which 
formed  that  settlement.  "After  dinner,"  he  writes, 
"  the  chief  with  his  wife  came  to  pay  me  a  visit.  On 
entering  ray  room  they  crossed  themselves  several 
times,  and  then  sat  down  on  the  floor  and  begGrcd 
snuff.  In  tho  course  of  conversation  their  poverty 
was  mentioned,  when  I  endeavored  to  convince  them 
tliat  their  extreme  indolence  was  the  cause  of  it;  and 
I  suggested  various  ways  by  which  they  might  im- 
prove their  situation  and  render  life  more  comfort- 
able. I  advised  them  to  build  better  habitations,  to 
lay  in  regularly  a  sufficient  stock  of  winter  provisions,,, 
wiiich  they  almost  always  neglect,  to  attend  more  to 
the  article  of  cleanliness,  and  lastly,  to  cultivate  differ- 

"  Langsdorff  declares  that  he  has  seen  the  promyshleniki  put  the  natives 
tf)  a  horrible  death  from  mere  caprice.  Spcakjng  of  the  overdcera,  lie  terms 
them  '.Siberian  malefaotors  or  adventurers. '  Both  these  statements  are  de- 
uicd  by  Lisiansky,  \vho  alLrma  tiuit  the  exiles  sent  to  Kudiak  -were  employed 
only  as  common  laborers.  '  That  mi.stakos  of  tliia  nature  should  bo  made  by 
Liiiigsdorflp,'  ho  remarks.  '  is  not  to  bo  wondered  at,  when  we  find  liiiii  tliiis 
speaking  of  himself :  "To  examine  a  country  accurately,  three  things  arc  recpu- 
t^itc,  not  ono  of  which  I  at  this  time  enjoyed — leisure,  serenity  of  mind,  and 
convenience."  To  this  might  be  added,  that  he  was  but  a  shoit  time  in  tlio 
country  of  which  he  speaks,  and  was  ignorant  of  tlio  language  both  of  the 
natives  and  of  the  Russians. '   Voy.  round  IKorW,  215,  note. 

■^'^  Called  by  the  Russians  koHh,  ami  belonging  to  the  seal  genus,  though 
(hlToring  materially  from  the  phoca  vitiilinn,  or  eonunon  seal.  Laiiifdorirx 
V"!/.,  part  ii.  22.  Lisiansky  nuHics  a  rid.culous  mistake  on  this  point.  Ho 
Ki  vrf  that  the  wild  beasts,  and  especially  bears,  go  into  the  river  and  ca Ich 
these  fish  with  their  paws.    I'oy.  round  World,  192. 

HiBI.  Al^BKA.     23 


i    I 


4?A 


SITKA  RECAPTURED. 


P     I 


i  lip 


■  \\  <]■ 


ki 


cnt  culinary  plants  near  their  lionsos,  by  which  th  y 
would  be  relieved  iVoni  the  trouble  of  collectinix  wild 
roots  and  herbs,  which  were  neither  so  palatable  nor 
S'J  nutritious."  " 

At  Killuda  Bay,  a  few  versts  south-west  of  Ij;;di, 
Lisiansky  landed  at  a  settlement,  "  in  which,"  he  says, 
"we  found  only  women  and  children,  the  men  l)e- 
longing  to  it  having  been  absent  with  Baranof  since 
tlie  preceding  spring.  Not  having  laid  in  provis- 
ions in  sufficient  quantity  for  the  winter,  these  pool- 
wretches  were  literally  half  starved.  Wishing  ti 
afford  them  what  was  in  my  power,  I  distributed 
amonj;  them  the  stock  of  dried  fish  I  had  in  the  boat  ^. 

1  •  •  • 

and  left  this  abode  of  wretchedness  with  no  vei  y 
pleasurable  sensations.  It  was  indeed  a  heart-rendin:: 
scene  to  see  these  emaciated  beings  crawling  out  nl' 
their  huts  to  thank  me  for  the  trifling  relief  I  had 
afi'orded  them.  Though  the  weather  was  the  next 
morning  very  disagreeable,  I  went  to  Drunkard's  Bay, 
where  I  witnessed  the  same  meagre  traits  of  poverty. 
Of  the  inhabitants  I  purcliased  several  curiosities, 
consistinij  of  imacfcs  dressed  in  difl'ercnt  forms.  The 
best  were  cut  out  of  bone.  Tliey  are  used  here  as 
dolls.  Indeed,  the  women  who  have  no  children 
keep  them,  I  was  told,  to  re])reseht  the  wished-fer 
infant  offspring,  and  amuse  themselves  with  them,  as 
if  thev  were  real  infants. 

"On  the  1st  of  April  we  proceeded  to  the  harbor  of 
Three  Saints,  where  we  arrived  in  the  afternoon.  In 
our  way  we  visited  a  village  called  the  Fugitive, 
which  was  in  a  thriving  condition.  The  inhabitants 
ajipeared  much  healthier  than  those  of  Ihack-^  or 
Killuden,^^  and   lived  better.     On   our   arrival,  the 

''/'/.,  173-4.  Two  clays  later  Lisiansky  received  a  visit  from  a  Russian 
who  had  lived  in  Unalaska.  He  reported  that  a  volcanic  island  had  appcaroil 
above  the  sea  in  the  middle  of  April  1797.  The  news  was  brought  by  smu.' 
Aleutian  fislienncn,  who  observed  a  great  smoke  issuing  from  the  waters.  The 
land  gi-adually  rose  above  the  sui-face,  r.nd  in  May  of  tho  following  year  an 
eruption  occiirrod  wliich  was  distinctly  visible  at  a  settlement  on  MakuslAiu 
]iav.  45  miles  distant.     In  1799  the  island  was  12  miles  in  circumference. 

=;l!;ak. 

-^Killuda. 


BERRIES  AND  OIL. 


435 


1  •    '•• '. 
ciuei  s 


wife  brouglit  us  a  basin  of  berries,  mixed  with 
laiicid  wlialo  oil,  bej^'j^iuLr  us  to  refrcssh  ourselves. 
This  delicate  mess,  produced  at  a  time  when  the  ber- 
lic'S  are  not  in  scasc^n,  is  regarded  by  the  islanders 
.'IS  no  small  proof  of  opulence.  I  gave  this  treat, 
however,  to  my  Aleutians;  and  after  distributing  to- 
bacco and  other  tritles  among  the  family,  took  iny  leave. 

"The  next  morning,  as  soon  as  my  arrival  at  tlie 
liurbor  of  Throe  Saints  was  known  in  the  ncighbor- 
]i()()d,  several  of  the  toyons  came  together  to  see  me. 
After  the  usual  compliments,  and  a  treat  of  snuff  on 
my  part,"  the  conversation  began  on  the  common 
topic  of  poverty,  when  I  endeavored,  with  some 
earnestness,  to  persuade  them  to  throw  off  the  sloth 
and  idleness  so  visible  amongst  them,  and  exert  them- 
s(>]ves;  and  I  stated,  as  I  had  done  in  a  previous 
instance,  the  many  comforts  they  would  derive  from 
liabits  of  industry,  of  which  they  were  at  present  j)er- 
ilctly  destitute.  The  toyons  listened  attentively  to 
my  advice,  and  assured  me  that  they  should  be  happy 
to  follow  it,  but  that  there  were  many  circumstances 
to  prevent  them;  and  I  must  confess  1  bbished  when 
1  heard  that  the  principal  of  these  was  the  high  price 
lixed  by  the  Russian  Company  on  every  necessary 
article,  and  especially  its  iron  instruments,  which  ren- 
dered it  impossible  for  the  islanders  to  ])urchase  them. 
While  this  is  the  case,  what  improvement  can  be  ex- 
jvcc'ted  in  these  people?" 

On  the  Gth  Lisiansky  and  his  party  visited  a  settle- 
ment on  the  adjacent  island  of  Sitkhalidak,  with  regard 
to  which  I  give  one  more  quotation.  "Toward  even- 
ing," he  continues,  "the  weather  becoming  cold,  wo 
made  a  fire  in  the  middle  of  our  barabara,  which  was 
Soon  surrounded  by  the  iiilial)itauts,  young  and  old 
They  were  very  much  amused  at  seeing  us  drinking 
tea;  but  I  have  no  doubt  were  still  more  gratilied 
when    I    ordered  some   dried  fish  to  be  distributed 


^'  Snuff  is  the  best  treat  that  can  be  offered  to  these  people,  who  will  often 
:o  twenty  niiles  out  of  their  way  to  yet  merely  a  piuch  or  two  of  it.   Id.,  179. 


f  l 


430 


S;TKA  RECAPXP'RED. 


H! 


nmonj^st  tlicm,  wliiT-li  wus  a  I'arky  at  this  season  (if 
tlio  yenr.  The  master  and  niistrei*>  of  the  house  were 
invited  to  partake  of  our  beverage,  and  they  seemed 
to  plume  themselves  upon  the  eireu distance,  as  if  di,> 
tinguished  by  it  from  the  reslj  of  the  party.  During 
our  tea  repast,  the  family  were  at  their  supper,  which 
was  served  up  in  the  following  manner:  The  cook- 
having  filled  a  wooden  bowl  with  dried  fish,  presented 
it  to  the  master  of  the  house,  who,  after  eating  as 
nmeh  as  he  could,  gave  the  rest  to  his  wife.  TIk; 
other  dishes  were  served  up  in  similar  order,  be- 
ginning with  the  oldest  of  the  family,  who,  when  he 
had  eaten  his  fill,  gave  the  dish  to  the  next  in  ag  •, 
and  he  again  to  the  next;  and  thus  it  passed  in  rota- 
tion till  it  came  to  the  youngest,  wh«se  patience,  as 
the  family  was  numerous,  must  have  been  a  little  ex- 
hausted. Perceiving,  at  length,  that  our  companions 
were  becoming  drowsy,  I  advised  them  to  go  to  rest, 
which  tho3''did,  wishing  us  several  times  a  good  night, 
and  expressing  how  satisfied  they  were  with  our  kind- 
ness. 

"The  next  morning  when  I  arose  at  daylight,  and 
was  proceeding  to  take  a  walk,  I  found  all  the  men 
sitting  on  the  roofs  (^f  their  houses.  This  is  their  fa- 
vorite recreation  aftt  ..■  sleeping;  though  they  are  also 
fond  of  sitting  on  the  beacli,  and  looking  for  hours  to- 
gether at  the  sea,  when  they  have  nothing  else  to  do. 
In  this  practice  they  resemble  more  a  herd  of  beasts 
than  an  association  of  reasonable  beings  endowed  with 
the  gift  of  speech  Indeed,  these  savages,  when  assem- 
bled togetlier,  appear  to  have  no  delight  in  the  oral  in- 
tercourse that  generally  distinguishes  the  human  race ; 
for  they  never  converse;  on  the  contrary,  a  stupi>i 
silence  reigns  amongst  them.  I  had  many  opportu- 
nities of  noticing  individuals  of  every  age  and  degree; 
and  I  am  persuaded  that  the  simplicity  of  their  char 
acter  exceeds  that  of  any  other  people,  and  that  a  long 
time  must  elapse  before  it  will  undergo  any  very  per- 
ceptible change.     It  is  true,  that  on  my  entering  their 


MOVEMENTS  OF  THK  'NEVA.' 


437 


liousos,  soiijo  sort  of  ceremony  was  always  observed 
liv  them;  but  by  degrees  even  tliis  so  compl(!tely  dis- 
ji[)peared,  that  an  Aleutian  would  undress  himself  to 
tate  of  nudity,  with(/ut  at  all  regarding  my  presence; 


a  s 


1  hough  at  the  same  moment  he  considered  me  as  the 
greatest  personage  on  the  island." 

On  the  14th  of  June  the  JVeva  sailed  from  St  Paul, 
and  on  the  22d  of  the  same  month  entered  the  harbor 
cf  Novo  Arkhangelsk.  During  Lisiansky's  absence 
matters  had  pros[)ered  with  the  new  settlement. 
lOight  substantial  buildings  had  been  eop^^iluted;  the 
I'oit  was  also  finished  and  mounted  with  fiumon;  a 
number  of  kitchen-gardens  were  undef"  cultivation, 
and  the  live-stock  were  thrivinix.  -Ml  winter  t'le 
]v()losh  had  avoided  the  neighborhotiu,  and  onlj  now 
and  t1.  .'n  a  few  small  canoes  appeared,  who  »'  inmates 
cureiully  scaimed  the  movements  of  the  Kussians 
and  then  vanished  quickly  fr(  ai  sight. 

On  the  2d  of  July  an  interpreter  was  despatched  by 
Baranof  to  inform  them  that  the  Neva  had  arrived 
with  the  hostages  who  had  been  delivered  up  on  the 
cessation  of  hostilities.^  The  demoralized  savages 
had  scattered  during  the  winter,  but  now  were  assem- 
bling once  more,  and  had  built  another  fort  on  the 
western  shore  of  Chatham  Strait,  opposite  the  village 
of  Houtshnao.  The  report  wascurrentthatothertribes 
also  were  fortifying  their  villages,  and  it  was  foareil 
that  in  time  the  colony  would  again  be  surrounded 
with  dangerous  neisfhbors.  The  messenger  was  sent 
hack  with  the  answer  that  the  toyons  required  some 
assurance  of  good  faith  before  placing  themselves  in 
the  power  of  the  Russians,  and  was  again  despatched 
•  m  the  same  errand,  with  presents  and  promises  of  kind 
<r(3atment. 

*'  While  waitin^or  a  reply  from  the  enemy,  Li^iansky  caused  a  survey  t> 
be  made  of  Norfolk  Sound,  ami  especially  of  tho  island  upon  which  Mount 
I'llgecunibe  is  situated.  To  this  ho  gavo  tht  ionic  of  Kruzc,  now  Kruzof,  in 
li "iior  of  an  admiral  of  that  name  to  whom  he  was  indebted  for  his  preftr- 
uiuit.  Id.,  22(>-l. 


M' 


433 


SITKA  RECAPTURED. 


'  Oil  the  afternoon  of  tlie  IGtli  five  canoes  wore  seen 
ap[)roaehing  tlic  fort,  and  as  they  drew  near  it  became 
known  that  they  contahied  the  mo^ssenger  and  an  em- 
bassy from  tlie  Kc^losh.  The  Chugat.sches  in  Baranof's 
camp  were  ordered  to  conduct  them  to  the  fort,  play- 
ing the  ])art  of  gentlemen  ushers,  as  Lisiansky  re- 
marks, and  donning  their  holiday  aj)parel,  set  forth  t* 
meet  them.  Some  were  attired  only  in  a  threadbare 
vest,  some  few  in  a  pair  of  ragged  breeches,  while  by 
others  an  old  liat,  or  a  powdering  of  eagle  down  on  tlu; 
hair,  was  considered  a  fnll-dress  suit  for  a  gentleman. 
When  close  to  the  beach  the  embassy  stopped,  ami 
the  savages  on  shore  and  in  boat  executed  a  dance  and 
song,  the  toy  on  of  the  Kolosh  being  conspicuous  lor 
his  nimble  capering.  The  canoes  were  then  pulled  on 
shore  by  the  Ciiugatsches,  their  inmates  remaining 
seated,  while  the  gentleman  ushers  entertained  them 
with  a  second  performance. 

At  length  the  ambassador  and  his  suite  were  lifted 
from  their  boats  and  carried  to  their  apartments, 
where  a  feast  had  been  prepared  for  them.  On  tlu' 
following  day  they  paid  a  visit  to  the  iVeiv/,  and  were 
regaled  with  tea  and  brandy.  The  envoy  in  chief  was 
invited  into  the  cabin,  where  his  son,  who  had  been 
held  as  a  hostage,  was  brought  into  his  presence.''^  Ho 
was  surprised  at  the  cheerl'ul  and  well-fed  appearance 
of  the  lad,  and  expressed  his  gratitude  to  the  captain, 
but  no  sign  of  affection  was  shown  by  child  or  parent. 
After  more  sin<>in<x  anil  dancincj,  tlie  savasfes  returned 
on  sliore,'^'  and  in  the  alternoon  held  an  interview 

""Among  the  hostages  woro  three  crcole  youths,  to  whom  wore  given  tli  ■ 
nauifs  of  Anch'ci  KUmovsky,  Ivan  Chernof,  and  Gcrassia  Konilakoi.  One  ••: 
tlicni  was  the  ambassador's  son,  but,  as  Lisiansky  says,  was  afterward  r*;- 
changed  for  a  younger  brother,  who  probably  received  the  same  name.  Thi  y 
were  subsequently  jihieed  i:;  the  school  of  navigation  by  tlio  board  of  manager:, 
ind  were  Ihially  returned  to  the  colonics.  KliinolTsky  became  a  captain  a.;  I 
commanded  several  vesciels,  wliilo  the  others  wore  appointed  mates  in  t!i'' 
company's  service.  Ivoii'iakof  died  in  IS'JO  and  KlimoUaky  in  ISiJl.  Ji'irai,'/. 
S/i  zn.,  DO.  The  third,  Oheniof,  survived  the  transferof  Alaska  to  the  Uuiud 
States,  dying  in  the  year  1S77.  Ilia  two  faous  still  navigate  tiio  waters  ii 
A!a:.ka. 

'*'  Lisianj>ky  says:  '  These  people  arc  so  fond  of  dancing,  that  I  never  sm 
thrtc  of  tliem  tJoOther  without  their  feet  being  ui  motion.     Before  the  d^- 


Treaty  with  the  kolosh. 


4S9 


with  Baranof,  who  presented  t()  each  a  cloak  "^  and  a 
pewter  medal,  the  latter  in  token  of  peace.  Brantly 
was  produced,  the  terms  of  the  treaty  were  arrani^ed,-* 
and  all  were  invited  to  a  banquet  at  the  residence 
of  the  chief  manager.  The  place  of  honor  was  of 
course  given  to  the  envoy's  wife,  whose  evening  cos- 
tume was  a  piece  of  red  cloth  tferown  over  her  shoul- 
ders, and  a  thick  coating  of  black  paint  on  her  face. 
Her  coiffure  was  composed  entirely  of  soot,  and  for 
ornament  she  wore  a  round  piece  of  wood  in  the 
lower  lip.  It  was  observed  that  during  her  frequent 
.^ips  of  fire-water  slie  was  extremely  careful  of  this 
I'tature,  which  projected  at  riglit  angles  from  the 
chin,  and  was  regarded  as  her  greatest  charm.  Late 
at  night  the  ambassador,  his  spouse,  and  suite  were 
again  carried  to  their  apartments,  none  of  them  being 
sober  enough  to  stand  on  their  feet.  The  next  day 
tliey  took  their  leave,  the  chief  of  the  embassy  being 
jiresented  with  a  staff  on  which  were  the  Kussiaii 
a.rms,  wrought  in  copper,  decorated  with  ribbons  and 
eagle  down.  This  he  was  told  to  present  to  his  coun- 
trymen as  a  token  of  friendsliip."'^ 

After  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty  with  the  Kolosli, 
Lisiansky  made  ready  for  sea,  and  (m  the  1st  of  Sep- 
tember, 1805,  sailed  for  Canton  with  a  cargo  valued 
at  more  than  four  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  roubles.^^ 

I'.arturo  of  the  ambassador  I  allowed  him  to  fire  ofT  one  of  our  twclvc-pounilpr?!, 
V.  Iiicli  ho  did  witli  a  linnuess  I  little  cxpocLeil,  oxhihitiug  no  surprise  titlRr 
at  the  report  of  the  cannon  or  its  motion.'   To//,  round  Wirld,  '2-',i—\. 

'■■'To  the  ambassador  \v:ia  given  a  mantle  of  (Inc  red  ■loth  trimmed  with 
•  riiiino,  and  to  the  rest  cloaks  of  eomnmn  blue  cloth. 

•"I  have  been  unable  to  find  any  account  of  the  terms  of  this  treaty. 
Xcithcr  Lisiansky  nor  Baranof  has  a  word  to  say  about  it  ia  their  reports  of 
the  a  flair. 

'"  Iletuming  to  the  fort  on  August  IGth,  after  nn  excursion  to  the  summit 
of  Mount  I'Algecunibc,  Lisinnsky  found  the  and)as3ador  there.  Ho  had  re- 
turned to  announce  to  the  Russiiius  his  a]))tointnieut  as  chief  toyon  in  place 
<if  Kotlcan.  His  new  dignity  had  so  elated  ids  iiridothat  he  no  longer  deigned 
t'l  use  his  legs,  except  wlien  dancing,  but  was  in\ariably  carried  on  the  slioul- 
di-ra  of  his  attendants.    Id.,  2.T2. 

"  Including  ;*, 000  Bea-otter  and  more  than  ir)0,()00  small  skins.  Kh'chnl- 
/■;/',  S/iizn.  Jlarmwea,  90.  This  authority  gives  August  '20th  as  the  tiuio  uf 
tV'  .Xrra'-i  iloparture.  With  r  'gard  to  date,  ha  is  constantly  at  varianrr  wi'Ai 
I. i  .i:ni>ky, -.vlio  ha  1  boon  accepted  a.i  tlie  cliicf  auLliority  for  tho  stat^'uiciit:! 
i.uidc  iu  this  chapter. 


440 


SITKA  EECAPTUKED. 


Here  he  arrived  early  in  December  of  the  same 
year,^^  calling  at  Macao,  where  he  met  witli  Captain 
Krusenstern,  who  had  arrived  in  the  Nadeshda  on  his 
homeward  voyage,  Rezanof  meanwhile  having  sailed 
in  another  vessel  for  Alaska.  After  much  vexatious 
delay,  caused  by  the  Chinese  officials,  the  furs  wore 
landed  and  sold,^  a  cargo  of  tea,  nankeens,  and  other 
goods  purchased  with  the  proceeds,  and  on  the  4th 
of  August,  180G,  the  Neva  cast  dnchor  at  Kronstadt. 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  her  return  was  known  iu 
St  Petersburg  the  vessel  was  thronged  with  persons 
of  Qwcrj  rank,  and  for  many  days  her  commander 
was  so  much  occupied  with  answering  their  questions 
and  listening  to  their  compliments  that;  as  he  says,  ho 
had  barely  time  to  eat  or  sleep.  Among  those  who 
visited  the  ship  were  the  emperor  and  the  empress's 
mother.  The  former  complimented  Lisiansky  on 
the  appearance  of  the  Neva,  and*  observed  that  her 
crew  looked  better  than  when  they  had  left  the  shores 
of  Russia,^*  while  the  latter  spoke  a  few  kind  words 
to  all  on  board,  and  afterward  sent  presents  to  each 
of  the  officers  and  sailors. 

On  the  19th  of  the  same  month  the  Nadeshda 
arrived,  having  accomplished  her  voyage  round  the 
world  in  three  years  and  twelve  days,  with  the  loss  of 
only  one  man.^^ 

The  two  commanders  received  the  order  of  St 
Vladimir  of  the  third  class,  and  a  pension  of  3,000 
roubles  a  year  for  life.^^     The  other  officers  were  pro- 

'^  During  the  voyage,  it  was  discovered  that  a  Marge  portion  of  the  skins 

'  were  ill  an  advaiict'il  stage  of  decomposition.     Several  days  were  occupied  in 

sorliiiLT  them  and  throwing  overboard  +l'.oso  tliat  were  entirely  spoiled.     Tho 

loss  was  estimated  lit  200,000  roubles.  Lisianslii/'s  I'o;/.  round  World,  2tW-(i. 

'^  The  i\'i/(/c,s/((/«  was  also  di^tuiued  at  Macao  by  the  authorities.  IJoth 
carfjors  were  sold  at  low  prices. 

^' Among  tiic  refreshments  served  to  the  emperor  was  some  Russian  salt 
beef,  'wiiicii,' l^isiansky  says,  'had  stood  the  test  of  the  entire  voyage,  anil 
w;is  iievertiielesH  nu^ro  juicy  and  less  salt  than  tjio  Irish  beef  which  ho  had 
l.itcly  purchased  at  Falmouth.' 

'*  Ivo/anof 's  cook,  who,  as  Krusenstern  affirms,  was  in  an  advanced  stago 
of  consumption  when  lie  went  ou  board  tho  ship.  Voy,  round  World,  404, 
note. 

'"' Lisiansky  also  received  many. valuably  presents  from  the  royal  family. 


RESULTS  OF  THE  EXPEDITION. 


m 


same 
iptaiii 
on  lii.^ 
sailed 
atious 
\  were 

other 
10  4th 
istadt. 
)\vii  ill 
(orsoiH 
aander 
cstions 
ays,  he 
se  who 
ipress's 
sky    oil 
lat  her 
)  shores 
I  words 
;o  caeh 

(JesJula 

Hid  the 

loss  of 

of   St 
3,000 
Ire  pro- 

tlic  skills 
Icupietl  iu 
lied.  Tho 
IW,  2(iM>. 
les.     Uotli 

Issian  s:ilt 
lyagc,  au'l 
Iu  ho  luul 

Iced  8togo 
\oihl,  404, 

ll  faiiiily. 


iiiotcd  one  step,  with  penspiis  of  500  to  1,000  rou- 
lilcs;  and  to  tho  petty  officers  and  sailors  were  given 
jicnsions  of  50  to  75  roubles,  with  permission  to  retire 
j'lom  the  service  if  they  so  desired.^^  Lisiansky  was 
1  aised  to  the  rank  of  commander  in  the  imperial  navy, 
liiit  no  further  j^roraotion  appears  to  have  been  con- 
Icired  on  Krusenstern.^^  '  He  had  failed  in  his  mis- 

'■ /(Z.,  introd.  xxx.-xxxi.,  note;  LisiaA^kif,  Voij.  round  World,  318.  Laii^^s- 
ilorlT  aud  tlie  scicutific  men  who  accompanied  him  received  pensions  of  300 
(lucata  a  year. 

''Tlio  principal  sources  of  information  as  to  tlio  recapture  of  Sitka  and  tho 
incidents  in  connection  with  the  voyage  of  the  Nadeshda  and  Neva  are  A 
\o>i(U)e  round  the.  World,  in  1803-6,  with  plates  and  cliarts,  by  Urcy  Limmnky 
(iranslated  from  the  Russian,  London,  1814);  Voyajes  and  Tnivf.U  in  Vdrious 
J 'arts  of  the  World,  in  1803-7,  with  sixteen  plates,  by  G.  H.  von  Lang-sdorff 
(ill  two  parts,  St  Petersburg,  1811,  and  London,  1813);  and  Voymje  round  the 
World,  in  1803-0,  by  A.  J.  von  Krusenstern  (3  vols,  with  atlas  and  maps,  St 
I'c  tersburg,  1810-14;  *2  vols.  London,  1813,  and  Paris,  1820).  Lisi^msky's 
account  oftho  taking  of  the  Kolosh  stronghold  is  probably  tho  most  reliable 
vi'idion  of  this  event,  and  is  to  be  preferred  to  that  of  Khlchnikof,  as  the  for- 
mer was  an  cyc-witncss  of  all  that  transpired,  took  a  leading  part  in  tho 
ojicrations  of  the  expedition,  and  writes  without  any  of  the  bias  sliowu  by 
lliin-y/bf 's  biographer,  though  perhaps  taking  a  little  too  much  credit  for  his 
own  share  in  tho  achievement.  Tho  first  seven  chapters  and  a  part  of  tlio 
oi,L,'hth  describe  the  voyage  of  the  Neva  from  Kronstadt  to  Kadiak,  and  con- 
tain some  interesting  particulars  about  the  natives  of  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
uliore  the  ship  called  on  her  passage.  In  tho  remainder  of  cap.  viii. 
and  in  ix.-xii.,  wo  have  an  account  of  his  travels  and  observations  in 
Alaska,  and  of  the  recapture  of  Sitka.  In  tho  rest  of  tho  work  he  relates  his 
lioineward  voyage.  The  book  is  entertaining,  written  in  an  easy  and  natural 
style,  and  evidently  with  more  regard  to  truth  than  effect.  Lisiansky  was  a 
iiaiive  of  Nagin,  where  ho  was  born  of  noble  parents,  on  the  2d  of  April, 1773. 
After  completing  his  education  at  the  naval  academy  at  Kronstadt,  he  was 
.iji[)ointed,  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  a  midshipman  in  tho  Russian  navy,  in 
V  liich  capacity  he  served  during  tlic  war  with  Sweden,  being  present  at  tiic 
luUle  of  Revel,  in  1790.  Later,  he  took  service  in  the  Euglish  navy,  where 
lie  lirst  met  with  Krusenstern,  and  after  travelling  in  tho  United  States,  re- 
tained to  Russia  in  1800,  where  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  a 
filiate,  and  made  a  knight  of  the  order  of  St  George  of  the  fourth  class. 

Krusenstern,  although  in  command  of  tlio  expedition,  never  visited  the 
nnrtli-wcst;  but,  as  we  have  seen,  the  despatch  of  the  expedition  was  due  to 
liis  clforts.  T\\o  narrative  of  his  voyage  in  the  Nadeshda  is  full  of  interest, 
and  by  no  means  justifies  tho  lirst  part  of  tho  motto  which  appears  on  the 
tiLJe-page:  'Les  marins  dcrivent  mal,  mais  avec  assez  de  eandeur.'  Between 
the  years  1824  and  1835  ho  published  in  St  Petersburg,  in  3  vols,  an  Atlaa 
(I''  I'Ocdan  Pacijiqne,  together  with  his  Itecueil  des  Mvmoires  Jli/drograi/hiques, 
and  in  183G  his  SvppUmena  an  liccueil  de  Mrmoires  / fydrogra})hiquea  jiuur 
mrvir  d'analyse  e.t  dl'txplication  a  l'Atla.i  de  VOcdan  Pacijlque.  These  works 
arc  very  favorably  noticed  in  the  Jour,  Royal  Geog.  Soc.  of  London,  1837, 
vii.  400-0,  wherein  is  a  list  of  the  more  important  errors  contained  in  Arrow- 
faith's  chart  of  tho  Pacific,  which,  it  was  claimed,  had  been  corrected  up  to  tho 
\  ar  1832,  and  was  then  considered  the  best  in  Europe.  '  Among  others  is  tho 
1  ration  of  tho  island  of  St  Paul.  *  The  Supple  menu, ^  says  tho  Journal  of  the 
J  iidon  Geographical  Society,  'registers  all  tho  diK-ovcries  and  newly  de- 
L  rniined  positions  that  have  been  made  iu  the  lapse  of  the  last  thirteen  ^'cara, 


Ill 


\  i 


B 


w 


442 


SITKA  RECAPTURED. 


sion ;  but,  as  we  shall  sec  later,  through  no  fault  of 
his  own. 

during  which  more  has  been  done  towards  obtaining  a  correct  knowledge  of 
those  seas  than  at  any  time  since  tlie  voyages  of  Cook  and  La  P(!rou8e.' 

Laiigsdorlf's  work  is  the  least  valuable  of  the  three.  As  a  savant  he  ^\•.^3 
superlicial;  as  a  chronicler  he  was  biased.  In  neither  capacity  does  he  tuld 
much  to  what  was  already  known  of  Russian  Ameiica.  The  first  part  con- 
tains a  narrative  of  his  voyage  to  Kamchatka,  thence  to  Japan,  and  back  to 
I'otropovlovsk,  the  incidents  of  which  are  also  related  in  Krusenstcrn's  wurk. 
The  first  five  and  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  chapters  of  the  second  part  relate 
to  Alaska,  and  the  remainder  of  the  work  is  taken  up  with  his  visit  to  Cali- 
fornia and  his  homeward  journey.  His  statements  as  to  the  condition  of  tlio 
natives  and  the  proniyshleniki  ajipear  to  be  greatly  exaggerated.  They  avo 
not  indorsed  by  any  of  the  Alaskan  annalists,  and  though  Lisiansky  gi\ ca 
some  color  to  them,  they  are  strongly  at  variance  with  the  reports  of  liezauii, 
who  was  a  keen  and  impartial  observer.  A  proof  of  the  little  value  sot  i>n 
Langadorff's  services  is  the  smallness  of  tlio  pension  granted  to  him  on  Im.s 
return,  lie  received,  as  will  be  remembered,  but  300  <lucat3  a  year,  and  tlio 
like  sum  was  given  to  Ida  assistants,  whilo  the  lieutenants  iiud  surgeons  of 
the  expedition  were  awarded  pensions  of  1,000  roubles. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


REZANOF'S  VISIT. 
1804-1S06. 

VOYAOEOFTHE  'NaDESUDa' — AECSSIAN  EMBASSY  DISMISSED  BY TUK  JAPAN- 
ESE— Rezaxof  at  St  Paul  Island — Wholesale  Slaugiiteu  or  Fru- 
SEALS — TuE  Ambassador's  Letter  to  the  Emperoii — The  Envoy  Pito- 
CEEDS  to  Kadiak — And  Thence  to  Novo  Aukhaxoelsk — llis  IlEroRT 
TO  THE  Russian  American  Company — Fuuther  Trouble  wuii  the 
KoLOSH — The  Ambassador's  Instructions  to  the  Chief  Manacer — 
Evil  Tidings  from  Kadiak — Rezanof's  Voyage  to  Califoukia — llis 
Complaints  against  Naval  Officers — His  Opinion  of  the  Mission- 
aries— His  Last  Journey. 


A  FORTNIGHT  before  the  Neva  sailed  for  Canton,  the 
Elizaveta  arrived  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  together  with 
two  American  ships,  one  of  them,  named  the  Juno, 
laden  with  provisions,  calling  for  repairs.  A  few  days 
later  the  company's  brig  Maria  entered  the  harbor, 
having  on  board  as  passengers  lieutenants  Kvostof 
and  Davidof,  the  naturalist  Langsdorff,  and  the  am- 
bassador Rezanof,  who  was  destined  to  play  an  im- 
portant part  in  the  development  of  the  Russian 
American  colonies.  Before  proceeding  further,  it 
may  be  well  to  mention  bricUy  the  voyage  of  the 

tdeshda  from  the  time  of  her  parting  company 
with  her  consort,  and  the  envoy's  operations  before 
landing  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk. 

After  a  passage  of  thu-ty-five  days  from  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  the  vessel  arrived  at  Petropavlovsk  on 
the  14th  of  July,  1804.  Here  Rezanof  assumed  full 
control.  The  ship,  after  being  unrigged  and  repaired, 
was  again  ready  for  sea  at  the  end  of  August,  but 

(113) 


i 


if 

I 


i\ 


I 


S':    i 


l-i».'  *' 


444 


KEZANOF'S  VISIT. 


ivas  weather-bound  until  the  Gth  of  the  followinir 
month,  when  she  sailed  from  the  coast  of  Kamchatka, 
well  equipped,  and  with  an  ample  stock  of  provisions.^ 

Arriving  at  Nangasaki  on  October  8th,  after  a 
rough  passage,  Rczanof  was  detained  for  several 
months  by  the  frivolous  trifling  of  the  Japanese  au- 
thorities. At  length,  on  the  30th  of  March,  1805,  a 
plenipotentiary  arrived  from  Jeddo,  and  "on  the  3d 
of  April,"  writes  Kruscnstern,  "it  was  concluded  that 
the  ambassador  should  pay  the  representative  of  the 
Japanese  emperor,  a  European,  and  not  a  Japanese, 
compliment.  This  latter,  indeed,  is  of  so  debasing  a 
nature,  that  even  tlte  very  lowest  of  Europeans  could 
not  submit  to  it;  but  he  was  obliged  to  appear  with- 
out his  sword  or  shoes,  nor  would  they  allow  him  a 
chair  or  any  kind  of  European  seat,  but  reduced  him 
to  the  necessity  of  sitting  in  front  of  the  governor  and 
the  plenipotentiary,  on  the  floor,  with  his  feet  tucked 
under  him,  an  attitude  by  no  means»the  most  conven- 
ient. ^ 

"On  the  4th  of  xVpril  Rezanof  had  his  first  audience, 
to  which  he  was  conveyed  in  a  large  boat  adorned 
with  flags  and  curtains.  On  this  occasion,  merely  an 
exchange  of  compliments  took  place,  and  a  few  insig- 
nificant questions  were  put  to  him.  The  second  au- 
dience was  conducted  with  the  same  ceremonies,  ancj 
here  the  negotiation  terminated ;  the  necessary  docu- 
ments being  delivered  into  his  hands,  which  contained 
an  order  that  no  Russian  ship  should  again  come  to 
Japan;  and  the  presents,  and  even  the  letter-  from 
the  emperor  of  Russia,  were  all  refused."^ 

•  Knisenstem  writes:  'I  doubt  whether  any  ship  ever  sailed  from  this 
harbor  so  well  provisioned  as  we  were;  and  shall  mention  the  chief  articles 
we  M'erc  furnished  with,  in  order  to  show  what  Kamchatka  was  competent 
to  i)rovide.  Wc  had  seven  large  live  oxen,  a  considerable  provision  of  salted 
ana  dried  fish,  a  great  supply  of  vegetables,  sc\cral  casks  of  salt  fish  fur 
the  crew,  and  three  large  barrels  of  wild  garlic  (as  au  anti-scorbutic  and  a 
st^stitute  for  sourkrout).  Besides  these,  we  received  several  delicacies  fur 
our  ovm  table,  such  as  salted  reindeer  and  game,  argali  or  wild  sheep,  salted 
wild  geese,  etc., for  .\11  which  we  were  indebted  to  the  governor,  who,  if  I 
may  be  allowed  the  r xprcssion,  employed  all  Kamchatka  to  our  advantage.' 
Vol/,  round  World,  ".  2l.")-16. 

'  Jd.,  i.  2S4-5.     '  Should  any  Japanese  hereafter  be  cost  upon  the  coast  of 


fe 


AT  SAINT  PAUL. 


415 


Tn  sore  disgust,  Rc;',anof  ordered  tli  captain  of  tlu^o 
Nadeiili.da  to  weigh  anchor  on  tlie  morning  of  the  17th 
of  April.  After  being  engaged  for  several  weeks  in 
exploring  expeditions  among  the  Japanese,  Kurilc, 
and  Saghalin  Islands,  the  ship  again  cast  anchor  off 
Petropavlov.sk  on  tiie  5th  of  June.  Here  Rezanof 
-ngaged  a  passage  on  hoard  the  brig  J/ami  for  Ka- 
(liak,  the  A^adcshda  sailing  a  month  later,  and  aftcH* 
further  explorations,  arriving  at  Macao  on  the  20th 
of  Xovember. 

Dismissing  the  members  of  his  embassy  with  the  ex- 
ception of  LangsdorfF,  the  plenipotentiary  sailed  from 
Petropavlovsk  oil,  the  24th  of  June,  and  about  three 
weeks  later  landed  at  the  island  of  St  Paul.  Here  he 
met  with  suflicient  evidences  of  carelessness  and  waste. 
The  skins  of  the  fur-seal  were  scattered  about  over 
l)(,'ach  and  bluft*  in  various  stages  of  decomposition. 
The  storehouses  were  full,  but  only  a  small  part  of 
tlieir  contents  was  in  a  marketable  state.  As  many 
as  thirty  thousand  had  been  killed  for  their  flesh  alone, 
the  skins  having  been  left  on  the  spot  or  thrown  into 
the  sea.  After  questioning  the  Aleutian  laborers  and 
llussian  overseers,  Rezanof  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  unless  an  end  were  put  to  this  wanton  destruc- 
tion, a  few  years  more  would  witness  the  extirpation 
of  the  fur-seal. 

On  the  2ytli  of'  July  the  Mor'a  entered  Peaver 
l^ay,  on  the  eastern  side  of  Unalaska,  and  thence,  with 
a  few  companions,  Pezanof  proceeded  on  foot  ov(>r  tJio 
rough  mountain  trail  to  the  compan3''s  station  at  Illiu- 
liuk.« 


I'tissia,' continues  Kruscnstern,  'they  vcro  to  l>c  delivered  over  to  the  Diitcli, 
whet  vouhl  send  them  by  way  of  liatiivi.-i  to  X.'nis-'iisiiki.  Furthei':  we  \\-i:<-q 
fi'.hiddcn  from  making  any  picseuts,  or  iiurch;.oii:y:  anything'  ff)r  inoTicy.  :~..s 
well  as  from  visiting  or  receiving  the  visit  of  tiii>  Diitcii  laetor.  On  tho  ol-Iur 
liand,  it  was  docl.irod  tliat  the  rcjairs  of  the  sliijianil  the  su]iply  (if  jirovi.  i^  iis 
were  to  he  taken  into  the  imperial  account;  that  ;  ho  sliould  lic  provided  wi'h 
everything  for  two  months;  and  that  the  emperor  had  sent -,U(X>  sacks  of  stdt, 
each  Aveighing  HO  pounds,  and  lOi)  sack -,  of  rice,  each  of  150  pounds  weight, 
licsidcs  2,000"pieee3  of  capoek  or  silk  wadding.' 

^Thc  natives  of  the  settltimcnt  on  I'eaver  Bay  (Borha)  still  relate  im'i- 
dcnts  of  this  journey,  transmitted  to  them  Ly  tlxir  fathers.     They  told  .'^Ir 


446 


REZANOF'S  VISIT. 


: ' '  J 


From  tills  scttlemont  Kozanof  despatclicd  his  first 
oflicial  letter.  After  making  brief  mention  of  his  voy- 
age, he  writes:*  "  The  multitude  of  seals  in  which  (St 
Paul  abounds  is  incredible;  the  shores  arc  covertd 
M'ith  them.  They  are  easily  caught,  and  as  wc  were 
short  of  provisions,  eighteen  were  killod  for  us  in  half 
an  hour.  But  at  the  same  time  wc  were  informed 
that  they  had  decreased  in  number  ninety  per  cent 
since  earlier  times.  These  islands  would  be  an  inex- 
haustible source  of  wealth  were  it  not  for  the  Bostoni- 
ans,  who  undermine  our  trade  with  China  in  furs,  of 
which  they  obtain  large  numbers  on  our  American 
coast.  As  over  a  million  had  already  been  killed,  I 
gave  orders  to  stop  the  slaughter  at  once,  in  order  to 
prevent  tiieir  total  extirmination,  and  to  employ  the 
men  in  collectimr  walrus  tusks,  as  there  is  a  small  isl- 
and  near  St  Paul  covered  with  walrus. 

"  I  take  the  liberty,  as  a  faithful  subject  of  your  im- 
perial Majesty,  of  declaring  my  opinion  that  it  is  very 
necessary  to  take  a  stronger  hold  of  this  country.  It 
is  certain  that  we  shall  leave  it  enipty-handed,  since 
fi'om  fifteen  to  twenty  ships  come  here  annually  from 
]Boston  to  trade.  In  the  first  place,  the  company 
should  build  a  small  stanch  brig,  and  send  out  heavv 
ordnance  for  her  armament.  This  would  compel  the 
Bostonians  to  keep  away,  and  the  Chinese  would  got 
no  furs  but  ours.  Secondly,  the  establishment  of  the 
company's  business  on  so  large  a  scale  requires  great 
expenditure,  and  the  trade  in  furs  alone  cannot  support 
it.  The  American  colonics  can  never  be  fully  de- 
veloped as  long  as  bread,  the  principal  staple  of  food, 
has  to  be  shipped  from  Okhotsk.     To  this  end  it  is 

Pctroff,  (luring  his  visit  in  1878,  that  when  tliia  greatest  and  niif^hticst  of  all 
llussians  who  iiad  ever  visited  their  country  passed  over  the  trail  counectiiij,' 
liio  licad  of  IJcavcr  Bay  with  Illiuliuk  settlement,  the  obsequious  promywhlu- 
iiiUi  had  engaged  nunibersof  natives  to  carry  pieces  of  board  or  plank  in  advance 
of  the  umbassador  to  bo  laid  over  rivulets  and  damp  places,  and  thereby  save 
hi:j  excellency  from  wetting  his  feet.  Tlic  natives,  wlio  think  nothing  of 
wading  tlirougli  water  for  hours  at  a  time,  were  evidently  deejdy  impressed  with 
this  extraordinary  precaution. 

*  lie  was  autliorized  to  address  his  despatches  directly  to  the  emperor,  a 
privilege  seldom  granted  to  a  Russian  subject. 


LippOl't 

|ly  Jc- 

food, 
id  it  is 

Ut  of  ill! 
Iinnccliii'-J 
lomysliK- 

fcby  save 
])thing  "f 

lipcror,  a 


LETTER  TO  THE  TSAU. 


447 


necessary  to  intorectlo  with  tlie  Spanish  pfovcrninent 
lor  permission  to  purchase  on  tlie  Philippine  Islands, 
or  in  ChiH,  the  produce  of  those  countries.  There  wo 
(^ould  obtain  brcadstuffs,  sugar,  antl  rum  at  low  prices 
lor  bills  of  exchanf2fe  in  ])iastres,  and  in  sufficient  quan- 
tity to  supply  all  Kamchatka;  while  in  the  mean  time 
v.e  are  developing  our  colonies  in  America,  and  after 
l)uilding  ships  there  could  compel  the  Japanese  to  open 
tlieir  ports  to  our  trade. 

'*  I  hope  that  your  imperial  jMajesty  will  not  con- 
sider it  a  crime  on  my  part,  if,  after  being  reiinforced 
by  my  distinguished  eooperators,  Lieutenants  Khvos- 
tof  and  Davidof,  and  having  the  ship  repaired  and 
newly  armed,  I  jiush  on  next  year  to  the  coast  of 
Japan,  there  to  destroy  the  settlement  at  IMatsmai, 
drive  the  Japanese  from  Saghalin  Island,  and  frighten 
them  away  from  the  whole  coast  and  the  Kurile  Isl- 
ands, breaking  up  their  fisheries,  and  thereby  depriv- 
ing 200,000  people  of  food,  which  will  force  them  all 
the  sooner  to  open  their  ports.  I  have  heard  that 
they  have  been  bold  enough  to  erect  a  factory  at  Oor- 
upa  Island,  one  of  our  Kuriles. 

"Here  at  Unalaska,  I  have  succeeded  in  impressing 
tlie  islanders  with  your  Majesty's  fatherly  care  for 
Iheir  welfare.  I  asked  them  if  they  were  satisfied 
with  their  agent  Mr  Larionof,  and  if  they  suffered 
oppression.  They  all  answered  unanimously  that  he 
had  been  a  father  to  them.  I  questioned  also  the 
chiefs  of  more  distant  villages,  and  they  all  answered 
the  same.  Finally  I  assend)led  the  whole  population, 
and  persuaded^  them  to  tell  me  without  fear  whether 
tlioy  had  cause  for  complaint,  in  forming  them  that  my 
advent  among  them  was  the  consL-quence  of  your  im- 
perial Majesty's  anxiety  for  their  well-being.  They 
'answered  that  they  had  only  one  request  to  make,  and 
that  not  of  me,  but  of  the  agent,  and  when  I  inquired 
what  that  request  was,  assuring  tliem  that  it  should 
be  granted,  they  answered  that  they  wished  him  to 
be  as  irood  to  them  in  the  future  as  he  had  been  in 


■I 


418 


REZANOF'S  VISIT. 


tlio  past,  for  they  had  \rocn  pcrfoctly  quiot  and  happy, 
and  ivccived  such  remuneration  for  their  hiboras  li.'nl 
l)cen  mutually  agreed  upoi'j.  I  gave  to  the  agent 
Lariouot',  in  tfic  name  of  your  inipt^rial  Majesty,  a 
gold  medal,  and  to  the  interpreter  Pankof  a  silver 
medal,  and  told  the  chiefs  that  these  men  had  been 
rewarded  solely  on  the  strength  of  their  unanimous 
favorable  answers  to  my  questions.  At  the  same 
time  I  inflicted  exemplary  punishment  upon  tltb  trader 
Kulikalof,  wdio  had  been  summoned  from  Atkha  Isl- 
and for  cruelly  beating  a  natiVe  woman  and  hor  in- 
fant son.  After  assembling  all  the  chiefs  and  otlicr 
natives,  and  the  Russians  and  sailors  from  the  vessel, 
I  had  the  culprit  put  in  irons  and  sent  him  off  to 
Irkutsk  by  the  transport  then  about  to  sail,  to  bo 
turned  over  to  the  courts  of  justice;  after  which  I  cx- 
])laiiied  to  the  islanders  that  before  your  impei-ial 
^lajesty  all  subjects  were  equal,  and  then  turning  to 
the  Russian  hunters,  I  assured  them  that  every  act 
of  violence  would  be  as  severely  punished." 

On  the  25th  of  July,  the  Maria  sailed  from  Un;i- 
laska,  and  a  week  latter  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  St 
Paul.  Upon  landing,  Rezanof,  as  the  plenipotentiary 
of  tlie  Russian  emperor,  was  saluted  with  salvos  i^t' 
artillery  and  received  with  heart}'^  Avelcome.^  His  re- 
port on  the  condition  of  affairs  was  satisfactory,  ant  I 
he  speaks  in  high  terms  of  Banner,  who  was  still  in 
charge  of  the  colony. ° 


form,  who  had  ranged  thcinsclvea  nlong  the  Rtockado.  At  the  landing  plac'^, 
ho  was  mot  l)y  three  llussiiin  oler.Q;ynicn  ivnd  eoudiicted  by  them  to  tho 
church.  Here  a  te  denm  was  ollcrcd  up  hy  the  whole  population  U|)on  t!io 
happy  arrival  of  so  distinguished  a  pereonaga.  L'ti)'iK(lorjr>^  Voi/.,  part  ii.  r>~. 
**  At  thid  time  it  consisted  of  about  .S3  buildings,  apcirt  from  the  liabita- 
tiona  of  the  natives.  LI.,  Cm.  Of  the  condition  of  the  natives,  LangsdoPi! 
gives  n  very  unfavorable  account.  'They  .ire  .at  present,'  he  says,  'so 
completely  the  slaves  of  tiic  coiupany,  that  tlicy  liold  of  them  their  baidJlrs, 
their  clotliing,  and  even  the  bono  with  which  their  javelins  arc  pointed,  and 
the  whole  produce  of  tlieir  hunting  parties  is  entirely  at  their  disposal.  It 
is  revolting  to  a  mind  of  any  feeling  to  see  these  poor  creatures  half  starved 
and  almost  nake<l,  as  if  they  were  in  a  house  of  correction,  when  at  the  sani.; 
time  the  warehouses  of  tlie  company  are  full  of  clothing  and  provisions. 
Nor  is  this  the  case  witli  tlie  natives  alone:  tlio  Russian  promiischlcnika  are 
not  in  a  much  better  situation.     They  are  extremely  ill-treated,  and  kept  at 


:\i!;asu:;i:s  of  imi'iiovkmknt. 


440 


;i  I  e\- 

ri:.l 


Ing  plac  ■. 

W    to    t!lv! 

lupon  tin; 
irt  ii.  •"•7. 

|e  habita- 
ingstlcr.l 

fays,  't;o 
'  baidhi's, 
litcd.  aul 
3sal.  It 
starve  I 
the  sain.: 
avisions. 
Inika  are 
kept  at 


During'  liis  Ix'ii'f  stay  lie  took  inoaHuros  to  ini])rov(' 
llu'  iiKiral  (condition  of  tlio  .settlement.  In  a  buildiiiti;- 
w  hicli  had  hoen  erected  during  the  jtrecetUng  winter 
liy  Jjisianskv,  he  laid  the  foundation  tor  a  library, 
V.  ith  books  forwarded  ft)r  the  })urpose  from  St  Peters- 
l»urL,^^  He  uri^ed  upon  the  proniyshleiiiki  and  natives 
ill  the  service  of  the  company  the  heneiit  to  he 
derived  from  sendinu*  their  children  to  the  school, 
which  ibr  some  years  had  been  s])arsely  attended. 
At  tlie  same  time  he  induced  the  wife  of  J^anner  to 
take  into  her  house  a  certain  number  of  young  girls 
to  be  trained  in  housekeeping. 

Arriving  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  near  the  iM\d  of 
August,  Kezanof  and  his  party  were  j)r<)vided  with 
{\iv  best  acct)nHnodation  at  the  disj)osal  of  the  chief 
m;uiager,  and  with  such  rough  and  scant  fare  as  his 
stores  could  furnish.  "We  all  live  poorly,"  writes 
the  former,  a  tew  weeks  later,  in  his  lirst  report  to 
thi'  Russian  American  Com[)any;  "but  worse  than 
■ill  lives  the  founder  of  this  place,  in  a  miserable  hut, 
so  dam])  that  the  floor  is  always  v/et,  and  during  the 
idii-^tant  heavy  aiiis  the  jdace  leaks  like  a  sieve. 
Wonderful  man!  Jle  only  cares  i'or  the  comfort  of 
others,  and  is  very  neglectful  of  himself.  Once  I 
found  his  bed  tloatiiig  in  the  water,  and  asked  him 
whether  the  wind  had  not  torn  off  a  board  somewhere 

tlieir  work  till  tlicir  striMigth  is  I'litiroly  exliaustc'd;  if  they  arc  ill,  they  must 
lu-vcr  liiipo  fur  mcdioal  a.ssi.stjiiK'c  or  support  in  any  otiiur  way;  wliilo  aa 
littlo  attt'ntiou  at  tliu  *inic  time  is  paid  to  their  minda  as  to  their  bodies. 
Tile  bad  quality  of  tiieir  food,  which  eoUHista  ehieily  tif  the  flesh  of  whales 
and  sea-ilogs,  the  moist,  foggy  climate,  the  dirtiness  of  their  habitations  in 
t!ie  barracks,  the  want  of  a  proper  change  of  linen  and  clothing,  all  these  are 
eiieumstan(;es  sutticient  to  undermino  tlie  strongest  constitution,  /d.,  71  -. 
Laiiu'sdorir's  statements,  though  supported  in  part  by  those,  of  Lisiansky, 
which  I  have  already  quoted,  are  probal)Iy  exaggerated. 

'  I'l'evioua  to  Ids  departure  from  .St  IVtersburg,  Rczanof  received  portraits 
i'l  oil  of  the  imjierial  familj',  and  of  scientific  men,  the  latter  presenting  their 
lik<nesso9  '  with  the  solo  object  of  awakening  in  the  mitntored  mind  of  lliu 
American  savage  an  uudersianding  of  true  art.'  One  of  these  donations  was 
made  by  Stiite  Counsellor  Von  Fuchs,  director  of  the  Moscow  Academy  of 
.Sciences,  who  accompanied  his  gift  with  a  letter,  in  which  he  spoke  of  lii-y- 
iuiof  as  the  '  worthy  successor  of  all  the  great  discoverers  of  tlie  world — the 
Russian  (.'olumbus.'  PetrotT  during  his  wciiderings  in  Alaska  saw  the  por- 
trait of  Fuehs  doing  duty  as  saint  iu  the  comer  of  a  smoky  dwelling  of  a 
native  up  Cook  Inlet. 

UisT.  Al.\mka.    2'J 


■l.'O 


RKZANOF'S  \-ISIT. 


I'   ■! 


"  ^1- 


from  thcsido  of  tlieliut.  'Xn,'  lioMiiswcrcd  qnictly,  '\t 
is  only  tlio  old  leak,'  juid  tunicil  a;^aln  to  liis  ocrupalion. 
I  tell  you,  ^L'litk'iiicii,  (Iiat  Haraiiof  is  an  orii^niial,  and 
at  tlio  sanio  tinio  a  very  liapj)y  production  of  nature. 
][is  name  i.s  licar<l  on  the  whole  western  coast,  down 
to  (  allfornia.  The  .l>(»stonians  esteem  him  and  respect 
him,  and  thi'  sava^re  tribes,  in  their  dr(\ad  of  hinijofr'r 
their  fi'Iendship  iVom  the  most  distant  regions."  IJc- 
zanof  then  iid'orms  the  directors  that  both  l^aran-'t" 
and  Kuskof  desire  to  leave  the  country,  and  dcelan-; 
that  in  the  existini,^  state  of  aftliirs  a  new  man  could  b- 
of  no  Use,  for,  in  the  tiuie  Ihat  he  would  require  to  Ik- 
coKK!  ae(|uainted  witli  his  duties,  the  eompauy  would 
inevitahlv  suiler  eonsideraUo  loan,  and  mi'jfht  bo  de- 
prived  of  all  its  possessions. 

In  their  last,  communication,  the  directors  had  in- 
formt-d  tlu'ir  jtleni[)()tentiaiy  tiiat  they  purposed  to  es- 
tablish trading-jiosts  in  Toncpiin,  C^)chin  China,  Ihu'- 
mali,  and  elsewhere  in  the  I'arther  Indies.  But  Txv- 
zanof,  although  a  man  of  sanguine  temperament,  was 
of  opinion  that,  with  the  resources  at  his  (vnnmand, 
such  a  project  Avas  simply  chimerical.  Ho  does  not  ap- 
])ear,  however,  to  have  abandoned  his  intention  of 
forcing  the  Jajvaneso  to  open  their  ports,  although  Im' 
states  that  the  company  is  in  no  condition  to  extend 
its  operations  beyond  north-western  America.** 

"IIo  hnd  intcndotl  that  a  flotilla  should  bo  built  at  Xovo  Arkliangclsk  f  v 
his  J.ipaiK'Su  o\pc(liti'>;i,  1>:;t  in  view  of  tliu  jiDVcrty-sti  idci'ii  coiulitiou  of  {!:',! 
sctlloiiciit,  coutciitod  liiiii;C'!f  witli  o'.  'criii^iiLuincIi  iiiaili'  for  liic  ./«y(o.  Tro 
craft  was  iynificnnt'y  iiamcil  tl'c  Aro.'n  (IVrhaps),  anl  Davidof  was  nppoiii;- 
cd  her  coi  uaiidcr,  Kvosduf  takhiu  cliarf;o  of  Iho  Jino.  Ua  his  anivalrt 
OUliohsl:, '  Se])tc!n1(er  1' 0(5,  lUzaiiof  ]ivoca!'i'il  a  now  annamriit  f(ir  tho  Jii"') 
and  the  .  <.-i  f,)r  the  expedition  to  the  dapaneso  cnaht.  The  oominandcr.-! 
of  the  twij  s.sols  were  instructed  to  sei/.e  everytiiin;;  in  f.nch  .Tapancso  settle- 
ments as  \>  0  accessible,  taking  care  at  the  same  time  to  c:)ptnre  alive  as 
h\\\:Q  a  nun  r  as  poi-sib'c  of  skilleil  artisans,  who  mi_L'ht  be  useful  in  tli" 
American  C(  nies.  Ilavin;:;  lo;i^'  eiiice  i-evolvc^l  the  p'.a.n  (if  this  ente-pri-e 
inhijmind.  le  liad  inst'.nictcd  Baranof  to  prepare  rpiarters  for  such  compul- 
sory immi;;?  its  on  an  i  land  in  Sitka  I'ay,  which  lias  since  borne  tlr.'iKi!;:? 
of  Japanov.'Kv,  thougli  the  envoy's  jilan  was  never  onrrird  out.  Feeling  that 
bo  was  acting  rashly,  and  without  the  sanction  fif  the  imperial  governnier. :, 
Kczanof  was  somewhat  uneasy,  ami  changed  the  tenor  of  hii  instructions  scl- 
eral times  before  finally  delivering  them  to  Kvosdof  and  Uavidof.     The  tv.o 


A  Ni:\V  IlKVOf.T. 


451 


"The  Kolosli  i)])j)i';ir  io  \h'  sul)«lu('.l,"  coiitlniK's  tlie 
iiivov,  "l)ut  lor  how  loll''- ^  ThfV  huv(>  Ikmh  an;i<' I 
hy  the  IiDstoiiiaiis  with  the  l)L'st.  jijuns  mimI  ,tist<ils,  and 
liave  even  fuleonets.  All  aloiiLj  the  soiinil  llu>y  hav;- 
ci'ceted  forts.  The  lieroeuess  and  treachery  oueo  e\- 
liibited  hy  the  natives liave  taiiLjht-  us  all  tlu!  ij^r<'ate;-t 
caution.  Our  eaiinon  arealwavs  loaded,  and  not  oidr 
ai'e  si'iitries  with  loaded  j^uns  posted  everywhere,  hut 
arms  of  all  kinds  art;the  chiel'  rurnitureot'  oui' looms. 
livery  oveiiinj^,  after  sundown,  sii^nals  are  naaintained 
lliroughout  theni^'ht,  and  a  watchwoi'd  is  passi'd  from 
|io>t  to  post  until  daylight.  IV'rl'eet  military  dist-i- 
])lino  is  enforced,  aii.l  we  are  ready  at  any  moment  to 
Vi'ceive  the  savages,  who  are  in  the  liabit  of  |)rolitin.;' 
hv  the  darkness  and  gloom  of  night  to  make  their 
attacks." 

liozanof's  fears  were  not  ill-f»  umded.  Al)out  the  very 
time  that  his  re[)ort  was  written  a  rumor  reached 
Xovo  Arkhanq-elsk,  which  was  afterward  connrmed, 
that  the  Yakutat  colony  had  been  destroyed  hy  thu 
Kolosh,  and  all  the  llussians,  except  the  c(jmmander's 
wife  and  cliildren,  together  with  a  number  of  Aleuts, 
massacred."  l']ncouraged  by  this  success,  the  savages 
determined  to  attack  the  llussian  settlements  lying 
farther  to  the  north.  Embarkin''-  in  eiu'ht  laru'e  war- 
canoes,  they  proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  the  Co[)per 
River,  wh(;re,  leaving  six  of  tlu'ir  vessels,  they  de- 
spatched the  other  two  to  the  Konstantinovski  Ile- 
(loubt,  on  Xuchek  Island.  Tlieir  cliie!',  Fedor,  a  godson 
<il'  Baranof,  and  a  man  well  known  to  the  proniysli- 
leniki,  appeared  boldly  before  (Juvarof,  the  ct>nnnandi'r 
of  the  station,  declariu''"  that  he  wished  to  trade  with 
the  Cliugatsches.     Ouvaruf  gave  liim  permission,  and 

officers  by  no  ine.iiis  liked  tlu;  part  they  wcic  to  ]>];iy  ia  (uo  proposul  uniler- 
takiii;.',  but  being  accustoiiu'd  to  iriiplicit  o'icdieiico  of  orders,  lliey  did  their 
best  in  can'yiii;,' out  the  work  of  destractiou.  This  cotirso  of  aelion  s'llisc- 
(iueiitly  iiivulvi  il  thtiii  iu  serious  diilieidties  Nvilli  the  Okhotsk  authorilies, 
resulting  in  iinprisouiiient,  ])rivation,  and  Kiitlering.  Tiuhiw-nj',  i.  lo4-i(ii>. 

*Thune\v3  -was  sent  liy  Ivan  lLe[iiii,  the  oouipany's  agent  iitlvou  ■^ii.itiii- 
ovsk  Jledoubt,  r;i  2siicheii  IsUind.  llis  U'tter  w;m  bent  to  Kadiiik,  an. I  ('i:;iuj 
Septeudjer  '2i,  1805.    'Tiuliiiwiuj,  Istor.  Obos.,  ii.  app.  part  ii.  I'Jj. 


45^ 


REZAXOF'S  VISIT. 


V.  itnossod  the  usual  preliminary  dances  and  festivity. 
Oil  one  of  the  canoes  kept  in  reserve  there  Mas,  liow- 
ever,  a  captive  Chugatsch,  Avho  succeeded  in  escaping;-, 
and  informed  Ouvarof  of  the  real  object  of  tlie  Ko- 
losli.  Thereupon  the  Russian  connnander  seized  the 
cliit'f,  and  told  him  that  his  plan  had  been  revealed. 
In  tlie  mean  time  the  native  allies,  hearing  of  the 
matter,  had  taken  the  remainder  of  the  Kolosh  to 
their  village  under  pretence  of  inviting  them  to  a 
feast,  and  had  there  massacred  almost  the  entire  part}'. 
Among  the  few  that  escaped  was  Fedor,  who  carried 
to  the  party  at  Copper  River  the  news  of  tlieir  com- 
i-ades'  fate.  Fearing  that  the  Chugatsches  would 
soon  be  upon  them,  the  panic-stricken  Kolosh  at  once 
pu^  to  sea,  and  while  attempting  to  cross  the  bar  iu 
tht-  teeth  of  a  gale,  the  bidarkas  were  dashed  to  pieces 
and  tlieir  inmates  drowned.  Thus  was  the  Yakutat 
massacre  avenged  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man  on 
the  side  of  the  Russians.^"^ 


During  a  brief  sojourn  in  London,  in  1803,  while 
the  iV7f(^r'.s7(!(7rt  was  lying  at  Falmouth,  Rczanof  visited 
Newgate  prison,  where  he  saw  four  hundred  convicts 
awaiting  transportation  to  Botany  Bay.  Thus  was 
suggested  to  him  the  idea  of  petitioning  tlie  crown 
■tliat  a  number  of  exiles  be  sent  out  yearly  to  reenforco 
the  sparsely  peopled  colonies  of  Russian  America.  He 
rec^onnnends  that  those  selected  be  chiefly  mechanics 
and  laborers,  and  that  it  be  understood  that  none 
sliould  have  permission  to  return,  in  order  that  societ}' 
might  be  i)ermane!itl3'  rid  of  a  portion  of  its  dangenms 
members;  while  the  criminals,  being  fairly  treated  and 
having  no  hope  of  escape,  would  be  of  great  benefit  in 
building  up  the  settlements. 

Vav  several  months  after  Rezanof's  arrival  at  Novo 
Arkhangelsk,  formal  councils  were  convened  for  the 
pur|)ose  of  discussing  measures  for  the  welfare  of  the 

^'^  Khlehuikvf,  Shizn.  Jiarniiova,  102-i).  The  number  of  Kolosh  who  por- 
ihlK'd  was  about  200,  of  whom  70  wcri;  nitisbucred  at  Nuchck  Island. 


COLONIAL  ORGANIZATION. 


4.-.:; 


man  on 


colonies/^  At  tlioir  inei;tliiy;s  Barauof  find  liis  (.'lii.'t' 
assistants  were  always  pn-scnt,  Init  the  plcni[)otc'nliarv 
was  doubtless  the  guiding  spirit.  At  the  dost-  of 
tlieir  deliberations  the  latter  lianiledto  the  chief  man- 
ager a  list  of  instruccions  for  his  guidance,  which, 
though  some  of  them  weri,'  for  the  time  impractical  ilo, 
show  a  keen  insight  into  the  wants  of  the  colony.  1  le 
rcconnnends  that  s[)ecial  attention  be  ])aid  U)  tlie 
training  of  nieclianics  and  tradesmen;  that  the  garri- 
son  be  recruited  I'rom  iViendly  natives  and  nati\'e 
youths  reared  at  the  company's  expense;  that  young 
men  be  trained  in  the  schools  of  the  (,'olony  to  hll  j)o- 
sitions  as  book-keepers,  clerks,  and  agents;  that  a  fund 
he  j)rovided  for  the  support  of  the  aged  ami  disal)led; 
that,  in  view  of  the  scarcity  of  shi[>wrights,  ships  be 
})urchased  from  foreigners  wlienever  opportunity  may 
oFer,  even  at  a  sacrifice,  and  that  for  this  purjiose 
credits  be  established  with  banking  houses  in  Lontloii 
and  Amsterdam;  and  that  in  order  to  insure  a  sutK- 
(ient  sup[)ly  of  broad-stufl's,  trade  be  established  with 
California,  New  Albion,  and  the  Phili[)pine  Islands.'- 
''  Upon  the  fur  tr;\de  alone,"  he  writes  in  a  letter 
ti>  the  directors,  "■  the  company  cannot  subsist,  and  it 
is  absolutely  necessary  to  organize  without  tlelay  a 
husincss  of  a  general  character — a  trade  with  other 
countries  to  which  the  ri)ad  is  o])en  from  the  colony. 
This  is  all  the  moi'o  necessary,  as  the  number  of  fiu'- 
hearing  animals  decivast's  from  year  to  year.  If  Bar- 
;in(jf  had  n  t  returned  to  Xovo  A-rkhangelsk,  but  given 
\\\)  the  enter-prise  t]u!re  as  lost,  the  ellect  upon  the 

'•  The  first  of  them  appears  to  have  been  licM  on  the  1st  of  Septeiiili<  r, 
ISO.').  On  this  occiisioii  the  envoy,  after  cxiiiniiiinLr  tlio  reports  of  15ar;iiinf, 
^aiil;  ' The  or;.,'anizatioii  of  tins  (.'oiiijiany  is  eoiiiiikto  and  in  ]ierfect  v<irkiui,' 
unU'r;  all  iniitters  '"ounecteil  with  traiU',  actual  si'ttleiiieiit,  anil  L'onei'al  ecmi- 
"■niy  are  flourisliin^';  the  iiihaliitants  are  lieiii;^  iiisti'iU'teil  in  the  necessary 
industries,  trades,  and  niaiiiifactures;  the  husine^s  coniieetious  are  l)ein^  emi- 
Btaiitly  extended;  the  a<lniin!slriition  of  justice  is  eliicient;  the  navii;ati<in  nf 
t!ie  company's  vessels  is  intni-^ted  to  tried  seamen,  and  youths  ai-e  lieini;  trainrd 
to  succeed  them  when  required;  the  lightiuL,'  estal)lishment  is  strong',  and 
ready  for  any  enierf,'ency;  and  the  relations  with  fri^'iidly  triltes  of  the  natives 
are  nf  a  satisfactory  character,  and  likely  to  lie  permanent,'    A/.,  1)1   '2. 

'■The  principal  iter;  -  ill  these  instructioua  are  given  iii  Tiklimim  i',  l.<i<ir. 
Ohus.,  i.  142-4. 


4ot 


EEZANOF'S  VISIT. 


coinpaii}"  would  liavc  boon  to  carry  tlio  value  of  tli' 
sliares,  not  up  into  the  thousands  as  in  former  veins, 
liut  down  to  about  280  rouljles.  In  that  case  the  liuiit- 
er  who  receives  his  half-share,  or  140  rouljles,  woul  I 
work  for  nothing,  as  his  expenses  for  food  and  driii]; 
alone  exceed  that  sum  each  year.  iXccordin'jf  to  my 
calculation,  the  annual  expenses  of  the  hunter,  at  the 
present  high  prices,  cannot  amount  to  less  than  317 
roubles." 

The  prices  of  all  imported  commodities  throughout 
Russian  America  were,  at  this  period,  so  extrava- 
gant that  the  promj'shleniki  were  always  hopelessly 
in  debt  to  their  employers.  They  were  not  allowed 
to  leave  the  country  until  their  obligation  was  can- 
celled; and  he  was  considered  a  fortunate  man  who, 
after  many  years  of  exile  and  priwation,  could  return 
to  his  native  country  to  end  his  days,  broken  in 
luvalth  and  spirit,  and  without  a  rouble  in  his  pocket. 
]3read-stuffs  could  be  brouo'ht  from  Boston  at  lower 
rates  than  from  Okhotsk,  while  at  Petropavlf)Vsk 
trade  was  in  the  hands  of  a  few  monopolists.  As  rh 
illustration  of  the  condition  of  aflairs  at  the  latter  port, 
it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  merr  sale  of  the  Ka- 
<.h'!<h(Jas  surplus  supplies,  during  Rezanof's  visit,  caused 
the  leading  articles  of  consumption  to  fall  in  price  from 
iifty  to  seventy  per  cent.^^ 

Such  was  the  dearth  of  provisions  in  Novo  Ark- 
hangelsk at  the  approach  of  winter,  that  early  in 
October  Baranof  was  compelled  to  purchase  the  Jioio's 
cargo  of  provisions,  which  w'as  sold,  together  with  th(^ 
ship,  for  the  sum  of  sixty-seven  thousand  piastres.^' 
On  the  15th  of  the  month  the  vessel  was  despatched 

"Linen  fell  from  14  to  7  ronlilcs  a  piece,  sugar  from  140  to  48  rouhlea  a 
rmiil,  liinndy  from  20  to  8  roubles  a  quart,  and  tobacco  from  2i  roubles  to  7.') 
Kupclv.s  ;i  jiuud.    J({.,  \32. 

"The  provisions  t)l)t;iinc(l  by  tliis  pnrdiase  consisted  of  19  cisks  of  salt 
pork,  42  casks  of  saltt'il  beef,  l,!C)5  i;al».  of  niolussea,  2,()8;{  Ilis.  of  powilcicd 
pui;!!!',  31")  ll's.  loaf-suj^'ur,  4,;MI?  lbs.  of  rico,  11  c:i.sks  (jf  ilno  wlicat  tlimv, 
7..'v'2  Ib.s,  of  biscuit.  i.iiiii/sdorjrK  (Vi//.,  part  ii.  S!)-ilO.  I'aynii'nt  was  made 
ill  fiira  to  tlu!  iuiiount  of  ,'{l,2r)0  piiistros,  and  ibc  roniainiUr  in  diaft.s  on 
dirccton-t  in  St  Petersburg.  A  Kinall  vessel  \va;i  iil«o  given  to  t!ie  captain  in 
yliicli  to  ship  hid  crew  and  furs. 


DISASTER  AT  YAKUTAT. 


4JSj 


lo  Kadiak  for  Airtlier  supplies,  and  a  few  weeks  later 
rt^turned  laden  with  dried  ilsli  and  oil  lor  tlio  use  of 
the  natives. 

The  tidings  from  St  Paul  were  almost  as  disastnms 
as  was  the  news  wliieh  Captain  Barber  brouglit  from 
Novo  Arkhangelsk  to  the  chief  manager,  some  three 
years  before.  The  J'Jlizai'da,  despatched  to  Kadiak 
for  provisions  soon  after  Ilezanof's  arrival,  Jiad  been 
wrecked  during  a  heavy  storm;  six  large  bitlarkas, 
Liden  with  furs,  had  foundered  during  the  same  gale; 
of  a  party  which  had  kft  Norfolk  Sound  under 
J)emianenkof,  more  than  two  hundred  had  perished  at 
st;a;  and  finally  the  destruction  of  the  Yakutat  settle- 
ment was  confirmed. 

The  details  of  the  disaster  Avhich  overtook  Dcmi- 
anenkof  and  his  ]iarty  are  as  follt)w:  lie  had  left 
Xovo  Arkhangelsk  with  the  intention  of  proceeding 
in  Kadiak,  and  not  many  days  after  his  departure 
lieard  rumors  of  the  Yakutat  massacre,  and  of  the 
intention  of  the  Koloshto  attat;k  his  l)arty  also.  lie 
at  once  ado})ted  extraoruinaiy  precautions,  travelling 
only  at  night,  and  hiding  bv  day  in  the  dense  forests 
lining  the  shore.  When  he  had  reaclu'd  a  point  about 
forty  miles  distant  from  Yakutat,  he  timed  the  depart- 
me  of  his  connuand  so  as  to  reach  the  settlement  at 
midnight.  As  they  cautiously  ap])roached  the  shore, 
niter  ten  houi's  of  hard  j)ad(l]ing,  they  were  soon  con- 
\iuced  that  the  reports  of  disaster  were  true.  Of  all 
the  buildings,  not  one  log  was  left  standing  iipt)n 
.•mother.  Ashes,  the  remains  of  destro3'ed  implements 
and  of  other  j)ro])erty,  covered  the  whole  village  site. 
The  frightened  Aloulian  huntci's,  though  almost  ex- 
hausted, refused  to  land,  and  after  a  brief  consultation 
a  majority  of  the  I'orce  concluded  to  proceed  without 
delay  to  the  island  of  Kyak,  a  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  away;  but  the  inmatt.'s  of  thirty  of  the  bidarkas, 
t'xliausted  with  their  long  toil,  landed  on  the  beach 
U'-.vv  by,  i)referriiig  tlie  chances  of  doath  or  captivity 
to  fiuthci'  exertion.     The  coast  between  Yukutat  and 


I: 


if;: 


466 


REZANOF'S  VISIT. 


Prince  William  Sound  consists  of  stuep  cliffs  and  grvid 
bodies  of  glacier  ice,  affording  no  landiiig  place-, 
even  to  canoes,  for  nearly  the  whole  distance.  As 
f;ite  ordained,  those  who  had  chosen  almost  cortain 
death  at  the  hand  of  the  Kolosh  were  saved,  and 
finally  reached  their  destination  without  being  nio- 
k'stod;  but  as  soon  as  the  landing  had  been  effected,  a 
terrible  gale  sprung  up,  during  which  all  their  com- 
panions at  sea  perished.  The  following  morning  the 
shore  was  lined  with  corpses  and  the  shattered  rem- 
nants of  bidarkas. 


!il  Jii! 


The  winter  was  passed  by  Rezanof  and  his  com- 
panions in  great  discomfort,  on  account  of  constant 
rain  and  snow  storms,  and  though  the  stores  of  tlic 
Juno  had  appeared  ample  for  the  season,  a  scarcity  of 
])rovisions  was  felt  by  the  Russians  as  early  as  tlic 
beginning  of  February.-"  At  length  the  envoy,  tircil 
of  his  dismal  abode,  ordered  the  Juno  to  be  again 
made  ready  for  sea,  having  resolved  to  proceed  to  tlio 
coast  of  California,  there  to  negotiate  with  the  gov- 
ernor for  a  constant  exchange  of  conmiodities.  Witli 
(liiBculty  a  small  crew  was  mustered  from  a  command 
weakened  by  disease  and  jirivation,  and  even  these 
were  so  emaciated  that  Rezanof  would  not  allow  them 
to  be  secii  by  the  Californian  officials  until  they  had 
been  plentifullv  fed  and  lirought  into  l>etter  condition. 
The  details  of  Rezanofs  visit  to  San  Francisco,  which 
after  lengthy  negotiations  resulted  in  the  accomplisli- 
men  of  its  object,  are  related  elsewhere.^"  It  is  suffi- 
cient to  state,  at  present,  that  the  ffuno  returned  to 
Novo  Arkhangelsk  on  the  19th  of  June,  with  a  cari>(i 
of  071  fanegas  of  wheat,  117  of  oats,  140  of  jieasean-l 
beans,  and  a  large  <|uantity  of  ffour,,  tallow,  salt,  and 

"•  T-iiingsdorlF  j,'ivc8  a  scusatiunal  account  of  tlie  sufTcring  anions;  the  colo- 
nists at  Novo  Arliliannclsk  <liiriiig  this  winter,  and  of  the  spread  of  scorhtitio 
(lisenscs.  Some  of  his  slatenient.s  appear  false  on  tlieir  face.  For  instance, 
he  Kays  that  the  houses  of  tiio  proinyshleniki  and  native  laborent  were  on!y 
warmed  'hy  their  own  fetid  breath' — and  tiiitj  in  a  settloiueut  surrounded 
on  all  sides  by  dense  forests.    I'oi/.,  part  ii.  93-'J5. 

^^Hint.  CuL,  ii.  G4  ct  acq.,  this  series. 


DEPARTUIIE  OF  THE  PLENirOTENTIARY. 


4.-)7 


other  supplies,  valued  at  5,587  piastres,  payment  hav- 
iii,'  been  made  chiefly  in  Russian  manufactured  uoods. 
R'jzanof  had  now  fulfilled  his  mission  to  the  best  of 
his  pvnver,  and  five  days  later  sailed  for  Okhotsk  on 
l)oard  tliO  Juno,  intending  to  proceed  thence  overland 
to  St  Petersburg,  and  report  in  person  to  the  emperor 
]iis  achievements  and  his  plans  for  the  future,  and  to 
ask  of  his  sovereign  permission  to  bring  to  its  legiti- 
mate end  his  romantic  episode  with  Dona  Concepcion 
do  Argiiello,  of  which  mention  is  made  in  another 
^()lume.*'^  His  sojourn  in  the  north-west  had  wrought 
many  changes  for  the  better,  and  though  his  relations 
with  Baranof  and  hissubordinates  wore  always  friendly, 
tlie  envoy  was  even  more  bitter  than  the  chief  man- 
ager in  his  complaints  of  the  treatment  which  he  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  the  naval  officers.  Describing 
an  interview  with  one  of  them,  he  says  :  "xV  man 
(h'essed  in  a  black  coat  and  vest  approached  me  and 
shook  hands.  I  asked  him,  'Who  are  you? '  He  an- 
swered, *I  am  Lieutenant  Sookin  of  the  Russian  navy, 
couunanding  the  ship  Elizaveta.'  I  replied  that  I  was 
chamberlain  of  the  Russian  court  and  commander  of 
all  America.  I  expressed  my  displeasure  at  his  ap- 
jicarance,  and  ordered  him  to  return  to  shore  antl  pre- 
sent his  report  to  me,  dressed  in  proper  uniform.  He 
complied  with  my  orders  very  unwillingly."  For  this 
conduct  Rezanof  threatened  to  send  the  lieutenant 
l)ack  to  Russia,  but  Raranof  asked,  tliat  he  be  allowed 
to  remain  and  earn  his  pay,  for  he  had  already  re- 
ceived for  doing  nothing  the  sum  of  five  thousand 
I'oublcs,  "of  which  amount,"  says  Rezanof,  "he  had 
expended  three  thousand  roubles  in  rum.  I  baw  him 
but  five  times  during  the  whole  winter,  always  in  his 
]oom,  dividing  his  time  between  sleeping  and  drink- 
ing, thougli  his  quiet  consumption  of  the  licjuor  dis- 
turbs nobody  and  injures  only  his  own  health.  He  is 
so  unobtrusive  that  we  scarcely  notice  his  presence. 


"  /(/. ,  68  et  seq. 


\h 


t 


'i^'ii 


458 


REZAXOF'.S  VISIT. 


Ili.s  l()<^-books  and  reports  will  convince  you  of  tlio 
insulHciency  of  liis  nautical  knowledge.  On  shore  he 
spends  much  time  ii.ditins^  ungranunatical  letters  to 
the  chief  nianaj^er,  and  thus  I'ar  has  spcait  eightec'ii 
months'  salary  in  purchasing  rum.  lie  is  like  a  use- 
less sea-sprite,  to  whom,  however,  the  chief  manager 
does  not  dare  to  intrust  a  vessel ;  therefore  I  have  con- 
cluded to  send  him  back  to  you,  leaving  it  to  you  to 
settle  his  accounts." 

1'he  next  oHicer  discussed  is  Lieutenant  !Masliin, 
"who,"  savs  llezanof,  "has  asked  to  be  relieved.  Tlie 
history  of  his  services  has  been  given  to  you  by  the 
chief  manager.  I  will  only  remark  that  by  his  con- 
sumption of  brandy  he  has  contributed  considerably 
to  the  profits  of  the  com[)any,  and  therefore  gratitude 
prevents  me  from  keeping  him  in  the  service.  lie 
lives  in  the  same  house  with  Sookin  Their  tastes 
and  recreations  are  the  same,  but  I  am  told  that  they 
live  in  a  very  original  and  independent  way.  They  do 
nothing  together.  They  sleep  by  turns;  they  prom- 
enade one  after  the  other,  and  care  so  little  about 
past,  present,  or  future,  that  they  fmd  no  topics  upon 
which  to  converse."  ^^ 

'"  Diii'iiij^  the  winter  (if  I'^fl.VO,  Licntciini..  Klivostof  wiuckbitcd  in  the 
coinpaiiy's  liooks  witii  !).|,  luulvcid  (ll*  );::,!l.iiis)  of  I'rcncli  Idaiuly,  and  'J.\ 
luK.'ki'ts  (if  !iK'(iliiil.  'J'/k-iuifCiic/,  ii.  iijip.  ])ait  ii.  "JIS.  Klivostdf  and  David. .f 
v.(  ro  liotli  diMWiii' I  V,  liili!  (.Tds^iiiL;  tlu;  >|iv;i  in  ;i  small  boat  liy  ni;,dit.  'i'W: 
ai'ciik'ut  was  pnilialily  duo  to  a  juiiit  d('l)aucli.  JJfiiLnitiior  l'iif>  ■fhr.-./ri''  i> 
AnuriL-ii  Mor'-Likh  ()l!i/:i mr  Khrusluca  i.  iktriiliivri,  iipp. — two  voyaj^'oa  to 
Anu.'iica  liy  tlio  naval  ul!icci'.s,  KliVdst.if  and  I 'avidot,  written  by  tin;  latter. 
^  viiLs.  Irt'lO  and  IM-2,  .N'aval  J'rintin;.;  Ollico.  St  IVtcroburg.  Tliia  W(jrk 
contains  a,  detailed  and  for  tlio  must  )>arl  (.leai'  and  impartial  aecomit  of  tlio 
voyages  and  e\[ieriene(!  of  two  nav;d  oliieer.s  in  tiio  pcrviec  of  t!ic  JUusiaii 
Aniciicaii  (."ompany.  liotli  were  in(n  of  i  idinre  and  eduealion,  and  Mcro  tlio 
lir.;t  t)  avail  llieniselvca  of  tlio  jirivilc^^e  ;;ianted  liy  an  imperial  onka/,,  wliieh 
jiermitted  <)liie(  rs  of  tlio  navj'  to  enter  into  tempov.iry  onga^'ements  with  tlio 
hussian  Ameiiean  ("oni])any,  m  itiionfc  losing  rank  or  jiay  in  the  public  ser- 
vice. Their  departure  from  St  IViersbnrg  took  jilaee  in  April  ISUJ,  and  tlio 
lir.st  two  ehapteis  are  dev->ted  to  the  overland  journey  to  Okhotsk,  where 
they  arrived  in  August  of  the  same  year.  'J"he  next  two  chapteiM  eontaia  tlio 
de[iaituro  from  Okliotsk,  tiie  journey  to  Kadiak,  an  intervic.v  wi;h  IJaranof, 
ft  brief  review  of  the  company ".s  history  and  business,  and  the  return  voyage 
to  Okhotsk  ill  .rune  ISUIi.  'I'lienee  they  returned  to  St  retersburg  overland, 
arriving  there  in  .laniiary  iSill.  An  iipiiendi.x  to  the  lirt  volume  coniaiiuiii 
short  biog'i'aphical  sketch  of  b  itli  tr.ivelli'i's,  a  letter  addressed  to  them  jointly 
by  Jic/.auoi,  whom  tlicy  aecoin[ianied  on  his  mission  to  Japan,  and  concludes 


r 


MISSION  WOUK. 


•}.".!) 


Of  the  missionaries  and  tlu-ir  Inliors  "Rozanof  Ims 
little  !^(»()(l  to  rc[)ort.  li\v.  remarks  tli;it  ilicir  sm- 
cnllod  coiiviTsion  wms  merely  a  name,  and  tli;it  the 
("  ivmony  <.»f  baptism  liad  not  nllec^ted  tlieir  moi-.ils  or 
customs.  Ho  states  that  tin;  llussian  iiriesls  did  not 
l'»llo\v  the  example  of  the  Jesuits  in  tlieir  missionary 
work,  that  they  did  not  enter  into  tin;  plans  of  the 
government  and  the  company,  that  they  li\('d  in  idh'- 
ness,  or  busied  tluMnselves  only  in  meddling  with  the 
roin})any's  affairs,  often  causinLj  disturbance  betwc(.'ii 
ntllccrs  and  servants  at  the  various  stations.  Jle 
(•(iin])liiins  that  through  lack  of  zeal  few  took  the 
<i'oni)le  to  acquire  the  native  language,  and  states 
incidentally  that  the  late  bisho[)  loassid"  hiid  receivt-d 
lli'tocn  shares  of  stock  in  the  llussian  American  C'oni- 
pnny — a  circumstance  which  explains  the  tenor  of  the 
prelate's  re])orts.*'' 

On  the  24th  of  September,  1  HOG,  Ile/.anof  left.  Ok- 
hotsk on  his  homeward  j()uriu;y.  Pi()ni[ited  by  re- 
markable activitv  of  mind  and  body,  he  travelled 
rapidly;  but,  weakened  as  ho  was  by  the  hardshij>s, 
anxiety,  and  trouble  of  the  past  thi'e(!  yeai's,  the 
journey  liad  a  fatal  cflect  upon  his  health.  AV'hilo 
crossing  rivers,  over  the  thin  ice  just  forming,  it  fre- 
(j'.ienily  ha])pene(l  that  ho  was  not  only  drenched,  but 
obliged    to   camp    in    the    snow    afterward.     About 

witli  two  pfX'ins  in  prai.so  of  the  ncliicvemeiits  of  Uaviduf  ami  Klivostof, 
iiiiil  .'illudiii;^  to  tlieir  tr;i;.;io  dcatli. 

'I'he  Ki'i'oiid  vdliiiuc  is  dt^vot  il  entirely  to  a  detailed  deperiptioii  of  KiuiiMlc 
I'.iid  tin;  seUleim'nt.s  on  Cotik  Inlet,  and  at  ^\ovo  Arkiiani^el.sk,  \\  illi  lii.storieal 
t  lu'telies  of  the  colonies  and  tlie  Itn.-isian  .\nieiie;in  ( 'oinp.my,  ;;nd  ;i  review  (.f 
t!ie  nuinners  nnil  eustonis  of  the  natives,  and  the  way  in  whieh  they  wenr 
l;i:inaL;cd  l>y  thc^  Jiussians.  Attached  to  this  \ol;nne  aic  two  Inief  roialiula- 
ries  of  the  Kolosh  and  KenaVslii  lan%'na;,'es,  of  little  \alne  to  the  jihi'olo,;!  .t  i.n 
iucimnt  of  nnnieroMs  mistakes.  Sokoloi  f;ul)sei|nently  lerieweil  Klivostof  and 
])a\iilof  at  length  in  Uio  Mor.-Lni  S/i"riii/:.  He  ennhned  hiniNfif  eliielly  to 
Klivostof,  wlioia  lie  deserilns  as  a  tah  iiled,  aniialile  iiidividnal,  IhonLrh  ini- 
hitlcred  in  mind  hy  misfortune  and  dissi|iation,  iind  feelin.;  ;;r<'at  eninily 
t'lViard  Jiezanof.  Win  n  the  latter  sailed  in  (la;  ,/iiii<>  for  ('alitornia  to  save 
t!ie  people  of  Novo  .\iklianj;elsk  fMun  starvation,  Klivostof  com; L.ineil  that 
h''  was  'takiiiu'  them  into  a  tro]>ieal  latitude  at  the  most  dangerous  season  of  tlio 
year.'  ,l/.;,-.s.:oi  ,sV/.,  i\.  ;i4!t-,-.,S. 

"•IJall,  ^l/a.s/.vf,  .Till,  speaks  of  lo.-issof  as  nn  AuLrnstino  friar.  It  isdilii- 
cult  to  eonei  ivc  u  hene(!  lie  ohtained  this  information,  as  there  is  but  ouo 
iii..;)aativ;  oidi  r  in  all  Itussia — that  of  St  JJasilius. 


I'M 


m 


400 


REZANOF'S  VISIT. 


sixty  luilos  cast  of  the  Aklana,  he  was  attacked  witli 
a  violent  fever  and  carried  unconscious  into  a  Yak«>ut 
liut.  A.  few  days  after  lie  became  convalescent,  lio 
])uslied  on  to  Yakutat  before  recovering  his  strength. 
lEere  again  he  was  prostrated,  and  again  continued 
his  journey;  but  his  career  was  now  at  an  end,  and 
on  the  1st  of  March,  1807,  the  i)k'nipotentiary  breathed 
his  last  at  Krasnoyarsk,  in  eastern  Siberia.-^ 

'■"' Tiklnnonef  reflects  thus  on  Rezunof's  death:  'The  company  lust  in  liim 
a  spirit  uiost  active  in  its  organizjition,  ami  in  tlie  developuieut  of  tlic  coloiiius 
under  its  control,  llaviny  acijnuinted  liinisulf  on  the  spot  with  tho  ro(jnire- 
mcnts  of  tiie  country,  and  having  made  thi  most  earnest  etl'urts  ti>  cstai)li>h 
relations  witli  adjoining  countries,  Kezauof  could  not  brook  delay  on  his 
homewaid  journey,  vliere  he  expected  to  plead  jiersonally  the  coinpany'i 
cause  before  the  imperial  throne.  There  can  Ix!  no  tlouht  that  his  influence,  ,>o 
far  as  it  reached,  has  been  wholly  beneficial.  We  do  not  know  wiiat  plans 
were  seething  in  his  active  brain,  ready  to  be  laid  l)efore  tho  company's  direc- 
tors and  the  government  upon  his  return  to  tho  capital.  If  Kezanof's  life  had 
not  ended  so  prematurely,  some  of  his  plans  would  certainly  hare  been  brouj^lit 
to  successful  issue  at  a  much  earlier  period  than  we  can  now  hope  for,  whilu 
others  would  not  have  sull'ered  total  neglect  at  the  hands  of  the  autlioritiis. 
We  cannot  fail  to  see  that  ho  was  no  idle  dreamer,  though  his  efforts  for  tlio 
pul)lie  welfare  were  not  nmch  appreciated  during  his  life-time,  being  f  re([ucntly 
sjiokcn  of  in  a  deprecating  manner.  A  few  looked  on  him  as  a  vision.'iry,  capa- 
ble only  of  concocting  schemes  on  paper,  but  at  tho  same  time  harclsliijis, 
disasters,  and  opposition  could  not  prevent  him  from  following  his  course  and 
pursuing  the  object  of  his  life.  The  honesty  and  amiability  of  his  character 
were  universally  acknowledged,  and  though  ho  failed  to  accomplisii  nuKli 
that  he  proposed,  he  probably  did  more  than  any  of  his  assailants.'  Jslur. 
Ohos.,  i.  lG'2-3. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

SEVES  MORE  YEARS  OF  ALuVSKAN"  AXXALS. 

1S0G-1S12. 

SiiiP-nriLDivo  AT  Novo  AuKir.vxfsKLsic— Tirr.  SKiTLr.'Mr.NT  TiiisKATKXEn 
liv  KoLosii — A  Plot  acainst  tuk  Ciuk.f  Manackr's  Lifk— Thk  Con- 
spiUAToiw  Takfx  nv  Snni'iiisE — Auimval  of  Oot.ovnix  ix  tiik  Si.ooi'- 
OF-\VAK    'Diana'— His    DKsrRii'Tio>f   of   tiif,   Setti-emknt — Astok'm 

VksHEL,    TKK    '  EnTKRPKISK,'    at    XoVO    AUKIIAN'dKLSK— Xr.iJOTIATIO.NS 

Foi«  Trade — Goi.ovnin'.s  AcrorNT  of  the  Matter — Eaknum's  Jocr- 
NEY  FROM  Astoria  to  St  PETKKsucud — Wreck  of  the  'Jino'— 
Sufferings  of  her  Crew. 

Three  years  had  now  elapsed  since  tlie  cliiof  man- 
ager had  sailed  from  Kadiak,  and  at  the  end  of  Sejv 
toinber  1806  lie  returned  to  St  Paul,  leavini:^  Kuskof 
in  command  at  Novo  Arkhan<>-elsk,  with  instructions 
to  hasten  the  completion  of  certain  huildini^s  and 
ships  then  in  course  of  construction.  In  ]March  1807 
a  tine  brig  named  the  Sifkn  was  launched,  and  two 
months  later  she  arrived  at  Kadiak.  During  the  fol- 
lowing summer  a  three-masted  vessel  of  three  hundred 
tons,  christened  the  Otki-i/fi'',  or  Discoirnj,  was  also 
huilt  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  keel  was  laid  for  a  schooner,  to  he  named  in  honor 
of  the  discoverer  Chirikof.^  A  few  days  after  the 
arrival  of  the  .S/V/.'a,  the  English  sliip  Mtptle  anchored 
in  the  harbor  of  St  Paul,  in  charge  of  Ca[)tain  Bar- 
ber, of  whom  mention  has  been  made  in  connection 


'On  the  completion  of  each  vessel,  the  builder  received  .a  gratuity  of 

1 ,0[)0  roubles  from  the  company.     Cliirikof,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  in 

I'omuiaiid  of  the  first  Russian  vessel  that  visited  the  farther  uorth-west  coast 

of  America. 

(461) 


4^3 


SEVEN  :,I0R1':  YE.UIS  OF  ALASKAN  ANNALS. 


\vith  the  SitJia  iiKisHtu'ic.  Altliou^^li  no  fr'uMutly  fi-'vl- 
iiiLf  existed  betwt'eu  him  and  iKininof,  .so  gi'eatly  wn-^ 
the  lattei'  in  need  of  vessels,  tliut  the  ship  was  pur- 
cliascd,  together  with  her  cargo/  and  renamed  the 
Kad'tii.k. 

In  September  1S07  the  Ncra  arrived  at  Novo 
Arkhangelsk  on  her  seconil  voyage  from  Kronstadt," 
in  connnand  of  Lieutenant  Ilagemeister,  who,  as  we 
shall  see,  was  appointed  some  years  later  IJaranofs 
successor,  and  in  the  lollowing  sjiring  the  shi])  wa ; 
added  to  the  company's  lleot.  Viy  this  vessel  th  ? 
chief  manager  received  news  that  the  im])erial  govern- 
ment had  bestowed  on  him,  as  an  additional  reward, 
the  order  of  St  Anne  of  the  third  class,  while  on 
Kuskof  was  conferred  the  raidc  of  comnjercial  coun- 
cillor. 

Meanwhile  the  Kudiah  had  been  despatched  to 
Yakutat  by  way  of  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  her  com- 
mander being  instructed  to  i-escuo  the  survivors  o^ 
the  n»assacre  who  were  still  in  the  hands  of  the 
Kolosh.  A  foreign  Hag  was  hoisted  in  order  to  de- 
ceive the  savages,  and  thus  two  of  them  were  induced 
to  board  the  shiji,  and  wore  secured.  Negotiations 
were  then  opened,  and  the  commander's  widow  and 
children  with  several  others  were  released  from 
captivity.* 


>i 


'Tlio  ship  for  42,000  piastres,  and  tlie  cargo  of  furs,  provisions,  arms, 
anil  .iminuniiioii  for  0."!,(J7">  roubles.  Jiiirlior  received  his  pay  in  drafts  on 
tlie  lioard  of  nuinuLjcrs,  and  demanded  to  be  placed  at  Okliotsk  on  one  of  t!i'! 
company's  vess-.U  in  order  t^  jn'oceed  to  St  I'etersburg  overland.  Ho  sailed 
on  the  .S'('/.-rt  tlic  foiUminu'  ar.tuinn,  but  owing  to  the  lateness  of  the  season, 
the  VCS.S0I  proceeded  to  I'ctroj  avlovsli.  Hero  she  was  loaded  with  goods  fpr 
Ni.slie  Kainehat-U.  but  w;is  totallj'  wrecked  at  the  mouth  of  Kamchatka 
lliver  on  the  lo,:h  of  October,  1807.  The  crew  and  passengers  were  saved. 
Khlihi\'u'>f,  Sh'z/i.  JJarnnora,  117-18. 

''Ill  Au;.'ust  ISiXi  it  had  Ijcen  resolved  at  a  meeting  of  the  shareholders  t) 
send  tl;e  At  rt  uuco  vaovc  to  the  colonies.  Ilagemeister  and  the  other  ollicers 
were  eng;iged  f.^r  11  period  of  four  years.  Tikhmcnrf,  Istor.  Obos.,  i.  104. 

'During  the  preceding  year  Haranof  had  sent  Captain  Campbell,  an 
American,  upou  tlie  tame  errand,  but  he  succeeded  only  in  securing  two  host- 
ages and  iclc  ;4ng  one  Akut  and  his  wife.  The  former  were  transfeiTcil  to 
Kadiak  jniil  bap'ized,  receiving  the  names  of  Kalistrat  and  Gideon.  They 
afterward  ret'irned  to  Sitka,  where  they  wore  employed  as  interpreters. 
KulLstrat  died   iu  IS'H2,  and  Gideon  sc\cral  years  later,  K/dtbiiikof,  Shhii. 


NAPLAVKO F-S  CON'SPIR ACY. 


4:.T 


During  tlu!  wintor  of  lOOG-7,  tlio  Kolosli  a'^aiu 
assumed  a  tliie'att'niiiL;' attitude,  encouraLji'd  chiiily  I)y 
till'  ahsciico  of  l^arauot".  I'cj^oits  i)i'  intended  attaeks 
]'e;iclied  Ku.skol' at  various  times.  Under  pretext  ol' 
eULMLcin-j^  in  herrin-j;  lishery,  they  assembled  on  tlio 
islands  of  Norfolk  Sound,  with  more  than  lour  liundred 
lar^ce  war-canoes,  while  the  numher  of  warriors  was 
not  less  than  two  thousand,  T]\()  Kolosh  women,  who 
cohabited  with  the  promyshleniki  of  the  ^-arrison, 
aided  in  spreadinj^  alarm  by  exai^^gerated  reports  of 
1  lie  intentions  of  their  countrymen.  Deeds  of  violence; 
were  of  daily  occurrence,  and  at  last  a  party  of  Aleu- 
lian  iishernien  were  captured  an<l  killed.  Promjit 
a<'tion  was  now  required;  but  as  the  llussians  wei'c 
not  strong  enough  io  attack  the  enemy,  or  even  sus- 
tain a  siege,  Kuskof  resolved  to  try.  the  eifect  of 
peaceful  measure's.  lie  invited  to  the  fort  the  most 
powerful  of  the  chiefs,  feasted  them,  llattered  them, 
plied  them  with  rum,  an<l  by  a  libin-al  distribution  of 
[)resents,  finally  induced  them  to  leave  the  neighbor- 
hood.^ 

The  year  1809  witnessed  the  most  formidable  of 
the  many  conspiracies  hatched  by  the  promyshleniki 
and  Siberian  ex-convicts  aii'ainst  the  chief  manaijer. 
A  few  lieadstronij  ruflians  of  the  latter  class,  havini^ 
been  detained  for  some  time  at  Kamchatka  on  their 
journey  to  America,  had  there  learned  the  details  of 
Jjeiiyovsky's  famous  exploits,  (U)ul)tless  exaggerated 
;ind  embellished  by  transmission  from  one  generation 
to  another.  One  of  these  unruly  spirits,  Naplavkof, 
wlio  had  been  originally  exiled  to  Siberia  and  subse- 
(piently  permitted  to  enter  the  company's  service,  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  imitating  the  venturesome  Polo, 
and  forming  a  secret  society  for  the  purpose  of  over- 

Baranora,  110  20.     In  1835  Baron  Wrangell,  then  chifif  manager,  rccom- 
lucuilcd  tl.ac  a  pension  be  given  to  Giilcen  for  his  long  services. 

•' In  a  jirivtito  letter  to  Baranof,  Kiifkof  reporta  that  the  success  of  lii-i 
iiiaufjuuvres  was  due  to  the  ellbrts  of  alvolosli  girl  sent  by  him  into  tlie  hostile 
euuip  to  create  dissensions  among  the  leaders. 


I 


i 

1 

i 

|;l 

; 

I ' 

■I- 

''1 

iH: 

1 ' 

It 

|i 

:l 

1 

i  UJ^^B 

hi,  ! 


1^  li 


!    *'■ 


4<U 


SEVEN  MORE  YEARS  OF  ALASKAN  ANNALS. 


tln'owiiii;  cxistiii'jf  authority.  His  most  tnustotl  eon- 
lidaiit  was  a  puusant  naiiiecl  Po|)or.  By  tliu  tiiiu; 
thosu  two  worthies  reached  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  they 
had  a(hiiitted  into  tlieir  confidence  eiglitor  ten  other-^, 
assurin«'  them  tliat  as  soon  as  the  Jirst  blow  was 
sti'uck  the  whole  colony  woidd  rise  in  revolt. 

The  ohjectot'  the  conspiracy  was  to  put  to  death  thi- 
chief  manager,  who  had  now  returned  to  Novo  Aik- 
liangelsk,  and  seize  the  arsenal  and  fort  on  .some  day 
when  Naplavkof,  who  was  then  acting  as  a  suhaltern 
officer  in  the  gon'ison,  should  be  on  duty.  The  con- 
spirators then  intended  to  plunder  the  storehouses 
and  barracks,  and  to  load  the  shi[)  Ot/cri/tle  with  pn)- 
visions  and  the  most  valuable  of  the  goods.  Each  of  the 
conspirators  was  to  select  one  of  the  women  for  his 
mistress,  and  in  addition,  fiftei'ii  female  natives  wwr 
to  be  taken  as  servants.  On  leaving  Xovo  Arkhan- 
gelsk they  j)urposed  to  sail  for  Easter  Island,  or  to 
some  uninhabited  spot  still  farther  south,  where  they 
could  form  a  settlement,  calling  on  the  way  at  the 
Hawaiian  Islands  to  exchange  their  furs  for  provisions 
and  other  necessaries." 

Few  as  were  the  conspirators  in  number,  no  loss  than 
three  of  them,  each  independently  of  the  others,  re- 
vealed the  secret  to  Baranof  Twci  of  these  traitors 
wore  Poles,  named  lieshchinsky  and  Berezovsky;  the 
third  a  Russian,  called  Sidorof  From  these  men  the 
chief  manager  learned  that  the  party  met  at  Lesh- 
chinsky's  quarters,  and  that  all  the  members  were 
about  to  sign  a  written  pledge,  wherein  each  agreed  to 
carry  out  the  i)lans  of  Uie  rest,and  to  subscribe  to  a  code 
of  rules  and  regulations.  In  expectation  of  this  event, 
Baranof  ordereil  J  oshchinsky  to  keep  him  informed 
when  the  date  was  fixed  for  the  proposed  meeting,  and 


'  Khlcbnikof  gives  to  this  plot  a  tinge  of  romance.  He  says  that,  taking  ail- 
vantagc  of  the  war  tlien  raging  in  Europe,  the  conspirators  purposed  to  form 
a  C'lonial  confederation,  capture  Siberia,  and  cstablisli  a  great  republic  of 
Imnters  and  traders.  Shizn.  Baranova,  128.  He  gives  no  authority,  however, 
for  stating  that  such  a  foolhardy  enterprise  was  conceived  by  Naplavkof  and 
his  gang. 


FAILURE  OF  THE  PLOT. 


40j 


su])i>lie(l  liiiii  with  nkcif  of  braiuly,  wlicrcwitli  to  nuike 
merry  with  his  comrades. 

( )ii  tliu  (Uh  of  August  the  consj)irjitorH  met  at  the 
usual  rendezvous,  which  was  ch)so  to  the  residciico  of 
tlie  chief  manaiLfer,  iu  order  to  affix  their  si^natui-es  to 
iiii  ajjfreement  (h*awn  uj)  by  Popof  from  Na|)hivkof's 
dictation.  When  the  object  of  the  meeting  iiad  been 
accomphslied,  and  tlio  brandy  freely  handed  round, 
]jcshchinsky,  accordinjjf  to  a  preconcerted  signal,  be- 
nau  to  sing,  whereupon  ]3aranof,  with  a  large  ibrce  of 
arn»ed  men,  rushed  into  the  building.  Naplavkol", 
a  sabre  in  one  hand  and  a  loaded  ])istol  in  the 
other,  made  a  show  of  resistance,  while  Po[)of  hastily 
thrust  the  document  into  the  oven.  So  sudden  was 
the  onslaught,  however,  that  all  the  party  were 
seized  and  bound  befoi-e  they  could  make  use  of  their 
weapons.  Tiie  document  was  recovered,  almost  in- 
tact, but  the  only  additional  information  obtained  from 
it  was  that  Popof  had  been  elected  chief  of  the  society 
under  the  assumed  name  of  Khounshim,  and  that  it 
li;ul  been  agreed  to  do  nothing  until  a  hunting  party, 
wliicli  contained  some  of  their  number,  should  return 
1  loni  Chatham  Strait.  The  ringleaders  and  four  ochers 
were  ironed,  placed  under  guard,  and  finally  sent 
to  Kamchatka  for  trial;  and  thus  ended  the  plot, 
without  further  result  than  to  increase  the  chief  mau- 
a'-er's  desire  to  be  relieved  from  office." 

o 

'  Baranof  soon  afterward  forwnnled  an  urticnt  U-ttrr  to  tlic  hoard  of  dircct- 
ovH.  askin!j;tol)e  rijlievcd.  Captain  V.  M.  (!iili>vnin,  of  tho  sloop-of-war />/'»/*", 
in  speaking  of  this  cons[)iracy,  roniarks:  '  Tlio  RiiHsian  American  (."oiii])aiiy's 
(ii'iiiiiis.siiincrat  Kamchatka,  Klilelinikof,  an  hcmorablcman,  obtained  from  the 
li  ailcr  of  this  conspiracy  all  the  details,  and  linding  that  they  had  lieeii  suller- 
ill:,'  Iriiiii  hunger,  cruel  lahor,  and  iiiiiuman  treatment  by  the  officials,  desired, 
i:i  tile  interest  of  the  company's  j,'ood  name  and  perhaps  its  existence,  to  con- 
ci';il  the  whole  proceedings  from  tlie  government,  t<>  whicii  end  he  wrote  a 
li  tter  to  the  directors  of  the  comi)any,  dated  July  S,  1810,  wherein  he  de- 
clared that  if  Xaplavkof  and  his  companions  were  tried  iu  any  opeii  court, 
thi  y  coidd  reveal  truths  of  a  character  most  damaging  to  the  company;  tliero- 
f' lie  lie  asked  them  to  drop  the  matter.  Ikit  the  directors  did  not  approve 
et  i.'hlebnikof's  opinion,  and  replied,  under  date  of  September  29,  ISIl), 
that  lie  must  bring  the  offenders  to  justice,  but  make  every  ellort  to  maiia^'e 
tin-  allair  to  the  advantage  of  the  company,  that  is,  to  ])unish  the  eonspii  atora 
wliile  at  the  same  time  coucealmg  the  shortcomings  of  the  company.  I'oi/., 
7s-'J. 

EiBT.  Alaska,    30 


?■!■ 


'I       H  !£l 


i 


II 


40j 


SEVEN  MORE  YEARS  OF  ALASKAN  ANNALS. 


i  .!» 


M 


Baraiiof s  wish  was  not  fulfilled  until  several  yenrs 
later,  thoucjli,  as  we  shall  see,  tlirouixh  no  nei^lect  ow 
the  part  of  the  dii-ectors.  There  were  none  of  his 
subordinates  to  whom  he  dared  to  intrust  the  control 
of  affairs,  and  ho  had  no  alternative  but  to  remain  un- 
til a  successor  should  arrive.  Meanwhile  he  was  re- 
lieved for  a  time  fi'om  all  anxiety  as  to  further  rev(jlt 
among  Ilussians  or  Kolosh  by  the  arrival,  in  Juno 
J8I0,  of  the  sloop-of-war  Diana,  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Golovnin.'* 

The  captain,  who,  like  other  naval  officers,  was  not 
predisposed  in  the  com[)any's  favor,  thus  describes  liis 
arrival:  "  It  was  10  p.  jj..,  and  dark.  We  fired  a  gun 
to  call  the  pilot;  lights  were  hung  out,  and  we  lay  at 
anchor  until  midnight;  wc  could  then  hear  the  noiso 
of  oars,  but  it  was  too  dark  to  see  the  boat.  At  last 
Russian  voices  became  audible,  and  we  could  doubt  no 
longer  that  some  of  the  company's  promyshlcniki  were 
approaching,  but  for  all  that  we  did  not  neglect  any 
precautionary  measures.  It  was  well  known  to  nio 
that  this  class  of  the  company's  servants  consist^'  I 
chiefly  of  criminals;  and  also  that  this  class  of  scoun- 
drels, having  come  from  exile  under  false  promises  and 
expectations,  found  life  in  America  even  worse  than 
that  of  a  Siberian  convict,  and  thcteforc  were  always 
ready  to  profit  by  any  opportunity  to  throw  off  th(3 
yoke  of  the  Russian  American  Company.  They 
woukl  not  have  hesitated  even  to  surprise  a  ship  (>[' 
war  and  take  possession  of  the  country.  All  arms 
were  kept  at  hand,  and  the  crew  on  the  alert.  I  then 
hailed  the  boat.  They  stated  in  reply  that  they  were 
sixteen  unarmed  men,  who  had  been  sent  by  the  chi(  f 
manager  to  our  assistance.  I  ordered  them  to  boar.!, 
and  while  they  were  standing  in  lino  I  questioned 
them,  the  answers  being  evidently  given  in  fear. 
During  this  time  the  officers  of  the  Diana  stood  nio- 
tioidess  at  their  posts.     Not  a  voice  was  heard  but  my 

*Tlie  J)in)ia  ha.ll  l)ccn  expected  the  previous  year.  SIio  rcaxihcd  Petio- 
pavlovakiu  the  autunui  of  ISO'J,  and  wintered  there. 


GOLOVNIN'S  ARRIVAL. 


4;7 


own  and  tliat  of  their  spokesman.  They  had  never 
vitnessed  «ach  discipline  before,  and,  as  I  subsequently 
lieard,  were  laboring  under  the  belief  that  they  h;id 
been  captured  by  some  European  man-of-war,  on  which 
I  alone  could  speak  Russian.  But  as  soon  as  I  had 
learned  all  I  cared  to  know,  I  told  them  they  min'lit 
talk  to  their  countrymen,  and  when  they  heard  the 
Russian  language  spoken  on  all  sides,  they  were  almost 
beside  themselves  with  joy.  Only  then  they  confessed 
that  they  had  come  armed  with  pistols,  spears,  and 
i^uns,  which,  suspecting  us  to  bo  English,  they  had 
concealed  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat." 

On  the  following  morning  the  Diana  was  towed 
to  the  anchorage  under  the  fort  and  saluted  with 
eleven  guns.  After  a  ridiculous  discussion  between 
jjaranoi' and  Golovnin  as  to  the  number  of  guns  to 
v.liich  each  was  entitled,  the  salute  was  returned. 
The  captain  was  then  invited  to  dinner,  together  with 
Ills  officers  and  the  conmianders  of  several  American 
vessels  then  in  port.  He  thus  relates  his  impressions: 
"In  the  fort  we  could  sec  nothing  remarkable.  It 
consisted  of  strong  wooden  bastions  and  palisades. 
The  houses,  barrack  magazines,  and  manager's  resi- 
dence were  built  of  exceedingly  tliick  logs.  In  Rar- 
aiioC's  house  the  furniture  and  finishinij  were  of  line 
workmanship  and  very  costly,  having  been  brought 
IVom  St  Petersburg  and  England ;  but  what  astonislied 
me  most  was  the  large  library  in  nearly  all  European 
languages,  and  the  collection  of  fine  paintings — this 
ill  a  country  where  ))n)bal)ly  only  Baranof  can  appi-e- 
ciatc  a  picture,  and  iio  travellers  are  apt  to  call  exce[)t 
the  ski[)pers  of  American  trading  vessels.  Mr  Bar- 
anof explained  that  the  paintings  had  been  presented 
t )  the  company  at  the  time  of  its  organization,  and 
that  the  directors  had  considered  it  best  to  send  them 
to  the  colonies;  with  a  smile,  he  added  that  it  would 
l>r>vo  been  wiser  to  send  out  physicians,  as  there  was 
*.^u  one  in  the  colonies,  nor  even  a  surgeon  or  apothe- 


\'i 


I5J 


if  it 


408 


SEVEN  JklORE  YEARS  OF  ALASKAN  ANNALS. 


cary."  I  asked  Mr  Baranof  liow  the  directors  could 
iiu,<;dect  to  send  surgeons  to  a  country  the  climate  of 
which  was  conducive  to  all  kinds  of  diseases,  and 
where  men  may  at  any  time  be  wounded  b}'-  savas^cs 
and  need  surgical  treatment.  'I  do  not  know,'  lie 
paid,  'whether  the  directors  trouble  themselves  to  think 
about  it;  but  we  doctor  ourselves  a  little,  and  if  a  mru 
is  wounded  so  as  to  require  an  operation,  he  must  die.' 
Mr  Baranof  treated  us  to  an  excellent  dinner,  during' 
which  we  had  music  which  was  not  bad." 

During  his  stay  in  Russian  America,  Golovnin  dis- 
]>layed  in  a  somewliat  ridiculous  aspect  his  jealous}' 
of  the  Russian  American  Company  and  of  foreign 
traders.  A  short  time  before,  the  American  shi'' 
li^ntcvprisr,  in  (diarge  of  Captain  Ebbets,  had  avnvod 
at  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  laden  with  trading  got*,] ,. 
The  captain  handed  to  the  chief  manager  a  de-^patci. 
Irom  the  owner  of  the  vessel,  John  Jacob  Astor, 
wherein  the  latter  stated  that  "for  twenty-five  years 
he  had  been  established  in  New  York  and  engaged  iu 
foreign  trade;  that  he  had  done  business  with  the 
Canadian  Company  and  exchanged  goods  with  Europe 
and  Canton,  and  that  he  now  sent  his  first  shij)  to  the 
north-west  coast  of  America  in  charge  of  Captain 
Lbbets." 

If  we  can  believe  the  chief  manager's  biographer, 
Dashkof,  the  Russian  consul-general  for  the  United 
States,^''  being  informed  that  Baranof  was  in  want  of 
supplies,  had  been  reconnnetided  to  inquire  of  Astor 
what  was  most  necdeil,  and  by  his  advice  had  pur- 
chased a  full  cargo  for  the  colonies.  "I  was  very 
glad  to  oblige  Mr  Dashkof,"  continues  the  Xew  York 
merchant,  "and  have  loaded  the  ship  with  such  use- 
ful commodities  as  will  be  best  adapted  to  trade  in  the 

•Baranof  was  of  course  awaro  that  there  waa  a  hospital  at  St  I'aul.  Scu 
C:iini)bell's  Voy.  round  World,  101,  where  the  town  is  called  ^iluxamh-ia. 
]'r<i!jal)ly  the  chief  luana^'er  was  ainusiuj,'  h'.>'jclf  auil  his  guests  aL  tlic  cx- 
liciLso  of  the  captain. 

'"Atterwiinl  envoy  plenipotentiary  to  tho  United  JJtatea,  and  coinwcllor 
of  state.  KhkbnikoJ',  S/iizu.  Uaranoca,  130. 


>  I. 


ASTOR'S  ENTERPRISE. 


46d 


colonics.  I  send  the  vessel  direct,  giving  full  power 
to  Captain  Ebbets  to  make  agreements  and  contracts, 
it'  he  should  see  fit,  and  I  am  prepared  to  send,  each 
year,  two  or  three  vessels  specially  for  that  trade." 

Baranof  purchased  goods  of  Ebbets  to  the  amount 
of  twenty-seven  thousand  piastres,  but  declined  to 
buy  the  entire  cargo.  In  reply  to  Astor's  letter,  ho 
wi'oto  that  "he  had  reason  to  believe  from  private  in- 
Ibrmation  that  he  would  soon  receive  supplies,  and 
that  he  could  not  make  contracts  for  the  future,  as  lio 
expected  to  be  relieved.  But  he  would  always  l)0 
able  to  take  the  cargoes  of  one  or  two  vessels  each 
year,  if  the  price  were  not  too  high." 

The  Enterprise  was  now  despatched  with  furs  to 
Canton,  the  proceeds  to  be  invested  in  Chinese  good?:, 
and  after  a  prosperous  voyage  Ebbets  returned  in 
May  1811.  He  had  sold  his  peltry  at  fair  rates, 
and  purchased  his  cargo  at  low  prices.'*  Baranof  in- 
spected the  bills  of  sale  and  the  papers  relating  to 
the  several  transactions,  and  so  pleased  was  ho  witli 
the  result,  that  he  soon  afterward  despatched  i\w 
vessel  on  a  second  trip  to  Canton,  with  a  cargo  of 
En'dish  fjoods  which  had  been  purchased  durinjjf  her 
absence. 

All  this  appears  to  be  a  very  simple  and  straight- 
forward transaction,  though  doubtless  matters  were 
coiicealed  by  the  chief  manager's  biographer  which  he 
<!i'i  not  care  to  bring  to  light.  But  now  let  us  hear 
(niovnin's  account  of  the  matter.  "  Ebbets  brought 
:»  <'!'spatch  from  Dashkof,"  writes  the  captain  of  the 
! limi'f  "wit')  a  contract  with  Astor,  and  a  second 
written  by  Astor  himself  with  similar  propo 


i>..' 


sals,  in  terms  very  flattering  to  the  chief  manager, 
culling  him  'governor,'  'count,'  and  'your  excellency' 
(»n  nearly  every  line,  and  showing  that  even  the  re- 
publicans know  how  to  bestow  titles  when  their  in- 

"  Tho  terms  of  hia  contmct  with  Barnnof,  tlie  prices  which  he  obtaiiicil 
f"r  tho  furs,  and  the  goods  bought  with  the  proceeda  uro  iiiciitiouud  in  Id., 
i;}8-9. 


} 


hi 


Hi 


i'i 


u 


,'ii 


1 11 


'.vl 


470 


SEVEN  MORE  YI:ARS  OF  ALASKAX  AXXALS. 


tcrest  requires  it."  lie  tlieu  makes  the  q|ue.sti()nal)](^ 
statement  that  the  letter  was  written  in  French,  and 
that  as  Ebbets  understood  only  English,  and  tljerr 
were  no  interpreters,  matters  were  at  a  stand-  till 
wlien  the  Diana  arrived.  "An  American  sailor,"  he 
cvnitinues,  "  who  was  teaching  English  to  the  boys  at 
ICadiak,  without  understanding  Russian,  a  Prussian 
skipper  of  one  of  the  company's  vessels,  and  a  relative 
of  Baranof's  who  had  jMcked  up  a  few  hundred  Eng- 
lisli  words,  composed,  jirevious  to  our  arrival,  the 
di])lomatic  corps  of  the  Russian  American  Company; 
h'-y  as  the  first  two  were  absent,  and  the  third  could 
on'  /•  k  of  subjects  at  which  he  could  point  with 

his  li  s,  Baranof  could  not  communicate  with  the 
foreiixuci's.  Ebbets  had  alreadv  decided  to  leave 
witliout  accomplishing  anything,  but  when  ho  heard 
that  we  could  speak  both  English  and  French,  he 
asked  for  our  cooperation,  whif-h  was  freely  promised, 
myself  and  Lieutenant  Ricord  acting  as  interpreters. 
\s'o  translated  all  the  letters  and  documents  and  drew 
U[)  the  contracts." 

(jrolovnin,  in  his  account  of  these  transactions, 
claims  to  have  discovered  that  some  deep-laid  plan 
■was  contemplated  by  Astor,  and  thus  gives  his  reasons 
for  such  an  asscirtion:  "Eh'  ets,  desiring  to  let  me 
know  how  much  it  had  cost  Astor  to  complete  the 
Enterprise  and  fit  her  out  for  the  expedition,  gave  nic 
throe  books  to  look  over.  Two  of  them  contain(\! 
tl'e  accounts  mentioned,  but  the  third  was  evidently 
given  by  mistake,  and  contained  supplementary  in- 
structions to  El)bets,  in  which  he  was  directed  to  call 
at  certain  Spanish  ports  on  the  American  coast  and 
endeavor  to  trade  with  the  inhabitants.  If  he  suc- 
ceeded, he  was  to  go  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk  in  ballast, 
and  trade  with  Baranof,  and  in  case  the  latter  should 
ask  why  ho  brought  no  goods,  he  must  give  as  an 
excuse  that  he  had  heard  the  colo'.ies  were  I'ully  sup- 
plied. He  was  also  told  to  obtain  most  minute  de- 
tails of  the  trade  and  condition  of  the  Russian  colo- 


EliBETS  AND  WINSHIP. 


471 


iiles,  tlicir  strength  and  means  of  protootion,  the  actual 
jiower  of  Baranof,  and  the  relations  between  the  coni- 
jiany  and  the  government.  In  brief,  Astor  wished  to 
ascertain  the  feasibility  of  a  seizure  of  the  colonies  by 
the  United  States.  I  returned  the  books  to  Ebbets 
without  saying  anything,  but  innnediately  wrote  down 
Ihe  gist  of  the  instructions  and  laid  them  before 
]  Jaranof,  who  thought  it  best  to  forward  them  to  the 
board  of  managers,  who,  with  their  usual  policy,  will 
IK)  doubt,  in  course  of  time,  make  the  best  use  of  this 
information  for  themselves." 

Whether  the  captain's  view  of  the  matter  was  right 
or  wrong,  hu  does  not  appear  to  have  been  actuated 
l»y  very  pat;  'otic  motives;  for,  without  heeding  Bar- 
aiioC's  urgent  request  to  prolong  his  stay  in  the  col- 
onies on  account  of  the  danger  threatened  from 
]]iiglish  privateers,  he  at  once  took  on  board  a  cargo 
of  i'urs  and  trading  goods  for  the  company's  connnis- 
t^ioner  in  Kamchatka,  and  was  ready  for  sea  on  tlie 
Lid  of  August.  On  that  day  Captain  Winsliip,  a 
])<)ston  trader,  entered  the  outer  harbor  in  the  sliip 
ii'CainP  Ebbets,  anxious  to  communicate  with  the 
]iew-comer,  sent  off  a  boat,  which  was  stopped  by  a 
ishot  from  the  Diana,  much  to  Baranof 's  satisfaction, 
wlio  was  ixliid  to  see  the  llussian  authoritv  maintained 
in  this  mangier.  Golovnin  afterward  sent  a  formal 
communication  to  Ebbets  and  Winship,  stating  tliat 
no  one  nmst  communicate  with  an  incoming  ship  until 
the  l.arbor  authorities  had  done  their  duty. 


'^During  Rozanof'a  absence  iii  California,  Winship  arriveil  in  tho  A'/j^t- 
;i/v"-''  at  Novo  Aikliiingclsk,  "nd  wuh  liini  liuranof  conchnlcil  a  contract 
1  <y  hunting  oca-otter  on  the  coast  of  California.  'Wiiishiji  was  furnished  with 
r.'.)  Iiidarkas,  under  command  of  a  trusted  friend  of  llaranof,  I'avl  Moljod- 
cliii;(if,  wlio  Bul)si'q«ently  was  in  captivity  in  Lower  California.  The  auree- 
i!ii  lit  was  made  for  a  jmriod  of  from  l!)  to  11  mouths.  Thero  appears  to  liavo 
1  cell  some  disagreement  lietwceu  Slobodehikof  iind  Winsliip,  as  the  former, 
i'.Ker  a  suctassful  hunt  all  along  the  California  eoait,  lelt  tho  ship  at  tlic 
i  ia'.id  of  Cerros,  where  he  pureiiascd  of  an  American  hU.pper  a  small  sehoouer 
fer  l,"iO  sea-otters,  naming  her  tho  XiMai.  Ou  thid  craft,  with  n  crew  of  two 
-AhicricanH  uud  three  Kanakas,  he  sailed  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  thince 
I  ir  Novo  Arkhangelsk.  Winship  did  not  reach  tho  latter  port  until  Sepleiu- 
1"  r  if  the  following  year.  This  enterprise  resulted  iu  tho  collection  of  l,b'20 
Bcu-otter  skins.    Jd.,  107-8. 


I  !H 


"! 


K-ii 


47: 


SEVEN  MORE  YEARS  OF  ALASKAN  ANNALS. 


Late  in  August  1812,  the  American  ship  Beaver, 
fitted  out  by  Astor,  arrived  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk, 
having  on  board  his  confidential  agent,  Wilson  ]>. 
Hunt,  who  was  instructed  to  treat  with  Baranof  for 
the  establishment  of  permanent  relations  between  tliu 
American  and  Russian  fur  companies.  Hunt  executed 
his  commission  with  some  difficulty.  He  succeeded, 
however,  in  disposing  of  his  cargo  on  advantageous 
terms,  but  was  obliged  to  go  to  the  Prybilof  Islands 
for  his  payment  in  seal  skins. 

Considerinfj  the  relations  that  were  now  established 
between  Baranof  and  Astor,  one  may  indulge  in  some 
speculation  as  to  what  wouhi  have  been  the  result  of 
this  alliance  had  the  enterprise  of  the  latter  been  suc- 
cessful." In  that  case,  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
^\  ould  probably  not  have  remained  the  chief  factor  in 
shaping  the  destinies  of  the  north-west  coast,  and  the 
British  llag  might  not  to-da}'  fioat  over  the  province 
of  British  Columbia.  But  it  is  probable  that  tlie 
shrewd  New  York  merchant  was  out-matched  by  the 
chief  manaiifcr,  whom  Irvinij  describes  at  random  as  "a 
rough,  I'ugged,  hospitable,  hard-drinking  old  Russian; 
somewhat  of  a  soldier,  somewhat  of  a  trader",  above  all, 
a  boon  companion  of  the  old  roistering  school,  with  a 
strong  cross  of  the  bear,  but  as  keen,  not  to  sav 
crafty,  at  a  bargain  as  the  most  arrant  water-drinker." 

Nevertheless,  Astor  had  no  cause  for  complaint 
against  the  Russian  American  Com[)any.  After 
abandoning  his  trading-post  at  the  mouth  of  the  Co- 
lumbia, on  the  outbreak  of  war  in  1812,  his  claim  fir 
damages  was  not  disputed.     His  agent,  Russell  Far- 

"  The  first  cargo  forwarded  by  Astor  iintler  the  new  ngrcemcnt  was  lost 
by  tliu  wreck  of  tlie  Lark  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  1!S13.  During;  tliisycar 
Baranof  purchased  two  foreign  vessels,  the  Alnhiinlprt,tii\(l  her  consort,  tliu 
Lady.  Tho  Atahnnlfiit  was  on  old  visitor  on  the  north-west coiist,  apiic.iring 
first  in  Sturgis' list  of  north-west  traders  ill  ISOl,  Ixiiug  then  coiiimandeil  by 
Captain  Wild  (Wildea  according  to  Swan).  The  Bale  was  etlccteil  by  Capt.".in 
lieniiet,  who  in  LSI;{  coinniand*>d  tho  Afnhiialpa.  Tlie  price  agreed  niioii 
waa  JU.OOO  piastres  for  tho  cargo  and  20,000  fur-seal  skins  for  the  vessel. 
SiurgW  /'cmuik'K,  MS.;  JJnraiiof,  S/iizii.,  1.').").  Tho  Atahnalpii,  a  three- 
master,  wa.^  rc-nanied  the  liirhnj,  and  the  Lailij,  a  brig,  n  ceived  the  niuno 
Ilmtn.     Both  were  subsequently  wrecked  at  the  Sandwich  Islands. 


T 


FARNU.M'S  MISSION. 


473 


mini,  being  despatched  to  Astoria,  found  tliat  tlic  per- 
son whoso  evidence  was  necessary  to  prov(.'  tlio  claim 
had  gone  the  previous  year  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk. 
After  waiting  a  year  for  a  vessel,  the  agent  followed 
him,  only  to  find  that  he  had  crossed  over  to  Kam- 
chatka. Reaching  Bering  Strait,  Farnum  made  the 
])assagc  between  the  ice-floes  in  an  open  boat,  and  at 
length  overtook  the  man  of  whom  he  was  in  search. 
After  obtaining  the  necessary  proof,  he  made  his  way 
through  Siberia  and  northern  Russia  to  St  Peters- 
burg. "There,"  says  Thomas  Gray,  who,  while  re- 
siding at  Keokuk  in  1830,  heard  the  story  from 
Farnuni's  own  lips,  and  recently  furnished  me  with 
a  statement  of  his  adventures,'*  "he  met  the  head  of 
the  Russian  Fur  Company,  adjusted  the  claim,  and 
received  an  order  on  the  London  branch  of  a  Russian 
bank  in  favor  of  Astor  for  the  amount."  Farnum  re- 
turned to  New  York,  and  after  an  absence  of  throe 
years,  presented  himself  to  the  astonished  Astor,  who 
liad  long  since  given  him  up  for  lost. 


15 


On  the  day  of  Winship's  arrival  at  Novo  Ark- 
liangelsk,  the  Juno  returned  from  a  cruise  in  tlie  inte- 
rior channels  of  the  Alexander  Archipelago,  where 
she  had  been  attacked  by  tlie  Kolosh.  Several  of 
the  crew  had  been  wounded,  and  were  treateil  bv  the 
surgeon  of  the  Diana.  After  remaining  in  [)()rt  for 
nearly  a  month,  the  vessel  sailed  for  Petropavlovsk, 
on  what  proved  to  be  her  last  voyage.     "Sailing  from 


'*Mr  Gray  was  kind  cnougli  to  call  at  my  Library  and  limul  ino  a  copy 
(if  tho  St  Louis  /I'ejuiltlicdii,  dated  Octohcr  IH,  Iss;!,  in  wliicii  is  a  cuiiy  of 
jii.s  letter  to  Dr  (J.  W.  Stevens,  acting  president  of  tlie  Mis.souri  llisturiial 
Society  in  that  city,  containing;  a  narrative  of  lAirmim's  adventures.  In  his 
hotter,  Gray,  wiio  now  resides  in  San  Francisco,  writes:  '  I  desire  to  coinninni- 
eiite  what  1  know  of  tins  matter  to  .a  person  who  is  writing  a  work  on  t!io 
I'acific  coast,  and  that  ho  may  not  have  to  depend  solely  upon  my  say  so,  [ 
sliould  Imj  glad  to  have  tho  testimony  of  others,  as  far  as  they  know  nnytliing 
relating  to  tho  same.'  His  statement  iscorrohorated  hy  several  persons.  Ono 
of  them,  Mr  Richard  Dowling,  then  in  his  7!)th  year,  and  a  resident  of  St 
Loui.-)  from  tho  time  when  it  contained  only  1,700  inhabitants,  relates  fiirtiier 
incidents  of  Farnuni's  adventures. 

'■'Astor  gave  Firniim  an  interest  in  the  business  of  which  he  was  then  tho 
head,  and  tills  ho  retained  until  hij  death  at  St  Louis  in  18.32.  Jd, 


474 


SF.VEX  MORE  YEARS  OF  ALASKAN  ANNALS. 


i  :'l 


1:;^      ! 


F-i 


! !   ;  • 


I    : 


Novo  Arkhangelsk,"  writes  her  captain  in  his  lonr. 
book  on  the  14th  of  November,  "with  the  ship  ])kiecil 
under  my  charge,  I  find  myself  in  sight  of  land  in 
the  most  miserable  condition.  For  three  montlis 
^ve  have  been  battling  with  continuous  gales,  and  for 
nineteen  days  wo  have  been  within  sight  of  the  coast, 
with  only  three  good  sailors  on  board,  and  those  en- 
tirely exhausted,  and  five  young  apprentices  who  have 
been  intrusted  to  my  care.  Two  of  the  latter  who 
are  more  robust  than  the  others  are  doing  sailors' 
duty,  while  the  rest  can  only  assist  at  the  rudder  and 
in  pumi)ing  the  ship,  for  we  are  making  five  inches  of 
water  per  hour.  Tliey  help  me  to  haul  the  log  and 
to  keep  my  journal.  The  management  of  the  ship 
with  these  eight  persons  is  exceedingly  difficult;  the 
remainder  of  my  command — "^*'  With  this  broken 
sentence  the  report  ends. 

The  gale  continued,  and  a  few  days  afterward  the 
greater  part  of  the  bulwarks  were  carried  away,  the 
rudder  was  unshipj)ed,  and  the  Juno  drifted  in  shore. 
Anchor  was  cast  in  thirty  fathoms,  but  still  the  ves- 
sel drifted  helplessly  shoreward;  a  second  anchor  was 
thrown  out,  but  this  also  gave  way,  and  now  the  shi[) 
was  dashed  on  a  reef  parallel  with  the  coast.  Hero 
she  lav  till  the  incoming  tide  cast  her  on  an  inner 
reef  All  through  this  chill  November  night  the 
men  stood  waiting  for  death,  lashed  to  the  rigging, 
and  drenched  with  the  ice-cold  waves.  One  huge 
breaker  swept  away  six  of  the  company,  among  whom 
v.'as  the  captain,  and  even  their  fate  was  a  merciful 
one,  for  when  the  vessel  was  finally  carried  into  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Viliuya,  only  four  reached  the 
land  out  of  twenty-two  men  who  had  sailed  from 
Novo  Arkhangelsk. 

Six  hours  after  being  cast  on  shore  the  vessel 
broke  to  pieces.  One  of  the  survivors  was  struck  by 
a,  falling  mast.     He  was  wrapped  in  such  articles  ot 


"  Sitha  Archives,  Log-bools,  iii. 


SHIPWRECK. 


475 


clothing  as  his  shipmates  could  spare;  but  knowincf 
that  he  could  not  live,  crept  to  a  projecting  I'ock  and 
threw  himself  headlong  into  the  waves.  His  com- 
rades  tried  to  save  him,  ami  twice  he  was  almost 
witiiin  reach.  Then  the  recoil  of  a  wave  carried  him 
beyond  their  grasp,  and  ho  was  seen  no  more. 

The  three  Russians  now  set  forth  on  their  way 
along  the  bleak  Kamchatka  coast,  with  little  hope  of 
meeting  any  living  creature,  save  the  wolves  and 
bears  which  infested  that  wintry  solitude.  Their 
sufferings  during  this  journey  I  shall  not  attempt  to 
describe.  All  that  men  can  suffer  from  col. I  and 
hunger  they  endured.  Crawling  gaunt  and  half 
naked  to  the  banks  of  a  neighboring  stream,  thev 
Avere  fortunate  enough  to  catch  some  fish,  and  near 
by  a  few  sables,  which  furnished  food  and  clothing; 
and  thus  toward  Christmas  of  1811  they  n»ade  their 
way  t(j  Petropavlovsk." 

"  Khkhnikof,  Shizii.  Bnrnnova,  141-3.  When  tho  news  was  received  at 
rotropavlovsk,  the  cominissioncr  of  tho  company  at  once  repaired  to  Iho  scene 
of  the  wreck.  Search  was  niado  through  the  ailjaccnt  woods,  but  no  trace 
of  any  human  being  was  found.  The  bjach  was  strewn  with  corpses,  all  of 
M'hich  had  their  urnis  or  Ic^'s  broken. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


liW' 


FOREIGN  VENTURES  AND  THE  ROSS  COLONY. 

1803-1841. 

pARAXOF's  Want  of  Mkans— O'Cain's  Expeditiok  to  California— And 
TO  Japan — The  '  Meucuky  '  at  San  Diego — Tbaui.no  Contracts  with 
Amkukan  Skii-pei!S — KcsKOF  on  the  Coast  of  New  Albion— The 
Ross  Colony  Focnded — Seal-iifn  riso  on  the  Coast  or  Califohnia — 

SlIIP-DCILDINCi — AoKICILir  KE — SHIPMENTS  OF  CeREALS  TO  XoVO   AliK- 
IIANGELSK — IIoKTICrLILRE— SroCK-KAISlNO — LoSSES   InCCP.RED   I!V  THE 

Company — IIlntino-post  Estaulished  at  the  Farallones — Failure 
OF  the  Entekpuise — Sale  of  the  Colony's  Effects. 


!Imv 


if 


Notwithstanding  frequent  losses  by  shipwreck,  Bar- 
anof  was  now  well  supplied  with  sca-going  craft,  and 
had  more  vessels  at  his  disposal  than  he  could  use  for 
hunting  expeditions.  He  had  not  forgotten,  however, 
the  secret  instructions  received  from  the  directors  of 
the  company  in  November  1803,  and  for  several  years 
had  been  pushing  forward  his  settlements  toward  the 
south.  The  rich  iiuntinix-ixrounds  on  the  coast  of  Cal- 
ifornia  had  long  since  attracted  his  attention,  and  he 
had  made  several  efforts,  though  with  little  success, 
to  avail  himself  of  this  source  of  wealth,  and  to  open 
up  a  trade  with  the  Spanish  colonics. 

The  onl3'^  obstacle  that  now  lay  in  the  path  of  the 
chief  manager  was  want  of  means.  Men  were  not 
lacking,  nor  ships;  but  supplies  Avere  forwarded  to 
him  in  such  meagre  quantity  and  at  such  exorbitant 
rates  that,  as  will  be  remembered,  want  was  a  familiar 
guest  in  the  Russian  settlements.  The  resources  of 
the  Russian  American  Company's  territory,  bountiful 
though  they  were,  had  thus  far  served  at  best  only  to 

(470) 


O'CAIX'S  VOYAGE. 


477 


;i.\— And 

CTS  WITH 
ON— TlIK 
[FOUNIA — 

[)Vo  Ai;K- 

;D   by  TIIK 
-FvILLllli 


k,Bar- 

li't,  aii'l 
use  fnr 
)\vever, 
tors  of 
1  years 
ml  the 
of  Cal- 
ancl  he 
uccess, 
o  open 

lof  tlic 
[yq  not 
led   to 
[•bitant 
limiliar 
[•ces  of 
luntiful 
)nly  to 


supjily  tlie  few  needs  of  tlic  settlors,  to  funiisli  small 
dividends  to  the  shai-eliolders,  juul  to  satisfy  in  part 
the  greed  of  the  company's  aijents. 

In  1803  the  vessels  that  ai'rived  at  Okhotsk  from 
Alaska  were  freiixhted  with,  furs  valued  at  2,500,000 
roubles,^  Other  large  shipments  followed,  a  mo  njjf  them 
l>cing  one  l)y  the  Kcra,  in  1805,  valued  at  500,000  rou- 
1  >les.  Nevertheless,  Baranof  drd  not  venture  to  draw  on 
Rt  Petersburg  for  the  means  wherewith  to  carry  out 
his  instructions.  "  'There  is  another  cargo  with  half  a 
million,'  you  will  say,"  writes  Rezanof  to  the  directors 
in  November  of  this  year,  "  'and  where  is  the  threat- 
ened want  of  means?'  But  I  must  answer  vou,  jjfen- 
tlemen,  that  in  your  extensive  business  this  is  t)nly  a 
short  palliative,  the  drawing  of  a  breath,  and  no  [>erma- 
nent  relief.     Patience!  and  vou  will  agree  with  me."^ 

A  few  davs  before  the  chief  manager  received  his 
secret  despatch,  the  American  ship  tyCain,  or  as  it 
was  called  by  the  Russians  the  Boston,  arrived  at 
Kadiak,  in  command  of  Captain  O'Cain,  whom  the 
former  had  previously  met  as  mate  of  the  Etiter prise. 
After  an  exchange  of  trading  goods  for  furs,  to  the 
value  of  10,000  roubles,  O'Cain  proposed  that  Bar- 
anof should  furnish  him  with  Aleutian  hunters  and 
bidarkas  for  an  expedition  t<j  the  coast  of  California. 
The  latter  was  disposed  to  listen  favorably  to  such  a 
}>roposition,  for  during  this  and  the  two  preceding 
years  the  destruction  of  seals  in  Hussian  America  had 
Ijeen  on  an  enormous  scale,  and,  as  we  have  seen,  a 
few  months  later  orders  were  ij-iven  bv  Kezanof  that 
the  slaughter  should  cease  for  a  time.  After  some 
negotiation  an  agreement  was  concluded,  and  twenty 
bidarkas  were  fitted  out  and  })laced  in  charge  wT 
Shutzof,^  a  tried  servant  of  the  company.     Shutzof 

'Between  ISOl  and  1S04  the  company  accnmulatod  nlxint  800,000  skiiiw, 
many  of  whioli  were  spoiled  througli  want  of  caro  in  dressing.  Tikhmi  iici', 
/s/oc".  060,1.,  i.  03-4. 

'•7(/.,  app.  part  ii.  201.     The  letter  was  dated  from  Novo  Arklianjielsk. 

'Sixteen  years  later  the  widow  of  tlii.s  man  petitioned  the  company  for  a 
pension,  l)asin^'  lier  claim  on  the  assertion  that  lier  liusljand  had  'opeu'd  t  > 
the  Russian  American  Company,  and  to  the  Russian  empire,  the  valuable  trade 


Ii  1 


478 


FOREIGN  VENTURES  AND  THE  ROSS  COLONY. 


U\'' 


i: 


wns  onlored  to  obsorvo  closely  all  parta  of  the  c>  c 
which  ho  mijjjht  visit,  to  mark  the  number  and  charac- 
ter of  the  inhabitants,  and  to  procure  information  of 
all  hunting-grounds  which  might  in  the  future  be  util- 
ized by  the  company  without  the  assistance  of  for- 
eigners. He  was  instructed  also  to  observe  the  sen- 
ports  that  were  frequented  by  Americans  for  i)Uiposc's 
of  trade,  and  to  ascertain  the  prices  of  provisions  and 
other  products  of  the  country. 

The  Boston  sailed  from  Kadiak  on  the  2Gth  of  Octo- 
ber, and  alter  calling  at  San  Diego,  proceeded  to  the 
bay  of  San  Quintiu  in  Lower  California,  wheic 
O'Cain*  made  his  headquarters,  sending  out  hunting 
parties  in  various  directions,  until  the  1st  of  Mai-ch  of 
the  following  year.  The  number  of  furs  secured  was 
eleven  hundred,  and  Shutzof  reported  that  the  Anitr- 
iean  captain,  trading  on  his  own  account  with  the  mis- 
sionai'ies  and  soldiers,  had  obtained  seven  hundred 
additional  ski?is  at  prices  ranging  from  three  to  lour 
piastres.  Thus  was  inaugurated  a  series  of  ]•  ing 
expeditions  beyond  the  borders  of  the  Russ  )1- 

onies,  which  continued  for  many  years  with  varying 
success. 

In  August  1 80G  O'Cain  returned  to  Alaska,  arriv- 
ing at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  on  board  the  Eclipse. 
Touching  at  the  Hawaiian  Islands  on  his  vovage,  he 
had  found  there  a  crew  of  Japanese  sailors  who  had 
been  picked  up  at  sea.  He  now  proposed  to  the  chief 
manager  to  supply  him  with  a  cargo  of  furs  for  Can- 
ton, and  that,  having  taken  on  board  the  shipwrecked 
sailors,  he  should  proceed  thence  to  Japan,  vvitli  a 
view  to  opening  the  Japanese  ports  to  the  Russians. 
As  the  captain  had  before  proved  faithful  to  his  trust, 
Baranof  consented,  and  a  few  weeks  later  the  vessel 
set  sail,  with  a  cargo^  valued  at  three  hundred  and 

of  California.*  Archives  lii'ssian  American  Company,  1819  (Letter  Books, 
vol.  iii.) 

*  For  further  mention  of  O'Cain's  voyage,  sae  Ilixt.  Cat.,  ii.  2.'>-0,  this  series. 

'Including  1,800  sea-otter,  10o,000  marten,  2,500  bcavci-,  and  other  skin?. 
Khlebiiikof,  Shizn.  liuranova.  111.  The  terms  of  the  contract  between  O'Caiu 
and  Burauof  arc  given  in  Id.,  109-10. 


OTTi:rw-llUXTI.\( !  COXTRAC'T.S. 


479 


tell  tliousjind  r()ii!»lcs.  The  oxpcHtioii  ])r(ive(l  a  com- 
plete* lailiin!.  lliu  i'ur.s  wore  sold  at  Canton  at  low 
ju'ici'.s,  and  Chinese  ^oods  purchased  willi  the  ])ro- 
ceeds."  On  entcrinuf  the  harbor  of  Nanijasaki  under 
Russian  colors,  the  ship  was  immediately  surrounded 
with  hundreds  of  row-hoats  and  towed  to  the  amhor- 
ai^^e  i^rounil.  Soon  altci'ward  a  Dutch  ollieial  cam  > 
on  board,  and  llndin*^  that  neither  captain  nor  crew 
Avere  Russian,  ordered  them  to  haul  down  theii*  llaj^. 
As  the  Japanese  woidd  not  listen  to  his  pi'o})os;ds, 
O'Cain  informed  them  that  he  was  in  need  of  provi- 
sions and  fresh  water.  Supplies  were  delivered  to 
him  in  abundance  free  of  charge;  but  on  the  tliird 
day  after  his  arrival,  ho  was  towed  out  to  sea  under  a 
strong  guard,  with  orders  never  to  enter  a  Japanese 
poi't  again.  The  Eclipse  was  then  lieaded  for  J\;ti'o- 
pavlovsk,  where  half  her  cargo  was  transferred  to  the 
care  of  the  Russian  commissioner,  and  sailiii'j:  thenco 
for  Kadiak,  was  wrecked  on  the  voyage  at  the  island 
of  Sannakh,  Oidy  the  captain  and  four  others  were 
saved,  and  with  the  assistance  of  some  natives  iVom 
Unalaska,  made  their  way  to  St  Paul." 

The  result  of  O'Cain's  hunting  expedition  to  the 
coast  of  California  had  been  so  satisfactory  that  liar- 
anof  resolved  to  protit  by  every  opportunity  of  repeat- 
ing the  experiment.  Through  ca[)tains  Ebbets  and 
^leok  it  had  become  known  among  American  skip- 
I)ers  that  money  could  be  made  in  this  way,  and  several 
of  the  north-west  traders  were  only  too  wiiliii'jf  to  make 
the  attempt.  In  jMay  1808  a  contract  was  entered 
into  with  Captain  George  Ayres,  of  the  shij)  Jf-rcin-;/ 
from  Boston.     Ayres  v.as  furjiishe;!  with  twenty-live 

"Bar.inof,  in  Lis  reports,  hints  nt  slmrit  prnctico  on  tho  part  of  O'Cniii. 
Tho  price  obtained  for  sea-otter  skicis  was  only  13^  ])iastv(a  each,  while 
marten  f  brought  only  4f)  cents,  beavers  ii  piastres,  etc.  The  wliolo  earL;o\va3 
S'llil  for  153,000  roubles,  just  one  half  tho  estimated  value.  With  thi.s  8\im 
tho  captain  purchased  ;5,000  racks  of  lioe,  i!bO  chests  of  tea,  and  2j,0iJ0  lack- 
ages  of  various  Chinese  goods.  Id.,  1 1  "J. 

'An  acci,unt  of  this  shipwreck  is  given  by  Campbell,  one  of  tho  survivors, 
ill  his  Voif.  round  World,  42  et  seq.  (Edinburgh,  ISIG).  Ho  calls  St  I'aul 
'Alcxaudi'ia.' 


.1"' 


4S(; 


FOREICX  VENTURES  AND  THE  ROSS  COLONY. 


.f, 


-  *r  i. 


bidaikas  for  the  purposo  of  hiiMtintx  iu  the  vicinity  of 
islands 'not  previously  known.'  ]>aranof  engaged  to 
furnish  the  Aleuts  with  subsistence,  and  no  party  was 
to  be  sent  out  without  an  armed  escort.  For  any  na- 
tive hunter  killed  or  captured  while  hunting,  Ayres 
]:>roiniso(l  to  pay  250  piastres  toward  the  support  of 
his  I'auiily.  The  ship  was  to  return  within  ten  or 
twelve  months,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  trip  were  to 
be  e(]ually  divided,  the  furs  being  valued  bj-  the  chief 
manager.  For  the  labor  of  the  Aleuts,  Ayres  was  to 
deduct  from  his  share  three  and  a  half  piastres  for 
each  sea-otter,  a  [)iastre  and  a  half  for  each  fur-seal, 
and  one  jiiastrc  for  each  beaver. 

The  Mercury  sailed  from  Kadiak  on  the  8th  of  Jul}', 
Sliutzof  bein<'  in  chariife  of  the  hunters.  At  Char- 
lotto  and  adjacent  islands  Ayres  l)ought  a  number  of 
sea-otter  furs  from  the  natives,  paying  for  each  a  can 
of  ]iowder,  and  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia'*  Sliut- 
zof [)urchased  live  hundred  and  eighty  beaver  skins. 
In  St^])tend)er  the  vessel  entered  the  luirbor  of  Trini 
dad,  but  meeting  with  little  trade,  the  captain  sailed 
f  ir  IJodeu'a  Bav,  and  thence  for  San  Fi'ancisco  and 
San  JJiego.  l-'roia  the  latter  port  hunting  ])artics 
were  sent  out  iluiing  th(>  v,  inter,  and  the  sliij)  re- 
tui-ned  the  following  year  with  UKjre  than  two  thou- 
sand skins. 

Between  1809  and  1812  Baranof  made  six  addi- 
tional contracts  with  American  masters,  the  result 
bciiiLT  thai  over  ei'dit  tho'isaiul  sea-otter  skins,  i)ro- 
cu;'ed  outside  the  liinit  of  the  company's  possessions, 
wore  delivered  to  the  chief  manaLTi-r  as  his  share  of 
tlie  proceeds."     Tliese  transactions  were  aji|)roved   by 

'^  'Ilcrc,'  wiys  Khlcliiiikof,  'tlio  iKirty  iiiptwitli  two  Jiiiteil  States  oflicials 
mill  ;i  niiiiibcr  uf  boliliois,  v  lio  wero  jilrc:itly  initlin^  up  haiTacks.  'J'lio  olii- 
cijils  Iiad  given  nudals  <o  tlio  Ravages,  lioariiii,' tlic  portriiit  of  ^Va8l»illt;tou. ' 
Sii'r^ii.  Jidniiiiirfi,  l"j;t.  'J'l.i^iocciirri.'d  ill  Aii;,'ii^t  ISi)S, niui  na  Lmvidaiiil  Claiko 
lofttlio  ni'iiitii  (if  tlio  Coluniliiii  in  ISO/!,  ami  Astoriii  waa  not  cstaMi.slicil  until 
isll,  it  K-uiains  tn  1k!  r.li(i\Mi  win)  llicso  dliliiah  wiTC.  I)oul»lk'8a  tlicy  Mcro 
j.ot  L  iiitt^il  Statin  nilici  r.H  anil  HnMii  is,  Imt  d'ailcrH. 

•  in  lM;i>,  Cajitain  .Inliii  Winsliii)  on  tlio  sliip  o'l'riin  was  funilslicil  with 
TiO  biilaikas,  the  CDnipaiiy's  nharo  luinj,'  'J,7-iS  seaottor  Hkins.  In  ISIO, 
Nathuu  NViiishi^)  of  tho  AlbcUruMi  hnnttil  with  OS  biilurkus,  tlie  conniuny's 


PLANS  FOR  NEW  ALBION. 


481 


the  directors,  but  the  frequent  purchases  of  entire 
carj^oes  of  goods  and  provisions,  for  whicli  payment 
was  usually  made  in  fur-seal  skins,  were  renjarded 
with  less  favor.  Twice  in  succession  shrewd  Yankee 
ski})pers  succeeded  in  selling  their  skins  to  the  com- 
missioner at  Kamchatka  or  Okhotsk  at  a  higher  val- 
uation than  had  been  placed  upon  them  by  IJaranof 
ill  the  original  transaction;  and  finally  a  iieremptory 
order  was  issued  by  the  board  of  directors  to  make 
no  more  [layments  in  kmd,  but  to  give  drafts  on  the 
lionie  office  at  St  Petersburg. 

After  his  return  from  California,  Rezanof  had  never 
ceased  to  urge  on  the  chief  manager  the  importance 
t'f  establishing,  on  the  shore  of  New  Albion,*"  a 
station  for  hunting,  trading,  and  agricultural  purposes. 
It  is  probable  tluit  his  plans  were  even  more  ambi- 
tious than  those  contained  in  the  company's  j»rivato 
instructions  to  Baranof,  and  that  he  purposed  gradu- 
ally to  push  forwanl  the  Russian  colonies  toward  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia,  and  in  time  even  to  wrest 
from  S})ain  a  portion  of  California. 

Baranof  did  all  that  lay  in  his  power.  In  October 
1808  Kuskof  was  sent  to  the  coast  of  New  Albion  on 
board  the  ship  Kadiak,  the  schooner  Nikolai  having 
been  despatched  southward  a  fortnight  earlier.  The 
latter  was  wrecked  at  the  mouth  ot  Gray  Harbor, 
where  she  had  been  ordered  to  join  her  consort ;  and 
tliougii  no  lives  were  lost,  the  men  were  held  captives 
hy  tlie  Indians,  a  few  of  them  being  rescued  by  an 
American  vessel,  in  which  they  returned  to  Novo  Ark- 

sliaro  amounting  only  to  StX)  skins.  In  tlio  same  year  Davis  of  the  Imhclki 
liiintcd  with  48  hiilarkas,  tlio  company  receiviii;.'-  2,4.SS  skins.  In  IHll, 
^K'l■k  of  the  Amrthynt  was  snpplif^'?  witli  .V2  liiihiikas,  the  company's  share 
'if  the  ivsnlt  lx!ing  7'21  scu-otter.  In  tiie  wimc  year  IJhuuliard  of  i,!ie  i'nth- 
I  i-iiic  liiintcd  witli .")()  liidarkus,  and  ret  irnecl  T")0  sea-otter.  In  181'2,  CapUiin 
Wilteniore  of  tlio  r/mro;t  waa  snppliel  with  hunters,  uud  returned  to  tlio 
C(»m|)any  KlKi  sca-ottci's  as  its  share. 

'"  'I'he  term  '  New  Albion'  was  of  somcvhat  vai^uc  significance.    Its  south- 
t'rn  limit  was  anywhere  between  San  l>iego  ami  I'oinfc  Keyes,  near  which,  ifc 
Mill  1)0  ren»emt»ere<l,  Drake  landed  in  \7~,'i),  at  the  bay  which  now  bears  his 
liuuic,  aud  called  the  country  'New  Albiou.' 
Uira.  AiiAbKA.    31 


•i 


I  1  11 


m 


FOREIGN  VENTURES  AND  THE  ROSS  COLONY. 


lilt 


hangelsk  two  years  later.  Contrary  winds  provcntod 
the  Kadiak  from  entering  the  harbor,  and  Kuskof 
proceeded  to  Bodega  Bay,  where  he  arrived  at  tlio 
close  of  the  year.  Returning  after  a  twelve  months' 
voyage  with  more  than  two  thousand  otter  skins,"  lie 
laid  before  Baranof  information  of  the  greatest  iin- 
jiortance.  He  reported  that  sea-otter  and  fish  abounded  I 
on  the  whole  coast,  that  he  had  found  many  ])laccs 
well  adapted  for  agriculture  and  ship-building,  and  that 
the  whole  country  north  of  San  Francisco  Bay  was 
unoccupied  by  any  European  power. 

The  chief  manager  finally  resolved  to  delay  no  longer 
the  execution  of  his  plans  in  that  direction,  althoui^li 
he  did  not  receive  positive  instructions  to  found  suili 
a  colony  until  several  years  later.  He  gave  orders  to 
collect  all  the  men  who  might  be  of  use  in  forming  a 
permanent  settlement,  including  ex-convicts  from  t!i  > 
agricultural  provinces  of  Russia,  and  others  skilled  in 
agriculture  and  stock-raising ;  and  in  1810  despatched 
Kuskof  on  a  second  trip  to  the  coast  of  Xew  Albion, 
with  orders  to  make  further  explorations.  This  ex- 
pedition was  unsuccessful.  Calling  at  Queen  Char- 
lotte Islands,  his  men  were  attacked  by  savages,  and 
after  losing  eight  of  his  hunters,  he  was  compelled  to  re- 
turn to  Novo  Arkhangelsk,^'  whence  he  was  asxain  sent 
in  the  same  direction  in  the  sclkooner  Chi rikof  curly  in 
1811.  Of  his  voyage  little  is  known,"  but  anchoring 
in  Bodega  Bay,  which  he  re -named  Rumiantzof,  ho 
found  its  vicinity  not  adapted  to  his  purpose,  and  se- 
lecting another  location  eighteen  miles  to  the  north- 

'*  For  further  detaila  of  this  voyage  and  a  map  or  Boilega  Buy,  see  Hint. 
Cal.,  ii.  80-'J,  this  series. 

'■''  Tikhmeiicf,  I.ilor.  OhoH.,  i.  208.  Kuskof  sailed  on  board  the  ^uho  two 
years  hoforo  she  was  wrccltcd. 

"Klilelniikof,  Zniiinki  in  Ma/erirdiii,  137-9,  gives  Jan.  22d  as  the  date  uf 
the  Chirikofg  departure,  and  says  that  IJodoga  Bay  was  reached  a  niontli  later, 
but  that  finding  tiicre  .a  scarcity  of  sesi-ottcr,  Kuskof  sent  twenty-two  bidar- 
kas  to  San  Francisco  Bay,  where  they  met  u  party  of  Aleuts  under  coinniaiid 
of  TcroimnoiFwith  forty-eiglit  hidarkas,  and  one  belonging  to  Winship's  ex- 
pedition with  sixty-eight  bidarkaa.  Kuskof 's  men  secured  1,1(H)  sea-otter 
and  78  yearlings  within  three  months.  In  order  to  diivo  them  away,  tlio 
Spaniards  placed  guards  at  all  the  points  where  the  Aleuts  were  accustouRd 
to  procure  fresh  water. 


FOUNDING  OF  ROSS. 


4S3 


evented 
Kuskof 
I  at  tlio 
mouths' 
ins  "  lio 
tost  im- 
boundcil 
ly  ]>li\c'cs 
and  tliiit 
Bay  wjw 

IK)  longer 
although 
und  sut'li 
orders  to 
Ibrniiug  a 
from  th  > 
skilled  in 
espatehed 
sv  Albion, 
This  ex- 
;cn  Char- 
ap"es,  and 
ilied  to  re- 
jgain  sent 
r)/^  early  in 
Lueliorin 
lantzof,  ho 
1,  and  se- 
nile north- 

|liiiy,  SCO  //''•''■ 

tlio  Jmo  two 

[im  tho  <lati>  "f 
111  month  liitii, 
lity-two  bi.lar- 
liiler  coiniuaii  I 
IWinship's''^ 
I, UK)  Bcn-olt'i- 
iBm  away,  ""J 
Ire  accustouu  il 


(C 


ward,  purchased  a  tract  of  land  from  the  natives.  On 
liis  return  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk  he  was  ordered  to 

•  •  • 

])roceed  at  once  to  this  site  with  a  largo  party  of  Rus- 
sians and  Aleuts,  and  was  furnished  with  an  ample 
store  of  su[)plies  for  tlie  use  of  tho  projioscd  settle- 
ment. Of  the  colony  founded  by  Kuskof,  in  1812,  a 
fidl  description  is  given  elsewhere;"  it  remains  only 
to  make  brief  mention  of  it,  and  to  give  a  few  details 
as  to  the  industrial  ])rogress  of  an  enterprise  which 
tho  company  had  long  desired  to  establish. 

During  the  year  a  fort,  mounted  with  ten  guns, 
was  erected  on  a  bluff  about  a  hundred  feet  above  tho 
sea;  other  buildings  were  added,  and  on  September 
10th,  or,  according  to  the  Russian  calendar,  on 
^Vugust  30th,  the  new  colony  was  named  Ross — tho 
root  of  the  modern  word  Russia.^' 

Thus  at  length  a  foothold  was  gained  on  the  shore 
of  New  Albion,  but  the  result  disap])ointed  all  ex- 
pectation. The  hunting-grounds  on  the  neighboring 
coast  to  which  the  Russians  had  access  were  soon  ex- 
hausted; while  as  a  site  for  shiji-building  ard  agricul- 
ture, it  met  with  little  suc-eess."^  ]3etween  1812  and 
1823  only  about  1,100  lai'ge  sea-otter  skins  and  some 
'JaO  yearlings  were  secured,  and  of  tlnsi'  at  least  tw(> 
thirds  wore  obtained  during  the  lir.^t  four  years  of 
tliis  jH'Hod,  the  seals  rapidly  disap[)earing  iVom  the 
neighborhood.  In  1824,  the  treaty  between  Russia 
and  the  United  States  permitted  the  Russians  to  send 

" //iV.  Cal.,  ii.,  cap.  xis\-xxviii.,  and  iv.,  cip.  vi.,  this  scries.  On  p. 
nW.  '  ol.  ii.,  id  Ik  map  of  the  region. 

'  The  fort  wa.s  surronndeil  with  a  p.ilisndo,  onclosinn  a  space  of  al)ont  42 
liV  4',!  fatiioms.  Tho  otiier  hiiihlin^^s  inchuk-d  tho  oouiiimnchint's  hou.'ic,  har- 
lin'k.s,  Htoixdiotiscs,  magazines,  t>aiii«,  shops,  hattidioii.si',  tannery,  and  winil- 
mill.  All  were  not  completed  until  1S14.  KUUbnikol',  Z^ini^ki  'u\  Mattrial ui, 
l;!H. 

'"As  early  as  1818,  Hagcmeister  writes  in  his  report:  'As  to  agriculture 
ill  tho  colony  of  Koss,  I  nm  obliged  to  destroy  tho  hopes  that  have  Ixjeu  en- 
tirtained.  The  main  obst4iclo  con.sists  in  not  liaving  competent  workmen. 
Tliiiso  sent  from  Novo  Arklinn','t'l.sk  are,  with  a  few  exceptions,  tho  scum  of 
t!ii;  Hcuin.  Tho  Aleuts  aro  ah'<  unlitted  for  this  kind  of  work,  and  long  train- 
iai,' is  necessary  to  prepare  them  for  their  new  occupation.  Meanwhile  tlie 
Itiissian  Amerioan  I'ompany  loses  the  advantage  that  would  bo  gaiuuil  by 
luployiug  them  iu  seal  buutiug.'  Zavalwhin,  Koloiiiy  Ilotti,  '21-'J. 


484 


FOREIGN  VEXTUr.ES  AND  THE  ROSS  COLONY. 


.H?.; 


'Wy  I 


out  liuntiiiiij  parties  to  all  portions  of  the  Oregon  coast 
and  inland  waters  for  a  period  of  ten  years;  bat  this 
had  no  bearing  on  California.  During  this  time  about 
1,800  sea-otter,  2,700  fur-seals,  and  a  few  yearlings 
were  delivered  by  the  Aleutian  hunters  as  the  eoni- 
pany's  share.  Nevertheless,  even  for  the  greater  por- 
tion of  this  decade,  the  business  was  unprofitable." 

From  181G  to  1824  four  vessels,  with  an  a<T<4:re<j:ate 
capacity  of  720  tons,  were  built  at  a  cost  (»f  more  than 
150,000  roubles.*^  An  experienced  ship-carpenter 
from  Novo  Arkhangelsk  superintended  their  construc- 
tion, and  for  a  time  it  was  thought  that  the  oak,  i)iiu', 
and  cedar  found  in  the  neighborhood  were  well  adapted 
for  the  purpose.  The  result  proved  most  unsatisfac- 
tory, however.  The  wood  was  cut  when  in  the  sn|); 
soon  the  tind^ers  began  to  rot,and  within  six  years  after 
being  launched  not  one  of  the  ships  was  seaworthy. 

But  it  was  mainly  with  a  view  to  agricultural  j)ui- 
poses,  as  we  have  seen,  that  the  site  of  the  Ross  col- 
ony was  selected.  Although  it  was  no  doubt  the 
best  one  that  the  Russians  found  available,  the  loca- 
tion had  many  disadvantages.  The  spot  was  sur- 
rounded with  hills,  densely  wooded  at  a  distance  of 
one  mile  from  the  sea;  the  level  ground  contained 
numerous  gulches ;  the  most  fertile  portions  of  it  wet" 
difficult  of  access,  some  of  them  being  at  a(nstance  of 
three  versts  from  the  fort;  the  summer  fogs  causctl 
the  ripening  grain  to  rust,  while  squirrels  and  gopheis 
spread  havoc  among  the  growing  crops. 

Farming  was  carried  on  by  private  individuals,  n>! 
well  as  by  the  company's  agents,  but  by  neither  with 
system.  The  ploughs  in  use  were  of  all  patterns  — 
Russian,  Siberian,  Finnish,  and  Californian.  Tlic 
shares  of  many  of  them  were  merely  a  pointed  pieri' 

"  A  statement  of  each  year's  catch  ia  given  in  Tikhmemf,  htor.  Obos.,  i. 
357. 

'"The  Ruminnfzof,  of  IfiO  tons,  completed  in  1818  at  a  cost  of  20.'21'2  r.u- 
bles;  the  Jiiililakof,  of  '200  tons,  lauuclicil  in  1820;  the  expense  Ixin^' 
59,404  rouhles;  the  Voh/a,  of  100  tons,  linished  in  1822,  at  a  cost  of  3(),l  '.' 
rouhles;  anil  tin  Kink/ita,  of  about  200  tons,  launcheil  in  1834,  at  au  cxpoiise 
of  35,248  roubles.  Khkbmkof,  Zaplaki  in  MaWrialui,  14l)-50. 


rUSSIAXS  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


4s:. 


of  tliick  bar-iron,  and  where  tlio  soil  was  rocky  and 
no  |)lou2^h  (ould  be  used,  Indians  were  employed  to 
tliij^  up  the  ground  with  spades.  Each  one  farmed  as 
seemed  best  in  his  own  eves,  and  the  usual  result 
was,  of  course,  failure.  Between  1815  and  1821) 
;il)out  4,800  pouds  of  wheat  and  740  of  barley  were 
sown,  and  over  25,000  pouds  of  wheat  and  ;},G00  of 
Itarley  harvested.  Thus  the  averau'c  yield  for  both 
these  cereals  was  little  more  than  live-fold;  while  in 
1823,  the  UiosL  prosperous  of  the  intervening  years,  it 
(lid  not  exceed  ten  or  eleven  fold,  and  in  bad  seasons 
ill!  as  low  as  two  or  three  fold.  Not  until  182G  were 
any  considerable  shipments  of  grain  made  to  Novo 
Arkhangelsk,  and  from  that  date  to  1833  only  0,000 
j>ouds  were  forwarded.*'' 

During  his  visit  to  the  colony  in  the  latter  year, 
liaron  Wrangell  selected  a  new  site  for  aij^ricultural 
purposes,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Slavianka  (Russian) 
liiver,  midway  between  the  Ross  settlement  and 
IJodega  Bay.  About  400  pouds  of  wheat  were  sown, 
together  Avith  a  small  quantity  of  barley:  and  besides 
what  was  required  for  home  consumption  and  for 
seed,  there  remained  as  the  result  of  the  harvest 
about  4,500  pouds  of  wheat  and  450  of  barley  for 
shipment  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk.  The  next  year's 
CIO})  was  almost  as  satisfactor\',  but  that  of  1835  was 
a  |)artial,  and  of  183G  a  total  tailure.  From  the  latter 
date  until  18-^0  the  surplus  of  wheat  at  both  settle- 
ments amounted  to  about  10,000  pouds,  in  addition  to 
a  few  hundred  pouds  of  other  cereals. 

Other  branches  of  husbandry  were  introduced,  but 
with  little  better  result,  for  there  were  none  who 
thoroughly  understood  the  business.  The  first  peach- 
tree  was  brought  from  San  Francisco  in  1814,  on 
hoard  the  Chirikof,  and  six  years  later  yielded  fruit. 


11 


il 


'•In  1833  wheat  yicKled  only  8  to  1.  Vnlhjo,  Informe  Reservado,  MS. 
In  a  fow  choice  localities  the  yielil  was  aometinics  aa  high  iis  lo  to  1  of  wheat, 
mill  of  barley  19  to  I.  In  7/iV.  Cal.,  ii.  (>3(1,  this  scries,  is  a  list  of  the  pro- 
viiiiuua  obtained  by  the  company  in  California  between  1617  and  lii'2o. 


486 


FOREIGN  VENTURES  AND  THE  ROSS  COLONY. 


II: 


In  1817  the  grape-vine  was  introduced  from  Lima, 
and  in  1820  apple,  pear,  and  cherry  trees  were 
j)lanted.  Tlie  vines  began  to  bear  in  1823,  and  the 
fruit  trees  not  till  five  years  later,  and  then  in  small 
quantit}'.  Melons  and  pumpkins  were  planted  by 
Kuskof,  who  also  raised  large  quantities  of  beets, 
cabbages,  potatoes,  lettuce,  pease,  beans,  radishes,  and 
turnips.  The  two  last  were  large  in  size  but  poor  in 
flavor.  Vegetables,  however,  gave  the  most  abundant 
crop,  and  after  supplying  the  wants  of  the  colony  and 
of  vessels  that  touched  at  the  Ross  settlement,  a  sur- 
plus was  available  for  shipment  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk.*' 
The  industr}'  of  stock-raising  was  somewhat  moie 
successful,  though  restricted  by  want  of  pasture,  all 
the  best  land  being  under  cultivation.  The  cattle 
were  left  to  roam  among  the  mountain  ranges,  and 
many  were  slaughtered  by  Indians  or  fell  a  prey  to 
wild  beasts.''*  Nevertheless,  between  1817  and  1829 
the  number  of  horned  cattle  that  could  be  mustered 
at  the  settlement  increased  from  61  to  521,  of  horses 
from  10  to  253,  and  of  sheep  from  161  to  614.  Dur- 
ing the  interval  a  considerable  quantity  of  live-stock 
was  purchased  from  the  natives,  and  a  few  at  the  San 
Francisco  mission,  but  more  were  slaughtered  for 
home  consumption,  for  the  use  of  the  company's  ves- 
sels, or  for  shipment  to  Alaska.  During  1826  and 
the  three  succeeding  years,  more  than  450  pouds  of 
salt  beef  were  forwarded  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk.  Tal- 
low was  produced  at  the  rate  of  10  to  15  pouds  a 
3'ear.  Of  butter  over  400  pouds  were  made  between 
1825  and  1829,  two  thirds  of  it  being  shipped  to  Novo 
Arkhangelsk.  Hides  were  made  into  sole  and  upper 
leather,  the  tanner  being  an  Aleut  from  Kadiak,  who 

■"•Tikhmenef,  Istor.  Obos.,  i.  210,  states  that  potatoes  grew  twice  a  year, 
and  yielded  eleven-fold,  as  ni.iny  us  250  beinjf  found  to  the  hill  in  some 
instances.     This  is  not  confirmed  by  Khlebnikof. 

'■"  During  Kuskof's  residence  at  Ross  colony,  an  ox  returned  to  the  settle- 
ment covered  with  blood,  and  with  pieces  of  flesh  torn  out  of  its  sides.  Tim 
horns  were  also  ))lood-stained.  Oxen  grew  to  an  enormous  size,  one  that  was 
pl:iccd  on  board  the  Kutusof  in  1817  giving 920  lbs.  of  clear  meat.  KhUhniLoj, 
Zapkki  in  Malerialui,  153. 


GENERAL  RESULTS. 


487 


liacl  learned  his  business  from  the  Russians.  An 
attempt  was  also  made  to  manufacture  blankets,  but 
the  wool  was  of  poor  quality,  and  there  was  no  one  who 
understood  how  to  construct  a  loom. 

Between  1825  and  1830  the  expense  of  maintain- 
ing the  Ross  settlement  was  about  45,000  roubles  a 
year,  while  the  average  receipts  were  less  than  13,000 
roubles.^^  In  later  years,  though  the  shipments  of 
j)roduce  w^ere  on  a  larger  scale,  the  hunting-grounds 
became  almost  worthless.  Meanwhile  the  outlay  was 
largely  increased,  and  during  the  last  four  years  of  its 
existence  the  colony  was  maintained  at  a  total  cost  of 
about  288,000  roubles,  while  the  returns  were  less 
than  105,000  roubles,  leaving  a  net  loss  of  more  than 
45,000  roubles  a  year. 

Trade  was  carried  on  to  a  small  extent  with  the 
Spaniards  at  San  Francisco  even  before  the  treaty  of 
1824,  though  before  that  dote  the  Russians  were  not 
allowed  to  enter  the  harbor  for  hunting  purposes.  At 
the  Farallones,  however,  a  station  was  established, 
which  for  a  time  was  fairly  profitable.^     From  1812 

^^  Consisting  of  8,745  roubles' worth  of  produce  and  4,138  of  furs.  Tikh- 
vieiip/,  Istor.  Obos.,  i.  Hod. 

^  The  men  sent  to  this  station  were  relieved  at  intervals,  as  want  of  proper 
food,  shelter,  fuel,  and  wholesome  water  eaused  sickness  and  deatli  among 
them.  Zakhar  Chichinof,  who  was  one  of  a  party  sent  to  the  Farallones  in 
1811),  thus  relates  his  experience:  'A  schooner  took  us  down  to  tlio  islands, 
Imt  we  had  to  cruise  around  for  over  a  week  before  wc  could  niakc  a  landing. 
Wc  had  a  few  planks  with  us  and  some  canvas,  and  with  that  scanty  niateiial 
and  sonio  sea-lion  skins  wo  built  huts  for  shelter.  Wc  had  a  little  drift-wood, 
and  uaed  to  burn  the  fat  of  sea-lions  and  seals  for  cooking  imriKJsea.  When 
vo  landed  wo  had  about  I'JO  lbs.  of  Hour  and  10  or  12  ll>s.  of  tea,  and,  aa  wo 
vere  nine  persons,  the  provisions  did  not  last  long,  and  we  were  soon  reduced 
to  sea-lion,  seal,  and  fish.  The  water  was  very  bad  al.so,  being  tiiken  from 
liiillow  places  in  the  rocks,  where  it  stood  all  the  year  round.  We  had  no 
tire-arms;  the  sea-lions  were  killed  with  ehibs  and  spear.'t.  Tiie  sea-lion 
meat  was  salted  down  in  barrels  and  boxes,  wliich  we  had  lirought  with  us, 
and  in  holes  in  the  rocks.  Once  only,  about  six  niontlis  after  we  landed  on 
the  islands,  one  of  the  company's  brigs  enme  and  took  away  the  salted  meat 
and  a  lot  of  fur-seal  skins,  and  then  went  on  her  way,  leaving  us  about  UK) 
Ills,  of  flour,  a  few  pounds  of  tea,  and  some  salt.  About  a  month  afterward 
tiic  scurvy  broke  out  among  us,  and  in  a  short  time  all  were  sick  except  my- 
self. My  father  and  two  others  were  all  thai  kept  at  work,  and  they  were 
growing  weaker  every  day.  Two  of  the  Aleuts  died  a  month  after  the  disease 
broke  out.  All  the  next  winter  we  passed  there  in  great  misery,  and  when 
pjiring  came  the  nien  were  too  weak  to  kill  sea-lions,  and  all  we  could  do  was 
t;)erawl  around  the  cliffsand  gathersomosea-birds'eggs,  and  suck  them  raw.' 
Adventures,  MS.,  G-8. 


!■' 


|l 


'  S: 


' !  I ' 


I 


4S3 


FOREIGN  VENTURES  AND  THE  ROSS  COLONY. 


to  1818,  about  8,400  fur-seal  skins  were  obtained  there, 
and  it  is  stated  that,  before  their  occupation  by  the 
Russians,  as  many  as  10,000  were  taken  on  these 
islands  in  a  single  autumn.  Later  the  supply  was 
gradually  exhausted,  but  the  ground  was  not  finally 
abandoned  until  1840,  the  few  Aleuts  left  there  in 
charge  of  a  single  Hussian  being  employed  in  shoot- 
ing and  drying  sea-gulls  for  use  at  the  Ross  colony 
and  in  gathering  sea-birds'  eggs.^ 

One  of  the  greatest  obstacles  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  Ross  settlement  was  that  the  colonists  held  no 
secure  title  to  their  possessions.  The  land  had  been 
purchased  from  the  Indians  for  a  triHe;  but  tlio 
Spaniards  had  never  recognized  their  ownership,  and 
at  this  time  laid  claim  to  the  entire  coast  as  far  as 
the  strait  of  San  Juan  de  Fuca.  Of  the  disputes  that 
arose  on  this  point,  an  account  is  given  in  another 
volume.'^"  As  early  as  1820  the  company  offered  to 
surrender  the  colony  if  restrictions  on  trade  were  re- 
moved, for  they  had  already  begun  to  despair  of  its 
success.  In  1838,  after  the  failure  of  Wrangell's  mis- 
sion to  Mexico,  of  which  mention  is  made  in  connec- 
tion with  my  Ilistorij  of  California,  it  became  evident 
that  the  days  of  the  colony  were  numbered.  Already 
American  immigrants  had  taken  up  land  within  ten 
leagues  of  the  settlement,  and  others  proposed  to 
establish  themselves  still  nearer  to  Ross.  In  vain  an 
appeal  was  made  to  the  vice-chancellor  at  St  Peters- 
burg. His  decision  was  that  no  claim  could  be  ad- 
vanced, "other  than  right  to  possession  of  the  land 
already  occupied  and  of  the  buildings  erected  thereon." 

T!iis  was  a  death-blow  to  the  company's  hopes. 
After  two  unsuccessful  attempts  to  sell  the  establish- 
ment, first  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  then 
to  General  Vallejo,^^  the  entire  property  at  Ross  and 

**The  average  number  of  birds  obtained  was  5,000  to  10,000  a  year,  but 
in  1828,  50,000  were  killed.    Kfikbniko/,  Zapiski  iu  Materialui,  157. 
^Jlist.  Cat.,  ii.  .103  et  seq.,  this  series. 
•^ See Douijlas,  Journal,  MS.,  10,  and  VaUfjo,Doc.,  MS.,  x.  60-2. 


FAILURE  IN  NEW  ALBION. 


4S0 


Bodega,  apart  from  the  real  estate,  including  all  im- 
provements, agricultural  implements,  1,700  head  of 
cattle,  940  horses,  and  900  sheep,  was  sold  to  John  A. 
Sutter  in  September  1841,  for  $30,000,  the  amount 
being  payable  in  yearly  instalments,"  and  two  thirds 
of  it  in  produce,  to  be  delivered  at  San  Francisco, 
freight  and  duty  free."^ 

Thus  ended,  in  loss  and  failure,  the  company's 
schemes  of  colonization  on  the  coast  of  New  Albion. 
The  experiment  had  been  for  thirty  years  a  constant 
source  of  expense  and  vexation;  but  if  the  Russians 
could  have  maintained  their  foothold,  results  might 
have  followed,  more  brilliant  than  even  Rezanof  con- 
templated. Within  a  few  years  after  their  departure, 
gold-bearing  sands  were  discovered  beyond  the  ranges 
of  hills  which  separated  from  an  interior  valley  the 
abandoned  site  of  Ross. 


"  Extending  over  four  years,  the  first  two  of  §5,000  an<l  the  otliers  of 
?  10,000  each.  Bonn,  Conlrnt  de  Vente,  MS.,  1841,  of  which  tliere  is  a  copy  in 
Spanisli  in  Dept.  St.  Pap.,  MS.,  vi.  108-9. 

'■''Tikhmenef,  htor.Obos.,  i.  3G6,  states  that  payment  was  guaranteed  by  the 
Mexican  government,  biit  such  was  not  tlie  fact.  The  Bodeya  |)roperty,  two 
rauchos  belonging  to  Tscheniich  and  Khlebnikof,  and  an  establishment  at 
New  Helvetia,  were  left  in  the  hands  of  the  company's  agents  as  security. 
7iVi,  Conlral  de  Veiiti',  MS.  The  last  payment  was  not  made  until  about 
1S.')().  For  further  pai'ticulars  ou  this  matter,  see  JJiat.  Cat.,  iv.  cap.  vi.,  thia 
Bcrics. 


u 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

FURTHER  ATTEMPTS  AT  FOREIGN  COLONIZATION. 

1808-1818. 

Haoemeister  in  the  Sandwich  Islands— Baranof  Aoain  Desires  to  be 
Relieved — Eliot  Sails  for  California   in  the  '  Ilmen  ' — His  Cai-- 

TIVITY — KoTZEBUE  IN  THE  '  RURIK  '  IN  SEARCH  OF  A  NoRTH-EAST 
PaSSAOE— His    ExPLORA'nONS    IN   KoTZFBUE  SOCND — He   PROCEEDS  TO 

Unalaska— And  thence  to  Californla  and  the  Sandwich  Isl- 
ands—Kino Kamehameiia — A  Storm  in  the  North  Pacific — The 
•  Ri'RiK '  IlETrRNs  TO  Unalaska — Her  Homewaud  Vovaoe — Ben- 
nett's Trip  to  the  Sandwich  Islands— Captain  Lozaref  at  Novo 
Arkhangelsk — His  Disputes  with  the  Chief  Manager — Sheffeh 
Sails  for  Hawaii — And  thence  for  Kauai — His  Agreement  with 
Kino  Tomari— Jealousy  of  American  and  English  Traders- 
Flight  of  the  Russians. 

As  only  casual  mention  of  the  Ross  settlement  will 
be  required  in  the  remainder  of  this  volume,  I  have 
thought  it  best  to  complete  the  brief  record  of  its 
operations  before  proceeding  further.  I  shall  now 
refer  to  other  and  earlier  attempts  at  foreign  coloniza- 
tion ;  for,  as  we  have  seen,  the  company's  plans  wen; 
far-reaching,  and  extended  not  only  to  both  shores  of 
the  Pacific,  but  to  the  islands  that  lay  between. 

In  1808  Captain  Hagemeister  sailed  for  tlit; 
Sandwich  I-slands  in  charge  of  the  Neva,  with  in- 
structions to  establish  a  cohjny  there,  and  to  survey 
the  field  with  a  view  to  future  occupation  by  the  Rus- 
sians.^    Arriving  at  a  harbor  on  the  southern  side  of 

'Campbell,  Voy.  round  World,  118,  states  that  the  Neva  had  a  crew  of 
seventy-live  iiieu  helonging  to  the  Russian  navy.  Ho  was  one  of  those  wlin 
Biirviveil  the  wri-ck  of  the  Eclipse,  in  1807.  Tliougli  nft  illiterate  seaman,  his 
Btorj'  is  interesting,  and  in  the  main  worthy  of  credit.     Ho  writes  appar- 

(*90> 


HAGEMEISTER'S  VOYAGE. 


491 


Oaliu,  tlio  ship  was  boarded  by  a  large  canoe,  in  wliich 
was  seated,  dressed  in  European  costume,  Kinj^  Ka- 
iiielianieha,  then  the  potentate  of  the  Hawaiian  f]froup. 
"  IninietHately  on  his  coming  on  board,"  says  Camp- 
bell, a  Scotch  sailor  who  acted  as  Hagcmeister's  in- 
terpreter, "  the  king  entered  into  earnest  conversation 
with  the  captain.  Among  other  questions,  he  asked 
whether  the  ship  was  English  or  American.  ]3eing 
informed  that  she  was  Russian,  he  answered,  'Meitei, 
nicitei,'  or  'Very  good.'  A  handsome  scarlet  cloak, 
edged  and  ornamented  with  ermine,  was  presented  to 
him  from  the  governorof  the  Aleutian  Islands.  After 
trying  it  on,  he  gave  it  to  his  attendants  to  be  taken 
ashore.  I  never  saw  him  use  it  afterwards.  In  other 
canoes  came  Tamena,  one  of  his  queens,  Crymak<w, 
his  brother-in-law,  and  other  chiefs  of  inferior  rank."^ 
Through  fear  of  British  intervention,  or  for  other 
reasons  not  specified  by  the  chroniclers  of  the  time,  no 
attempt  was  made  to  found  a  settlement,^  though,  if  we 

cntly  without  bias,  and  speaks  very  favorably  of  his  reception  in  Alaska  niul 
iu  the  Hawaiian  Iiilanils.  Uia  work  was  uoticed  in  the  Edinburgh  llcvicw, 
vol.  ix. 

^/(/.,  127.  In  Campbell's  work,  Washington  Irrimfs  Axtoria,  Vmiroiiirr'n 
I'o//.,  and  Kolzebne,  \'of/.  of  Dixcoii.  (London,  1821),  the  king  is  called  Ta- 
Inaahinaah;  in  Meares'  Vol/.,  Touiyhoinyhaw;  in  Portlock^n  Voi/.,  C'oniaiuna.a;  in 
J.(tii(jxilorjF's  Vo;/.,  Tomooma;  in  Litiminh/,  Voy.  round  World,  llaineainea. 
IIdw  tho  monarch  received  so  many  aliases  d<jes  not  appear,  for  in  Samwell's 
account  of  Captain  Cook's  death  (Saniwcll  was  the  surgeon  of  tho  iJincovcri/), 
lli^  name  is  spelled  Tameamea.  In  the  Hawaiian  dialect  consi>nants  arc  often 
sulistituted  for  each  other,  a  guttural  even  taking  tho  place  of  a  Uni^ual  when 
rendered  into  English  characters,  a^.  in  this  instance.  Kamehanieha  I.,  sur- 
iianied  tho  conqueror,  was  already  known  by  famo  throughout  ICurope.  In 
tho  Nuuanu  Vallej',  it  will  be  remembered,  ho  routed  the  army  of  the  king  of 
Oaliu,  and  drove  hundreds  of  t''e  enemy  over  a  neighboring  pali,  at  tho  foot 
of  which  their  bones  lie  bleaching  to  this  day.  Tiic  spot  is  but  a  few  miles 
from  Honolulu. 

'  Baranof  certaiidy  instnicted  H.igcmei.ster  to  found  a  settlement,  and  a 
copy  of  his  instructions  has  been  preserved  in  the  Sitbi  Archirr^,  but  no 
lueution  of  this  is  made  in  tho  captain's  report.  It  is  probable  that  lie  was 
prevented  by  fear  of  British  opposition,  for  on  August  Gth  of  tiie  following 
year,  Kamehanieha  wrote  to  (Jeoi'go  III.  proposing  to  acknowledge  him  as 
his  sovereign,  and  asking  that  tho  Islands  Ihj  placed  under  British  protection. 
The  rccjuest  was  granted.  Tikhmencf,  htor.  Obos.,  i.  ItJG,  says  that  as  soon  aa 
a  rumor  spread  throughout  the  Islands  that  a  vessel  had  l)een  sent  from  Xovo 
Arkhangelsk  for  tho  purpose  of  four,  ling  a  settlement,  an  English  frigate 
called  there  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  the  matter.  This  statement  is  not 
indorsed,  ho-.vever,  by  Campliell,  who  remained  in  tiie  I.-lands  for  more  tliau 
a  year  after  th^;  departure  of  the  Neva.  Tikhmenef  would  have  uh  believe 
thut  Uajjcmeistcr  was  ordered  to  make  a  tour  of  the  liussiau  colouicj,  uud 


I'i 


IjilKJ 


m 


i'  I 


492       FURTHKR  ATTEMPTS  AT  FOREIGN  COLOXIZATIOX. 

can  believe  Kainoluuneha,  Hajifeineister  tried  to  brincr 
the  natives  of  Oalm  uiitler  subjection  l)y  threatenin*^ 
that  HliijKs  of  war  sliould  be  sent  ajj^ainst  them,*  After 
eallini^  at  other  islands  in  the  Hawaiian  group,  ami 
bartering  seal  skins  and  walrus  tusks  for  salt,  sandal- 
wood, and  pearls,  the  captain  sailed  for  Kamchatka, 
and  thence  for  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  setting  forth  on 
his  homeward  voyage  the  following  year."  In  his 
report  to  Baranof,  whom,  as  we  shall  see  later,  ho 
succeeded  in  office,  he  states  that  taro,  maize,  and 
sugar  could  bo  purchased  at  moderate  prices  in  Oahu 
and  the  neighboring  islands,  but  that  European  goods 
were  held  at  extravagant  rates. 

The  control  of  the  company's  affairs  had  long  been 
felt  as  too  severe  a  strain  by  the  chief  manager,  who 
was  now  more  than  sixty  years  of  age.  He  had  sev- 
eral times  requested  that  a  successor  be  appointed,  and 
twice  his  request  had  been  granted,  but  on  both  occa- 
sions the  official  who  was  sent  to  reheve  him  died  on 
the  wav^.  In  October  1811  the  brig  Maria  returned 
to  Kadiak,  having  sailed  frcm  Okhotsk  during  the  pre- 
vious year.  In  this  vessel  Collegiate  Assessor  Koch, 
who  had  been  appointed  Baranof's  assistant  with  a 
view  to  succeeding  him,  had  taken  passage,  but  during 
the  voyage  he  fell  sick,  and  breathed  his  last  at  Pctro- 
pavlovsk.  Tl.e  news  of  his  death  was  doubly  sad  to 
Baranof,  wholjad  been  on  terms  of  intimacy  with  the 
deceased  for  many  years."     By  the  Maria  the  chiel 

tlicn  to  ascertain  the  exact  location  of  c<!rtain  islands  lying  between  the 
Japanese  and  Hawaiian  gnmps,  discovered  in  the  seventeenth  century,  his 
visit  to  Oahu  being  merely  with  a  view  to  trade. 

*  See  the  king's  address  to  Kotzebue,  as  related  in  his  Voi/.  of  Disroc,  i. 
303. 

'  After  wintering  at  Kadiak,  he  was  sent  to  Petropavlovsk,  with  a  cargo 
of  furs  valued  at  over  7.")0,(KJ0  roubles. 

'  Ivan  (lavrilovich  Koch,  a  native  of  Hamburg,  entered  tlie  Russian  mili- 
tary service  as  a  surgeon  in  170!).  He  did  duty  tUiring  the  siego  and  capture 
of  Bender  in  1770,  and  tliroughout  the  Turkish  war  of  that  periotl  until  the 
conclusion  of  peace,  m  1783  ho  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  stsifT  surgeon 
and  attached  to  the  Irkutsk  district.  In  1784  he  was  transfen-ed  to  the 
civil  service,  with  the  rank  of  collegiate  assessor,  and  sent  to  Ukhotitk  as  com- 
mandant of  the  garrison,  which  position  ho  tilled  with  credit  until  17J*-'.  For 
distinguisiied  services,  he  was  decorated  with  the  order  of  St  Vladimir.  Dur- 
ing the  following  years  ho  made  several  official  visits  to  Irkutsk,  and  waa 


DKATII  OF  BORNOVOLOKOF. 


403 


manager  received  authority  from  the  board  of  directors 
to  establish  a  permanent  settlement  on  the  coast  of 
Xew  Albion  wherever  he  might  think  best.  JSIeau- 
Avhile  he  did  not  neglect  to  forward  another  petition 
to  St  Petersburg,  askitig  that  his  resignation  be  ac- 
cepted; but  once  more  he  was  disappointed.  Early 
in  the  month  of  January  1813,  the  inhabitants  of 
Novo  Arkhangelsk  were  surpristul  by  the  arrival  of  a 
snuill  boat  containing  a  few  Russian  sailors,  half  dead 
fi'om  cold  and  hunger.  They  brought  the  unwelcome 
news  that  the  Xcva,  which  had  sailed  from  Okhotsk 
under  coimnand  of  Lieutenant  Podushkin,  had  been 
wrecked  in  the  vir-inity  of  Mount  Edgecumbe.  One 
of  thc«e  who  perished  on  board  this  craft  was  Colle- 
giate Counsellor  Bornovolokof,  who  had  beenappointod 
.Barunof's  successor.' 


lurmg 


^i)<rof.,  1. 

a  cargo 

ian  luili- 
eapture 
intil  the 
surgeon 
il  to  the 
.  us  com - 
;t.-.  For 
r.  l>iir- 
and  woa 


In  December  of  this  year  the  II men  was  despatched 
to  Ross  with  a  cargo  of  goods  and  provisions.  On 
board  the  vessel  was  a  hunting  party  under  theleader- 
shi[>  of  Tarakanof,  and  a  man  named  Eliot,  or  Eliot  do 
Castro,  who  had  volunteered  to  conduct  the  trade 
with  the  missionaries  on  the  Californian  coast,  claim- 
ing long  acquaintance  with  the  fathers.* 

The  ship  left  Sitka  in  December  1813.  On  her  ar- 
rival at  Bodega,  the  Aleutian  hunters  were  divided 

appointeil  assistant  on  the  general  staff  and  comniisaary-gcncnil.  He  retired 
with  full  pay  in  1802.    K/ilihnibif,  Shhn.  Jinraunni,  14r>-(i. 

'  The  wreck  occurred  on  the  9th  of  January.  IJorncjvolokof,  the  pilot 
Kalinin,  the  wife  and  son  of  the  mate  Xero<lof,  the  boatswain,  '21  proniy- 
Bhleniki,  and  4  women  were  drowned.  Tiie  survivors  wore  Lieutenant  To- 
dushkin,  the  mate  Ncrodof,  cadet  Terpigoref,  a  (|uarterina8ter,  and  '21  promy- 
fihleniki.  Tiireo  of  the  latter  died  soon  afterward.  During  the  voyage  from 
Okhotsk  15  men  had  died  from  sickness.  /•/. ,  143-.">0.  See  also  licrij,  S/iJp- 
vrcrk  iij'the  Ncx'u,  and  itoloniiii  Korahkkruxh.  iv.  The  survivors  reporteil  that 
the  hrig  Alexaintr,  which  had  sailed  from  Novo  Arkhangelsk  in  .hine  of  the 
preceding  year,  with  over  8,000  sea-otter  skins,  under  conmiaml  of  master 
I'etrof,  had  also  been  wrecked  on  tlie  Kurile  Islands. 

*Kliot  is  mentioned  hy  Kotzehue  in  the  first  volume  of  ins  voyage  as  Eliot 
de  Castro,  a  native  of  I'ortugal,  and  is  so  called  hy  several  other  writer.i.  In 
the  argument  between  him  and  Baranof,  which  lias  been  pre-scrvcil  in  the 
tii/k't  ./l  rrAit'M,  the  document  is  signed  'John  Eliot,'  and  he  is  spoken  of  in  tiio 
indorsement  as  an  American,  vi.  11.3.  In  Giterra,  Doc.  Hist,  (.'al.,  ii.  T-l-S.'t, 
I  iind  a  number  of  statements  relating  to  Eliot,  but  in  no  iustaiuo  does  tho 
name  of  Castro  occur.     It  ia  always  KUot  or  Don  Juan  Eliot. 


'^!; 


494       FURTHER  ATTEMPTS  AT  FOREIGN  COLOXIZATION. 

into  (lotaclunoiits  and  scattered  over  the  sea-otter 
groun<ls.  Seal  were  not  plentiful,  and  thouGjh  for  a 
time  the  Aleuts  escaped  the  vigilance  of  the  Spanish 
soldiery,  the  largest  detachment,  together  with  Eliot 
and  Tarakanof,  were  surprised  by  a  troop  of  horse 
in  the  vicinity  of  San  Luis  Obispo  and  taken  to  the 
presidio  of  Santa  Barbara." 

Eliot  and  his  companions  remained  captives  until 
1815,  when  all  who  had  not  taken  unto  themselves 
Indian  wives  were  delivered  to  Lieutenant  Kotzebue, 
who  visited  the  California  coast  during  his  voyage  of 
exploration  in  the  brig  RurlL^'^ 

The  Riu'ik,  a  vessel  of  one  hundred  and  eight  /  tons, 
was  built  and  equipped  by  Count  Komanof,  for  t' ic  pur- 
pose of  exploring  tlie  supposed  north-west  passage  by 
way  of  Davis  Strait  or  Pludson  Bay;  but  as  an  expedi- 
tion was  being  fitted  out  in  England  for  the  same  pui- 
j)ose,  it  was  determined  to  attempt  the  passage  from 
the  eastward.  Otto  von  Kotzebue,  who  a  few  years 
before  had  sailed  with  Krusenstern  on  board  the 
iVv'rr/,  as  will  be  remembered,  was  placed  in  conunand. 
Sailing  from  Kronstadt  on  the  30th  of  July,  1815." 
the  brig  arrived  at  Petropavlovsk  after  an  uneventful 
voyage  lasting  nearly  a  ^ear,  and  thence  was  headed 
for  leering  Strait.  Proceeding  in  a  Jiorth-easterly  di- 
rection, the  connnander,  after  tour'hing  at  St  Law- 
rence Island,  entered  a  large  inlet,  tlirough  thecentt-i" 
of  which  passed  the  arctic  circle,  and  whose  waters 
extended  to  the  eastward  as  far  as  the  eye  ould 
reach,  the  current  running  strong  into  the  entrance. 


•In  Tarakanof's  official  roport  of  tlio  matter,  Cape  Concepciou  is  incntione4 
as  tlic  si'cuc  of  tliis  incident. 

'"  III  the  course  of  liia  transautions  tvitli  the  mixHionarie.s,  Eliot  (lail  moIiI 
go  )ils  to  till'  amount  of  more  than  ten  tliouHunil  piastres,  for  wliicli  lie  reci'ivril 
r)i>ynu'nt  in  cash,  grain,  and  otter  skins,  and  tninsmitted  the  proceeds  to 
Kuskof  nt  UosH. 

"The  naval  otTlce'-j  who  nccompanie'l  Kot/elmo  were  lientenants  Zok- 
h.arin  nnd  Schisclirr.iref,  tii'i  seientista  ('iininisso  und  Wonnskloid,  l»rEsch- 
Bcholt/,  and  the  .irtist  (/horis.  KoIzcIiid'h  I'd//,  o/  DIhcoi'.,  i.  introd.  JK)-I. 
A'.nong  t'"?  ....^Hirdinate  oflicers  were  the  mates  I'etrof  nnd  Khnunciicmkii,  wiio 
Biih"'  (iiently  ligured  ^)ronlinently  in  the  iinnals  of  Alaskan  explorations. 
Tue  vessel  currieil  tlic  imperial  Hug  and  was  mounted  with  eight  guna. 


KOTZEBUE'S  VOYAGE. 


405 


From  a  small  neighboring  hill  on  the  southern  shore 
no  land  could  bo  soon  on  the  horizon,  while  high 
mountains  lay  to  the  north.  Here,  thought  the  Rus- 
sians, is  the  channel  that  connects  the  two  oceans,  the 
quest  of  which  has  for  throe  centuries  baffled  the 
greatest  navigators  in  Europe.  On  the  following  day, 
the  2d  of  August,  the  vessel  continued  her  course, 
and  from  the  mast-head  nothing  but  open  sea  ap- 
])eured  to  the  eastward.  Toward  sundown  land  was 
ill  sight  in  ?evoral  directions,  but  at  noon  on  the  3d 
the  opening  vas  still  live  miles  in  width.'^     On  the 


miand. 
Slf)," 
ontful 
oadid 
•ly  <U- 
liaw- 
'cnttT 

waters 
r<Hild 

ranee. 


<ii 


^^. 


4iif' ' ' 


KOTZEUIE   ."XJlNU. 

4t]i  the  search  was  continued  in  boats,  for  now  the 
water  was  shoiding  rapidly,  and  after  procoeding  four- 
tion  miles  farther,  oidy  a  small  opm  sjjace  was  visi- 
blo  to  the  eastward.'^  A  liw  <iays  later  the;  party 
sot  fortii  on  their  return  to  the  Jturik,  but  were 
driven  back  to  shore  by  a  vittlent  storm. 

"  It  seemed,' says  Kotzebuo,  "  as  if  fortune  had  sent 
this  storm  to  enable  us  to  make  a  very  reuiarkablo 

"  On  this  <lr,y  an  i^^hind  was  diacovereil,  to  wliich  was  given  the  namo  of 
Cbamisso.   /</.,  i.  "J  1.1. 

"  l*ivbably  the  head  of  Esciisclioltz  or  perhaps  Schischmaref  Ikiy. 


I 

1 


1 1  > 


4r6     furtheh  attempts  at  foreign  colonization. 

discovery,  which  we  owe  to  Dr  Eschscholtz.  We  liad 
(•limbed  much  about  during  our  stay,  without  discover- 
ing that  wo  were  on  real  icebergs.  The  doctor,  who  hail 
extended  his  excursions,  found  part  of  the  bank  broken 
down,  and  saw,  to  his  astonishment,  that  the  interior 
of  the  mountain  consisted  purely  of  ice.  At  this 
news,  we  all  went,  provided  with  shovels  and  crows, 
to  examine  this  phenomenon  more  closely,  and  soon 
arrived  at  a  place  where  the  back  rises  almost  perpen- 
dicularly out  of  the  sea  to  a  height  of  a  hundred  feet; 
and  then  runs  off,  rising  still  higher.  We  saw  masses 
of  the  purest  ice,  of  the  height  of  a  hundred  feet,  whicli 
are  uider  a  cover  of  moss  and  grass,  and  could  not 
have  been  produced  but  by  some  terrible  revolution.'* 
The  place,  which  by  some  accident  had  fallen  in  un<l 
is  now  exposed  to  the  sun  and  air,  melts  away,  and  a 
good  deal  of  water  flows  into  the  sea.  An  indisput- 
able proof  that  what  we  saw  was  real  ice  is  the  <]uan- 
tity  of  mammoths'  teeth  and  bones  which  were  ex[)ose(l 
to  view  by  the  melting,  and  among  which  I  myself 
foun<l  a  very  fine  tooth.  We  could  not  assign  any 
reason  for  a  strong  smell,  like  that  of  burnt  horn, 
which  we  perceived  in  this  place." 

On  the  11th  of  August  the  Rnrik  left  the  inlet 
whicli  now  bears  the  name  of  Kotzebue  Sound,''*  and 
sailed  for  St  Lawrence   Island  and  thence  for  Una- 


'* '  This  ri'8ult  of  n  terrible  revolution,'  remarks  tiic  London  Qunticrhj  He 
vii'ir,  •  is  I'.Diisiilurod  l>y  Cliainisso,  tliu  iiaturnlidt,  to  be  similar  to  the  i;roiuiil 
ice,  covitcmI  with  vej{eti,tioii,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Lena,  out  of  which  tln> 
mninmntli,  tiio  .sUelcton  of  which  is  now  iu  St  Potersbury,  was  thawed.  Hi- 
niiikfs  the  lieij^ht  of  it  to  be  80  feet  nt  most;  ami  the  length  of  the  prolilc, 
in  which  tiie  ice  is  cxposeil  to  sight,  alnrnt.  a  niusket-Hliot.  Wo  have  little 
tli)ui)t  tiiat  both  Kotzebuo  nnil  Chamisso  arc  mistaken  with  regard  to  the 
fonnatiou  of  this  ico  mountain.  The  terril)lo  revohiti(m  of  nature  is  sliocr 
nonsi'.ise;  and  the  ground  ico  of  tho  Lena  is  cast  up  from  the  sea,  and  after- 
ward Imricd  by  tho  alluvial  soil  brought  down  by  tlic  llooils  in  the  sumo  man- 
ner «■(  tho  iiui^o  blocks  whieh  ( 'aptain  Parry  found  on  tho  beach  f  .Melville 
bilaiid;  thi.s  oiwration,  however,  could  not  bike  place  on  tlio  facoot  tiie  prom- 
ontory iu  tho  trancjuii  sound  of  Kotzebuo.  What  they  discovered  (without 
suspeetiu;,'  it)  was,  in  fact,  a  real  iccljerg,  which  had  lieen  formeil  in  tho  man- 
ner iu  which  a'l  icebergs  arc.'   xxri.  3.V2  (18'22). 

'^  Thi"  name  was  iu)t  given  until  after  Kotzebue's  return  to  Russia;  but 
other  points  were  r.amed  by  him  after  memlHsrsof  tlie  expedition,  Eichseholtz 
llay  iM'iug  one  of  them.  Capo  Knisenatcrn.  on  tho  northern  shore  of  tho  sound, 
was  so  callod  after  tho  captain  of  tho  A'atlenhUa. 


KECEPTIOX  AT  HAWAII. 


41)7 


,'■'•  ami 
Una- 

rfcrhj  I'l' 
ho  groiuul 
^■hich  the 
keil.     Ill- 
io  prolili'. 
,vo  littlo 
(I  to  tlio 
is  slieii' 
lul  after- 
mo  in:ia- 
Mclvillo 
iho  pn>m- 
(witljont 
Itho  man- 

psin;  but 

l;ll8flu.ltZ 

to  souml, 


1  >>l\a,  wluTo  the  coininandL'L'  j^avo  ordci-s  t»»  the  a'^Tciit 
III"  the  Russian  Ainerican  Company  t<>  have  men, 
l)<)ats,  and  su[)[)lies  in  readiness  tor  the  foUowiii'^'  suni- 
iiit-r,  wlion  lie  purposed  to  make  a  tlioroui^h  exi»I<»ra- 
tiou  of  tho  farther  north-west.  Remaininjjf  only  lon^j 
enough  for  needed  repairs,  lie  proceeded  to  San  Fran- 
(•is(^o  without  having  attempted  to  explore,  acconling 
to  his  instructions,  the  coast  of  Alaska  southward 
from  Norton  Sound,  then  a  terra  incofjhiita,  hut,  as  it 
ju'oved,  one  of  the  richest  portions  of  the  territory.'" 
Alter  sharing  in  a  conference  touchinuj  the  affairs  ot 
tlie  Ross  colony,  at  which  Kuskof  and  the  LTovernor 
el"  (Adifornia  were  ])resent,  as  is  mentioned  elsewhere,'" 
li"  sailed  f  )r  the  Sandwich  Islands,  takiuLj  on  hoard 
YuWot  and  three  of  his  fellow-ca[)tives. 

Landing  at  theiskuul.  of  Hawaii,  Ivotzehue  was  met 
liv  Kamehameha,  who  was  now  king  of  the  entire 
j^rouji,  and  thus  describes  his  riM-cption:  "I  now  stood 
at  the  side  of  the  celei)rated  Tauiaalunaah,  who  ha>. 
attracted  the  attention  of  all  I]ur(»pe,  and  who  in- 
.^[•ired  me  with  the  greatest  confidence  hy  his  unre- 
sci'ved  and  iViendly  hehavior.  Jle  conducted  me  to 
Ills  straw  i)alac(>,  which,  according  to  tlie  custom  <>t 
t!ie  country,  consisti'd  only  of  one  spacious  a[)artnicnt: 
;!iid,  like  all  the  houses  here,  atfoit led  a  free  ihaughl 
h  itli  to  tlie  land  and  sea  breezes.  They  ottered  us 
1/iropean  chairs  very  neatly  made,  placed  a,  mahogany 
t  ihle  before  us,  and  wc  wei'e  Www  in  ]>osscssion  of  all 
t'.K^  furniture  of  the  ])nlacc.  Tamaahnia.ih's  dress, 
v.hich  consisti^l  of  a  white  shirt,  blue  pantaloons,  ;i 
iv'd  waistcoat,  snd  a  colored  neckcloth,  surprisi-d  mo 

'"  Ivotzclnie  priiliiili'.y  ni  nl-  ii  i;ri\it  iiii-<t:ili.-  wlicii  lie  otiiitti'il  tho  r>xplrirr»- 
tim  of  tliiii  ))  iiti'in  of  iIil-  ruast  ot'  A!a  ka,  of  w  liiili  iintliiii,'  iiinii'  \\:h  k:i>.v.M 
t'iii:i  wlici  ('oil;  left  it  Itotwi'Oil  lii<  Sllo,iIlU'<-<  iiiiil  I'oiiit  Sli;illi>W  (Caj)' 
j;  una  11.  f  11  ml  tlio  in  M'li  of  llio  KiiskuUx  iiii).  ( 'a|itaiii  <  iolovnin,  nt  t!;<!  si  (..ji- 
of  war  h'fiii  I,  liail  ilciliito  iiisliucl  ii>ii  to  survey  'U  ''Ht  waf*  ])r('Viiitril  ly  l.i  t 
<  i;i!ivity  niiioir^  the  ,la|iuni  ■<(',  <  i:it  Koiiiaiiuf  liail  ^'ivoii  tliis  iii.-<tnifii  .:i 
ti>i  iloviiiii,  ami  when  tho  latter  m't  out  uiioii  li?4  sc'coml  voyaLje  nruuiiil  i'.!.- 
w  >ilil,  in  tlio  s!oop-of-\var  Knm-hitlhi,  lie  reeeiveil  ii  letter  from  tho  mi  ii..:i  r 
of  iiiariiie,  who  re((uesteil  him  to  survi'y  tlio  eoast  iiurtli  of  .\lask.i  I'c  .iii-L;^a 
jii'.  A-iilel  that  Kot/ehue  ha  I  'lot  alrouily  iloao  so, 

"  llUt.  fill.,  ii.  :U,  this  Horu'8. 
UtbT.  Alaska,    'ii 


1. 1       Fl-RTIIER  ATTEMPTS  AT  FOREIGN  COLOXIZATIO>r. 


;   i-:! 


'i  I' 


wry  luucli,  ftr  I  lind  formed  very  cUfFerent  notions  of 
tile  I'oyal  iittii'c.      The  distin/jfuislied  personuLjes  ])r(";- 


en 


t  at  our  audience,  ^vlu)  liael  all  seati.'d  themselv 


es  on 


the  iJ^rouiid,  wore  a  still  more  sinLjular  costume  t!ian 
the  kini;*;  lor  tin  ir  l)lack  frocks  looked  very  ludicrous 
oil  the  naked  body.  One  of  the  ministers  had  lln^ 
V\aist  hall-way  up  his  hack:  the  coat  had  hcen  huttoiic  I 
with  the  greatest  diHiculty;  he  j)(M-s|)ire(l  i'reely  in  his 
tiglit  state  costume,  and  his  distress  was  evident;  hut 
i'ashion  would  not  ])erniit  him  to  relieve  himself  of  tin; 
inc()nvcnienc<\  The  sentinels  at  the  door  were  <(uiti! 
naked;  a  cartridge-box  and  a  pair  of  })istol.s  were  tied 
round  their  Vv'aist,  and  they  held  a  musket  in  tlu'ir 
liand. 

".Vfter  the  king  had  poured  out  some  very  gooil 
wine,  and  had  himself  drmdc  to  our  health,  I  made 
him  acquainteil  with  my  intention  of  taking  in  fre-^Ii 


)rovisions,  watcn*.  and  woo( 


d.     A 


young  man  ot  thi 


name  of  Cook,  the  oidy  white  whom  the  king  h.i  1 
about  him,  acted  as  interpreter.  Tamaahmaali  desired 
him  to  say  to  me  as  follows:  'I  learn  that  vou  are 
(lie  comn)andei"  of  a  slilp  of  war,  and  are  engaged  iu 
a  vova'jfe  similai*  to  those  of  Cook  and  \\incouver, 
.'uid  consi'ijuently  do  not  eng'ag(>  in  trade;  it  is  there- 
I'lre  my  intention  not  to  carry  on  any  ti-ade  with  yoii, 
but  to   jirovide  you  gratis  with  evt'rything  that   r. 


if.lMUds  tu'oauce. 


r  shall  now  be«r  you  to  inlbnu  u 


wiK!ther  ii  is  with  tl)(!  consent  of  your  em))ei-or  tlird 
his  sul)jects  begin  to  <1istU!'b  m<'  ill  my  old  i\y;r. 
Since  Tamaahmaah  has  been  king  of  these  islands,  n  • 
j'.ui'opean  has  had  cause  to  conijilain  of  having  sid- 
I'ered  injustice  ]iei-e.  I  have  made  my  ishuuls  an 
a-;ylum  lor  all  nations,  and  honestly  sup[)lieil  with 
]»rovisii>iis  eveiy  shi|>  that  desired  tli'Mu,'" 

^M'ter  alludiu'jr  to  the  trouble  caused  by  Jlai^enK  i-- 
ter  and  his  ]>arty,  the  king  continues:  "A  Kussi;in 
])liysician,  named  Scliefl'ei',  who  came  liere  some 
months  ago.  i)ri'tended  that  he  luui  been  sent  i)y  the 
IjUiporor  Alexander  to  I'otanize  on  my   l.-lands.     1 


KOTZEnnrs  vov.\(;k. 


4!)0 


iv  t  only  ,;j;av(>  liiin  this  porniissioii,  l»;it  also  proinlscl 
liiiii  every  asKistaiirc;  .-nid  made  liiiii  a  jtreseiit  nf  a 
jiieco  of  laud,  with  peasants,  so  tliat  lie  could  ue\cr 


w 


aut  for  provisions.  What  was  the  consecpieuce  of 
luy  hospitality/  Even  hetore  lie  left  Owhyee,'**  li(3 
i'e|taid  uiy  kindness  with  iuj^ratitude,  which  1  horo 
pati(Mitly.  Tiieu,  accor(nni;'  to  his  own  desire,  ho 
travelled    fi'oui    oik,"     place    to    another;    and    at   la-t 


se 
pr 


Wliel'e 


ttled  in  the   fruitful   island  of  Woahoo 

oved   himself   to    he    mv    most   invrtei'ate   eiiemv 


destroviu''"  our  sanctuarv,  the  ]\[oiai;  and  exeitiuLT 
aijainst  me,  in  tlie  island  of  Atooi,'-'  Kinu^  Tainaiy, 
v.lu)  had  Huhniitted  to  mvpowcM-  vearshefore.  Schc  I- 
f  r  is  there  at  this  veiy  moment  and  threatens  my 
islands." 

"1  assured  Tamaahmaah,"  continues  ivotzel»U(>, 
"that  the  had  conduct  of  the  Kussians  here  nuist  not 
he  ascri!)e(l  to  the  will  of  our  emperor,  who  never  com- 
iianded   his  suhjects  to  do  an  unjust  act;  hut  that 


tl 


le  extent  of  his  einpii 


)reven 


ted  I 


nm  irom   ueni<> 


immediately  iniormed  of  had  actions,  which,  however, 
■re  not   allowed  to  remain  unpunished  when  they 


Wt 


camo  to  his  knowledge.  The  king  seemed  verv 
nnicli  pleased  on  mv  assurinu"  him  that  our  soverei-jii 
never  inteudi^l   to   conijuer   his   islands;    the  glasse 


W  ( 


■re  immediately  illled,  to  drink  the  empi'ror's 
li<'alth,and  Kaniehameha  was  even  more  cordial  than 
hefore." 

J'^liot,  who  l)efor(!  his  (Viptivily  had  lived  fu"  two 
years  in  the  f^andwich  Islands  as  physician  and  chief 
lavorite  to  tiu'king,  i-emaiiied  at  Hawaii  in  his  I'oriner 
position;  and  taking  his  lea\-e  in  the  middl<>  of  Decem- 
l»er,  Kotzehue  sailed  in  a  south-westerly  diiei-tion. 
<  )ii   thn   l.->t  of   .lanuarv,  1!^17,    he  discovered  a  low 


Wi 


)o<led   isle^,  to  which  was  <.>iven  the  name  of  X 


ew 


Year's  Island.      Thi-ee  days  later  a  I'hain  of  islandn 
was  sighted,  extending  as  I'ar  as  the  eyo  could  reach, 


'•  Hawaii. 


'  Ouhu. 


»»  KaiiaL 


ill 


m  ,  . ' 


oOO       rURTIIER  ATTEMPTS  AT  I-OIIEIC.X  COLOXIZATIOX, 

tiiL'  s[);k'('s  hrtwcfu  l)(.in;^  filli-d  witli  i-ocfs.-'  .\r;ir 
sonic  wc'fks  lijid  l)c(.'n  .s|t"iit  uiiiid  llicsc  and  ollur 
<;;(tu[)s  in  thu  Caroline  Arelii[)elaijf<t,  the  Iturlk  was 
a^'ain  lieaded  for  Unalaska,  her  connuander  jmrpos- 
iii;^'  to  rontinue  liis  explorations  in  search  of  a  nortii- 
east  passa;^e.  But  this  was  not  to  he.  On  the  1  !t!i 
o!"  .Vpiil,  when  in  latitude  44'  GO'  x.  and  lonu^itr.d- 
ISl^  8'  w.,  a  violent  storm  arose,  and  iluriiiLC  ^'i^- 
i'lillowini;  ni'_rht  increased  to  a  huiiicane.  *'Th.' 
waves,  which  helore  ran  hiy^h,"  says  Kotzt;hue,  for  F 
cannot  do  hctter  than  use  his  own  words,  "rose  ii 
ii.unense  masses,  such  as  I  had  never  vet  seen;  the 
J'xrik  suilei'ed  hevond  descrl})tion.  Innnediatt  ly 
al'ter  midni-^ht  the  I'ury  of  the  hurricane  rose  to  sucli 
;i  de<_;ree,  that  it  tore  the  toj)s  of  the  waves  from  tlic 
s;'a,  and  di'ove  them  in  the  form  of  a  thick  I'ain 
o\cr  the  surface  of  the  ocean.  Xohody  wlio  ha-; 
n  it  witnessed  Buch  a  scene  can  ft)rm  an  adequate  idea 
i:['  it.  It  seems  as  if  a  direful  revolution  was  at  that 
Uionient  destroying  the  whole  stupendous  fabric  ot 
n;iture. 

"  I  had  just  relieved  Lieutenant  Schisehmarefi*.  Be- 
sides myself,  there  wew  four  sailors  on  the  deck,  of 
V.  lioin  two  were  iKilding  the  helm;  the  rest  of  the  crew  I 
had,  for  j^reater  security  sent  into  the  hold.  At  four 
o'clock  in  the  niorninu^  1  was  just  lookini,'  at  the  height 
of  a  foamiuLj  wave,  when  it  suddenly  took  its  direction 
t  •  the  liiirik,  and  in  the  same  moment  threw  nic 
(l)wn  senseless.  The  violent  pain  which  I  felt  on  re- 
c  >verin'jf  was  lieiLrhtened  bv  the  melancholv  siij^ht  of 
my  shi[),  whose  fate  would  bo  inevitable  if  the  hurri- 
cane should  raije  for  another  hour;  for  not  a  corner  of 
it  had  escaj)ed  the  ravages  of  that  furious  wave.  Tiie 
til  st  thing  I  saw  was  the  broken  bowsprit;  and  an  idea 
liKiy  be  formed  of  t!io  violenc^e  of  the  water,  which  at 
oneo  dashed  in  pieces  a  beam  of  two  feet  in  diamettr. 

'-'  Wliethor  these  nro  the  isliuul'^  tliat  were  sijrliteil  liy  Captain  Marshall  in 
17  '<  i~i  lUicerUiin.     At  least,  Kotzebue  was  ihe  lii'st  to  aiiccrtaiii  tlirtr  exact 


STORM  AT  SKA. 


501 


•k,  of 
nvwl 
till" 

'ctioii 

IV     1110 

1)11     I'v- 

lllt  (jf 

Inirri- 
licr  «'l' 
The 
li  i(U';i 
ic-U  at 
Lett  v. 

Lh.iU  ill 
Ir  exact 


Tilt'  loss  was  tlie  more  important,  as  tlic  two  iiia^ts 
could  not  loiiL^  withstand  the  tossini;-  of  the  sliip,  ;uid 
(lion  (K'liveraiice  would  bo  iniT»ossil)Io.  Tlio  "riirantif 
wave  broke  the  le»j^  of  one  of  my  sailors;  a  subaltern 
(iliicer  was  thrown  into  the  sea,  but  saved  himself  wit 'i 
iiiueh  jiresoiice  of  mind  by  seizing*  the  rope  which  hung 
beiiind  the  slii[);  the  steering-wheel  was  br-oken.  tlie 
two  sailors  who  held  it  were  much  hurt,  and  I  niyseU' 
thrown  violently  with  my  breast  against  a  corner,  suf- 
fered severe  jviiii,  and  was  obliged  to  kee[)  my  bed  for 
several  day<;." 

When  the  storm  had  moderated  the  vessel  was  p-it 
in  order,  and  reached  Unalask;i  in  saletv,  though  heavv 
Weather  prevailed  during  the  rest  of  the  voyage.-"  S'l  > 
was  then  unrigged,  unloa<lt,'d,  careened,  and  i-ej):iii-e  1, 
and  within  a  iiKjnth  was  again  ready  for  sea.  Uoat;, 
provisions,  and  a  |>arty  <if  Aleuts,  together  with  tw  > 
interpreters  from  Kadiak,  were  provided  by  the  agent, 
as  Kotzebue  had  directed,-^  Mud  on  the  2'.)th  of  Juiiv* 
tlio  /i*'^r//j  again  sailed  on  her  voyage  northwai-d.  ' 
On  the  10th  of  July  St  Lawrence  Island  was  sightiij, 
and  hero  tho  commander  ascertained  that  ice-iloes  ha  1 
surrounded  it  on  the  south-east  until  three  days  b.'- 
fore.  Anchoring  at  midniu:ht  off  its  northern  i>roiu- 
ontory,  ho  found  an  unbroken  ice-pack  toward  tlie 
north  and  oast. 

There  was  now  no  hope  of  passing  Bering  Strait 
until  tho  end  of  the  month,  when,  as  Kotzel)Ue  thought, 

•' Kolzehiif\'<  ViKj.  ofDinfor.,  ii.  100-1.  Tliciiiitlior  nMn.-uks:  '1  woiiMinlvi-'o 
no  f>ii<>  to  visit  tlii-i  (iccMii  so  (^iirly  in  tin"  year,  t<if  tli'j  slniius  aro  fiinli'lul.' 

'-'^  Kutzelmo  was  furnislicil  witli  iiu  nrdiT  fn.iii  tin;  liiri'doi'M  i.f  fclio  nnsi-iau 
Aiiierican  ('niiiiiany  n  iiniriiii,'  Ki-iuknf,  tliiii  ai.'<.'iit  at  I'lialaska,  tn  supply  \\\^ 
(■\pi'ilitii)ii  with  iill  that  was  iicciliil,  ami  di  rlaii-:*  lliat  liu  ilclivlmI  cvuiy  i.(iiii- 
tf.>y  and  assistance  at  the  liamls  of  tin'  aL,'(iit. 

■'On  tho  7/»( (•/'/.•  was  a  Imy  named  Kadn,  wIumu  Kntzclnic  hail  takrii  n'l 
liitanl  at  ono  of  tho  rar')lin(!  islands.  11. ■  aiip(  ai'id  to  l»'  t  intcnti  d  i>n  ri'.ic  !i- 
iii','  Un.'ila.ska,  though  he  waa  disappointed  at  nut  lii-diiii!  thiio  any  coeoa-niit 
<ir  liiead-fniit  trees,  and  did  not  approve  of  the  Alc.tian  mode  of  living,'  ntid  r 
jinninil.  Ho  asked  whether  jieoplo  li\ed  so  «t  St  I'ttershurL,'.  (laxiii'^'  at  i'.u- 
oxen  on  lioanl  tho  vessel,  ho  expies.seil  his  joy  tlvit  the  meat  I'on.siinied  hy  t." 
ii'iw  was  the  flesh  of  thoso  animals,  lirini;  asked  hi  i  reason,  |k'  lon'cvsi  il 
tliit  ho  thotiu'lit  t!ie  Ilnssians  were  eannihais,  that  he  rei^.-inled  hini«  If  .•  ♦ 
a  portion  of  tlie  ship's  jirovi^ions,  micl  looke'l  forwanl  in  horror  ti»  tlie  nioiiieat. 
Nviieii  they  might  be  iu  waut  of  tWI.    Id.,  iUO. 


li  Jl 

IIm  o| 

Vi 

i. 

>,  1 

1' 

J  1 

1 

.] 


i' 


i!s< 


ilHi 


i    a 


I  III 
\ 


50-2 


FURTHER  ATTEMITS  AT  I'OREIGX  COLOXIZATIOX. 


the  soason  would  bo  too  far  ndvanced  for  a  successful 
voyage.  Moreover,  Ids  health  was  .shattered;  his 
hreathiiiijf  was  difficult;  he  was  suft'ering  from  spasms 
iu  the  chest,  i'aiiiting  fits,  and  hemorrhage  of  tlie 
hmgs.  The  surgeon  of  the  vessel  declared  that  to  re- 
main longer  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  ice  would  cost 
him  his  life.  "  !More  than  once,"  he  says,  "I  resolved 
to  brave  death,  l)ut  I  felt  that  I  must  suppress  my  am- 
bition. I  signified  to  the  crew,  in  writing,  that  my 
ill  health  obHged  me  to  return  to  Oonalaska.  The 
nnoment  I  signed  the  pajier  was  the  most  painful  in 
my  life,  for  with  this  stroke  of  the  pen  I  gave  up  the 
ardent  and  long-cherished  wish  of  my  heart." 

Returning  by  way  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  Kotze- 
bue  reached  Hawaii  on  the  •27th  of  September.  Heie 
he  was  greeted  byKamehameha  and  his  old  acquaint- 
ance, Eliot  de  Castro.  Sailing  thence  to  Oahu,  he 
found  six  American  shij^s  at  anchor,  and  one — the 
Kadialc — belomjjing  to  the  Russian  American  Com- 
])any,  hauleo  u[)  <.)n  the  beach.  In  this  vessel  ShefK  r 
had  reached  Oalii,  aftt-r  beiiii;  exi»elled  from  Kauai, 
where  ho  intended  to  found  a  settlement.  A  few 
daj's  later  the  Jioston  arrived  on  her  way  to  Canton, 
with  a  cargo  of  iurs  ship[)ed  from  Novo  Arkhangelsk. 

Calling  at  St  Helena  on  his  liomeward  voyage'. 
Kotzobue  met  with  a  most  surly  reception  frtun  the 
British  naval  otlieers  who  ke[)t  guard  over  the  rock 
where  the  ca[)tive  emperor  was  then  entombed  alive, 
his  craft  being  fired  upon  without  appai'ont  cause." 
His  recei)tion  iu  England  was  more  cordial.  During 
a  visit  to  London,  where  business  compelled  him  to 
spend  a  few  days  on  his  way  to  Kronstadt,  he  was 
iiitroduced  to  the  Prince  Regent  and  to  the  Archduke 
Nikolai  Pavlovitch.  On  the  "JDd  of  Julv,  1818,  the 
Jiiirlk  sailed  past  the  port  of  Revel,  and  now,  after  an 


-^Kotzclmc's  inii'poso  in  callins?  at  St  Helena  was  to  give  tlio  Rn-isitin  f>'!i- 
niissarv,  (Jount  ]i;illrnian,  an  opportunity  to  seUil  lottery  to  li;:j  I'oiintrynicn. 
']  liivc  tiliota  wci'u  lii'uJ  ut  llio  litirik,  oao  of  thcni  paajiii^;  botwcoii  her  uiaoU. 


BEXXICTT'S  TKIP, 


r)03 


aliscnco  of  three  years,  Kotzebue  oiico  more  beluld 
Ills  native  city.  A  week  later  the  vessel  cast  aiirlii>r 
in  the  Neva,  ep[)Osite  the  palaee  of  Count  llonianof.'' 

Before  makini]^  further  njontion  of  Shefler's  ex])loits 
in  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  it  is  necessary  to  re  fur  to  in- 
cidents which  preceded  the  voyaLjo  of  the  Hunli'.  In 
Ajjril  1814  one  of  liaranof's  American  friends,  Ca]>- 
tain  Bennett,  who  had  sold  him  two  vessels  and  tlu-ir 
cargoes,  otTered  to  accept  fur-seal  skins  in  part  pay- 
n)ent,  but  havinj^  none  of  the  re(|uired  kind  on 
hand  at  Novo  Arkhanu'elsk,  the  chief  manajj-i-r  induced 
Bennett  to  proceed  in  the  BcriiKj  to  ihe  island  of  St 
Paul  iu  search  of  them,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
take  a  cargo  of  furs,  worth  half  a  million  roubles,  to 
be  landed  at  Okhotsk.  There  he  took  on  board  a 
number  of  the  com[>any's  hunters  who  were  awaiting 
]tassage,  and  a  large  mail  of  the  com])any'sdes[»atche-;. 
Jle  the?i  .sailed  foi"  the  Sandwich  Islands,  wliere  it  had 
been  arranged  that  he  should  purchase  a  cargo  of  taro, 

-•"'In  his  Voymji'  of  J)iifot''  ri/  in/n  Ihr  South  Sra  am!  Hk ni<:i\-<  Sfra!/,-<,j',r 
the  PiirpoK''  of  Kxjilorlii'j  a  S'oi'f/i-cii.-if  I'ttiMnji'  (,'{  vols.,  IV-iliii,  |S|!»,  iui.l 
Loinlon,  IS'JI),  thouiitlioi',  iiftir;i  Kii>,'thy  iiitrixluctiou,  tk'Votcs  tlio  lirtit  sum  u 
I'liUliters  of  the  lirst  viiiiime  to  h'n  ymnwy  from  Ki'onstailt  to  Kotzfluic  Stminl. 
tho  fi;.;hth  to  his  trip  fi:>in  thu  hittur  part  to  I'ualaska.  ami  tliu  ninth  and 
tenth  to  his  visit  to  (.'iilifoniia  ami  tlu'  Samlwii'h  Islands.  In  tin;  I'kvmth 
chapter,  whii'h  opena  tho  Rocoml  volume,  wo  liavo  an  ac(.'()uiit  of  liis  cx|ilora- 
lioiis  ill  tho  Caroline  ArcliipehiL;o.  'J'hen  follow  hissi'roml  voyaL'ciioithuard, 
and  his  homeward  journey,  oceupyiiiLC  tho  four  nextehajitcrs.  The  remaiiidir 
cif  the  work  id  taken  up  with  an  . I  </(////-m •'/the  LtlaivlH  JJisrorinil.  In/  tho  llmih 
in.  the  Gnat  Orcan  (written  hy  Krusonstorn),  a  short  ]>aj>er  on  tho  J)iseri.<  >■  >7 
the  L're  in  till  rill' I  the  Thrci'  Yiiir*  <'fth<'.  I'tii/wir,  In/  Frftn-irk  /■'■"■hy-h'il'z.  M.l>. 
(the  ship's  physician),  and  the  I!'■mal■t^  find  O/iiniun-'i  of  tlic  yulTnll-t  ifih-' 
I-'r/icilifion,  AilelUrf.  von  ( 7i»(/«(s>'i),  In  his  i)reiaoo,  Chaniisso rouiarks  that  ho 
ree^irnizes  only  tho  (.lorman  edition,  '  fur  tho  various  forcit:n  suhjecta  of  wliii  li 
ho  had  to  treat  have  made  him  toosensihlo  how  dillieidt  it  is,  when  aimin;.,' 
nt  hrevity  to  avoid  obscurity,  foi'  him  to  ans\ier  for  translations  of  whieh  Ik' 
cannot  .iudL,'e.'  The  precaution  was  jnstilled,  f^ir  in  the  Kntrlish  trauslatinn 
hy  H.  K.  Lloyil  are  many  errors,  caused  prohaldy  hy  the  extreme  ha.sto  with 
wldi''  'ho  work  was  rendered.  A  few  ye.irs  later  Kot/ehue  i)ulilished  in  Iv.o 
vnluuu  '  his  yew  Voiiiiii'  round  the  World  in,  the  I'l-ac.s  JSJJ-JO.  I  haw 
lielore  me  only  tho  En;.;lish  translation  (London,  IS-'JO).  As  on  this  occasion 
ho  visited  Xovo  Arkhangelsk,  California,  ami  tho  Sandwich  Islands,  wo  shall 
hear  of  him  n.^ain.  Three  years  alter  completing;  his  soe(Mid  voyage,  he  re- 
tivi  d  t  >  his  esiato  in  Kstlionia,  where  his  decease  occurred  in  islii.  Hi.<  son  i 
and  L'rnndsona  held  pnsitions  in  I'nalaska  in  tho  Recvice  of  tho  IJussiaa  Am  r- 
ieui  (Jomi>any.  tmtil  it  was  ilisincorpor.ited,  an. I  r.L^vcral  remained  t!ier  •  ;.i.  r 
till' purchase  of  Alaska  hy  tao  Uuit.J  SuiUs.     Tho  liiat  i,f  iheiii  died  i.i  k'.i. 


I  1 


I  i 


J5ft4       FURTHEU  ATTRMPTS  AT  FOREIGN  COLO\IZATIO\. 

salt,an<l  otluT  provisions.  Havin<j^  <'\lKiuste(l  the  re- 
sources <>t' Hawaii,  ho  i)rocL'i'(lc'(l  to  Kauai,  where,  the 
eaj)taiu  beiiiLj  on  shoi-o,  thi'  ship  was  struck  by  asutldcn 
sr|uall,  and  vessol  anti  cnrn'o  were  cast  on  the  be  ich. 
Kini^TDinari,  who  was  then  in  power  at  Kauai,  tli<  ujj;h 
subject  to  Kainehanie'ha's  authority,  ortererl  Bennett 
every  assistance  in  ('((llcctinuf  his  carLjo;  but  when  all 
tliat  could  l>e  saved  had  been  secured  beyond  reach  oi 
the  waves,  he  coolly  ap[)i(»priated  it  as  a  penpiisite  <»f 
the  owner  of  the  soil.  The  ca|»tain  aiid  some  of  his 
crew  soon  afterward  made  their  way  back  to  Alaska. 
At  the  time  when  the  J'ni'iL  left  Kronstadt  t!io 
imjK'rial  <jfovernnient  was  tittinj.,'  t)ut  two  vess(.>ls,  tho 
Snrnriif  and  Kntuxot\  for  an  expedition  to  Russian 
America.  They  were  placed  in  eluirLje  of  Captain 
Lo.„iref,-'  and  the  Surarof  with  the  conunander  on 
board  sailed  from  Kronstadt  on  the  8th  of  Octobei-, 
lsl;3,  arrivinu^  at  Xovo  Ai'khani^elsk  in  November  cf 
the  followin'-'  vetir.  Lozaref,  in  connnon  with  all  the 
naval  otlicers,  was  prejuchced  against  liaranof  Dis- 
|)utes  between  the  two  men  ai'ose  at  once,  and  ceased 
onlv  when  the  ship  set  sail  from  Xovo  Arkhangelsk.^ 

*'  Kniscnstcni.  wlu)  was  now  an  iuliniral,  rccominentlcd  Kotzebiie  fur  tin*  jn- 
sitiuii.  Inutile  lJii»isi;i!i  Aiiiiii.:.ii  ( 'oiiijiaiiy,  wliicli  vas  tn  juiy  a  ivi'",  <  i  t'.ic 
fXlH-iisR-s,  ol>j<'ctfl  (III  tin:  fii'Diiiicl  (if  I'.is  yuutli.  Tlie  otlKr  oliiiLia  w«ro 
liLiiti'iu.ut3  L'iikiiv.s!;y  aiiil  SrliveikovsUy;  t!ii.'  mates  Itu-sysky  aiiil  I 'r 
.Sylva:  cadet  Saiiisdiiot',  I'l- SlictliT,  and  the  supercargo  M(jlvee.  Tlie  crew" 
eoiisi.stcd  of  'l'.\  naval  seanu'ii,  1)  iiu'feliunt  sailors,  and  7  laborcre  of  the  uom- 
jxiiiy.    Tillimeii(j\  /-for.  olio.i.,  i.  \S',i. 

*"Oii  Iii3  return  to  St  retersljurg,  Lozarcf  was  tried  before  a  naval  coin't 
of  iiiijuiry  on  eliar,!.'ef»  jirelcrred  liy  the  hoard  of  niaiiaucrs  of  tlic 
Iti'.ssian  Anicrioaii  Company,  lie  was  chargcil  with  iiimioiality,  with 
rctnniing  fixini  Novo  Arliliani;elsk  without  the  company's  siipcreanio, 
the  Ijoy  M(jlvee  bein^  deemed  too  youii;u'  for  such  a  imsition,  withn'.'.t 
tlie  p!iysieian  appointed  to  the  vessel,  without  bilk  of  l.ulin;^  or  any 
d<\<j>a:chc3  from  I'larannf,  and  without  the  chief  manai^or's  pennissi'ii. 
To  this  the  capt.iiu  replied  tliat  lie  had  rejwateily  asked  fur  ordirs,  n:ul 
tinally  sailed,  and  made  his  way  back  around  Capo  lloin  v  itli  all  spcid. 
He  al.-o  stated  that  tho  misunderstandiiif,'  arose  from  his  refusal  to  sanction 
Ikii'anijfs  action  ill  seizing'  tlio  lirig  yV(//tc  belonging  to  Astor.  On  that 
iK-easiou  Lo7ai-«;f  stated  tliat  I'laranols  anger  was  so  great  that  he  train-  I 
the  giiu3  of  the  fort  upon  tho  ,S'» /•'-(/•■;/■,  ami  threatened  to  sink  iier.  l^>/ii..:f 
wiia  also  charged  witii  having  suld  at  Limn  00,()()0  roubles'  worth  of  furs  be- 
loiigiug  to  the  company,  liiis  he  denied,  but  stated  that  he  sold  to  tI;o 
viceroy  of  I'eru  a  few  black-bear  skins  for  tho  manufacture  of  uhakoes  for 
his  K4)ldiers.  ami  received  "J-'piastias  each  for  tho  skins.  The  otlier  charges 
Were  (»f  a  biinilar  nature.  Zikniij,  L'oir.,  M.S.,  iu  Sifka  Archlvtn,  hi. 


LOZAREF  AXD  SHKFFKR.  Ml 

T^nzanT  dcsirod  to  pass  the  winter  at  Xovo  Ark- 
Iiaii'-Ct'lsk,  and  to  land  his  car^'o  and  r('[)air  the  vessel, 
liut  JJaranuf  insisted  tliat  lie  should  make  a  winter 
vova<^e  to  the  ]'rvl)ilot'  Islands  lor  a  car'O*  of  lurs, 
as  there  was  not  cnouujh  j)eltry  at  Novo  ^Vrkhangelsk 
to  complete  his  freij^lit.  The  eaptain  then  put  to  sea, 
1/ut  ivtunied  almost  innuediatt'lv,  under  jiretenei'  that 
(he  sjiip  was  leakinjjf,  iiiid  I't-niained  in  port  until  the 
li.nowinij'  ^lav,  wluii  he  tinallv  exeeuted  the  ehiet' 
iiiana;4er's  ordei's.  Soon  alter  his  retuin  he  a^'iiin  set 
sail  on  the  "J 4(h  of  Julv,  liMviuLf  the  anchoraue  hur- 
liedly  and  without  waitiuLj  for  the  mail  pre]>are(l  hy 
JJai'anof  lor  the  home  otlic»M)f  the  company.  lOni'a'^'ed 
at  this,  the  chief  manau;'er  tles|»atclicd  a  lleet  hidarka 
lifter  the  retreating"  ship,  and  threatened  to  open  fire 
oil  her,  but  did  not  t'xe(,'ute  his  threat.  The  S'inirt'f 
tlien  ])roceeded  on  her  vovai^c  to  St  Petersl)ui-<>;,  call- 
iiiL?  at  San  Francisco  and  at  the  port  of  Callao,  wliei'o 
a  j>ai"t  of  the  cargo  was  excliauged  I'or  Kussiuu  proil- 
ucts.-'» 

One  of  the  officers  of  the  Stivarof\vt\H  the  German 
iloctor,  Shefl'er,  who,  having  quarrelled  with  the  com- 
mander, had  for  that  reason  found  favor  in  the  eyes 
of  IJai'anof.  Sheiler  remained  at  Novo  Arkhau'j'elsk, 
and  heing  a  plausible  adventurer,  and  somewhat  of  a 
linguist,  succeeded  in  convincing  the  autocrat  of  tho 
Colonics  that  he  was  the  man  to  carry  out  his  schemes 
of  cc^lonization  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands. 

Uennett,  who  had  now  returned  to  Novo  Arklian- 
U'clsk,  urLfcd  Baranof  to  demand  the  return  of  the 
Ik'riinjs  cargo,  but  the  latter  would  not  consent  to 
use  force  for  such  a  purpose,  as  he  had  frequently  ex- 
•  liangcd  ))i'esents  and  friendly  messages  with  Kanie- 
liaiiieha  through  their  nmtual  acquaintances  among 
the  American  north-west  traders.  He  decided,  tliere- 
I'lre,  to  send  Shaffer  to  the  Sandwich  Lslands  as  a  pas- 

™Iu  ISl/j  Baranof  despatched  aiiotlior  car;;o  of  furs,  valued  at  SOO.OnO 
I  i\ilili's,  to  Kinklita,  in  tlin  Maria,  iiuistcr  I'etrof.  T!io  vessel  wa.-*  wreeked 
.•:t  Okliotsk,  but  most  of  the  can'o  wen  saved,  Khhbulkof,  Shizn,  L'araiwra, 
100. 


i 

1 


kl 


m 


I 


630       FrRTIIKR  ATTiniPTS  AT  rOREIClX  COLON IZATIOX. 

HtMi'^iT  ill  a  lort'i.;!!  vessel,  with  iiistnidioim  t»»  ojteu 
lu'Ljotiations  witli  t'u'  II:i\vaiiaii  iiioiiMrcIi.  'I'luMhtctor 
bailed  on  the  Isnhrlht,  wiiieh  left,  N()Vo  Arkhanjifelsk 
v\\  ilu'  r»th  ofOetobei',  IHIa.aiid  it  was  an;mi:^e(l  ihat, 
ilie  <ff/:ri/ti<',  e(»miMaii(led  hy  Ijieiiteiiant  l'u(hislil;iii, 
hh»»nl(l  I'ollow  in  the  spriiii;  with  a  numher  of  native 
meelianies  and  hdjoivivs  for  the  jmrposoof  i'stablit>hinLC 
u  settlement. 

On  anivin!L^at  Hawaii,  Slu'ller  jiresented  liiinself  jit 


onee 


l>el 


ore 


K 


iiniMiiinielia   ii\u 


I    del 


iverec 


1  lett 


ITS  anu 


ju'esents  iVoni  llaranof,  at  the  same  timi;  coinplainint;' 
of  Kinijf  Tomari  for  sei//niLj  the  cari^o  of  the  Jierliu/. 
The  kiii.r  i>roinised  redress,  and  a|>i)oaivd  to  listen 
favorahiy  to  the  <loetor's  proposals  to  estahlish  m<»re 
intimate  relations  with  tlie  i-hief  mana^i-r  (»f  th»; 
IJnssiiin  Ajntiiean  Company.  J  le  evi'n  assigned  to 
Shell'er  s(.'\  er.d  pieces  o['  land,  whereon  to  m;die  experi- 
ments in  the  })lantinn'  of  L,Main  and  ve'^etnhK-s.     () 


o 


f  tl 


lem    w 


as   situated   on   the   island    of  Ka 


uai. 


th 


diinain  of  Kiiii;  Tomari.  'I'lionL^h  Shetl'er  eontinued 
in  favor  for  a  time,  he  found  that  he  could  not  eoni- 
]»ete  with  the  ICiij^lishmen  and  Americans,  wdio  were 
already  estidilished  at  Kamehameha's  court,  and  ri  - 
solved  to  try  his  fortune  with  Tomari.  During"  tli" 
tirst  week  of  his  stay  in  Kauai,  it  was  his  i^ood  fortune 
to  cure  the  (jueen  of  an  internjittent  fever  and  tlie 
kinjjf  of  droj)sy.  The  (jierman  ailventurer  was  now  in 
the  good  graces  of  his  intended  victim,  ami  in  a  ilv. 
Aveeks  an  agreenu-nt  was  drawn  u\)  to  serve  as  the 
hasis  for  a  I'ormal  treaty,  subject  to  the  ap[>roval  ol 
the  Ivussian  government. 

It  was  stipulated  that  the  Bcrlntjs  cargo  sliould  lie 
returned  to  the  llussians,  with  the  exception  of  a  lev, 
articles  which  the  king  re(|uired,  ami  for  Avhich  lu' 
bound  himself  to  pay  in  sandal- wood;  that  Tom;iri 
hl»ould  send  annually  to  the  colonies  a  cargo  of  ilrie! 
taro  root;  that  all  the  sandal-W(K>d  on  the  islands  sub- 
ject to  Tomari  sliould  be  jtlaced  at  Shelfer's  ilisposal, 
to  be  sold  only  to  the  Ivussiau  American  Com[)any ; 


I. 


A'  111.' 
icd  til 
!\lti  ri- 

li.  111.- 
tiiiucl 

t  col II- 

»  wore 
11(1  n- 

lio-tll'" 
)llUlU' 

liul  the 

j(»\v  in 

a  tVw 

lis   til"' 

•vul  "i 

luldlo 

tell  !•  • 

\)m;!i  i 

I'  (h'if  ■ 

js  SU'l  '- 

jipauy ; 


RIIKFFr.U  1\  TIIK  SANDWICH  INLANDS. 


507 


luiil  tliai  the  company  slioulil  have  Iht;  rl-^I:!  tocstah- 
lisli  stations    or  I'aetoiii's  in  any  ]>.'irt  of   the   kini^'s 


lOSSt'S.SlonS. 


As  Mil  olls(  t  (o  thest;  favors,  the  doctor 


j'lediniil  hinisi'if  to  I'lirni^h  live  hiuuh'od  men,  and  soim; 
iirined  vessels,  lV>r  tiie  }»urpose  of  assi.^tini;"  in  the  ovcr- 
t!iro\v  of  Ivaiueiiameha,  .ind  of  |»laciniLi^  Toiiiari  on   his 


il 


irono. 


The  ti 


roons  were 


to  I 


je  uiKlor 


Shrll 


'•rs  coni- 


iiiand,  and  in  case  of  success,  one  liaif  of  the  island 
of  Hawaii  was  to  bo  ceded  to  the  company.  Finally 
Toinari  and  all  his  people  were  to  he  jilaci'd  under  the 
ni-otection  of  llussia.  In  order  ni<H'e  lirinlv  to  estah- 
li-h  the  kin'L'''s  conlideiice  in  his  authority,  Slieiler  at 
once  bou«rht  an  Anii'rican  scliooner  lor  J?."), 000, 


and 


!iL,nx'ed  to  [)urcliase  a  ship  for  the  sum  of  S-10,000,  pay- 
ment to  bo  made  in  furs,  which  ho  promised  to  ortler 
Irom  Novo  Arklian^-elsk.^* 

In  the  mean  time,  Shetler's  intriijfues  had  been 
watched  by  American  and  ICn^lish  traders,  and  by  the 
J  luropoans  settletl  on  the  islands  undei"  Kaniehanieha's 
]irL>toction.  Tlu^y  took  care  to  ma<^nify  the  danujer  in 
the  eyes  of  the  latter,  urL;'in_uj  him  to  enter  on  a  cam- 
I'aiLfn  ai^ainst  Sheifer  and  the  woild-bo  rebel  Tomari. 
'J  hough    ()j)posed    to    open    hostility,  Kamohameha'.s 

"  Shcnir  was  of  course  pliiyiiiL?  upon  the  king's  ainliition  to  servo  his  own. 
1!  •  w.is  (•(■rtainly  a  l)olil  iiif  ii,  a  true  iiilvcntiuvf,  iiiid  one  wlio  led  an  cxccrcl- 
i  u'ly  clifik(  led  lit'('.  He  was  \nivn  in  Jiussia,  ot'  <i(.inian  jmriMits,  tlic  datuot 
1.;  i  iiirtii  ht'in.;  luicertain,  and  ciitt  rod  imliliu  lil'e  as  a  sar^'inn  in  thi.'  M>isi  uw 
I'licc.  In  ISI'J  lie  was  cn^M'^f^d  in  construutiin^  halloDns  to  watoh  tho  move- 
iii"uts  of  Napoleon's  invailiiii,'  army.  In  lsi;i  lio  was  detailed  as  niedical 
oiiieur  of  the  ship  Surdrcf.  \\'e  havo  seen  liow  he  k'ft  the  ship  at  Nuvu  .\ik- 
iian^elsk,  l)iit  it  remains  to  n  eord  tlie  doetur's  Kti'aii'o  eareer  after  the  cul- 
la|ise  of  the  Sandwieli  Ishiud  selienie.  On  niakini;  liis  ese;i[)o  from  Oahn,  lie 
jT'ieeeded  to  Canton,  and  theneo  to  St  I'etershnn:.  Here  lie  mailo  to  the 
imperial  government  tlie  most  vivid  rci)i-esentalii)ns  of  tiio  ailvaiitau'ca  to  ho 
;.'ained  hy  taking  possession  of  th<;  Sand«  ich  I.slanils.  The  mini.iler  for  in- 
triior  afl'.iirs  reiiuested  the  managers  of  tiie  Kussian  Aineriean  C(Mn]iaiiy  in 
(  \pi'ess  their  opinion  on  the  sulijeet,  and  they  re])oited  Viiifa''or;dily.  'I'iie 
ciiprror's  ministers  could  not  Mind  themselves  to  the  fact  that  llus.-ia  did  nut 
tiiiii  ]i()ssess  a  navy  which  could  snppoitsueh  an  enterprise  against  the  ulijee- 
ti'ii  of  the  great  maritime  powers,  and  the  doctor  was  <liK)med  to  di^appoinl- 
lacnt.  He  left  Kussiu  in  disgrace,  and  was  lost  to  view  for  a  short  time, 
riitil  lie  finally  turnctl  up  again  in  15razil,  where  he  managtil  to  in;rntiate  hiiu- 
F«'lf  with  ])oni  I'cdrol.,  who  conferred  upon  him  the  high-souudini^  titl(!  of 
Coimt  von  t'r.uikenllud,  and  iiitiusted  him  with  a  commisijion  to  vieiniaiiy  tj 
r^  rruit  men  for  the  imjierial  hody-ijuard.  Slu;tlcr  liually  died  peaceahly  in 
Ciermany,  at  a  very  advanced  age. 


I 

i 


1 

teiii' 

! 

!  ill 

III 

^ffii  1 

^y  i 

i 

1 

■1 
1 

m 

:\ 

SOS       FniTIIF.R  ATTF.AriTS  AT  FOREIOX  COLONIZATIOX. 

ropoatc'l  orders  to  Toinnri  lliially  rosnllcd  in  an 
C'stran;4rni('iit  l)c'twe(^ii  liiin  and  tlio  (ifi-nian  docfoc, 
who  \>y  lliis  (imo  liatl  succeeded  in  ostaMishinix  plan- 
tations on  varions  jioints  of  tlio  Islands,  and  had 
cTcctrd  hnildin^s  I'oi-  his  own  acconnnodation,  for  tin; 
incchanlcs  and  lahoivrs  who  had  n'ow  ai-rivod  in  tin; 


()//,-n/f 


/(' 


ai 


id    I'or   housinix    the   crops    intondod    I'oi 


diipnicnt  to  Novo  ArkhanLfclsk,  Tho  unfVii.Mi(lly  IV-cl- 
in'jf  thus  oiiLrt'iidLTcil  increased  in  intensity  initil  th(i 

tin  t/ 

lUissians  and  Aleuts  were  looked  upon  hy  tho  Haw- 
aiiems  as  eiusniios,  and  woro  coin[K>lleil  to  adopt  meas- 
ures for  their  derenee.  A  few  slender  fort  ideations 
were  erected  at  Wvmea,  the  ruins  of  which  remain 
to  tlu!  present  day. 

As  soon  as  ])aranof  asoortainod  that*  this,  the  pet 
scl»emi>  of  hfs  old  i\<^(\  imist  fail,  he  lost  no  time  in 
forwardin;^  orders  to  Shelfer  to  give  U[)  everythinu', 
and  to  save  what  he  could  out  of  tho  wreck  which 
was  inijiendinLC.  ]}y  this  time  lunvs  had  also  hecu 
received  of  the  I'ofusal  on  the  part  of  the  imperial 
/government  to  sanction  the  scheme  of  annexation. 
The  doctor's  position  hecamo  more  critical  eveiy  day. 
From  Novo  Arkhangt'lsk  he  could  ex[)e(;t  no  furtln  i- 
suppoit,  while  (»n  the  Islands  the  Americans  an  I 
JOnglish  hecame  constantly  more  a'^^'cressive.  \  small 
liussian  station  on  the  island  of  Hawaii  was  sacked 


l) 


)y  .sailors  lro?n  an 


fr. 


Amor 


ican  .ship 


am 


1    tl 


ley    es'eii 


threatened  to  destroy  the  company's  plantations  ou 

IS  also  stiU'ted    that    American 
t  )  the  Islands.      Sonit; 


auai. 


A  reiiort  w 


th 


men-oi-war  wei'e  (»n  iiieir  way 
of  till!  Americans  in  the  company's  service  l)ecami; 
disalfected,  one  of  tluMi),  (\'ipt;un  Wosdwith,  who  com- 
manded tlie  Iliticn,  piirpoM'ly  rur.niii'jf  his  vcs.sel  t)n 
theheach  and  joining  the  adversaries  of  Sheffer. 

Iiy  this  time  the  in*  of  Toinari's  siihjects  had  heeii 
roused  against  the  intrud<'rs,  and  they  force'd  tlu! 
Iliissians  to  ahandoii  their  settlements  and   to   seek 


refll'. 


•e  (» 


n  hoard  the  K-ulink,  which  was  anchored  oil' 


the  i.sland.      When  the  fu'dtives  left  tho  beach  it  was 


HAWAIIAN  rAILL'Ur: 


SOD 


jliseovcrod  tli;it  lint  l)!);ii.  had  Ix'cn  scuttle;!;  tlie  crew 


liowevcT.rc-acIu'il  thcv 


essi 


11 


)V.S\V11IIIIII11|J'. 


Tl 


le  l»jitl\H'i 


ii<»\v  tuniod  tlu>  L(iiM.-<  of  the  fort  at^jiinst  them  aiul  en- 
deavored to  sink  the  ^hip.  The  shot  fell  harndoss,  hut 
il  was  discovered  (hat  tlu'  vessel  had  spi'UMuf  adeak,  and 
that  the  water  was  i;-ainin|i(  ra|)idly.      In  th 


us  ui'eUica 


iiicnt,  an  elloi-t  was  made  to  uet  oil'  the  // 


li 


IIICII,   w 


hi<-h 

succeeded.  Th(!  Amoiicau  caj)tain  ot*  the  Kadiik  was 
then  translen-ed  to  the  I/nu'ii  hy  Shelicr,  and  sent  to 
Xovo  Arkhaui^elsk  to  cai'iy  to  J>aranor  the  nciws  of 
the  lailm-e  of  his  entei-|)rise,  a  «luty  which  the  doc- 
t  ir  did  not  wish  to  undeitake  in  .MM-son,  Afteral>rii;f 
stay  at  Ivamehameha's  court,  imposed  to  constant 
annoyanci!  fr  )m  foreigners,  a(,'com[>anic(l  with  threats 
of  personal  Violence,  Sheili-r  ilnally  escaped  to  China 


on   i)oa('( 


an 


■  inencan   v»-^s( 


■I,  1 


i-avm 


'A   tl 


le    res 


t    of 


his  countrymen,  and  the  Aleuts  si-nt  from  Xovo 
Arkhaiiujt'lsk,  to  lahor  on  the  plantations.  Of  these 
Tai-akanof  took  charu'e,  and  finally  succecdi'd  in  s»!- 
<inin<^  thi'ir  )-(;turn'''  in  IH18,  hy  en'4a<j;ini^  himself 
and  his  ukmi  to  an  American  skip|K.T  to  hunt  sea-otter 
i'nr  a  hi'ief  season  on  the  Calil'ornian  coast.  Thus 
eiidetl  the  attom!>t  atc:)lonizatiou  in  th(^  Hawaiian  Isl- 


i 
nnds,  whereltN'  no 


thinii;' 


.vas  !jfained,  aiu 


d  a  1< 


>ss  of  t  wo 


hundred  and  iifty  thous.md  I'ouhles  was  incurred  hv 
the  Russian  .Vmerican  ( yom[)any.''- 


TaiMkMiiiif.  wlnmi  I\Mt-zl>ni>  iin't  in  O.i! 


1, 


I't,  ilit'liUCMl  tli;ittl 


1(!   Illl'll   <'«f<llll 


.1  al 


i;i,  w  lici'i' 

IIDst  liV.l  lllil.uir 


Kainchamcln  then  lio!1 


T 


lasily  liivi!  kiUcil  n'.l   '-'n:  ^larty.     Only  tlino  of  tlicl 


■niiri  Mil    .1 

It.     K^il-.'llllr' 


t 


".'/■ 


■f  hi 


Iva 


luriianu'ii  I  vxDcc 


icil  tliiil  tin'   Iliissiaiis  wiiiilil   taku  rcvc'mc  for  thu 


treatment  of  Sh,  .I'- 


ll liis  iiaitv,  until  ( ' 


i|i!:ni 


I  ( JiitiivniirH  at  ri\.il  ill  IslS. 


Afirr  that  v    ir  tUo  coninanv'M  vessel h  a;,'a in  visitnl  tlie  S.iuihvicli  Islands,  Imt 


1( 


HI''  intorvaJM.     >Kc.isii)nal  lutei'etmr.se  was  iils^i  iiiaiiitaiiK 


4tl 


irou^ili  .Vnier 


icaii  i'.liiiis.  'J'lio  ].i'ii'lni'(!  iif  t!ie  I:<laiiiN.  ennsistiii.Lt  of  enooa-nuf.s,  nmi,  (ar  i, 
mill  I'dji'jof  coeiMi  palm  HI  ire,  was  e\i  lian;,'(il  for  )i(!trv  ami  piastres.  l.ii'L' ,  in 
M  ifi ri'iliii,  I'lui'.  Hnti.,  part  iv.  1  lii  7.  Oim  of  r>ar.inof's  plans  for  tlu'  I's- 
t.llilisliinent  of  ti'aile  witll  tll<:  I'iiilippine  1  -laluls  also  faili  'I  of  sueeess.  For 
tlii  I  pnrpi):«>  lie  went  one  of  liis  eonliiKiitial  elofks  t<»  M^iuil.i  in  tin;  Ihuin. 
e  I  liii  return  he  reporteil  that  the  Sjianish  mithoritiea  wiuu  htroiigly  oppo.s^'i 
t  1  ixtt'iiiliii;^'  tl»eir  iruilc  with  toioi^jncra. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


CLOSi:  OF  BAIIANOF'S  ADMINISTRATION. 

1810-1821. 

Haoemeisteh  S.vtLs  Foil  Novo  AuKiiAvnEi-sK— 11k  SrpF.nsKDKs  Baiianof  — 

TuANSFKIlOFTUKCoMPASY'rt  KfFK(TS— TlIK.  AcfOrNTS  INMioOII  OUKKIt  — 
SiCKSF.SS  OF  TlIK.  Kx-M.\NA(ii:il  IVmsVNoK  T\KKS  I-F.XSF.  ((K  TIIK.  <'iir.- 
ONIF.S— Ills  |)i:ATH--]tKMAItKS  uK  KlII.DIl.N  I  IvIiK  AMI  Ol'IIKIlS  OS'  I'.M;- 
ANOF--  KoKASiiKOVSKY's  KxpF.DII  ION  TO  TlIK  KrsKOK  VI M  -  no>,il'i;i  i:r  I  |,'-i 
VoVACK  — .Massai'UK  fiF  MIS  IlrsTEU.S-FlMa'lII'l:  l''\fI,n|!\riONS--l>l\  ■ 
IDKNliS     ANM     Tm'UKASK      OK     T  M'lTAI.    -( 'i  iMM  KIKIK — I)K('UKASB     IN     THIS 

Yiii.D  OF  Frus  -TlIK  (>omi'any's  .Skuvants. 


»v 


In  181")  Jin  I'XiHMlition  to  Alaska  was  fittod  out  I 
the  iiM|)('iial  lifovcrnmoiit  in  cniijutictioii  with  tli..' 
liussiau  Ainorican  ( 'om[>:iuy,  and  I  lav^nmoistcr,  wlit»--t! 
voyajjfc  ill  tlu;  Xcra  has  lux;!)  inciitioiit'd,  was  ]tla('(,'d 
ill  command.  A  v(.'ss(>l,  niimmcd  Hh?  Kiitii.<nf\^  was 
j)iirchas(>d  at  Tlavro  lor  ,l'(J,00()  stciliiiL;',  and  in  Jiily 
of  th(!  lollowin'^*  year  was  ready  lor  sea,  when  Ijo/an  i' 
roturii<.!(l  to  Kronstadt  in  the  Surnrif.  On  liis  ar- 
rival, tho  dir(>('tors  resolved  to  delay  the  di'paitiire 
of  tho  t;\pedilion  until  aftiM*  tho  decision  of  the 
naval  court  <»!' imiuiry,  held  to  invest i'^ad;  tho  charn'i 
made   a-jjainst    him    hy    tln^  chieC  mana<'<'r. 


W 


nil 


tho  judi^nient  was  made  known,  the  directors  add<'l 
to  1  ra^onieistcr's  instructions  ii  clause  anthori/iiiL;' 
him  to  assume  cfnitrol  in  \Am'v  of  IJaranol',  it'  In) 
should  lind  il,  ne'.'essi!i'V. 

The  Siii'orof  wYvwiA  at  Novo  ArkhaniLifolsk  on  the 
2nd  of  .luly,  and  her  consort,  tho  Kutdstf,   ou  tliu 


» Of  ,vj:i  ton  (. 

•.Seo  ciiui).  xxiv.,  thin  vol.,  nolo  28. 


(610) 


lIACKMl'ISTF.irs  VISIT.  Ml 

20tli  «)f  Xovcinlx  r,  I  S  I  7.'  I5i»tli  vessels  had  l)eou  de- 
tained ni  Lima,  wliuiiei-  {\iv  (nniiej'liad  saileil  tliivet  lor 
Alaska,  wliilo  tlio  latter  visited  other  IVruvian  ports, 
.:iid  also  ]}(ide<^a  and  San  Francisco,  where  lai'i^e  (|Uan- 
tilios  of  pi'ovisions  wei'o  pnrehascMl.  For  these  sup- 
pljes  iJuranot*  I'xpresscid  his  thanks,  hut  complained 
liilturlv  <»t'  the  companv's  rel'usal  to  listen  to  his  re- 
iii'wed  i'0(]iiest  to  he  nlieviMl,  declarin;^  most  emphat- 
ically that  ho  was  no  loiiLjer  ahlo  to  hear  the  hnrden 
(if  his  responsihiiit y.  1  laL,'cnieister  meanwhile  did 
not  choose  to  I'eveal  the  exti-nt  of  the   j>owi'rs  con- 


I'l  rrod  on  hini,  hut  h\,>oan  at  once  (piietly  to  investi- 
i;ato  the  state  of  allUirs  in  the  colonies  and  the  exact 
sliitus  of  th(!  company's  hnsiness.  J)nrin|L?  tlu^  whohi 
winter  lie  kept  his  orders  concealed  from  liaranof, 
who,  thouu^h  almost  prosti-ated  with  disease,  lahored 
isssidiiously  in  snrrenderint;'  the   all'airs  of  tlie  com- 


any, 


II 


o  was  now  lailm;'-  m  mmd  as  we 


as  Ml 


IumI- 


ily  health,  one  of  the  symptoms  of  his  a|ipi(»achin!L^ 
inihecility  heinix  li'^  sudden  at  lachmeiit  to  the  church, 
lie  kej>t  constantly  ahoul  him  tin;  pi'iest  who  had 
cstahlished   the    first  ciiurcli   at   Novo   Arklian-iel^k 


uuruiLj  tlic  [)reciMun^'  sunnner,  and  ur'^cd  l»y  Ins  spnit- 
ual  adviser,  nuido  hw'X^;  ilonalions  for  relij;ii>us  jiur- 
poses. 

IIa«jfonnMster  was  impr»\ssed  with  the  tjcreat  respon- 
^il»!ities  that  awaited  liim,  and  hesitated  loni(  hel'oro 
consrntinn'  t(»  assume  (he  hurvjeii.  At  last  he  saw  u 
\  ay  out  of  (he  diiljculty.  ^'anovsky,  the  lirst  lieu- 
li'Uantof  t]u)  SuniroJ,  had  heconie  (iiamoicd  of  liar- 
iiiiof's  dauL^hter,  the  oll'spiin!;' of  a  connection  with  a 
iiativ(>  Woman,  and    had  oKtained   liis  con^^ent   to  he- 


come  lus  son-m-law 


II; 


iL!'t".nci>ter's  consent  was  also 


iiocossai'v,  and  this  was  eraiiled  on  condition  tiiafc 
Vaiiovsky  should  remain  at  Xo\'o  ArlJiaU'Ljelsk  for 
(wo  years  and  represent  him  as  chief  mana^'er. 

ivritlir  ilati  r<(if  tli.'jii'rival  nf  tlit>  .^i(»*»m/ 


riki 


f.  A-/. 
im<l  A' /('//Ml/'  uH  III 


iini'iii 


o/„.v 
;;«l  •<(  .111 


L.'IH) 


<1    tl 


.1  v(  N 


iiVlUlUT. 


11 


H--C  ;,'IV«tl  III 


till- ti'Xt  jiio  tukfii  tniiii   llir   Ii(.iiUm  of  tlu'  ionii>any  pristivcd  in  tito  •V'fil'a 
Air  hi  era. 


I 


At 


CLOSE  OF  IIARAXOF'S  ADMIN'ISTKATIO? 


1  iJ 


At  liisf,  (til  the  1  I  til  of  J;iMU;irv,  181H,  lla'jfcinuistcr 
HU«l(l('tily  laid  licforc  liaraiiof  his  onh-is,  and  thrci; 
days  lad'i"  dospatche  I  the;  Snnir(if'  to   St   ]*<'ter>l>ui  .;• 


w'lih    a    iH'poi't    of    his    i)r( 


proccH'diiiijfs, 


T\ 


lis   siirj)iis> 


]»r(»s( rated  the  deposed  autocrat.  Tlie  fiihihufiit  of 
liis  ]oii^-ch(!rishinl  «U.'siro  <'aiiio  upon  him  too  kuiI- 
deiily.  J[u  could  not  in  reason  have  (Xpi'ctcd  a 
successor  until  the  next  ship  arri\ed  from  St  l^eteis- 
Inirg.  Wliatev(,'i'  may  have  heeii  Jlai^^eineistir's  mo- 
tive, tlu!  effect  certainly  was  to  shorten  the  days 
of  JJaranof,  who  deserved  more  consideration.  After 
dis[>layiii'j^  his  instructions,  tin;  former  at  oncc!  ga\c 
a  j)(Tem|>tory  order  that  all  the  hooks  an<l  property 
should  he  immediatelv  tielivered  to  the;  companv's 
commissioner,  KhIehniUof.  MakiiiL,''  a  supreme  i-l- 
fort,  JJaranof  rose  from  his  hid  on  the  day  of  the 
*S'»<vnvy".v  depaituri>  and  heiji'au  the  transfer  of  the 
comjiany's  effects,*  a  inAi  which  was  not-  com|»Ieted 
jur  se\eial  months.  The  pr<>p<'rty  at  Novo  Ark- 
liaii<'elsk  alone  was  i'stimated  l»v    Ivhiehnikof  at,  t 


ni 


id  a  half  millions  of  roiihl 


es. 


Jn   addition    to   t 


W(i 
Wo 


hundred  thousand  roiiMes'  w<»ith    of  furs  shipped  on 
the  Siii'iiro/',  ther(!  still  remained  in   tlu.'  stonhoii 


ses 


skins  to  the  vahu- of  nine  hundreil  thousand   rouhh 


Tl 


le  huildmLjs  were  all  m  cm 


the    sea-LioiiiLr    Ni'ssel.^ 


•llent 
In    all    th 


condition,  as  wei'i 


e    coinpuca 


ited 


M- 


counts  of  this  vast  hiisiness,  Ivhiehnikof  I'aileil  to  find 


a  single  discrepam-y, 


^1^1 


le  cash  accounts,  involviii''; 


millions,  were  in  perfect  order;  in  the  item  of  stroii;^ 
liipiors  there  was  a  small  (piantity  not,  accounted  for, 
hut  this  had  heeii  caused  hy  the  hosjiitalities  extended 
to  iia\;d  ollicers  and  other  visitors.  Anionif  the 
many  who  had  heen  with  him  for  loii<4  \'ears,  jiaranol 
knew  no  one  to  whom  he  could  intrust  the  irksom  ■ 
•  luty  which  now  leli  to  his  lot,  hut  labored  from  morn 


II' 


trridhi 


A  li-<t  of  tlic  |iriiici|)iil  nrticIcH  is  jL'iviii  in  Khl'hnihif,  y^i/ihU,  in  .)/'( 


i;t  I. 


' Khl<hii'tk"l\  Slihn.    Itnr' 


■'I,  17 »;  TIkh, 


'/",   /I'ri 


(th, 


M:t,  'Ji: 


Tilt'  littliT  KUiti'H  tiiiit  tliii  viiluu  ul'  jii'ojnrty  tuuiiil'tjrrcil  uxccuilud  tlml  whicli 

UppcUlX'll  DM  IMllK'l". 


ILL.RKQUITKT)  SKRVICKS. 


M3 


lilt  inDiii 


w*  to  iii.!^l»t,  overcoiniiii^  Ms  utakness  with  stimu- 
lants. At  loiiij^tli  tlio  ta>k  was  fmislicd,  and  iij  Sip- 
tt'iubt!!*   IHIH    l»o  ilulivorotl  a   full  statt'un-ut  <«l'   tho 


(•(II 


Mipaiiy's  art'airs  to  liis  Hon-in-law, 


I 


ivcoiiMnfud 


to  your  special  caro,"  ho  huu\,  "tin;  pu»)i)lo  who  havo 


1. 


canioil  to  |(»vo  iiie,  aiK 


1    w! 


lO     UIU 


U'V  jud 


U'lous  troat- 


iiK'ut  will  hf  just  as  Will  «lisj)os(Ml  toward  those  who 
sliall  watch  ovi-r  them  in  the  future." 

Nearly  forty  years  haul  now  (-lapsed  Hiiico  Harauitf 
had  left  his  nativi;  laud;  nearly  thirty  since  ho  had 
first  landed  at  Kadiak.  Ho  was  ill  iccpiited  for  his 
lon<;  and  faithful  sttrvice.  To  him  was  due,  uu>rv  than 
to  all  others,  the  success  of  the  Russian  cohtnios  in 
.Vnierica;  l>y  him  they  had  hei'U  founded  jnd  fostered, 
and  hut  lor  him  they  would  never  h.ive  heen  estah- 
lished,  or  would  have  had,  at  host,  a  hrief  and  trouhled 
existence.  Hen;,  amid  these  wintry  .solitudes,  he  had 
raised  t<»wns  and  villaijfes,  huilt  a  ileet  of  sea-!4foin<' 
ships,  and  laid  a  hasis  of  trade  with  American  and 
Asiatic  ports.  All  this  he  had  accomplished  while 
payinjj;  rei^ular  dividends  to  shareholders;  and  )io\v 
in  his  old  aiLje  he  was  cast  adrift  and  calh^d  to  lender 
an  account  as  an  unfaithful  steward.  Jle  was  alrea<ly 
in  his  seventy-second  year.  WhiM'c  should  lu;  he- 
take  him  durinj^  the  hrief  span  of  life  that  yet  re- 


1^ 


Miame( 

Hitter  as  was  the  humiliation  whith  Haranof  suf- 
r<ied,  he  could  not  at  once  teai- himself  away  from  the 
hnd  which  he  loved  so  well.  1  le  icscilved  liist  lo  pay  a 
\isit  to  Kadiak,  meet  once  moir  the  tried  j'riends  and 
servants  who  wer*;  yet  livino;  thei'e,  and  take  a  last 
-lance  at  the  .settlements,  w  hen?  lirst  he  had  planlrd 
Ills  count i-y's  llaijf.  Hi-  would  then  hiil  f.,n>od-l»y  to  idl, 
ind  join  hishrotherat  i/.hi'^a,  in  Kamchatka,  (he  oidy 

ow    survived."       Finally,   his 
"Id  ac(p>aintance,  Captain  V.  },{.  (ittlovnin,  w  ho  ahou* 


>ne    of  his    kin    that    n 
.1(1 


".'Vt  lino  tiiiiu  lui  |iiir|i<mi'il  t'>  Niil  fur  till' Saiiilw'ii'li  InIhiiiI!!  nml  riiil  liiH 
'I  >ys  tit  till'  ciMirt  iif  Kaiiu'liuiiH'liii,  with  wlioiii  liu  wan  iitill  uti  fiituilly  teiiu^. 
Ulikhnikiij,  >/ii;((.  Jliiriiiinrii,  I74-0. 
nim.  Ai-AtKA.    UJ 


514 


CLOSE  OF  BARANOF'S  ADMIXISTRATIOX. 


;:l 


this  tiiDo  luid  returned  to  Novo  Arkhan<;elsk,  urired 
liiin  to  return  to  Russia,  where  lie  eouM  still  he  (.1' 
great  service  to  the  conii)any  by  giving  advice  to 
the  managers  on  colonial  attairs.  The  prospect  of 
continued  usefulness  and  perhaps  the  hope  (jf  receiv- 
ing reward  for  past  services,  then  much  needed  hy 
the  ex-manager,  decided  him  to  acce[>t  this  advi^i'. 
The  period  of  general  leave-taking  preceding  his  de- 
parture was  a  severe  ordeal.  He  was  frequently  fouiil 
in  tears,  and  the  symptoms  of  disease  increased  as  lie 
was  sulmiittcd  aLjain  and  ai^ain  to  the  trial  of  hiddiit  •• 
farewell  to  the  men  with  whom  he  had  heen  intimately 
associated  for  more  than  a  generation,  and  to  the  chil- 
dren who  had  learned  to  love  him  from  their  infancy. 

At  length,  on  the  27th  of  Noveniher,  1818,  he  eiii- 
haiked  on  the  A'litusof,  and  as  the  vessel  entered  tlic 
waters  of  the  sound,  lie  gazed  for  the  last  time  on  the 
si'ttleitient  which  was  intirel}'  of  his  own  creation. 
After  touching  at  Umata,  the  vessel  arrived  on  tin 
7th  of  ^fareh  at  ]»atavia,  where  she  was  detained  i'ov 
thirty-six  days.     No  more  unfortunate  choice  conl  1 
have  been  made  for  so  prolongetl  a  visit  than  amidst 
the  pestilential  elimate  of  that  Dutch  colony.     Tired 
of  the  coidinenient  of  his  cabin,  the  ex-manager  in 
sistt-d  U(ton  living  on  .shore,  spending  his  whole  time  in 
th<.'  hosiehy   just  <»utside  the  sc^ttlement ;  thence   In 
was  carried  idmost  lifeless  on  board  the  slii|),  whiili 
now    put   to    sea;    on   the    IGtli    of  April,    18 U>,  Ik 
breathed  his  last;  on  the  following  day  his  obseipiies 
were  performed,  and  in  the  strait  of  Sunda  the  water.- 
of  the  Indian  Ocean  closed  over  the  remains  of  Ale\- 
andr  Andrcievieh  Baranof 

With  all  his  faults,  and  they  were  Tieither  few  ikt 
small,  it  must  be  admitted  that  in  man}'  resjiects  l^ar 
anof  had  no  e(]ual  among  his  succ«.?s.S(»i"s.  "I  .saw  hii.i 
in  his  seventieth  year,"  writes  his  biigrapher,  Khle!' 
nikof,  "  aiul  even  then  life  and  I'tieigy  spaikled  in  hi- 
eye...  He  never  knew  what  avariiL  was,  and  nevi  i' 
hoarded  riche.s.     He    did    not  wait    until    his  deatli 


CHARACTER  OF  BARANOF. 


ni.-) 


t<)  make  provision  for  the  living,  and  gave  freely  to 
all  ulio  had  any  clainiH  upon  him.  Some  said  that 
ho  had  large  de])Osits  in  foreign  banks,  hut  no  i>i(ii)t 
of  this  was  to  bo  found  when  he  died.  He  always 
lived  on  his  means,  and  never  drew  his  balance  IVom 
the  company  while  he  was  in  their  service.  From 
Shelikof  lie  had  received  ten  shares,  and  by  the  Sluli- 
kof  Company  he  was  allowed  twenty  shares  niorr. 
Of  these  he  gave  away  a  considerable  portion  to  his 
It'llow-laborers  Banner  and  Kuskof,  who  wi-re  rather 
j)oorly  paid.  There  are  not  a  few  now  living  in  the 
colonies  whom  he  helped  out  of  diHicidty,  and  many  a 
rinnittance  he  sent  to  Russia  to  the  relatives  of  pci- 
soMS  who  had  died,  or  were  by  misfortune  jirevented 
iVom  supporting  those  dependent  upon  them.  Ah 
exam[»le  of  this  occurred  in  ihv  case  ol'^Ir  Koch,  who 
was  sent  out  to  relieve  him  but  died  on  the  way.  ][r 
had  assisted  him  formerly  both  with  money  and  inllu- 
ciice,  and  after  his  death  sent  large  remittances  to  his 
family."^ 

''Every  one  looked  to  liiiii  us  chief  innnngrr,'  rem;iiks  Klilrlmikef. 
Shizn.  Jill  re  Horn,  l!i"  8.  '  Tliei'o  were  two  classes  to  lie  inoviiiccl  fur  -  llio 
Kn^siaiiH  iiiul  tlio  niitivcs.  Tlio  latter  never  troiilikd  tlu'iUMehes  alMnit  tlio 
future,  ns  loan  aa  they  had  a  liaU  to  cat;  hut  liaranof,  with  lii.-i  good  warm 
heart,  looked  into  tlu)  future  for  thrm.  On  one  occasion  nil  kinds  of  )iriivi<- 
iipus  were  giving  out,  even  the  >=iiiij)ly  of  fi.ih  dwindling  away.  He  dul  not 
f^lecj)  at  idLdit,  when  the  wind  wan  hlowin^',  thinkiiii;  of  the  ships  on  the  way 
to  him,  kiden  with  what  was  needed  so  much.  Had  he  known  at  thi^i  time 
tiiat,  at  till'!  very  moment  when  ho  was  pruyinj^  for  the  arrival  of  a  sliiii  on 
tlie  coast  of  Ainenia,  the  vessel  which  he  expected  was  hreakini;  to  piecis  en 
till!  roeky  shore  of  Kamchatka,  even  his  stout  heart  nii;;ht  have  tnuilikd. 
Uaranof  was  never  at  his  wit's  end  nor  faint  hearted.  When  ho  lu'ard  a!  tlio 
same  time  of  the  wreck  of  the  JJIizurftn,  liemianenkof's  disaster,  and  the 
\  akutat  niass/icre,  all  he  said  was,  "  My  <  lod!  howian  we  I'eiiairall  tht  se  dis- 
asters!"' Amon){  the  many  instances  related  by  Kl.L'i.iKnT  of  lliiraiml'^ 
lui>ine.ss  uhility  the  followiii';  may  Ik  nn  ntioneil:  in  1802  ho  received  liy  the 
y.Voiiv'fi  a  carp*  worth  only 'JO,ii(>0  rv'\ddes,  a  >;reat  part  of  which  wasiisc- 
l>'^>s  for  his  pin'])osc.  Itaraiiof  Kent  °>>UiHl  the  dillerent  .stations  to  collect 
(.'h.mIs  to  1(0  exchanged  for  fuis  urd  to  1  ;y  .he  hunters.  Mictini,'  with  litth; 
success,  ho  sent  out  Aleuts  to  slumt  or  iiap  sea  Itirds,  and  of  their  skiii.<  Kr 
hail  fanciful  jiarkas  (cloaks)  made,  which  greatly  pleased  the  natives,  and 
were  readily  ai'cejited  in  payment  for  furs. 

Although  the  authors  name  does  not  a|i|>ear  on  the  title-page  of  the 
Sli  iiirn{ii.'ii(inie  Ahiunitra  An  Iro"  ••'itrhii  Jinrnioni,  (ll'u-iHi<jn  /'rori/rlln  /,n- 
f  !idi{-k  Koloiiii/  V  Amrrii,''  (Uioiiraphy  of  Alex.,  ider  Anilreievich  llaranof, 
Chief  Manager  of  the  Itnasian  t.olonies  in  Ameiica),  Navd  Printing  (lilice, 
>t,  I'ltersburg,  l.Sllo,  it  is  (ivideut  from  the  intnxluction  that  the  work  was 
written  by  Kyrill  KUlehnikof,     It  wan  dedicated  to  hi»  lOxcelleucy  the  Ad- 


I  ; 


iiii 


CLOSK  OF  BARAXOF'S  APMIXISTRATION. 

Out?  of  tho  officers  of  tlie  sloop-of-war  Kanichafkrt, 
in  which  vessel  (Jolovniii  arrived  at  Novo  Arklian- 
j^^'lsk,  a  short  time  before  l^araiiofs  departure,  thus 
rehites  liis  impressions:  "  We  liad  jnst  cast  anchor  in 
'  jtort,  and  were  sittint:^  down  to  dinner  when  Baranof 
was  announced.  Tlie  life  an<l  actions  of  this  extraor- 
dinarv  man  had  excited  in  me  a  i;reat  curiositv  to  see 
him.  lie  is  much  helow  medium  heiL,dit.  His  face 
is  covered  with  wrinkles,  an«l  he  is  perfi^ctly  lutJd;  Imt 
for  all  that  he  looks  younijfi'r  than  his  years,  considrr- 
iiit;  liis  hard  and  troubled  life.  The  next  dav  we  were 
invitiMl  to  dine  with  him.  After  dimar  sinLjers  were 
intr(nluced,  who,  to  please  the  late  manaijfer,  spared 
neither  their  own  luniks  nor  our  ears.  WIkmi  they 
san^  his  favorite  sonuf,  '  The  s|)irit  of  Russian  hunti  rs 

iiiiial,  Mcmlu^' of  till)  Prisy  Couiuil,  Ksiiglit  of  all  Ituxsiaii  Onlcrs,  ('omit 
'Nikolai  Suiin'iioviliii  Miudvinoir.  KhUlniikof  ln-lil  a  jiromiiu'iit  ]iositiiiu 
uiiili.'r  the  IkUs.siaii  Aiiioiiraii  C'uin|>uiiy  for  many  yciirs,  aiul  ili'votcil  iiiiii  h 
tiiiu' ami  ntiicly  to  the  coloiiit'.s.  lli.s  iiioi;ra[)liy  of  llaiaiiof  is  very  rouiiiiii.' 
tlioiiuli  tiii;{t^(l  with  ailiniratiui).  JSiir.iiiof  wan  so  thorotiLilily  iilciitilJcMl  \\i,!i 
nil  that  vvaH  acroinolishctl  Ity  tiiu  UuHsiaua  on  the  Aiiiurii'aii  coast  from  M'.l) 
to  !s|S,  that  his  liiogniphy  fiiriiislus  a  i-ompluti?  hixtory  of  tho  i,'iiU'r|(iisi' 
iq)  to  that  time.  IUm  niimerons  thrilling  advcut'iros,  liis  iinn  l<iit  soim-tiinc-i 
iruL'l  modo  of  ilcaliug  with  the  savagoii  ami  liis  own  folKiwcrs — liiit  littl 
il 


liiiovc 


till!  formiT  ill  till!  sealo  of  civili/iitioii — hi.s  vast  ])laiirt  for  cxtomliii^i  1 


tii'lil  of  tho  I'omiMiny'soiH'rations  over  half  the  I'aoilic  l)i'i'nn,  nii'  alily  iiii.! 
lUaily  iiortVayril.  'J"ht!  relations  lictuti'ii  the  ]!iiHsian  fur-trailir  ami  the 
(  aliloriiiaii  autlioritit'.s.  ami  his  Venturis  in  the  .Samluieh  Islamls,  oci'ii|iy 
I'uiisiileralili!  space  in  this  voliitno. 

Khlcliiiikof 's  letters  on  Ameiicii,  forming  i».irt  iii.  of  tho  Matcrialiii  illin. 
liivriij  liiix/iklUi.  /C'lH-d hiiiii  }>ii  llcrviiam  Vo'to'-lDiitrit  oLriimi  (.Nfaterial  for  tiif 
History  of  the  llnssian  SettlemeMts  on  the  Shores  of  the  Masleni  Oeeaii*, 
I'liiitiiig  Otlico  of  till!  Miiiisteriiim  of  Maiine,  St  I'etersluirg,  iSlil,  hear  no 
ilati',  Imt  were  apparently  written  in  IS'Jil  or  IS.IO.  'I'hi.s  work  is  a  coll*  c'Li.ni 
of  papers  piihlisheil  in  tliu  Mot-'ikiii  S>>i)niiL-,  the  organ  of  the  Russian  \m\,iI 
l»c  j^ai'iiiient,  on  the  then  all-alisoihing  topic  of  the  Itiissian  Colonies.     'J'l 


eonteiits  of  the  collectii 


re:  I.   Instructions  of  the  R\issian  marine  miiiist'i' 


to  Captain  (lolovnin,  ISI7.  II.  Communication  from  tho  marine  minist>'i', 
M;n(piis  lie  Traverse,  to  JJaron  Testil,  governor  general  <if  Silieria,  1SI7.  111. 
( 'oiiimuiiiration  in  reply.  1SI7.  IN'.  Letter  of  Caittain  Colovnin  to  the  gov 
eriior  of  Silieria,  1SI7.  V.  Report  of  the  eommaniling  ollicer  at  Okhotsk  t^i 
the  ii\  il  governor  of  Irkutsk.  Isl.").  VI.  Letters  of  tho  i>ost  eommaii(hr  "t 
<ikliot.sk  on  tho  oppression  of  .Aleutian  employees  hy  tliu  company.  \'ll. 
Letl.ir  oft  'aptaintoilovniiion  tho  eonilitionof  the  Uussiau  .\merinan(  'ompan\', 
ISIS.  \l  1 1.  Itevicw  (jf  till'  Russian  colonies  in  Xorth  America  lij'  Captain  Co- 
lovnin. l.\.  Letters  of  Klilelmikof  on  .Anieiica,  <li\  iileil  into  two  parts  t!ic 
iiorilicrn  I'olonics  mul  tho  I'o.ss  neltlemcnt.  containing  minute  uml  relialilc 
ilatii  on  liotli  snlijects.  X.  Traiislatioiis  ami  extiiicvn  ii'om  tho  works  of  tln' 
following  author.'):  Klilelmikof,  l>a\ii|of,  Ki»is<'ii9teic.,  Lisiansky.  Kot/ehue. 
Colovnin,  Lozaref,  Liitke.  Ijimrsilortl'.  Ro(|Uefenil,  Ik.Klier,  Ia  I'lace,  Mofraa, 
Sim^iHon,  ami  Kcllctt.     statistical  tiihle.  are  aiijiemlcil  to  tiie  collection. 


hatha, 
rklmu- 
>,  thus 
■hor  in 
larnnnt' 
^ctriuir- 

'  to  Sl.'O 

is  face 
Id;  I'ut 
(HsitU'r- 
,'0  wore 
rs  were 
spari'tl 

MJ    tlu'V 

Imiiteis 

ilcrs,  Coviut 
nt   iKisitinn 

VotC'tl  lllMih 

•y  I'oiiiiii'ti' 

i.'tili'>«l  Willi 

It  from   lT;t'>) 

uiitrri>risc! 

SOllU'tilllC!' 

l.iit  littlo 
luliii;;  tlic 
iil'ly  iiii'l 
r  ami  tin' 
U,  ipotiipy 

iv'((//((    (//'''. 

i-iiil  f'-r  the 
III  O.rtvu). 
(il,  I'fiir  111) 
a  ciilUctiim 
isiaii  N'avnl 

lllil'8.       Tllf 

lie  luini^<^ 'I' 
111  miiiist"  T, 
\S17.     111. 
to  tlio  ^'"v 
(tkli'ttHk  t.i 
iiniauilii"  lit 
any.     Vll. 
iiCompiiiiy- 
'aiitaiu*'"- 
l)arls  -  till' 
liiil  nlialilf 
[orkn  iif  til'' 
Kot'/cl'ii'-. 
lift',  Mofraa, 
iectiou. 


CirARACTKR  OF  UARAXOP. 


r.i; 


(levisod/  lie  stood  in  their  midst  and  reheai'.sed  witli 
llieiii  their  eoiiiinon  (h'ed.s  in  the  New  World.  I 
nm.stadd  here  a  word  astohi.s  inodeoi'ht'e.  He  ri:>»'s 
eaiiy,  ami  eats  only  oni'e  during  the  day,  havin<^  iio 
certain  tiujo  i'or  lii.s  nieah  It  may  be  said  that  in 
this  respect  ho  resembles  Suvarol,but  1  believe  liar- 
luiof  never  resembled  anyluxly,  except  perhaps  Cortes 


or 


1 


izaj-ro. 


llis  Ibiinei'  condition  had  caused  him  to 


;idopt  a  custom  of  which  he  could  never  wean  himself — 
that  of  keepini;'  around  him  a  crowd  of  madcaps,  who 
were  j^reatly  attached  to  him,  and  ready,  as  the  say- 
iuLT  is.  to  u^o  throui^h  tire  and  water  for  him.  To  these 
jH'ople  he  olten  <fiive  fiasts,  when  each  one  could  drink 
;is  much  as  he  j»leased,  antl  this  ex[)lains  theenornitais 
consumption  of  rum  which  Baranof  was  in  n*^  condi- 
tion t(»  l)uy,  and  had  to  procure  at  the  com[)any's 
cx])en.se."'* 

Jt  is  probable  that  the  words  which  Washington 
Irviiiii"  puts  into  the  mouth  of  Astor's  aj^vnt,  wlieii 
lie  "  found  this  hyperborean  veteran  ensconced  in  a 
I'ort  which  crested  the  whole  of  a  hii;h  rocky  promon- 


torv,"ar(!  but  too  near  the  truth. 


11 


e  IS  contmuallv 


nivino-  ciitertainmonts  by  way  of  pai-a<U',"  smvs  Mr 
Hunt,  "and  if  you  do  not  drink  raw  rum,  and  boilinijf 
))imch  as  stron<4-  as  sulphur,  he  will  insult  you  as  soon 


;is 


he  yets  drunk,  which  will  bo  very  shortly  aftir 
sittiiii^  down  to  table. 

"Astoany  'temperance  captain,'"  continues  Irviny", 
"wli()  stood  fast  to  his  jjiith  and  refused  to  j^ive  U[»  his 
>obiii'ty,  Ik;  might  go  elsewhere  i'or  a  market,  I'oi-  \\(\ 
stood  no  chance  with  the  governor,  llarely,  howesi'i', 
liid  any  cold-water  caititf  of  the  kind  ilarken  the  door 
I't"  l)aranof;    tlie  coasting  ca[>taiiis  knew  too  well  his 


iimior  an( 


1  tl 


ifir  own   intcres 


ts:   til 


ey  joined   in    his 


revels;    they  drank  and  sang  and  whoopud  au*l   |d« 


in  I     I" 


"  III  wlint  ri'.ipcot  the  writer  dot-,  not  oxiilain. 

"  Tikliiiii'iifj'.  ist  ,i:  (>/«)•*.,  i.  'iU-.'i.  'I'lic  ollu'cr  roiiinrks,  timt  ilnriiij,'  liis 
wliolo  tviiii  (if  ailiiiiiiiMti'utiiin  lie  iiinl  rxliiliitvil  a  rare  (lisintcl'cstciliicss,  iukI 
tlmugli  ho  liail  ovtry  chaiKO  of  furicliia^  liinisi'lf,  luul  ut'Ter  t^ikcn  /ulvantugo 
of  hid  iiositiou. 


1! 


818 


CLOSK  OF  BARANOF'S  ADMIXISTOATIOX. 


riipod,  until  they  all  got  'half-seas-over,'  and  then 
airairs  went  on  swiinniingl}'. 

"An  awi'ul  warning  to  all  'flinchcrs'  occurre<l  shortly 
lieCore  Hunt's  arrival.  A  young  naval  oflicer  had  n- 
ccntly  hetMi  sent  out  by  the  emperor  to  take  cotnniani! 
of  one  of  the  company's  vessels.  The  governor,  as 
usual,  had  him  at  his  '  prosnics,' '"^  and  plied  him  witii 
liery  potatiofjs.  The  young  man  stood  on  the  de- 
ft-nsive,  until  the  old  count's  ire  was  completely  kin- 
dled; he  carried  his  point  and  made  the  greenhorn 
tipsy,  will}'  nilly.  In  proportion  as  they  grew  I'ud- 
tllc-tl,  they  grew  noisy;  they  (luarrcUed  in  their  cups; 
the  youngster  [)aid  IJaranof  in  his  own  coin,  by  rating 
him  soundly;  in  reward  for  which,  when  sober,  he  was 
tak<M)  the  rounds  of  f(»ur  pickets,  and  received  seventy- 
nine  lasiu's,  taled  out  with  Russian  i)unctuality  of  pun- 
ishment. 

"Su<-h  was  the  old  giizzled  bear  with  whom  !Mr 
Hunt  had  to  do  his  l)usiness.  How  he  manaLred  to 
cope  with  his  humor,  whether  he  [)ledged  himself  in 
r:nv  rum  and  blazing  punch,  and  'clinked'  the  can  wit!i 
him  as  th(;y  made  their  bargjiins,  does  not  ai»[>ear  u[)i>ii 
record;  we  nmst  infer,  however,  from  his  general  ob- 
Bcrvations  on  the  abs<ilutc  sway  of  this  hard-diinkiiiu- 
potentate,  that  he  had  to  conform  to  the  customs  of  liis 
c<»in't,  and  that  their  business  transactions  presented 
a  maudlin  mixture  of  punch  and  peltry."" 

I^efore  takinjjf  final  leave  of  Baranof,  I  will  i^ive 
one  more  quotation  from  a  n)anuscri[)t  in  ni}-  posses- 
sion, from  the  <lictation  of  one  formerly  in  the  service 
of  the  Ivussian  American  Company,  who  arrived  at 
Novo  Arkhangelsk  in  1817,  for  the  pur[)ose  of  rejoin- 
ing his  fatlutr,  who  had  been  sent  to  the  Ross  colony. 
''On  the  day  after  our  arrival,  Mr  Baranof  sent  for 
me.     He  was  a  small  man,  of  yellow  complexion,  and 

'■^  ( 'arousaU. 

"  A'toria,  4<r>-7.  Irving  states  that  in  1S12  the  fort  at  Novo  Arkliaiig'^!  !; 
inoUDte<l  lUOguu.s;  but  uno  uniat,  of  coiirsi-,  allow  for  the  vivid  inia^jin  ai')ii 
ot  the  Mi)vcli«t.  There  wcro  Ijut  50  cuunon  as  late  as  1817.  Uolovnin,  ir.  Ma- 
UriuJui,  I -tor.  /V««-.,  jiart  iv,  101. 


TIIK  CIIIIJF  DIRFXTOR'S  JIAIUTS. 


510 


witli  very  little  iiair  on  hi.s  head,  lie  s|)(»ko  to  ino 
wry  kiiiilly,  and  |>r(»ini.sc'd  to  sctul  im;  to  Mr  Kuskof 
iis  soon  us  any  of  tliu  company's  slii[)s  were  jjjoiiiij^  in 
his  direction.  Then  he  told  nie  I  could  stay  at  his 
liouso  and  help  the  woman  who  was  his  housekeeper. 
]Iehad  several  women  about  his  house,  young  and 
old,  and  one  daughter  about  seventeen  years  of  age, 
lor  whom  he  kept  a  German  governess.  The  mother 
had  been  a  Kolosh  woman,  but  she  died  bel'ore  I 
came  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk. 

"Baranof  was  often  sick,  and  sometimes  very  cross, 
hut  his  daughter  could  always  put  him  in  go<jd  hu- 
mor by  })laying  on  the  |)iano,  I  have  seen  him  send 
every  one  out  of  the  house  in  a  heavy  snow-storm 
when  his  anger  was  roused,  but  halt'  an  hour  later  he 
sent  messengers  to  call  back  the  women  and  servants, 
jind  gave  each  one  an  order  on  the  store  for  whatever 
they  wished.  Then  he  would  send  for  li(|Uor  and  <tr- 
(itjr  a  feast  to  be  i)repared,  and  call  for  his  singers  to 
iunuse  him  while  he  was  eating.  After  his  meal  he 
was  apt  to  get  drunk  on  such  occasions,  and  would 
try  to  make  all  around  him  drunk.  Most  of  the  peo- 
ple in  the  house  liked  to  see  him  in  a  rage,  because 
tliey  knew  that  a  carousal  would  follow.  As  soon  as 
ho  began  to  feel  the  effect  of  drink  he  always  sent  his 
(laughter  away,  but  all  the  other  women  were  recjuired 
lo  stay  with  him  and  share  in  the  revelry. 

"  One  night  IBaranof  came  into  the  kitchen  for  some 
purpose,  and  saw  the  German  governess  taking  a  glass 
of  I'um.  He  was  so  enraij^ed  that  he  struck  her  on 
the  head  anil  drove  her  out  of  the  house.  On  the  next 
day  he  sent  for  her,  made  her  some  presents,  and  apol- 
•  I'jrized  for  strikinLT  her.  lie  said  thatslie  might (hink 
now  and  then,  but  must  never  let  his  daughter  see  it. 
Tlie  governess  promised  to  abstain  from  di-am-drinking 
in  the  presence  of  her  pupil,  a>id  remained  with  her 
until  she  was  married  to  a  young  naval  officer,'"  who 


'  Yanovsky. 


'« 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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33  WEST  MAItt  STREET 

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CLOSE  OF  BARANOF'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


had  arrived  from  St  Petersburg  on  board  a  man-of- 

"  13 

war.  ^"* 

Hero  we  have  probably  a  truthful  picture  of  Bar- 
anofs  household  during  the  last  j^ears  of  his  resi- 
dence at  Novo  Arkhangelsk.  At  this  period  he  dis- 
played only  too  often  the  darker  phase  of  his  character, 
for  the  use  of  stimulants  had  now  sapped  the  vigor  of 
his  manhood,  and  in  their  use  ahme  could  he  find 
temporary  relief  from  his  constitutional  fits  of  melan- 
choly. That  he  indulged  too  freel}'  in  strong  drink 
has  never  been  disputed  by  his  friends;  but  that  he 
was,  as  some  chronicles  allege,  a  cruel  and  vindictive 
man,  has  never  been  proven  by  his  enemies.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  drunkenness  was  then  a 
vice  far  more  common  among  the  Russians  than  it  is 
to-day,  and  that  it  is  now  more  prevalent  in  Russia 
than  in  any  civilized  country  in  the  world.  The  as- 
persions made  on  Baranof's  character  by  missionaries 
antl  naval  officers  have  already  been  noticed.  They 
need  no  further  comment.  When  we  read  the  pages 
of  Father  Juvenal's  manuscript,  and  the  remarks  of 
such  men  as  Lieutenant  Kotzebue,  in  whose  work  he 
is  spoken  of  as  "a  monster  who  purchases  every  gain 
with  the  blood  of  his  fellow-creatures,"  we  can  but 
wish  that  they  had  formed  a  truer  estimate  of  one 
whose  memory  is  still  held  in  respect  by  his  fellow- 
countrymen. 

While  Baranof   was  still  at  Novo  Arkhanjifelsk, 

^^  Adventures  of  Zakhar  Chkhinof,  MS.,  2-4.  Chichinof  was  a  native  of 
Yakutsk,  where  he  was  born  in  1802.  When  eiglit  years  of  age  he  went 
to  Kailiiik,  and  was  placed  in  the  school  of  Father  (jcnnan,  or  (iernianiiis, 
under  whose  care  he  remained  until  the  year  1817,  leaniing  to  read,  wriic, 
and  cipher.  His  fatlier  removed  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  where  his  son  fol- 
lowed liini  in  tiie  autumn,  earning  his  pas.sage  by  acting  as  .servant  to 
Hiigcnif'ister,  who  was  a  passenger  on  the  same  vessel.  '  Hagemeister  w:is 
very  proud,'  reni.irks  Ciiicliiuof,  'and  used  to  kick  me  for  nut  takirg  off  my 
cap  befoie  going  into  the  cal)in.'  Hearing  that  ins  father  liad  joined  the  Ross 
colony,  he  presented  to  Baninof  a  letter  from  the  missionary,  requesting  that 
he  bo  allowed  to  see  his  parent  as  soon  as  possible.  It  will  be  renicmben  d 
that,  on  his  arrival  at  Ross,  he  was  sent  to  the  Farallon  Islands,  where  he  vns 
employed  to  keej)  accounts.  Chicliiiiof  was  a  resident  of  St  I'aul,  Kadiak, 
in  1S7S,  ill  wliicli  year  he  i-elated  to  my  a;.;ent,  partlj-  from  memory  and 
partly  from  his  journal,  the  incidents  coutaiaed  in  my  manuscript. 


KORASAKOVSKY'S  EXPEDITION. 


C2I 


and  probably  under  his  direction,  a  force  was  do- 
s[)atched  by  land  to  make  a  thorough  exploration  of 
the  territory  north  of  Bristol  Bay,  and  to  establish  a 
permanent  station  on  the  Nushai^ak  River.  The 
expedition  formed  on  Cook  Inlet,  in  charge  of  one 
Korasakovsky,  who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  na- 
tives of  this  portion  of  Alaska.'*  Proceeding  to  lake 
Ilyanma,  the  party  descended  the  river  Kuichak  to 
Bristol  Bay,  and  following  the  coast,  reached  the 
mouth  of  the  Nushagak,  where  the  leader  left  be- 


Plan  of  Expedition. 

hind  him  a  portion  of  his  command  with  instructions 
to  build  a  fort,  while  he  went  on  with  the  remainder 
to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Tugiak,  far  to  the  west- 
ward, where  the  sloop  Konstantui  was  to  meet  him 

'*  A  curious  superstition  is  filluilcd  to  iu  Korasakovsky 's  instructions. 
From  early  times  ti  Lelicf  liad  existed  among  the  promyshleniki  and  others, 
tliat  somewliere  in  the  interior,  on  tiie  banks  of  the  river  named  tlie  Khiii- 
veren,  there  lived  white  people  with  long  beards,  tlie  descendants,  probably, 
of  some  of  Deshnef's  comi)ani(ins  who  were  reported  to  have  l)een  lost  on  the 
American  coast  in  1()48.  Others  ascribed  their  origin  to  tlio  members  of 
Chirikof's  crew  lost  on  the  coast  of  America.  How  linn  a  hold  this  childish 
belief  had  taken  on  the  minds  even  of  those  in  authority,  is  evidenced  by 
tlie  fact  that  Korasakovsky  was  instructed  to  search  for  the  mysterious  white 
men  of  the  interior.  Tikhmencf,  Istor.  Obon.,  i.  249. 


(KB 


CLOSE  OF  BARANOF'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


iMt: 


with  a  cargo  of  supplies.  After  a  brief  rest,  Kor- 
asakovsky  continued  his  journey,  rounding  Capo 
Newenham,  and  finally  entering  the  wide  estuary  of 
the  Kuskokvim.  It  was  now  late  in  the  season,  and 
hearing  from  the  natives  that  it  was  extremely  difli- 
cult  to  procure  subsistence  during  the  winter,  the 
leader  turned  back.  On  reaching  the  Nushagak,  he 
found  the  fort  nearly  completed,  and  giving  it  the 
name  of  Alexandrovsk,  returned  to  Kadiak  across 
the  Alaska  peninsula. 

Lieutenant  Yanovsky,  who  was  one  of  the  party, 
forwarded  a  special  report  of  this  expedition  to  the 
board  of  managers  at  St  Petersburg,  with  a  recom- 
mendation that  during  the  following  summer  the  set- 
tlement should  be  transferred  from  the  Nushagak  to 
the  Kuskokvim,  or  that  a  new  post  be  established  at 
the  latter  poinf 

During  the  presence  of  Hagemeister  and  Yanovsky 
in  the  colonies,  occurred  the  first  visit  of  a  French  vessel 
to  Norfolk  Sound.  In  1816  a  merchant  of  Bordeaux 
fitted  out  a  ship  named  the  Bordclais  for  a  voyage  to 
the  farther  north-west,  intending  to  compete  with  the 
English  and  American  traders.  The  vessel  sailed  in 
October  181G,  with  a  complement  of  thirty-four  men 
and  three  officers,  in  charge  of  Camille  Roquefeuil,  a 
naval  officer. ^°  In  May  of  the  following  year,  while 
taking  in  water  and  provisions  at  Lima,  lioquefeuil 

'*  In  the  same  year,  ho  ordered  a  careful  census  of  the  colonies  to  be 
taken,  the  result  of  wliicli  he  forwarded  along  with  the  report.  The  nuiii- 
lier  of  Russians  at  the  various  settlements  and  trading-posts  was  found  to  bo 
.SOI,  of  whom  only  l.S  were  women,  of  Creoles  244,  including  111  women,  and 
of  natives  under  the  company's  control  8,384,  the  sexes  being  about  equally 
divided.  The  Russians  were  thus  distributed:  At  Novo  Arlchangclak,  I'.'S 
men  and  11  women;  at  Kadiak  and  adjoining  islands,  73  men;  on  the  island 
of  Ookamok,  '2  men;  at  Katuiai,  4  men;  at  Sutkhumokoi,  3  men;  at  Voskru.s 
bcnsky  Harbor,  2men;  .tt  fortKonstantine,  17men;  at  Nikolai  (on  Cook  Inlet), 
11  men;  at  Alexandrovsk  (also  on  Cook  Inlet),  11  men;  at  tlie  Ross  settle- 
ment, 27  men;  on  tlic  Seal  Islands,  27  men;  and  at  Nushagak,  3  men  and  2 
women.  Tikhmencf,  iHor.  Oftot. ,  i.  2o2.  'KhXcbniV.oi,  Zapiski'va.  McUerialui, 
20,  gives  8,307  as  the  number  of  natives. 

'"Tlie  BonhlaU  was  provisioned  for  two  years,  carried  one  24-p()und  can- 
non and  six  8-pound  carron.ades,  and  had  on  board  a  large  quantity  of  small 
arms.  The  cargo  consisted  cliiefly  of  French  manufactured  goods,  lioquefeuil, 
Juitr.  iVun  }'oy.  autottrdu  Monde,  i.  4. 


EOQUEFEUIL'S  VOYAGE.  523 

met  the  commanders  of  the  Kutusof  and  Suvarof,  then 
on  their  way  to  the  Russian  colonies,  and  when  the 
Frenchman  arrived  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  on  the  5th 
of  April,  1818,  he  was  well  received  by  Hagemeister, 
with  whom  he  made  a  contract  to  hunt  sea-otter  on 
joint  account  in  the  channels  of  the  Alexander  Archi- 
l)elago,  Hagemeister  agreeing  to  furnish  him  with 
thirty  bidarkas." 

On  the  7th  of  June  the  Bordelais  arrived  off  the 
north-west  side  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  where 
the  vessel  was  moored  a  short  distance  irom  shoi-e,  the 
anchorage  being  selected  by  the  advice  of  a  Kaigan. 
On  the  9th  a  reconnoissance  was  made,  but  neither  peo- 
l)le  nor  sea-otters  were  seen.  On  the  following  day 
a  lleet  of  twenty-nine  bidarkas,  each  provided  with 
a  rifle,  a  paii:  of  pistols,  and  two  daggers,  went  forth 
to  hunt,  the  long-boat  serving  as  escort.  The  catch 
was  one  sea-otter.  On  the  same  day  four  canoes  came 
rdongside  with  a  few  skins  and  some  fish,  and  the 
Kaiixan,  beinij  discovered  in  secret  consultation  with  his 
countrymen,  was  driven  out  of  the  ship.  The  com- 
pany's agent  proposed  that  the  Aleutian  hunters 
should  camp  on  shore  under  the  guns  of  the  ship.  To 
this  Roquefeuil  consented,  detailing  a  guard  for  their 
jirotection.  They  hunted  with  but  little  success  for 
a  few  days  longer,  the  entire  catch  being  but  twenty 
sea-otter,  while  only  ten  were  obtained  by  barter. 

On  the  morning  of  the  I7th  a  large  number  of 
natives  came  to  the  beach,  offering  to  trade;  but  at 
noon  all  disappeared,  and  remained  out  of  sight  the 
following  day.  Roquefeuil  now  resolved  to  recall  his 
Aleuts:  and  landini;  toward  evening  to  observe  the 
state  of  the  tide,  [)assed  by  their  cam]:)  and  walked  to 
the  head  of  the  cove.     On  his  way  he  was  accosted  l>y 

''  A  clause  was  inserted  in  their  contract  that  XiO  roubles  (alK)ut  $90)  were 
to  Ijo  paid  as  indemnity  for  any  Aleut  who  might  lose  his  life  M-liile  engaged 
in  hunting.  Tikhmenef,  ht'ir.  Obos.,  i.  24".  lloquefeuil,  i.  64,  makes  the 
amount  ■?-(K);  but  Tikhmenef  is  supported  by  tlio  figures  contained  in  tho 
original  contract  preserved  in  tho  NilL'a  Arcliives  of  tho  Russian  Amcricau 
Coninany.  The  statements  of  tlio  Frenchman  concerning  this  expedition 
have  been  found  incorruct  in  most  instances. 


I 


f 


524' 


CLOSE  OF  BARAXOF'S  ADMINISTRATION". 


an  Indian,  who  was  apparently  unarmed.  A  few  min- 
utes later  a  musket-sliot  was  heard,  followed  inmic- 
diately  by  a  volley.  The  captain  instantly  turned 
back,  but  seeing  the  Aleuts  running  toward  the  beach 
without  offering  resistance,  he  hid  himself  in  a  thicket 
which  lined  the  shore,  and  made  signals  for  a  boat  to 
come  off  to  his  rescue.  As  soon  as  his  signal  was 
answered,  he  stripped  and  swam  off  toward  the  sh  i), 
holding  his  watch  between  his  teeth.  As  the  boat 
approached,  the  savages  opened  fire  on  her,  and 
wounded  four  out  of  a  crew  of  seven,  but  Roquefeuil 
was  finally  rescued.  Meanwhile  the  sailors  returned 
the  fire,  and  a  lieutenant  was  sent  with  two  sail-boats 
to  rescue  the  survivors.  Seven  men  w^ere  lifted  out 
of  their  torn  and  sinking  bidarkas,  two  of  them  being 
at  the  point  of  death,  four  severely  wounded,  and  from  a 
small  hole  in  the  rocks  crept  forth  seven  others,  who 
all  escaped  unhurt.  On  the  19th  a  strong  party  was 
sent  on  shore  to  search  for  more  survivors,  but  with- 
out success.  Most  of  the  bidarkas  were  recovered,  a 
few  muskets  were  picked  up  near  the  beach,  and  nine- 
teen Aleuts  lay  dead  within  the  encampment,  the  only 
traces  of  the  tight  being  a  few  discharged  pistols  and 
broken  spears.^** 

On  Roquefeuil's  return  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  Ha- 
genieister  offered  him  an  opportunity  to  retrieve  his 
losses  by  joining  one  of  the  Russian  hunting  parties 
then  engaged  among  the  islands,  but  the  crew  re- 
fused to  receive  on  board  any  more  Aleuts,  or  to  en- 
gage a  second  time  in  the  dangerous  service  of  escort- 
ing them.  The  captain  resolved,  therefore,  to  confine 
himself  to  trading;  and  after  repairing  damages,  he 
again  sailed  for  the  Alexander  Archipelago.     Hoping 


>>.'■ 


-I\ 


"Roquefeuil,  Id.,  i.  71,  states  that  of  47  Aleuts,  20  were  killed,  and  2.> 
escaped  or  were  picked  up  by  tlio  boats,  the  fate  of  the  other  two  buiiig 
uukuown.  Of  the  survivors,  12  were  wounded,  most  of  them  seriously. 
Only  one  Kaigan  was  found  dead  on  the  scene  of  the  massacre.  In  tho 
accounts  of  the  Russian  American  Company,  contained  in  the  Sitka  Archive.-t, 
vi.,  an  entry  speaks  of  23  natives  (20  men  and  3  women)  who  had  lost  their 
lives  on  this  occasion,  and  for  each  of  whom  Roquefeuil  was  made  to  pay  §90, 
under  the  terms  of  his  contract. 


NEW  EXPEDITIONS. 


!j-2j 


and  '25 

eriously. 
Ill  tl'iJ 
irchire.i, 
ost  their 
pay  §90, 


to  deceive  the  savages,  and  capture  some  of  their  chiefs, 
to  be  held  for  ransom,  he  liad  painted  his  ship  ami 
changed  the  rigging;  but  his  trouble  was  in  vain;  the 
ruse  did  not  deceive  the  Kaigans,  and  not  a  canoe 
came  near  his  craft. ^^ 

Roquefeuil  then  sailed  for  San  Francisco  to  procure 
a  cartro  of  grain  with  which  to  settle  his  indebtedness 
to  the  company.  There  he  was  detained  by  the  author- 
ities for  more  than  a  month,  but  finally  obtained  Gov- 
ernor Sola's  permission  to  trade,  chiefly  througli  the 
intervention  of  Golovnin,  who  was  then  at  the  same 
port.  Returning  once  more  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk, 
he  found  that  Hagcmeister  was  willing  to  accept  a 
small  cash  payment  in  behalf  of  the  relatives  of  the 
Aleutian  hunters,  and  after  landing  his  bread-stufts, 
took  his  final  leave  on  the  13tli  of  December.  We 
may  presume  that  he  was  not  very  deeply  impressed 
with  the  advantages  of  the  fur  trade  on  the  upper 
north-west  coast. 

The  end  of  the  period  for  which  the  company's 
cliarter  had  been  grantedwas  now  approaching.  Anx- 
ious to  make  all  possible  progress,  both  in  discovery 
and  exploration,  the  directors  ordered  expeditions  to 
1)0  despatched  in  various  directions,  and  at  the  same 
time  new  buildings  were  erected  in  nearly  all  the  set- 
tlements. Two  attempts  had  already  been  made  to 
explore  the  head  waters  of  the  Copper  River,  but  in 
both  instances  the  leaders  liad  been  killed  by  the 
Atnas.  From  the  Nikolaievsk  redoubt  another 
expedition  was  despatched,  under  command  of  Malak- 
liof,  for  the  purpose  of  exploring  the  country  north  of 
Cook  Inlet.^"     From  Petropavlovsk  the  company  sent 

*•  At  about  the  same  time  the  Boston  ship  Brutus,  Captain  Nye,  had  some 
(lifiiculty  witli  the  Kolosh  in  the  arcliipelago,  during  whicli  a  few  of  tlie 
latter  were  killed.  Captain  Young  was  cruising  in  the  same  vici.-iity  for 
1  lie  Russian  American  Company  in  the  \iv\g  Finlaud,  but  was  not  attacked. 
The  result  of  his  expedition  was  by  no  means  satisfactory,  however,  for  only 
400  sea-otter  were  obtained  with  a  force  of  70  bidarkas. 

''"In  the  Sitka  Archive,  x.,  is  a  report  transmitted  by  Malakhof  to  Yan- 
ovsky,  describing  the  jouraey  undertaken  in  accordance  with  his  instruc* 


L 


S20 


CLOSE  OF  BARANOF'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


ii! 


!'  a 


t'  'i 


the  sloop  Dohroie  Namerenie  (Good  Intent)  to  explor  j 
the  Arctic  coast.  This  craft  sailed  in  1818,  but  was 
delayed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Anadir  River,  and  did 
not  return  till  three  years  later.  No  report  of  tlio 
expedition  is  extant,  but  the  voyage  was  continued  at 
least  as  far  as  East  Cape."^ 

The  efforts  made  by  the  company  at  the  same  time 
to  explore  the  Asiatic  coast  south  of  Kamchatka, 
and  especially  the  mouths  of  the  Amoor,  do  not  prop- 
erly fall  within  the  scope  of  this  volume,  but  servo  to 
show  that  the  monopoly  was  straining  every  nerve  to 
obtain  a  renewal  of  its  privileges. 

After  reorganizing  the  affairs  of  the  colony^  and 
visiting  the  different  settlements,  Hagemeistor  sailed 
on  board  the  Kutusqfior  Kronstadt,^''  where  he  arrived 

tiona.  In  this  document,  which  does  not  bear  the  impress  of  reliability,  Mal- 
nkliof  states  that,  striking  eastward  from  the  Kuskokvim  across  a  chain  of 
mountains,  he  found  himself  on  the  banks  of  a  large  river  thickly  dotted  with 
native  settlements,  and  flowing  northward.  It  is  not  safe  to  assume  that  he 
reached  the  Yukon,  as  the  time  occupied  in  his  exploration  was  altogether  tuo 
short  for  such  a  journey.  He  probably  heard  from  the  natives  ou  the  Kuo- 
kokvim  of  the  existence  of  a  large  river  toward  the  north. 

*•  Lieutenant  Hooper  of  the  royal  navy,  in  his  description  of  the  voyage  of 
the  Plover,  states  that  he  saw  near  East  Cape  a  cross  on  which  was  inscribed 
in  Russian:  'In  this  place  was  buried  the  body  of  carpenter  Stepan  Naumcif 
of  the  sloop  Good  Intent,  August  12,  1821.'    Tents  of  the  Tiishi,  151. 

'■'*  Among  other  measures,  he  ordered  that  the  promyshleniki  should  re- 
ceive, instead  of  their  usual  remuneration  from  half-shares,  a  salary  of  .']f)0 
roubles  a  year,  and  one  poud  of  flour  per  month.  This  system  was  first  rcc- 
ommcnded  by  Rezanof.  He  also  instructed  the  officials  to  provide  each  of 
the  Aleuts  v.'itli  seal-skins  for  bidarkas,  a  whale-bladder  coat,  and  a  bird-skia 
parka,  for  which  they  were  to  pay  only  one  fifth  of  tlie  regular  pri^e.  From 
the  pay  of  those  who  were  indebted  to  the  company,  only  one  third  must  be  de- 
ducted. All  skins  brought  in  by  hunters  were  to  be  marked  in  their  presence 
with  the  company's  stamp,  and  with  initials  indicating  their  quality  and  grade. 
Khkbnthof,  Zapiahi  in  Matfr/'alui,  25-8.  Tikhmenef  says  that  Hagemeister 
proposed  to  li.\  the  pay  of  hunters  at  ,350  roubles,  but  that  the  directors  would 
not  consent.  He  also  states  that  the  latter  made  other  regulations,  which 
were  approved  by  the  general  administration  for  the  guidance  of  ofticiali  in 
Kadiak,  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  Unalaska,  and  Ross,  and  revised  regulations  for 
foreign  vessels  visiting  Novo  Arkhangelsk.  Tikhmcnof,  Idor.  Obos.,\.  2jG.  la 
his  remarks  on  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  Golovnin  sjij's:  'Perhaps  the  directors  do 
not  know  of  the  loss  which  the  company  suffers  from  contrabandists,  and  c^f 
the  injury  done  to  the  colony  and  its  inhabitants.'  Ho  recommends  that  the 
matter  be  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  government.  Id.,  251. 

'^  When  the  Kulusof  arrived,  an  English  ship  of  600  tons,  purchased  liy 
the  company  and  renamed  the  Borodino,  was  being  fitted  out  for  another 
naval  expedition,  the  command  being  intrusted  to  Lieutenant  Ponafidin, 
formerly  of  the  Suvarof.     The  complement  of  the  Borodino  consisted  of  12 


FINANCIAL  RESULTS. 


a-^i 


hased  l)y 

another 

?onalKliii, 

ted  of  12 


on  the  7th  of  September,  1810.  Calling  at  Batavia, 
he  purchased  an  assortment  of  goods  to  the  amount 
of  two  hundred  thousand  roubles,  and  the  value  of  his 
cartifo  of  furs  was  estimated  at  a  million.  The  vessel 
was  at  once  refitted,  and  agam  despatched  to  the  col- 
Ionics  about  a  year  later  under  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant Dokhturof,  who  subsequently  became  famous 
in  Russian  naval  annals."*  Arriving  at  Novo  Ark- 
hangelsk in  October  1821,  after  calling  at  several  Cali- 
fornian  ports,  she  returned  the  following  year  with 
another  cargo  of  furs  valued  at  over  a  million. 

As  we  have  now  come  to  the  close  of  the  first  term 
for  which  the  privileges  of  the  Russian  American 
Company  were  granted,  I  w' ill  give  a  brief  account  of 
its  operations  during  this  period,  or  so  much  of  them 
as  can  be  obtained  from  the  records  which  have  come 
down  to  us.  The  original  capital  of  723,000  roubles 
was  increased  by  the  subscriptions  of  new  shareholders 
to  1,238,740  roubles;  and  the  net  earnings  between 
1797  and  1820,  the  first  years  including  the  operations 
of  the  Shelikof-Golikof  Company,  were  7,G85,G08  rou- 
bles. Of  this  sum  about  4,250,000  roubles  were  dis- 
tributed as  dividends,  and  the  remainder  added  to  tlie 
capital,  which  amounted  in  1820  to  about  4,570,000 
roubles.^®  Meanwhile,  furs  were  sold  or  exchanged 
for  other  commodities  at  Kiakhta  to  the  amount  of 
1G,37G,69G  roubles,^'' and  at  Canton  through  foreign 

officers  and  petty  officers,  and  79  seamen  of  tlie  navy.  Slie  had  also  3.3  la- 
Ijorers  on  board.  TiLhmenef,  Istor.  Obos.,  i.  201;  Sitka  Archii'es,  i.  Of  the 
olficers  of  this  expedition,  Chistiakof  and  Zarenibo  were  afterward  prom- 
inently connected  with  the  development  of  the  Russian  colonics.  On  Hiigo- 
nieister's  return  the  directors  ordered  I'onafidin  to  call  at  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and 
then  at  Manila,  where  commodities  could  be  purchased  at  low  rates.  As  a 
mercantile  speculation  the  enterprise  proved  a  success,  but  it  cost  the  lives  of 
i!iany  of  the  crew.  Disease  broke  out  soon  after  leaving  the  hitter  port,  and 
40  of  the  crew  fell  victinis  to  fever.  On  his  return  from  the  colonies  in  182 1 , 
ronafidin  was  temporarily  suspended  from  duty. 

'*  With  Dokhturof  sailed  4'2  seamen  of  the  navy,  28  laborers,  and  .]  creolo 
youths  who  had  completed  their  education  in  St  Petersburg. 

"  Divided  in  1820  into  7,713  shares,  and  distriljutcd  among  030  share- 
holders. Tikhmencf,  Idor.  Oho/^. ,  i.  255-6.  The  figures  given  are  in  ^apcr  rou- 
bles, then  worth  about  20  cents. 

'<'  At  Kiakhta  furs  were  usually  exchanged  for  tea,  Chinese  cloth,  and  some- 


'I 


f 


m 


523 


CLOSE  OF  BARANOF'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


m 


vessels  to  the  amount  of  3,048,002  roubles.  Of  the 
conij)any's  transactions  elsewhere  we  have  no  complete 
records. 

Xotwithstanding  the  large  shipments  of  furs  made 
during  the  first  twenty  years  of  the  company's  exist- 
ence, the  yield  had  greatlj'^  diminished  since  the  first 
years  of  Baranof's  administration.  In  the  srulf  of 
Kenai,  where  Delarof  had  obtained  3,000  skins  dur- 
ing his  first  year's  hunting,  the  catch  decreased,  until 
ill  1812  it  amounted  onl}'  to  100.  In  Chugatsch  Bay, 
where  seal  had  before  been  plentiful,  the  yield  fell  off 
in  the  same  year  to  50  skins.  Between  that  point  and 
Novo  Arkhangelsk  sea-otter  abounded  when  the  Rus- 
sians first  took  possession,  but  five  years  later  they 
had  almost  disappeared.  In  Otter  Bay,  Queen  Char- 
lotte Island,  and  Nootka  Sound  they  were  still  plen- 
tiful, but  the  Americans  absorbed  most  of  this  trade, 
barterin<2f  fire-arms  and  rum  with  the  Kolosh  in  re- 
turn  for  skins,  of  which  they  obtained  about  8,000 
a  year,  while  the  Russians  tried  in  vain  to  compete 
with  them. 

In  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  which  had  now  become  the 
commercial  centre  of  Russian  America,  there  were,  in 
1818,  020  inhabitants,  of  whom  more  than  400  were 
male  adults.  Of  the  servants  of  the  company,  190 
were  at  that  time  engaged  on  shares,  and  101  on 
fixed  salaries.  The  income  of  the  chief  manager  was 
7,800  roubles  a  year;  that  of  the  head  clerk  from  3,000 
to  4,000,  of  a  trading  skipper  about  the  same,  an  as- 
sistant clerk  or  priest  000,  and  an  Aleutian  or  creolo 
hunter  from  GO  to  150  roubles.  The  total  sum  paid 
yearly  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  on  account  of  shares, 
salaries,  premiums,  and  pensions,  was  about  120,000 
roubles. 

It  will  be  seen  that,  with  a  few  exceptions,  the  com- 
pany's servants  had  little  chance  to  enrich  themselves 


times  for  silk  or  sugar.  Sea-otter  skins  were  valued  at  110  to  124  roubles, 
fill-seal  5  to  7  roulnes,  and  fox  skins  from  2  roubles  and  20  kopeks  to  13  rou- 
bles in  tea,  according  to  quality.  /(/.,  2o4. 


LIFE  IX  THE  COLONIES. 


520 


{hirini^  tlieir  sojourn  in  the  farther  north-west.  More- 
over, the  necessaries  of  Hfe  often  became  so  scarce 
that  they  were  beyond  reach  of  most  of  the  colo- 
nists.'*'^  There  were  some  exceptions,  however.  Breacf, 
for  instance,  was  usually  sold  to  marrie<l  men,  at  least 
after  Hagemeister's  arrival,  at  cost,  and  in  sutiicient 
quantity.  To  laborers  goods  were  issued  from  the 
f^tores,  on  a  written  order  from  the  chief  manager,  and 
charged  to  their  accounts  once  a  month  or  once  in 
three  months.  On  these  occasions  they  received  a 
present  of  a  small  quantity  of  Hour  or  other  provisions. 

''  Khlebnikof,  Zapi«ki  in  Materialui,  245.  There  are  no  data  as  to  the 
prices  at  whicli  goods  were  furnished  to  eniploj'ccs  in  1818;  but  in  previous 
years  they  were  often  purcliased  l>y  the  chief  manager  at  very  liij^h  rates,  and 
of  course  retailed  at  a  proiit.  In  1805,  825  per  Iwrrcl  was  paid  to  Captain 
AVolf  for  salt  beef,  and  the  same  price  jier  cental  for  common  soap;  in  1808, 
ffi.!iO  jxsr  cental  was  paid  to  Ayrcs  for  wlieat,  and  S50  per  cental  for  tobacco. 
Ill  1810.  810.80  per  cental  was  paid  to  Davis  for  wliite  sugar;  and  in  1811, 
$15  to  Ebbcts  for  browu  sugar.  Jd.,  14. 
Hist.  Alaska.    31 


i  I 


tm^-i] 


CILA.PTER  XXVI. 

SECOND  PERIOD  OF  THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S 

OPERATIONS. 

1821-1842. 

Golovnin's  Report  on  the  Colonies — The  Company's  Chabter  Re- 
newed— New  Privileges  Granted — Moukavief  Appointed  Goveu- 
Non — Alaska  Divided  into  Districts— Threatened  Starvation— 
CuisTiAKOF  Supersedes  Mouravief — Foreign  Trade  Proiiidited— 
The  Anglo-Rcssian  and  Rcsso-American  Treaties — More  Explor- 
ations—Wrangell's  Administration— He  h  Succeeded  by  Kri-- 
KiANOF — Disputes  with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company — Their  Adji'si  ■ 
MENT— Fort  Stikeen — Etiiolen  Appointed  Governor— A  Small-pox 
Epidemic — Statistical. 

At  the  end  of  the  twenty  years  for  wliich  the  ex- 
clusive privileges  of  the  Russian  American  Company 
were  granted,  we  find  this  powerful  monopoly  firmly 
established  in  the  favor  of  the  imperial  government, 
many  nobles  of  high  rank  an  '  several  members  of 
the  royal  family  being  among  t  lO  shareholders.  The 
company  already  occupied  nearly  all  that  portion  of  tlio 
American  continent  and  the  adjacent  islands  soutli 
of  the  Yukon  River  now  comprised  in  the  territoiy 
of  Alaska.  The  country  north  of  Cook  Inlet  and 
Prince  William  Sound,  and  the  Alexander  Archi- 
pelago north  of  Dixon  Sound,  was  also  universally 
acknowledged  as  belonging  to  Russia,  though  her 
right  was  not  established  by  treaty  until  some  years 
later.  With  an  imposing  list  of  permanent  stations 
represented  as  forts  and  redoubts,  with  a  long  list  of 
tribes  converted  to  Christianity  and  brought  uikKi" 
subjection,  the  directors  now  sought  to  obtain,  not 

(6301 


COLOVXINVS  R'j:i'OnT. 


C31 


only  a  ronoWol  of  the  favoi-s  ;ilri'a<!y  liTantcd,  but  im- 
j)orta!it  aUtlitioiis  to  their  ])rivil('i;es. 

Aware  that  sueh  a  n-quest  would  hi'  made,  the 
j^overiiinent  had  instructed  Captain  Goh)vnin  to  in- 
(juire  into  the  con(htion  of  the  settlements  during  his 
cruise  in  the  Kaincliathi}  His  report  was  hy  no 
means  favorable.  "Three  thin<i;s  are  wanting/'  he 
sa^'s,  "in  the  ori^anization  of  the  company's  colonies: 
a  clearer  definition  of  the  duties  beloni^inj^  to  the  va- 
rious officers,  a  distinction  of  rank,  and  a  iv;4'ular  nni- 
ibrm,  so  that  foreigners  visitini;  these  [)arts  may  see 
somethin<(  indicatinj^the  existence  of  forts  and  troops 
belonging  to  the  Ilussian  sceptre — something  re  u- 
l>ling  a  regular  garrison.  At  [»resent  they  can  come 
to  no  other  conclusion  than  that  these  stations  nre 
but  temporary  fortifications  erected  by  liunters 
as  a  defence  against  .savages,"  The  captain  expresses 
almost  uiKjuu.iiied  condenmation  of  the  tr-eatiu'  ut  of 
Creoles  and  hired  laborers,  but  concludes  his  re- 
i)ort  withtlic  following  words:  "I  consider  it  mv  duly 
to  remark  that  these  al)uscs  occurred  before  J^ieuten- 
ant  llagemeister's  accession  to  ofHce.  Though  he 
has  l)ut  recently  assumed  control,  and  their  entire 
abolition  cannot  yet  be  expected,  the  measures  which 
he  has  already  adt)ptefl  for  improving  the  condition 
of  natives  and  promyshleniki  promi.se  comj)lete  success 
in  the  near  future." "" 

It  was  of  course  to  be  expected  that  Golovnin, 
being  a  naval  officer,  should  condemn  Baranof's  ad- 
ministration,and  speak  in  favor  of  Hagen>eister.  Some 
of  his  suggestions  were  adopted,  but  notwithstanding 
his  adverse  criticism,  an  im[)erial  oukaz  was  issued,  in 
September  1821,  granting  exclusive  privileges  to  the 
company  for  another  period  of  twenty  years.'' 

*Tlie  instructiona  for  his  f^'uiilance  were  framed  by  the  iMiiniuis  dc  Trav- 
erse, minister  of  murine.  Tliey  are  given  iu  tlie  JlaUricdiil  Is'ur.  liiinx., 
part  i.  \-l. 

*In  a  letter  to  Captain  Etholen,  Alexander  Kaslievarof,  a  Creole  cdueated 
at  St  Petersburg  at  the  company's  c.npeiiae,  diclaica  tl  at  tl.o  last  ])ar:ia-ap!i 
v.as  added  to  the  report  after  tlio  di-ectora  had  read  tht  proofs,  and  at  their 
speci:d  solicitation.   liU.-i<.  Amu:  Co.  Ar.ii'ns.  i.i. 

^  A  few  days  hefoio  the  ouliaz  was  issued,  a  comniunicatioii  f  '  ni  the 


i 


■Ji 


m 


532      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

This  document  wa»  introduced  by  the  following 
word.s,  which  are  in  .strong  contrast  with  the  tenor  of 
the  captain's  report:  "The  Russian  American  Com- 
pany, under  our  highest  protection,  having  enjoyed 
tlio  privileges  most  graciously  granted  by  us  in  the 
year  1799,  has  to  the  fullest  extent  justified  our  hopes 
and  fulfilled  our  expectations,  in  extending  navigation 
and  discovery  as  well  as  the  commerce  of  our  empire, 
in  addition  to  bringing  considerable  immediate  profit 
to  the  shareholders  in  the  enterprise.  In  consider- 
ation of  this,  and  desiring  to  continue  and  confirm  its 
existence,  we  renew  the  privileges  given  to  it,  with 
some  necessary  changes  and  additions,  for  twenty 
years  from  this  time;  and  having  made  for  its  guid- 
ance certain  rules,  we  hereby  lay  them  before  the 
governing  senate,  with  our  orders  to  promulgate  the 
same,  to  be  submitted  to  us  for  signature." 

In  the  new  charter,  the  text  of  which  included 
tv.'enty  paragraphs,  the  jurisdiction  of  the  company 
was  established  over  all  the  territory  from  the  northern 
cape  of  Vancouver  Island,  in  latitude  51°  N.,  to  Ber- 
ing Strait  and  beyond,  and  to  all  islands  belonging  to 
that  coast  as  well  as  to  those  between  it  and  the  coast 
of  eastern  Siberia,  also  to  the  Kurile  Islands,  waere 
they  were  allowed  to  trade  as  far  as  the  island  of 
Ourupa,  to  the  exclusion  of  other  Russian  subjects 
and  of  foreigners.  It  was  granted  the  right  to  all 
that  existed  in  those  regions,  on  the  surface  as  well 
as  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth,  without  regard  to  the 
claims  of  others.     Communication  could  be  carried  on 

onipcroi-,  coiitiiiniiig  G.'l  paragrnplis,  was  laid  before  the  senate,  wherein  were 
icyidr.lioiis  for  the  iimna 'lenieiit  of  tho  company's  business  and  for  the  general 
r.thniiiiatratiun  of  colonial  afl'aira.  It  was  called  loi'th  by  reprcaeutatioiis 
i:i:ulo  hy  the  company  iia  to  lo.sacs  Buffered  from  the  illicit  trade  of  foreigners, 
and  was  accoinpiinicd  by  the  following  letter:  'From  information  laid  before^ 
us,  \vc  have  learned  that  the  trade  of  our  subjects  on  the  Aleutian  Islnndc  and 
on  the  north  west  coast  of  America  in  our  possession,  ia  suffering  from  tho 
cxi.^tcnci!  of  ilk;;itinialc  traffic  in  the  samo  localities,  and  that  tlio  chief  rca- 
Goii  for  thia  liaa  iK-en  the  absence  cf  definite  rules  and  roguLitions  for  coni- 
lucico  and  navipUion  on  the  coasts  mentioned,  as  well  U3  on  tho  shore  of 
casio'.-n  Sil>cria,  iv.id  tlie  Kurilo  Islands  To  remedy  tliis  fault,  wo  licrcby 
transmi;  to  the  ucnaLo  the  much-needed  ride.i  and  rcgulatious.'  Tikhinenef, 
hlor.  Oous.,  i.  ap;\  -7. 


XEW  REGULATIONS. 


by  soa  between  the  colonies  and  adjoining  regions  be- 
longing to  foreign  powers,  but  only  with  the  consent 
of  their  rulers. 

Considering  the  vast  territory  controlled  by  the 
company,  and  the  largo  numbers  of  its  inhabitants,  the 
government  saw  fit  to  confer  certain  rank  and  official 
standing  on  the  company's  servants.  The  chief 
manager  was  to  be  placed  on  the  same  footing  as  tlie 
governors  of  Siberia;  government  officials  of  tlio  mili- 
tary, naval,  and  civil  service  were  allowed  to  enter 
the  company's  service,  retaining  half  their  former  pay, 
and  without  losing  their  turn  for  promotion ;  all  officials 
in  the  company's  employ,  not  previously  invested  with 
rank,  were  to  be  promoted  to  that  of  collegiate  assessor 
after  two  years'  service  in  the  colonies;  all  servants 
of  the  company  were  exempt  from  conscription,  anel 
all  officials  and  agents  from  the  payment  of  taxes. 
Employes  were  granted  the  right  of  complaining  to 
the  senate  for  injustice  or  abuse  on  the  part  of  the 
company,  the  complaint  to  be  made  within  six  months 
after  the  occurrence;  right  of  ai)peal  to  the  senat.j 
from  the  decision  of  the  company's  authorities  was 
also  given,  the  appeal  to  be  made  within  the  same 
period. 

If  the  company's  shares  should  fall  fifty  per  cent  in 
market  value,  the  government  was  to  assume  tlio  re- 
sponsibility and  sell  them  at  auction.  The  right  to 
change  the  relations  of  the  company  was  given  t )  the 
larger  assembly  of  the  shareholders,  subject  to  appeal 
to  the  senate,  and  permission  was  granted  to  the 
board  of  directors  to  despatch  vessels  from  Kronstadt 
to  the  colonies  with  cargoes  of  Russian  and  foreign 
commodities  free  of  duty,  and  also  to  ship  goods  to  the 
colonies  on  government  vessels  at  low  rates.  Finally, 
all  military,  naval,  I'ud  other  officers  were  enjoint;d 
to  aid  the  company,  and  to  insist  on  the  strict 
observance  of  these  rights  by  Russian  subjects  and 
foreigners.     Most  of  the  privileges  contained  in  the 


534      THE  RUSSIAN  AMEPJCAX  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 


ouktiz  of  1799  were  also  renewed  in  the  charter  of 
1821.* 

The  rep:alations  appended  to  this  charter  were  very 
voluminous,  roi'erring  to  the  treatment  of  tlie  nativefi, 
the  obliimtion  of  the  company  to  maintain  churche'? 
and  schools  at  i..,  own  expense,  and  to  provide  for  th.i 
im))ortation  of  supplies  in  sufficient  quantity,  the 
riii'iits  and  nrivilc^ijes  of  Creoles,  and  the  ri^xhts  and 
duties  of  shareholders  and  of  the  company's  officials. 
It  was  provided  that  the  chief  manaiifer  must  l)e  se- 
lected from  the  naval  service,  and  rank  not  lower  than 
ca}>tain  of  the  second  class;  the  assistant  manau^cr 
must  also  he  a  naval  officer;  the  board  of  directors, 
each  of  whom  must  hold  not  less  than  twenty-live 
shares,  was  to  consist  of  four  members,  to  1)0  (dected 
by  the  assembly  of  shareholders,  and  all  tlie  transac- 
tions of  the  company  were  to  be  subject  to  tlie  su])er- 
vision  of  the  minister  of  finance,  to  whom  detailed  re- 
ports were  to  be  submitted. 

The  first  step  taken  by  the  board  of  directors,  after 
obtaining  their  second  charter,  was  the  election  of  a 
successor  to  Hagemeister,  or  rather  his  representa- 
tive Yanovskv,  who,  havinii:  married  Baranof 's  daui>'h- 
tor,  was  not  considered  free  from  the  taint  thrown 
ui)on  the  latter's  fame  by  Golovnin.  ]M.  N.  jMoura- 
vief,  a  captain  in  the  navy  and  a  scion  of  an  old  family 
belonsfins;  to  the  Russian  nobilitv,  was  the  one  select- 
ed,  and  his  appointment  being  coniirmed,  he  sailed  for 
Novo  Arkhangelsk  during  the  vear  1821.  He  at  once 
took  measures  to  reconstruct  the  garrison,  to  repair 
the  fortifications  of  all  the  settlements,  and  to  erect  new 
buildings  wherever  they  were  required.^ 

^louravief  at  once  saw  the  absurdity  of  Baranof's 

*  Among  others  were  those  of  making  settlements  in  regions  luljacent  to 
tlicir  territory,  not  occupied  by  foreign  nations,  an<l  of  engaging  laliorrrs  fur 
a  tei-m  of  seven  years  iu  any  part  of  tlie  empire,  the  company  nssiniiing  tho 
payment  of  their  tn  xes.  Capital  invested  by  sharcholdei-s  was  iilso  exempt,  as 
before,  from  attaciinient,  though  dividends  could  Ixj  appropriated  in  j>aynicnt 
of  debts. 

"•It  is  related  that  he  added  more  buildings  to  the  company's  stations  tluia 
any  subjcquent  manager. 


MOURAVIEF  IN  COMMAND. 


535 


policy  in  keepinj^  tlio  Kolosh  at  a  distance  from  Novo 
Arkhangelsk.  Up  to  this  time  they  had  been  compelled 
to  live  on  the  islands  north  and  south  of  the  settle- 
ment, and  this  arrangement,  intended  to  insure  the 
safety  of  the  Russians,  had  only  served  to  increase 
the  danger  of  hostile  attack.  Away  from  all  commu- 
nication and  supervision,  they  had  been  at  liberty  to 
plot  mischief  at  leisure,  while  tliey  wore  kept  informed 
<){'  all  that  occurred  in  the  garrison  by  the  females  of 
their  tribe,  whose  intercourse  with  the  promyshleniki 
v/as  never  interrupted.  The  result  was,  that  nmrder 
and  robbery  were  committed  with  impunity  on  de- 
tached parties  of  laborers  and  fishermen.  Mouravief, 
taking  advantage  of  the  presence  of  the  well  armed 
sliip  which  brought  him  to  the  colonies,  summoned 
the  chiefs  of  the  Sitkas,  and  told  them  that  they 
might  return  with  their  people  to  their  former  village 
adjoining  the  fort.  The  j)ermission  was  gladly  accepted, 
and  the  removal  effected  within  a  few  days.  ;^Iean- 
v.hile  the  palisade  separating  the  native  huts  from  the 
company's  precincts  had  been  strengthened,  and  a 
heavy  gate  built,  through  which  no  savage  was  allowed 
to  enter  without  a  permit.  On  certain  days,  they 
might,  at  a  stated  hour,  visit  the  enclosed  space  for 
the  purpose  of  disposing  of  game,  fish,  furs,  and  other 
connnodities.  Before  sunset  the  streets  were  patrolled 
by  an  armed  guard,  and  all  the  natives  kept  out  from 
tliat  time  until  daylight;  sentries  were  doubled  and 
kept  vigilant  by  a  half-hourly  exchange  of  signals. 
These  regulations  were  found  so  satisfactory  that  tliey 
were  continued  by  ^lonravief's  successors,  ami  to  a 
certain  extent  even  by  the  American  troops  who  took 
charge  of  the  territory  after  its  transfer  in  18(37. 

The  chief  manasjer,  or  (governor  as  he  was  now 
styled,  also  issued  orders  that  the  garrisons  shoulil  bo 
l)laced  under  strict  discipline  at  all  the  outlying  sta- 
tions; but  only  in  Kadiak  could  this  be  done,  for  at 
other  points  the  force  was  too  small  to  allow  of  miU- 
tary  organization.     He  then  made  a  tour  of  ins[)ection 


;■ 


8' 


!    i! 


1 


536      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 


'(    '! 


m 


tr 


through  the  colonies,  vkiting  all  the  stations  oxce])t 
those  at  Atkha  and  Atoo,  and  on  his  return  divided 
the  colonies  into  districts.  The  Sitka  district  in- 
cluded the  mainland  of  Russian  America  from  Mount 
St  Elias  as  far  as  latitude  54°  40'  n.,  together  with 
the  islands  along  the  adjacent  shore.  The  Kadiak 
district  embraced  the  coast  and  the  islands  on  the 
gulfs  of  Kenai  and  Chugatsch,  the  Alaska  peninsula 
as  far  south  as  Shumagin  Island,  the  Kadiak,  Ooka- 
mok,  Semidi,  and  all  adjacent  islands,  the  shores  of 
Bristol  Ba}',  and  the  coast  between  the  mouths  of  the 
Xushaijak  and  Kuskokvim  rivers.  In  the  Mikhailof 
district  were  included  the  basins  of  the  Kvichak 
and  Kuskokvim  rivers,  and  the  coast  lying  between 
Xorton  Sound  and  Bering  Strait.  The  Unalaska  di.s- 
trict  comprised  all  of  the  Alaska  peninsula  not  in- 
cluded in  the  district  of  Kadiak,  and  the  Lissiev, 
Sannakh,  and  Prybilof  islands.  The  Atkha  district 
consisted  of  the  Andreanofsky  group  and  the  Blishie, 
Krissie,  and  Commander  islands,  and  the  Kurile  dis- 
trict of  the  islands  of  that  name  lying  between  Ou- 
rupa  and  the  Kamchatka  peninsula." 

Soon  after  Mouraviefs  arrival,  the  colonies  were 
once  more  threatened  with  starvation,  a  danger  which 
was  due  to  the  following  incidents:  In  the  summer 
of  1821  supplies  were  despatched  from  Kronstadt  in 
the  Jhtrik,  which  had  been  placed  at  the  company's 
disposal  at  the  conclusion  of  Kotzebue's  voyage,  and 
in  the  Elizaveta,  a  Hand)urg  ship.  The  command  of 
the  llurik  and  of  the  expedition  was  given  to  Master 
Klotchkof.  The  Elizaveta  was  int.rustcd  to  Acting 
jMastcr  Kisslakovsky."  While  roumling  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  the  two  craft  met  with  a  hurricane,  dur- 


•The  head  office  of  tlio  colonies  was  of  course  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk. 
There  was  also  an  office  at  St  Paul  in  Kadiak.  The  other  districts  were 
managed  by  agents  selected  by  the  colonial  administration.  Golovniii,  Obsor. 
Jliiss.  Kol.  in  Materialtti,  51 -'2. 

'  Their  carjjjoes  consisted  of  goods  for  the  colonics  and  of  ryo  flour  for 
Okhotsk.   Tikhmcnef,  Jslor.  Obon.,  i.  335. 


HARD  TIMES. 


537 


ing  which  the  Elizaveta  lost  several  sails  and  sprunj^ 
a-leak,  whereupon  both  vessels  were  headed  for  Si- 
mon Bay.  On  again  putting  to  sea,  after  repairs 
had  been  made  at  great  expense,  it  was  Ibund  that 
the  ship  still  leaked,  and  it  was  thought  best  to 
return  to  port,  sell  the  Elizaveta,  and  transfer  her  crew 
to  the  Rurik,  which  arrived  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  in 
November  1822.  As  most  of  the  supplies  had  been 
given  in  payment  for  repairs,  the  governor  detained 
her  in  the  colonies,  having  no  other  vessel  at  his  dis- 
jiosal  fitted  far  a  long  voyage  in  search  of  provisions. 

When  informed  of  this  disaster,  the  directors  at  once 
ordered  the  purchase  of  a  ship  of  four  hundred  tons 
in  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts.  The  craft  was  re- 
named the  Elena,  and  placed  under  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant Chistiakof,  who  had  before  made  the  vovasje 
I'rom  Kronstadt  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk.  A  few  days 
before  the  vessel  was  ready  for  sea  a  general  assembly 
of  shareholders  was  held,  at  which  one  of  the  direc- 
tors *  stated  that,  as  several  rich  cargoes  had  recently 
been  despatched  to  the  colonies,  goods  and  provisions 
nmst  have  accumulated  there  in  great  quantity,  and 
that  there  was  no  necessity  to  despatch  another  vessel 
round  the  world.  The  majority  of  the  shareholders 
present  adopted  this  view  of  the  matter,  and  the  ex- 
pedition was  abandoned  for  the  time. 

Thus  in  the  vear  1823  it  became  known  throughout 
the  settlements  that  supplies  need  not  be  expected 
from  home  during  that  and  the  following  year.  At 
the  same  time  a  despatch  was  received  from  the  com- 
pany's commissioner  in  California,  stating  that,  on  ac- 
L't)unt  of  a  failure  of  crops  and  for  other  reasons,  it 
would  bo  i...^)ossible  to  forward  the  usual  quantity  of 
bread-stutfs  from  that  country.  The  colonies  were 
now  in  evil  case,  and  starvation,  or  at  best  the  pros- 
pect of  living  for  a  time  on  seal  tlesh,  appeared  to  be 
inevitable,  for  already  the  storehouses  were  almost 

'  Named  Prokofeief.  /J.,  337.    '^  - 


I 


i 


'" 


[38      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 


if! 


empty.  !Mouravicf  at  once  sent  an  urgent  appeal  to 
the  managers,  and  meanwhile  despatched  Lieutenant 
Etholento  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  tlic  briir  Golovnia 
for  a  cargo  of  provisions,  the  Rnrik  being  then  en- 
gaged in  the  intercolonial  trade.  Calling  at  San  Fran- 
cisco on  his  voyage,  Etholin  succeeded,  notwithstand- 
ing the  dearth,  in  bartering  furs  for  a  large  quantity 
of  wheaf  at  moderate  rates.  Proceeding  thence  to 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  he  found  the  price  of 
most  commodities  extremely  high,  he  purchased  at  a 
fair  price  an  American  brig  named  the  Aral),  with 
her  cargo  of  provisions  and  trading  goods,^"  the  cap- 
tain asj^reeinij  to  take  his  craft  to  Novo  Arkhansrelsk. 
Both  vessels  arrived  safely,  and  in  time  to  prevent  any 
serious  suffering  among  the  colonists,  A  few  months 
later  the  stock  of  provisions  was  further  increased  b}' 
the  cargo  of  the  Ihirik,  which  was  sent  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  with  the  crew  of  the  Arab,  after  callin'>: 
at  California  ports  tluring  the  voyage,  and  returncLl 
with  a  moderate  supply." 

As  in  this  instance,  the  colonies  had  frequently  been 
relieved  from  want  by  trade  with  foreigners;  and  in- 
deed, this  was  too  often  the  onlv  means  of  averting 
starvation.  Even  between  1818  and  1822,  when  su[)- 
plies  were  comparatively  abundant,  goods,  consisting 
mainly  of  provisions,  were  obtained  by  trafhc  with 
American  and  English  masters  to  the  value  of  more 


•Ho  paid  also  5,000  piastres  in  cash,  and  secured  altogether  1,900  fancgas. 
The  entire  crop  iii  Calilorniti  for  182.1  was  only  50,000  fancgas.  See  Uht. 
CaL,  ii.  403,  this  scries. 

'"The  brig  was  renamed  the  Baikal.  Tikiinienef,  Istor.  Ohon.,  i.  .SSS, 
claims  that  the  company  realized  a  largo  proiit  on  this  traiisiiction,  but  hi.s 
explanation  of  the  matter  is  noniowhat  vague. 

"The  goods  purchased  in  the  Sanilwich  Islands  were  1,000  lbs.  of  salt, 
1,270  lbs.  t)f  biscuit,  503  lbs.  of  .sperm  candles,  '217  gals,  of  rum,  I.'IU  gals,  of 
brandy,  SO  kegs  of  cocoanuts,  and  18  kegs  of  tiir,  for  which  wcro  given  in  ex- 
change 2,000  fur-seal  skina  and  300  Spanish  piastres.  Khl(hiii1:of,  Znpi.-iki  in 
Malerial.ii,  85.  In  1S25  fur-seal  skins  were  bartered  in  the  Sandwu'h  Isl- 
and.i  by  the  captain  of  one  of  the  company's  ships  on  the  basis  of  §1.75  per 
skin.  Id.,  88.  This  seems  ai'  cxtravngent  price,  when,  as  will  bo  remem- 
bered, the  price  at  Kiakhta  was  only  5  to  7  roubles  in  scrip  (.?!  to  .^1.40);  but 
it  v,-a3  tho  usual  rate  at  which  furs  were  exchanged  at  Novo  ArkhangelHk 
with  American  and  English  skippers  See  /(/.,  75-0,  where  a  list  is  givou  of 
goods  oxcliauged  in  trade  with  foreigicrs  between  1818  and  18'22. 


CHI8TIAK0F  SUCCEEDS  MOURAVIEF. 


than  three  hundred  thousand  roubles  in  scrip."  The 
supplies  shipped  hy  the  company  v.'ere  never  more 
than  sufficient  tor  the  actual  needs  of  the  settlements, 
jind  it'  a  shii)  were  lost,  her  carj^o  was  seldom  replaced. 
The  Aleuts  were,  of  courst;,  the  princi[)al  sutfere!-s, 
oiten  perishing  during  their  hunting  exi)editions  from 
liunger  and  exposure.  But  what  mattered  the  lives  of 
the  Aleuts  :  It  were  better  that  hundreds  of  them 
.'-liould  perish  for  lack  of  food  than  that  the  share- 
holders should  suffer  from  want  of  dividends. 

The  governor's  ajjpeal  was,  however,  too  urgent  to 
he  neglected,  and,  on  the  .31st  of  July,  1824,  the  Elcnd 
sailed  from  Kronstadt  with  a  cargo  of  sujiplies,  arriv- 
ing at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  a  year  later.''*  The  shij) 
was  again  placed  in  charge  of  Jjieutenant  Chistiakof," 
Vv'ho  was  directed  to  relieve  Mouravief,  the  latter  re- 
tui'ning  lionje  on  board  the  same  vessel.'' 

It  is  probable  that  the  only  reason  for  Mouravief's 
recall  was  some  slight  disobedience  of  orders,  coupled 
with  the  failure  of  the  hunting  expeditions  sent  out  Iv; 
li's  direction.  About  the  close  of  the  year  18'J2  the 
liussian  sloop  of  war  Apollon  had  arrived  at  Novo 
Arkhangelsk,  with  instructions  that  all  trade  with 
f  )rei!T:ners  should  cease,  and  for  two  veara  the  inter- 
diet  remained  in  force.^"     Willinir  as  he  was  to  obev 


'-The  paper  rouhlo,  Avorth  at  this  time  about  20  cents,  though  its  value 
was  of  course  ihictuiitiiijr,  is  always  tho  ono  .'.poken  of  in  tliis  voluiue,  unless 
tlic  silver  rouble  (worth  Jibout  7.")  cents)  is  spccilicd. 

'  'The  Elena  returned  to  tiio  colonics  in  1828,  with  a  cargo  worth  nOO.OO^ 
roubles.  Among  those  on  board  was  the  creolo  Kuolicvarot.  We  again  hear 
of  tliis  vessel  at  Xovo  Arkhangilsk  i;i  1S,'?(),  on  v.Iiieli  occasion  she  b.'uu;,'lii; 
oat  Lieutenant  Mashin  and  blaster  Kluilizof.  In  Ar.gust  of  the  following 
year  tlie  Nikoldl  was  despatohod  from  Kronstadt.  Among  her  passi'uger.j 
v.as  the  Creole  Arkhim:indritfi'.  Tikhmeiicf,  Iiilor.  OIiok.,  i.  347-"'0.  KaslM'V- 
arof  and  Ai'khimandritof  iiad  been  educated  at  the  company's  exjienao,  tho 
ktter  at  the  imperial  school  of  navigation,  and  both  afterward  did  good  ser- 
vice i'.3  navigatora,  and  the  former  as  an  explorer. 

"In  the  instructions  given  to  Cliistiakof,  it  was  stated  that  the  frigate 
l\'r(!.<sir  and  the  sl;)op-of-v.ar  Lniloi/dlmil  been  sent  to  the  colonics  toprevoni 
i.ll  f.ircign  trade  which  might  be  injurious  to  tho  colonies,  especially  that  cf 
t  .\cli:uiging  fire-arms  and  nnuiitious  of  war  with  the  natives  in  ivturn  for 
pdt-.y. '/(/.,  .33iM0. 

' '  Witli  a  cargo  of  furs  valued  at  150,000  roubles,  and  10,000  i)ouds  of  sugar 
purchased  in  Brazil.   /(/. ,  340. 

"'  When  it  was  rcmo\ed,  in  1824,  the  company  waa  relieved  from  its  olili- 


640      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

even  this  ill-advised  order,  he  was  sometimes  coinpelled 
to  enter  into  transactions  that  were  necessary  to  the 
very  existence  of  the  Ross  colony,  to  which  he  must 
now  look  for  supplies  in  case  of  need.*'  Of  sea-otter, 
the  catch  during  the  four  years  of  Mouraviefs  ad- 
ininistration  was  little  more  than  fifteen  hundred 
skins'* — a  ijrievous  contrast  with  the  condition  of  this 
industry  in  the  days  of  Baranof,  who,  it  is  relatetl, 
could  estimate,  almost  exactly,  the  number  of  furs 
which  could  be  collected  in  each  section  of  his  hunt- 
ing grounds." 

Not  satisfied  with  prohibiting  foreign  trade,  the 
Russian  <?overnment  issued  an  order  forbiddin<if  the 
approach  of  any  foreign  vessel  within  thirty  leagues 
of  the  coast.  In  18':^.2  the  sloops-of-war  Krcisser  ami 
Ladoga  arrived  in  thf»  colonies  from  St  Petersburg, 
having  been  sent  out  to  enforce  the  provisions  of  the 
oukaz,  and  remained  in  colonial  waters  for  two  years.-* 


gation  to  fumisli  provisions  in  its  own  vessels  for  Petropavlovsk  and  Okliotstk. 
l)ok.  Com.  J?iiss.  Aincr.  KoL,  i.  35. 

*'  About  this  period  trade  witli  California  became  very  considerable. 
Fioni  the  company's  books  wo  find  that  between  1817  and  18'25  cloven  vessels 
visited  San  Francisco,  Santa  Cruz,  and  Monterey,  exchanging  furs  for  provi- 
sions. 

'^The  catch  for  each  year  between  1818  and  1825  is  given  in  Khkhnikof, 
Zap'inki  in  Materialui,  73. 

'*In  182D  the  catch  had  become  so  small  that  little  hunting  was  allowed, 
and  payment  was  made  to  the  captains  of  trading  vessels  in  bills  of  exchangii 
inatcad  of  furs.    Tikhmeiicf,  In/or.  Oboa.,  i.  341. 

2"  A  second  voyage  round  the  world  was  made  by  Otto  von  Kotzebue  dur- 
ing the  years  1823-1820.  A  new  ship,  the  Predprialie  (Enterprise),  carrying 
21  guns,  was  fitted  out  for  this  undertaking.  Tliere  were  on  boanl  the  u:it- 
uralists  Eschscholtz  and  Lenz,  the  astronomer  Preus,  and  the  miucralogist  Hofi- 
Kian.  Kotzcbue.'s  Xeio  Voij.  round  fVoHd,  i.  introd.  The  commander  received 
general  instractions  to  protect  the  interests  of  the  Russian  American  Cm.i- 
pany.  He  sailed  from  St  Petersburg  on  the  2Sth  of  July,  1823,  and  after  a 
prolonged  sojourn  at  Rio  Janeiro,  and  a  quick  trip  around  Capo  Horn,  put 
into  Conccpcion  Bay,  Chile,  wliich  country  had  become  republican  lincc  lii  i 
last  visit.  Owing  to  intrigues  between  the  different  parties,  ho  was  not  so  well 
reccivetl  as  on  the  former  occasion.  In  his  journal  he  asserted  that  a  plot  In:  I 
been  fonned  to  capture  him  and  his  olficers,  and  that  two  Chilian  nien-of-wi\r 
Attempted  to  prevent  the  sailing  of  the  Prcdprlatk,  which  vessel  next  visitc  I 
tlic  Sandwich  Islands,  and  the  groups  in  the  Caroline  Archipelago  discovered 
during  the  voyage  of  the  Rurik.  The  expedition  finally  readied  Pctropavlovs-lc 
und  Kamchatka  on  the  8th  of  June,  1824,  and  sailed  for  Novo  ArkliangelKk 
on  the  10th  of  August.  Thence  Kotzebue  again  proceeded  to  the  Sanilwicli 
Islands  and  the  cpast  of  California,  where  he  greatly  increased  the  difficulticH 
then  arising  between  the  Russian  and  Californian  authorities  in  regard  to  tho 
continued  occupation  of  the  Ross  colony.     In  his  report  upon  the  matter,  ho 


A  DIPLOMATIC  CLOUD. 


541 


The  sharelioklors  soon  bci^aii  to  see  the  folly  of 
their  senseless  agitation  against  traffic  with  foreign- 
ors;  receipts  fell  off  to  an  alarming  extent,  and  it  be- 
came evident  that  something  must  be  done  to  avert 
the  dissolution  of  the  company.  At  a  general  meeting, 
one  of  the  directors,  named  Prokoiief,  laid  before  them 
tlio  i-eport  of  Mouravief  in  relation  to  the  evil  effccHs 
of  the  imperial  order,  and  stated  that  a  famine  would 
have  ensued  in  all  the  colonies  if  the  governor  had 
oheyed  tlie  spirit  as  well  as  the  letter  of  his  instruc- 
tions. He  pointed  out  to  them  how  much  Baranof 
owed  to  his  unfettered  intercourse  with  foreign  traders 
in  developing  the  resources  of  the  colonies.  He  also 
showed  them  the  enormous  expense  of  expeditions 
.sent  direct  from  Kronstadt,  and  the  advantage  of  pur- 
chasing goods  from  foreign  skippers  who  come  to 
tlie  comjiany's  ports  at  their  own  risk  and  expense. 
His  appeal  was  successful,  and  a  resolution  was  adopted 
l)y  the  assembly  petitioning  the  government  to  reopen 
to  foreign  ves.sels  the  port  of  Novo  Arkhangelsk. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  the  consequence  was  that 
nnder  Chistiakof's  management  there  was  a  great  ini- 
])r()vement  in  the  ccmipany's  affairs. 

While  the  company's  business  was  thus  progressing 
satisfactorily,  a  cloud  arose  in  the  diplomatic  horizon, 
which  at  one  time  threatened  the  very  existence  of 
tlie  colonies.  As  soon  as  the  arbitrary  measure  of 
llussia  became  known  to  English  and  American  nf)rt]i- 
v,i:st  traders,  protestations  and  complaints  wxro  for- 
warded to  their  respective  governments.  The  niatter 
was  discussed  with  some  heat  in  the  United  States 
<'(nigres8,  causing  voluminous  diplomatic  correspond- 
once.  In  the  mean  time  some  traffic  was  carried  on 
under  protest,  and  the  matter  was  finally  settled  by 
the  Anglo-Russian  and  Russo- American  treaties  of 
1824    and    1825,  when    the    eastern    and    southern 

eitloj  clearly  with  the  Californian  autliorities  and  against  the  company.  lie 
ictiirncd  to  Novo  Arkluingclsk  on  the  '2;><1  of  l'\'1)Miary,  1825,  oiid  sailed  on 
iiis  Loiucuaxil  voyage  ia  the  Jiutunm  of  the  foilowiiig  year. 


I 


,  1  , 


f 


"mil  ■' 


I' 

■I 


^:i 


•111!'     ^ 


;i: 


*:!:!! 


hi 


r)4'_'      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

l)()iin(laries  woro  iluMi  ostabli.slied  as  they  ivmaiii  ((» 
the  pivscMit  (lay,  tho  limit  of  Russia's  tcn-itoiy  W'.'uv^ 
fixecl  at  Lititiulu  54'  40'.  Tho  clause  ivlatiui^  to  the 
IxniiKlaiy  butuoon  tho  Portland  Canal  and  Mount  St 
liilias  [Vu'uishos  an  instanco  of  the  absurdity  of  Iout-;- 
latiou  by  diploniates  in  regard  to  regions  of  which 
l!»oy  were  entirely  ignorant.  At  some  time  in  tho 
future  this  work  will  have  to  be  undone,  and  anoth;  r 
line  agreed  U})()n,  as  it  is  impossible  to  follow  in  real- 
ity the  wording  of  tho  treaty.'*' 

The  convention  between  the  Russian  and  Eni'lish 
governments  was  concluded  in  February  1825.  The 
connnissionors  on  the  part  of  Russia  were  the  same 

^'  I  iiisart  liorc  an  oxtracfc  from  thu  treaty  wit'.i  tho  United  States  of  tlif 
lTt!i  of  Anvil,  lS2t,  as  publislie;!  liy  the  Iiusviaiigoverniuciit:  '  I.  Witli  unit. i:  I 
consent,  it  id  hereby  estiiblislicil  that  in  all  parts  of  the  great  ocean  connnoiily 
known  iui  t!ic  IV.eilic  Oeean,  or  its  a;ljoiuing  8c;v3  to  the  lumtli,  tho  citizen  <  and 
ti.il)j;.'el:^  of  the  hig'.i  contracting  p.)\vers  may  engage  freely  and  without  oppj- 
siLio.i  in  navigation  or  iishing,  and  enjoy  tho  right  to  establish  themselves  o.i 
the  eoaats  of  mich  regions  as  are  not  already  occupied  for  the  purpose  of  tr;ul- 
in  ,'wit!i  the  natives,  subject  to  the  rules  and  regulations  mentioned  in  r.ulise- 
quent  clauses.  II.  In  order  to  prevent  such  privileges  from  serving  as  ;i 
pretext  for  engaging  in  illegitimate  traflic,  it  is  agreed  that  the  eiti.;ei..» 
of  the  United  .States  cannot  land  at  places  where  Russian  settlemcnls  arj 
located,  v.ithout  the  pcnni.ssiou  of  the  local  agent  or  commander,  ami  tlii'.t 
in  t!ie  same  manner  Russian  subjects  cannot  land  without  i>ermis-iion  in  t!'.c 
settlements  of  the  United  Sbitcs  on  the  north-west  coast.  III.  It  u  a!-o 
agreed  t!iat  from  this  time  fortli  citizens  of  tho  United  States,  or  persons  nmlcr 
p'otec'doa  of  those  states,  will  cstablisii  no  settlements  on  tlic  north-west  e::ast 
of  Araeriea,  or  any  of  tho  adjoining  islands  north  of  latitude  54°  40'  N. ,  and  t  li:iu 
Russian  pubjcets  will  establish  no  settlements  to  the  south  of  the  same  paraUcl. 
IV.  It  is  provided,  however,  that  for  a  period  of  ten  years,  to  commence  fiM.u 
t!io  signing  of  tiiis  treaty,  the  rhips  of  both  powers,  or  tlie  subjects  belong!. ig 
1 1  either,  t^liall  beallowed  to  enter  without  restriction  all  interior  waters,  b;n  ■!, 
cjvrs,  and  harbors  of  cither  country,  for  the  purpose  of  fishing  and  tradi:;,' 
with  the  native  inhabitants  of  the  country.  V.  Fi-om  tho  trade  permitto.l  i  i 
the  i)receding  paragraphs  are  excepted  all  spirituous  liquors,  fire  and  sai  11 
arms,  pov.dcr,  and  munitions  of  war  of  all  kinds,  v/hicli  both  contracting  jtowcr  -. 
agive  not  to  sell  or  to  allow  their  citizens  or  subjects  to  sell  to  tho  native  inls::'*- 
itants.  It  is  also  agreed  that  this  prohibition  shall  not  serve  as  a  pretext  f  a- 
searching  vessels  or  detaining  them,  or  for  the  uei.^nrc  of  goods,  or  for  vioK:;,:. 
measures  against  the  commanders  or  crews  of  tho  vessels  engage  I  in  sucli 
tr.illic,  ?ineo  tiic  high  contracting  powers  reserve  to  themselves  the  right  ot 
meting  out  punishments  or  imposing  lines  for  infraction  of  this  article  on  tlnir 
respective  citizens  and  subjects.  VI.  As  soon  a.s  this  treaty  is  r.itilicd  iu  dii" 
form,  on  the  one  hand  by  his  Majesty  the  cniiieror  of  all  tiie  Russias,  and  on 
t!ic  other  by  the  president  of  tho  United  States  with  consentof  the  senate,  t!;.; 
ratilications  shall  bo  exchanged  at  Washington  within  ten  mouths  of  the  da[y 
hereto  Bubscribed,  or  sooner  if  possible,  in  conrirmation  of  which  tho  rcspeA;li\  i^ 
plenipotentiaries  have  appended  their  liignaturesand  their  resixsctive  seals  and 
stamps.  St  Petersburg,  .April  5th  (I7th),  in  tho  year  1824,  after  the  birth  of 
Clirist,  1S24.'    Tik/imciu/,  Jstor.  Obos.,  i.  app.  02-3. 


TRKATY  WITH  GREAT  IJKITAIN. 


543 


as  those  wlio  coiic'Uulecl  thu  Auioiiean  treatv,  whllo 
iireut  Uritaiii  was  ivprcsontcd  by  Lord  Stratford 
Cunning,  a  privy  councillv)r.  The  third  article  con- 
tains the  boundary  clause  which  was  sul)se(|Uently 
insertetl  in  the  Russo- American  treaty  at  the  cession 
of  Alaska,  and  is  thus  worded:  "The  boundary  line 
between  the  possessions  of  the  high  contracting  pow- 
ers on  the  coast  of  the  inainhuul  and  the  islands  of 
north-western  America  is  established  as  follows:  bti- 
oinning  at  the  southermnost  point  of  the  islands 
named  Prince  of  Wales,  which  point  is  situated  in 
latitude  54°  40' N.  and  between  the  l;Mst  and  l."5;kl 
dcLTrees  of  western  lont;itude,  the  line  extends  noitli 
along  a  sound  known  as  Portland  Canal,  to  a  point 
on  the  mainland  where  it  crosses  the  5Gth  (K'ujx'c  of 
north  latitude.  Hence  the  boundary  line  follows  the 
chain  of  mountains  running  parallel  with  the  coast  to 
the  jioint  of  intersection  with  the  141st  degree  of 
longitude  west  from  Greenwich,  and  finally  from  this 
j)oint  of  intersection  on  the  same  meridian  to  the 
Arctic  Sea,  forminijf  the  boundary  betwe-en  the  llus- 
siau  and  British  possessions  on  the  mainland  of  north- 
western America."  ^^ 


-^The  first  and  secoml  articles  arc  substantially  tlic  same  aa  in  the  trc.-ity  witii 
tlic  United  States.  Tlie  foiictli  article  stipulates  tiiat,  'with  regard  ti)  thi-  l»in;i- 
dary  lines  estal>lishc(l  in  tiio  prcecdinj,'  article,  it  is  understood  tliattiie  ish;;id 
iianud  Prince  of  Wales  bchinija  entirely  to  llussia,  and  that  wlienevcr  tlie  sinu- 
iiiitsol'  the  mountains  rumiini;  ])arallel  witli  the  coast  from  .">(}' of  n.  lat.  to  llio 
jiuiiit  of  intersection  with  the  lUst  meridian  sliall  be  more  than  ten  leaynes  fn  'i.i 
the  shore,  the  boundary  lino  of  thu  Britisli  possessions  sh;dl  run  jiaridlel  v,\lh 
the  coast  line  at  a  distance  not  greater  than  ten  leagues,  tlic  land  liet\vee;i 
f.-.ic'.i  Hue  and  the  coast  to  Iji'loni;;  to  Russia.'  Article  v.  provides  t!iat  the  con- 
tracting^ powers  must  not  establish  settlements  within  eaeii  other's  territory. 
Aiticlc  vi.  stipulates  that  the  subjects  of  Great  Britain  shall  be  forever  at 
lil.erty  to  pass  to  and  from  tlie  ocean  bj'  way  of  rivers  and  streams  emptyin;^ 
into  tiie  raciiie  Ocean  and  cutting  through  the  coast  strip  in  Russian  posfies- 
s-ion  described  above.  Article  vii.  ju'ovides  for  five  navigation  and  right  of 
llsliery  by  the  subjects  of  botli  powers  for  ten  years  in  the  harl)ors,  bay.-^,  and 
cliannels.  Clause  viii.  provides  tiiat  the  port  of  Xovo  Arkhangelsk  shall  bo 
ojien  to  the  trade  and  to  tlie  ships  of  British  subjects  for  ten  years  counting 
Ironi  the  d.iy  of  ratification,  and  tliat  if  any  other  jKJwer  should  obtain  this 
privilege  for  a  longer  period,  the  time  shall  be  extended  to  Great  Britain. 
Article  ix.  jirovidcs  that  the  free  trade  granted  in  previous  paragrajihs  shall 
not  extend  to  spirituous  liquors,  powder  or  other  munitions  of  war,  which 
.'hall  not  be  sold  to  any  of  the  native  inhabitants,  i'ly  article  x.  Russian  and 
British  ships  were  permitted  to  enter  any  iiarbor  iu  distress  or  for  re^Kiir.s 


1   »   '1 


If 


CM      TIi::  RUS-ilAN  AMKIIICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATION'S. 

It  was  fiirtlier  ])rovi(led  In  thowo  coiivcntion.s  that 
citizens  of  the  United  States  and  subjects  of  Great 
Biitain  should  have  the  ri<'ht  of  free  navii^ation,  fish- 
try,  and  trade  in  the  Alaskan  waters  for  a  period  of 
ton  years,  but  that  the  tradinc^-posts  of  either  eon- 
tractinj^  power  could  not  he  visited  by  subjects  or 
citizens  of  the  other  without  the  consent  of  the  otKcer 
in  command;  that  at  the  end  of  ten  years  this  rinht 
might  be  abrogated  by  Russia;  that  in  the  meanwhile 
arnjs,  amnmnition,  and  spirituous  li(|Uors  were  in  no 
case  to  be  sold  to  the  natives,  and  that  British  sub- 
jects should  always  have  the  privilege  of  passing  to 
and  fro  on  rivers  and  streams  lowing  into  the  Pacific 
and  cutting  the  sti'ip  of  coast  already  described. 

The  news  of  these  treaties,  which  was  not  received 
until  after  Chistiakof  had  taken  command,  aroused 
a  storm  of  remonstrance  on  the  part  of  the  Russian 
American  Company.  The  imperial  government  was 
besieged  with  petitions  to  abrogate  the  clauses  grant- 
ing free  trade  and  navigation  to  Americans  and  Eng- 
lislimen  for  a  period  of  ten  years.  It  was  represented 
as  a  most  flagrant  violation  of  the  rights  granted  by 
the  imperial  government,  the  result  of  which  would 
mevitably  be  the  dissolution  of  tlie  company.  The 
most  active  promoter  of  this  agitation  was  Admiral 
N.  P.  Mordvinof,  a  shareholder  of  the  company, 
who,  in  a  letter  to  the  minister  for  foreign  affairs,  de- 
fended the  sanctity  of  the  company's  privileges,  point- 
ing out  that  the  vague  wording  of  some  of  the  treaty 
clauses  would  lead  to  many  misunderstandings.  Dur- 
ing the  lifetime  of  J^  lexander,  no  atteni'on  was  paid  to 
these  complaints;  bi  t  after  Nicholas  had  ascended  the 
throne,  negotiation-  were  inaugurated  with  the  Brit- 
ish and  United  Sta    ?  governments  for  an  abolition 

provisions,  or  material,  ■witho  payment  of  duty  or  port  charges,  but  if  the 
captiiiii  of  such  vessel  was  obi  :d  to  sell  a  portion  of  his  cai-go  to  cover  the 
txpenscs  incurred,  ho  was  to  c  ifomi  to  local  regulations  of  trade.  Clause  \i. 
jirovides  that  in  case  of  any  cf'  plaint  of  the  violation  of  this  treaty,  the  civil 
.111(1  military  authorities  of  eit.ior  contracting  power  should  uot  bo  allowed  to 
rjsnrt  to  arbitrary  oi-  forcible  measures,  but  that  tlic  matter  must  be  referred 
to  tiic  respective  courts  at  St  Petersburg  and  St  James's.   /(/.,  C4-G. 


EXI'KDITIOX  TO  TIIK  KURILE  ISLANDS. 


c-i: 


(if  the  treaty.  The  first  ])r()i)()sals  met  witli  a  firm 
iv't'usal  ill  both  eoiiiitries,  hut  to  iipjjetiso  tlie  shan- 
hoUiers  a  siipphiinentary  oukaz  was  issued,  statiii«;' 
that  tlie  privih'ufes  of  navii^atiou  and  trade  exti!ii(h'ii 
1o  t'oreij^ners  would  he  couiiiied  to  the  strip  of  coast 
hetweeu  the  IJritisli  ])()ssessIons  and  tlie  141st  nierid- 
iaii.  The  standpoint  »)f  Russia  on  tliis  (juestion  was 
conniiunieated  to  all  the  re[»resuntatives  of  that  nation 
ahroad,  and  as  the  north-west  trade  wjvs  tlien  in  its 
decline,  no  further  eonj[)h('ations  ensued,  and  no  at- 
tempt was  ever  made  to  apply  the  provisions  of  the 
convention  to  the  ialands  and  coasts  of  western 
.VLiska. 


yCxF.TIR   OH 


..   //   IVJR.JP 


KUKILE    IhLANDS. 

While  the  directors  of  the  company  wore  loud  in 
their  remonstrance  aufainst  toreiixn  encroachment,  they 
did  not  hesitate  themselves  to  establish  settlements 
ill  regions  to  which  they  had  no  valid  claim,  A  com- 
mittee established  by  the  company  at  Petropavlovsk 
ill  November  1830  ordered  that  an  expedition  be  sent 
to  the  Kurilc  Islands.  A  settlement  on  Ourupa  Isl- 
.".nd,  abandoned  in  1^05,  had  been  rebuilt  in  1828,  and 
(luring  that  and  the  fol-owing  year  fur.'i  to  the  value 
(if  eight  hundred  thousand  roubles  had  been  obtained. 
In  1830  a  ship  was  despatched  from  Novo  Arkhan- 
i;tlsk  with  a  party  of  hunters,  well  supplied  with  j)ro- 
visions  and  material,  to  form  a  colony  on  Simusir  Isl- 

HiBT.  Alaska.    35 


J 


ill 


'] 


.1 


I'         <t. 

1 


Mi 


U 


w. 


548      THE  RUSSIAN  ALTEEICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

and.  The  natives  were  not  numerous,  numbering  in 
1812  only  sixty-seven  souls  for  the  entire  group,  and 
the  Russians  found  no  difficulty  in  annexing  their  ter- 
ritory to  the  possessions  of  the  company.^'* 

During  the  second  term  of  the  Russian  American 
Company's  existence,  several  important  expeditions 
were  undertaken.  Within  the  colonies,  explorations 
were  continued  by  Mouravief,  the  principal  one  being 
under  command  of  Khramchenko,  Etholen,and  Master 
Vassilaief,  who  sailed  from  Novo  Arkhangelsk  in  the 
brig  Golovnin  and  the  schooner  Baranof,  in  June 
1822,  and  remained  absent  for  two  years.  A  detailed 
survey  was  made  on  this  occasion  of  the  coasts  from 
Bristol  Bay  westward  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kuskok- 
vim  Norton  "^ound  was  also  explored  along  its  east- 
ern and  northern  coast,  the  deep  identation  on  the 
north  shore  being  named  Golovnin.  Many  promi- 
nent points  were  definitely  located  with  the  help  of 
astronomical  observations,  but  the  coast  between 
Stuart  Island  and  the  Kuskokvim  was  again  neglect- 
ed, as  it  had  been  by  all  previous  explorers.  To  this 
expedition  we  owe  the  only  charts  now  existing  of 
the  coast  between  Bristol  Bay  and  Cape  Newenham.-* 

In  1826  the  Russian  government  despatched  an 
exploring  expedition  in  command  of  Captain  Liitkc, 
who  arrived  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  in  June  of  the 
following   year.'^^      After   remaining    in    port   for  a 

^'Before  the  annexa^^'on  of  the  Kurile  Islands  each  native  paid  an  annual 
tribute  of  41  sea-otter,  23  fox  skins,  and  74  kopeks  in  money. 

'^ From  the  reports  in  the  Siiia  Archives,  it  appears  that  Khramchenko 
and  Vassilaief  were  always  quarrelling,  Etholen  serving  as  arbitrator.  It  is 
perhaps  owing  to  this  circumstance  that  Etholen's  name  alone  appears  on  the 
charts  compiled  during  the  progress  of  the  explorations,  though  the  work  of 
Hurveying  was  accomplished  almost  exclusively  by  his  colleagues.  We  find 
several  capes  named  Etholen,  and  also  one  strait  between  Unalaska  Island  and 
the  mainland.  The  name  of  Vassilaief,  who  subsequently  did  much  good 
work  in  inland  exploration,  does  not  appear  on  any  map  or  chart  except  in 
connection  with  %  submerged  rock  in  Kadiak  Harbor,  upon  which  the  man- 
ner's craft  happened  to  strike.  Sitka  Archives  (log-book),  ix. 

**In  the  Materialui,  Istor.  Jiuss.,  part  iv.  13^-41,  is  a  description,  by  the 
captain,  of  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  its  inhabitants,  and  their  mode  of  life  at  the 
time  of  his  visit. 


EXPLORATIONS. 


5-17 


aid  an  annual 


month,  the  captain  proceeded  to  Unalaska  and  the 
Prybilof  Islands,  making  also  a  careful  survey  of  tlie 
northern  coast  of  the  Alaska  peninsula,  naming 
the  various  points,  and  finally  visiting  St  Matthew 
Island  and  Petropavlovsk  before  proceeding  south  for 
the  winter.^*  Two  other  vessels  belonging  to  the  ex- 
pedition, the  Krothy  and  the  Mijller,  sailed  in  1828, 
the  former  commanded  by  Hagemeister,  the  latter  by 
Captain  Staniukovich.  Both  officers  made  impor- 
tant surveys  of  the  coasts  of  Bering  Sea,  which  was 
visited  about  the  same  time  by  Captain  Beechey  in 
tbe  ship  Blossom. 

In  1829  Chistiakof  ordered  an  inland  exploration 
to  the  north  of  the  Nushagak  River,  in  charsfe  of 
Vassilaief,  the  Creole  Alexander  Kolmakof  being  one 
of  the  party.  The  expedition  was  organized  on 
Kadiak  Island,  and  crossing  the  peninsula  ascended 
the  Nushagak  to  the  region  of  the  lakes,  and  thenco 
reached  the  Kuskokvim.  Kolmakof  on  this  occasion 
selected  the  site  for  a  trading-post,  built  by  him  two 
or  three  years  later;  and  iri  1841  a  redoubt  was  con- 
structed and  named  after  him,  near  the  junction  of 
the  Kvigin  and  Kuskokvim  rivers.  The  furs  brought 
back  were  fox  and  sable  of  fine  quality,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  permanent  station  in  the  interior  was 
determined.  On  his  return,  Vassilaief  laid  before  the 
governor  a  plan  for  establishing  communication  with 
Norton  Sound  by  way  of  the  route  which  he  had  dis- 
covered. On  the  Kuskokvim  he  had  met  with  natives 
living  on  the  lower  Yukon  and  the  shores  of  Norton 
Sound  who  assured  him  that  the  transit  from  one 
river  basin  to  the  other  was  short  and  easy  of  accom- 
plishment. 

In  1830  the  brig  Chichagof  y^'an  despatched  north- 
ward in  charge  of  midshipman  Etholcn,  with  instruc- 

'"  During  this  cruise,  Ltttko  named  port  Moller  on  the  Alaska  peninsula, 
port  Ilaiilen,  Cape  Seniavin,  and  Uagcmoistcr  Island.  He  also  maclo  a 
iiiinute  survey  of  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Chukotsk  on  tiie  coast  of  Asia.  The 
scientists  Kitlitz,  Postels,  and  Mertens  sailed  in  the  Seniavin.  All  three  pub- 
lished reports  of  their  investigations. 


iil 


1 

Wgt 

1 

il 

1 

Is 

1 

1 

54S      THE  IIUSSIAX  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPEKATIONS. 

tions  to  explore  Norton  Sound  and  proceed  tlioneo  to 
BerinL(  Strait,  touchin*^  at  St  Lawrence,  Asiak,  and 
Ookivok  islands.  Ookivok  the  midshipman  found  to 
be  an  entirely  barren  island;  and  "one  wonders,"  he 
writes  in  his  report,  "how  people  could  ever  settle 
upon  it,  but  the  countless  number  of  wal'^us  around 
its  shores  soon  solves  the  riddle.  The  savaijes  who 
hunt  these  animals  receive  in  exchange  from  the  in- 
lui'>itants  of  the  mainland  all  the  necessaries  of  life, 
rnti  ^ain  their  subsistence  easily."  At  St  Lawrence 
Etholen  found  five  native  villaj^es,  the  inhabitants  of 
which  also  lived  chieflv  bv  huntimx  walrus.  On  his 
return  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  he  reported  that  it  would 
l)e  beneficial  to  the  company's  trade  to  establish  a  fort 
on  or  near  Stuart  Island  at  the  entrance  of  Norton 
Sound."''  ' 

On  the  arrival  in  the  colonies  of  Baron  Ferdinand  P. 
von  Wrangell,  who  w^as  appointed  Chii^tiakofs  succes- 
sor,-' explorations  were  made  on  a  larger  scale.  After 
examining  the  reports  of  Vassilaief's  and  Etholen's 
expeditions,  Wrangell  came  to  the  conclusion  that  com- 
munication between  Bering  Bav  and  Norton  Sound 
could  be  established  overland.  For  this  purpose  he 
ordered  Lieutenant  Tebenkof  to  proceed  to  the  latter 
point  in  the  sloop  Ourupa.  Tebenkof  erected  a  Ibrti- 
tication  with  the  consent  of  the  natives,  who  promised 
to  trade  with  the  Russians,  and  gave  to  the  settlement 
and  to  the  island  on  which  it  was  founded  the  name 
of  Mikhaielovsk.""     When  the  necessary  buildings  had 

"  Tilhmrmf,  TMof.  Obos.,  i.  2S.^-5.  In  IS."]!  an-l  1S.S7  careful  explorations 
were  also  iiiailo  of  tlie  Alaska  peninsula  and  the  a<ljai.-ent  islamls. 

'*'Tliou;,'hCliistiakof  luul  given  complete  sjitisfaction  to  the  managers,  they 
resolved  to  relieve  liim  at  tlie  end  of  his  tenn  and  appoint  a  man  of  scientific 
attainments,  and  one  higher  in  social  and  otiicial  rank.  From  the  liejiinniiig 
of  his  administration,  Chistiakof  had  endeavored  to  persuade  the  manages 
that  their  interests  would  be  served  by  remoring  the  seat  of  authority  from 
Novo  Arkhangelsk  to  St  Paul.  So  reiwatcd  and  urgent  were  liis  represi'uta- 
tions,  that  the  assembly  of  siiarehohlers  finally  passe  I  a  resolution  authoriziii'^ 
the  cliange.  IJeforo  the  removal  could  bo  cllected,  however,  Chistiakof  was 
relieved,  and  the  project  nbiuuloned. 

'-'*It  narrowly  escaped  dcBtruction  in  1830  from  an  attack  of  the  natives, 
an  account  of  Avliich  is  given  in  ZriqO''khi,  Peslnkh'^'lnaui  Opisx  ClKtM;!  JiHs.i. 
I'laiJ.  vAiucr.,  part  i.  '2S-9;  and  Tikhmencf,  hlor.  Uboa.,  L  2S7-8.     Accoriluig 


wraxgp:ll's  rulp:. 


549 


been  completed  preparations  were  begun  for  the  in- 
land explorations  ineluded  in  the  governor's  instrue- 
tions. 

A  native  of  the  colonics,  a  Creole  named  Andrei 
Glazanof,  who  had  been  instructed  in  the  use  of  astro- 
nomical instruments,  and  was  familiar  with  various 
dialects  of  +he  Imuiit  language,  was  selecterl  to  take 
charge  of  the  expedition.*'  The  plan  iirst  adopted 
was  to  ]>roceed  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Pastol, 
making  the  portage  across  a  low  divide  to  the  Yukon; 
l)ut  rumors  being  heard  of  hostile  intent  on  the  j)art 
of  the  natives  in  that  region,  it  was  found  impossibK' 
to  secure  a  guide.  Three  natives  were  tlserefore  se- 
cured to  guide  the  party  to  the  banks  of  the  Yukon  in 
a  north-easterly  direction,  and  on  the  30th  of  l)e('em- 
ber,  1833,  the  explorers  left  the  road  with  two  sleds, 
each  drawn  by  five  dogs,  and  a  small  quantity  of  pro- 
visions and  trading  ooods,  the  men  carrvin;jf  tlu'ir  own 
guns,  knapsacks,  and  clothing.  They  travelled  on  the 
ice,  following  the  coast  in  a  northerly  direction  until 
leachinij  the  villaije  of  Kiirikhtowik,  wlK'nce  on  the 
followinijf  dav  thev  struck  eastward.  After  crossino- 
several  ranges  of  hills  with  great  difficult v,  Cila.'/.anof 
arrived  on  the  banks  of  tlu^  xVnvik.  His  progress  was 
much  impeded  by  the  condition  of  the  ice  on  the 
I'ivcrs,  and  within  two  weeks  his  provisions  were  ex- 
hausted. In  the  hope  of  finding  natives,  his  party 
proceeded  up  the  xVnvik  into  the  mountains,  but 
iintUng  it  impossible  to  reach  their  hunting-grounds, 
was  forced  to  return,  subsisting  on  a  small  (juantity  of 

to  the  former  authority,  the  settlement  contained,  about  the  year  1S43,  a  l)ar- 
ViK'k,  a  lionsefor  the  managing  agt'nt,  two  ni;iL.'ii/i!ic.s,  a  .shi'd,  Itatii-hnuse,  aiiil 
kitclicn,  all  occupying,'  a  sjiaco  of  '_'(>  fatlionissijuaro,  encltisi'il  with  a  stm  k:i(lo 
1.")  feet  hiyh,  and  protected  hy  two  bloek-lioiiscs,  niounteil  with  six  tiiri'u- 
ponndors.  Outside  the  stockade  was  a  Ijlackaniith's  siiop,  a  house  for  native 
visitors,  and  a  chapel. 

'"  Ho  wasaccumpanieil  by  four  volunteers,  Vassili  Donskoi,  Vassili  Dei'sha- 
bin,  Ivan  Ikdachef,  and  Jacob  Knagge.  Donskoi  died  from  the  ellect  of  in- 
juries received  during  the  journey.  Pershal>in  and  B.daclicf  roniaiiiid  in 
the  company 'h  service;  the  former  was  finally  killed  in  the  Nulato  massacre, 
together  with  Lieutenant  Barnard  of  the  Knglisimavy,  wiiile  IJalachcf  served 
."t  the  statiouMi  on  (,''jok  Inlet,  where  his  children  are  still  living.  WmmjcU, 
Statist,  iiiid  Ethnoij.,  138-9. 


ii/' 


5J0      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

frozen  fish  taken  from  the  Indian  caches.  On  the 
17th  of  January  the  explorers  stumbled  on  a  subter- 
ranean dwelling  occupied  by  a  native  couple  and  their 
three  children.  Here  they  were  treated  to  an  ample 
meal  of  rotten  fish,  and  found  an  opportunity  to  mend 
their  broken  sleds  and  snow-shoes. 

A  week  later  Glazanof  and  his  men,  now  completely 
exhausted,  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Anvik,  where 
tliey  found  a  native  village,  the  inhabitants  of  which, 
at  the  first  sight  of  the  Russians,  began  to  prepare 
for  defence,  but  a  messenger  being  sent  forward  un- 
armed, succeeded  in  persuading  them  as  to  Glazanof 's 
j)eaceable  intentions,  whereupon  a  cordial  invitation 
was  extended  to  the  way-worn  travellers  to  rest  and 
recuperate  their  strength.  One  of  the  subterranean 
dwellings  was  vacated  by  its  occupants  to  accommo- 
date the  guests,  and  after  taking  due  precautions, 
(glazanof  proceeded  to  the  hashimy  or  council-house, 
a  large  structure  containing  several  hundred  people. 
He  addressed  the  multitude,  and  less  by  his  eloquence 
))robably  than  by  a  judicious  distribution  of  tobacco, 
succeeded  in  gaining  their  friendship.  Presents  of 
fish  blubber,  bear  meat,  and  other  food  were  laid  be- 
fore him,  and  he  was  told  that  if  he  had  other  wants 
they  should  be  at  once  supplied.  Here  the  party  re- 
mained for  some  time,  in  friendly  intercourse  with  the 
natives,  and  finally  proceeded  down  the  Yukon,  as 
their  new  friends  dissuaded  them  from  attempting  the 
})ortage  route  to  the  Kuskokvim.^^ 

The  subsequent  explorations  of  Glazanof  and  his 
party  were  confined  to  the  delta  of  the  Yukon,  the 
ilense  population  of  which  astonished  the  Russians. 
His  diary,  which  has  been  preserved,  is  full  of  the 
most  minute  observations  of  the  topography  and  eth- 
nology of  this  region,  which  modern  investigations 

"  Glozanoi  questioned  two  natives  who  arrived  during  hia  presence  at  An- 
vil; from  the  Chagcluk  River,  and  obtainpd  from  them  a  description  of  the 
c-niat:-y  between  tlie  two  rivers.  These  men  evidently  described  the  longest 
l>ortaj,'o  route,  without  lucutioning  another  by  which  coiamuuictiou  can  bo 
ellected  iu  two  days  with  tlic  {greatest  case.  /(/.,  14S-9. 


GLAZANOF  ON  THE  YUKON. 


551 


prove  to  be  remarkably  accurate.  At  one  mouth 
of  the  Yukon,  named  the  Kashunok,  he  met  with 
tAvo  natives  from  the  Kuskokvim,  who  had  been  bap- 
tized by  Kohuakof  in  the  year  1832.  They  de- 
scribed the  ceremony  to  the  other  natives,  who  were 
so  much  pleased  with  it  that  they  requested  Glazanof 
to  baptize  them  also;  but  he  declared  that  he  had  no 
authority  to  do  so.  A  large  number  of  these  Indians 
agreed  to  accompany  the  Russians  on  their  return  to 
Mikhaielovsk,  on  condition  that  the  guides  who  had 


the 

,  as 

the 

his 

the 

jians. 

the 

eth- 

tions 

at  An- 

of  the 

longest 

caubo 


'■';,/ 


Plan  of  Expedition. 


accompanied  them  thus  far  be  left  as  hostages;  but 
having  acquired  a  good  hold  on  the  peopl  j,  Glazanof  re- 
solved to  push  on  to  the  Kuskokvim,  which  he  reached 
on  the  19th  of  February.  Here  he  was  met  by  a 
party  of  natives  returning  to  their  homes  from  the 
Yukon.  They  told  him  that  they  had  intended  to 
visit  Xolmakof,  but  that  he  had  returned  to  the  Nush- 
agak,  leaving  behind  his  interpreter  Lukin.  On  the 
following  day  the  expedition  proceeded  up  the  Kus- 


552      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 


li 


M 


kokvim,  and  on  the  21st  arrived  at  the  village  called 
Kvigym  Painagniute,  where  they  found  Lukin  in  a 
log  house  built  by  Kahuakof.  Glf  /ianof  was  now  in- 
fonned  of  a  portage  route  along  a  tributary  of  the 
Kuskokvim,  from  which  it  was  possible  in  one  day  to 
reach  a  stream  emptying  into  Cook  Inlet,  but  he  trietl 
in  vain  to  obtain  guides  to  lead  him  in  that  direction. 
The  natives  assured  him  that  several  parties  of  their 
countrymen  had  been  killed  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
intervening  mountains,  and  Lukin  confirmed  these 
sensational  reports,  stating  that  he  himself  had  failed 
in  a  similar  attempt.  Glazanof  then  resolved  to  pro- 
ceed alone,  but  being  unacquainted  with  the  country 
and  having  lost  his  compass,  shaped  his  course  too 
much  to  the  north,  and  found  himself  involved  in  a 
network  of  lakes  and  streams  without  provisions,  and 
in  a  country  destitute  of  animal  life  at  that  season 
of  year.  His  men  were  reduced  to  the  most  cruci 
straits,  nnd  obliged  to  eat  their  dog-harness,  boots, 
and  seal-skin  provision  bags.  Finally,  after  wander- 
ing about  until  the  19th  of  March,  they  once  more 
found  themselves  upon  the  banks  of  the  Kuskokvim, 
and  soon  afterward  met  Lukin,  who  had  returned  from 
a  journey  into  the  mountains.  Accompanied  by  him, 
and  several  friendly  natives  wdio  furnished  then  with 
ample  supplies,  Glazanof's  men  at  last  regained  the 
banks  of  the  Yukon,  and  thence  crossed  over  to  the 
Mikhaielovsk  settlement.^ 

In  1838,  after  Wrangell  had  been  relieved  from  of- 
fice, an  expedition  was  fitted  out  by  the  Russian  Amer- 
ican Company  to  explore  the  arctic  coast  of  America 
eastward  from  Kotzebue  Sound.  A  Creole  named 
Alexander  Kashevarof,  a  native  of  Kadiak,  who  was 
thoroughly  conversant  with  various  Innuit  dialects, 
was  appointed  to  counnand  the  force,  the  Jiarty,  whicli 
was  composed  mainly  of  Creoles  and   Aleuts,  being 


"  The  time  occupied  hy  Glazanof  in  this  remarkable  journey  was  104  days, 
un<l  according  to  hia  calculation  the  distance  traversed  was  1,50U  miles.  JcL, 
Ia2-00. 


MALAKHOF  AND  SACOSKIN. 


5-)3 


ore 
11, 

)IU 

mi, 
itli 


Ll 


ol- 

(•r- 

ic;i 

ned 

cts, 
licli 
iiiLi" 


lava, 


taken  northward  on  the  brig  Pohjfem.  The  skipper, 
who  was  a  Russian,  Chernot'  by  nanie,'"^  was  iiistnu'ted 
to  pass  through  Bering  Strait,  to  proceed  thonee  north- 
eastward as  tar  as  possibk*,  and  to  land  Kashevarot' 
with  one  bidar  and  tive  tliree-hateli  bidarkas  at  the 
furthermost  point  i-eached  by  the  vessek  The  Eskimos 
hving  on  the  coast  opposed  Kashevarof's  progress,  and 
as  he  advanced  slowly  througli  the  shallow  sea  wasli- 
ing  the  arctic  shore,  hostile  bands  began  to  gather  in 
rapidly  increasing  numbers,  until,  when  still  a  hun- 
dred miles  west  of  Cape  l^eechey,  tlie  creole  found 
liimself  compelled  to  turn  back  before  an  armed  body 
outnumbering  the  exj)l()rers  twenty  to  one.  On  his 
return  journey,  he  was  attacked  at  various  times, 
but  finally  regained  Norton  Sound,  where  he  found 
Chernof  awaiting  him. 

In  the  same  year,  Malakhof  ascended  the  Yukon 
liiver  as  far  as  the  present  site  of  Nulato,  where  he 
built  a  small  block-house.  In  want  of  ])rovisions, 
and  with  only  two  men,  he  was  obliged  temporarily 
to  abandon  the  l)uilding  and  repair  to  ^likhaielovsk 
fur  supplies.  During  his  absence  the  Indians  living 
in  the  neiu'hborhood  burned  the  building. 

In  1842  Lieutenant  Zagoskin  of  the  imperial  navy 
set  fortli  for  ]Sortoii  Sound  and  Mikhaielovsk,  }>ur[)os- 
ing  to  make  an  inland  exploration  of  the  ncjrthern 
territory.  His  work  was  confined  chiefly  to  the  mid- 
dle course  of  the  Kuskokvim,  and  the  lower  course 
and  northern  tributaries  of  the  Yukon,  especially  the 
Koyukuk,  which  he  followed  to  its  head  waters  and  to 
the  divide  which  separates  it  from  the  streams  running 
into  Kotzebue  Sound.  At  Nulato  he  was  assisted  by 
Derzhavin  in  building  a  new  fort.  Zagoskin's  ex- 
jiloration  was  performed  conscientiouslj'  and  well. 
Wherever  we  find  mistakes,  we  may  ascribe  them  to 
his  imperfect  instruments  and  to  local  obstacles.  Ho 
gathered  most  valuable  trading  statistics  for  the  com- 

"Thc  sons  of  Clicmof  are  now  living  on  Afognak  Island,  engaged  as  ship- 
buildura  uud  navigators,  and  in  conifortablo  circunistunccs. 


I- ' 


554      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

pany,  and  ingratiated  himself  with  all  the  tribes  with 
which  he  came  in  contact.  His  expedition  was  ncjt 
completed  until  1844,  when  he  returned  to  Russia  to 
superintend  the  publication  of  his  notes.^* 

It  had  been  Wrangell's  desire  to  explore  the  arctic 
coast  of  the  Russian  possessions,  but  complications 
constantly  arising  with  the  Mexican  authorities  in 
California  required  his  personal  attention.  Figueroa, 
then  governor  of  California,  had  addressed  to  him 
several  letters,  demanding  the  abandonment  of  the 
Ross  settlement.  The  latter  always  had  the  excuse 
that  he  was  not  authorized  to  treat  on  so  weighty  a 
subject;  but  when  the  end  of  his  term  was  approach- 
ing, he  received  news  of  Figueroa's  death,  and  resolved 
to  proceed  homeward  by  way  of  Mexico,  in  order  to 
negotiate  with  the  authorities  at  the  capital  of  the  new 
republic,  visiting  on  his  way  the  Ross  settlement.  In 
the  harbor  of  San  Bias  he  met  with  the  companj^'s  ship 
Sitka,  having  on  board  his  successor,  Captain  Kupri- 
anof  To  him  he  surrendered  his  office,  and  soon  after- 
ward proceeded  to  Mexico.  His  negotiations  with 
the  Mexican  government  on  behalf  of  the  Ross  colony 
and  their  failure  are  related  in  connection  with  my 
History  of  Calif  or  niaJ^ 


'*  An  account  of  this  expedition  will  be  found  in  Penhekhodnaia  Opi'^s 
Chasty  Jiw^skikh  Vladaniy  v  Amerika,  Lieutenant  A  Zaqonkinv  I842,  1843  i 
1S44  godakh,  or  Explorations  on  Foot  of  Parts  of  the  Ruasinn  Possessions  in 
America,  by  Lieutenant  A  Za'joskin  1842-4  (in  two  parts,  St  Petersburg,  1847). 
This  work  is  a  very  complete  description  of  the  journeys  undertaken  l)y 
Lieutenant  Zagoskin  of  the  imperial  navy  in  the  service  of  the  Russian 
American  Company,  between  1842  and  1844.  The  field  of  his  operations 
includes  the  territory  north  and  cast  of  Norton  Sound  and  drained  by  the 
Yukon  and  Kuskokvim.  The  entries  of  Zagoskin's  journal  are  given  for  tlio 
most  part  in  full,  with  astronomical  observations,  etc.,  interspersed  occasion- 
ally with  historical  sketches  of  various  localities,  and  finishing  with  a  review 
of  all  the  native  tribes  which  came  within  his  observation,  and  very  com- 
plete vocabularies  of  their  respective  languages.  An  excellent  chart  U 
appended  to  the  work. 

''Vol.  iv.,  cap.  vi.  The  Statisiische  und  Ethnographische  naehrichten  iiber 
die  Russi^chen  Beaitzungen,  or  Statistical  and  Ethnographical  Statements  eon- 
ceruing  the  Russian  PossesHous,  collected  by  Baron  Wrangell,  and  edited  by 
K.  K.  von  Baer,  appeared  in  18.39  as  the  first  volume  of  a  series  published  Ijy 
the  imperial  academy  of  sciences  at  St  Petersburg,  under  the  title  oiBtitvwje 
sur  Kenntnids  des  Russisclmn  Reiches,  or  Contributions  to  the  Knowledge  of  the 


TROUBLE  WITH  THE  ENGLISH  COMPANY. 


655 


lia  Ophu 

ossions  in 

rg,  1847). 

»ken   l>y 

Russian 

perations 

by  tliu 

for  tlie 

occasion- 

a  review 

ery  com- 

cliart  ii 

:}den  iihrr 
ents  eon- 
;Uted  by 
lished  by 
f  Jititniije 
Ige  of  the 


During  Wrangell's  administration  a  serious  dispute 
arose  witli  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  which  was  then 
extending  its  operations  over  the  whole  north-west, 
establishing  forts  at  every  available  point  on  river  and 
sea-coast,  and  which  a  few  years  later  entirely  outbid  the 
Russian  American  Company  in  the  trade  of  the  Alex- 
ander Archipelago.  Taking  advantage  of  the  clause 
in  the  Anglo-Russian  treaty  of  1825,  providing  for 
the  free  navigation  of  streams  crossing  Russian  terri- 
tory in  their  course  from  the  British  possessions  to 
the  sea,  the  English  company  had  pushed  forward  its 
trading-posts  to  the  upper  course  of  the  Stikeen, 
and  in  1833  fitted  out  the  brigZ^r^acZ  for  the  purpose 
of  establishing  a  permanent  station  on  that  river. 
Information  of  this  design  had  been  conveyed  to 
Wrangell  during  the  preceding  year,  and  he  at  once 
notified  the  managers  at  St  Petersburg,  asking 
them  to  induce  the  imperial  government  to  rescind 
the  clause  under  which  the  Hudson's  Bay  Compary 
intended  to  encroach  on  Russian  territory.  As  a 
further  motive  for  this  request,  he  reported  that 
the  English  company  had  violated  the  agreement  to 
abstain  from  selling  fire-arms  and  spirituous  liquor  to 
the  natives.  The  emperor  granted  the  petition,  and 
the  British  and  United  States  governments  were  duly 
notified  of  the  fact.  Both  protested  through  their 
ministers  at  St  Petersburg,  but  in  vain;  the  reply  of 
the  Russian  foreign  office  being  that  the  objection- 
able clause  would  terminate  in  the  following  year. 
Without  waiting  to  be  informed  of  the  success  or  fail- 
ure of  his  application,  Wrangell  despatched  two  armed 
vessels,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Dionysi  Za- 
rembo,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Stikeen.  Here  the  latter 
established  a  fortified  station  on  a  small  peninsula, 

linsaian  Empire.  In  the  pr«face  the  question  is  discussed  whether  the  Alas- 
kans were  benefited  or  otherwise  by  the  Russian  occupation.  The  first  tliree 
sections  contain  valuable  statistical  and  histurioal  information.  Then  follow 
linguistic  studies  by  Wrangell  and  Kostromitinof,  the  jouruiil  of  skipper 
(.ilazanof,  the  exploration  of  the  Copper  River,  and  the  characteristics  of  tlie 
Aleuts,  tho  last  being  by  Venianiiuof,  and  misuellaueous  remarks  by  the 
editor. 


5.-G      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANYS  OPERATIONS. 

the  nock  of  ^vhich  was  flooded   at  high  water,  and 
naiiifc'd  the  fort  St  Dionysi.^ 

Those  warlike  preparations  remained  unknown  to 
the  officials  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  when 
the  Dri/ad  approached  the  mouth  of  the  Stikeen,  the 
men  crowding  her  deck  were  surprised  by  a  puff  of 
white  smoke  and  a  loud  report  from  the  densely 
wooded  shore,  followed  by  several  shots  from  a  ves- 
sel in  the  offing.  The  brig  was  at  once  put  about, 
but  anchoi-ed  just  out  of  range,  whereupon  a  l)oat 
was  sent  from  shore  carrying  Lieutenant  Zarembo,  who, 
in  the  name  of  the  governor  of  the  Russian  colonies 
and  the  emperor  of  Russia,  protested  against  the  en- 
trance of  aji  Euo^lish  vessel  into  a  river  beloni>ing  to 
liussian  territory.  All  appeals  on  the  part  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company's  agents  were  iueffoctual. 
They  were  informed  that  if  they  desired  to  save  them- 
selves, their  property,  and  their  vessel,  they  nuist 
weigli  anchor  as  once,  and  after  a  brief  delay  the 
Di'i/dcl  sailed  for  Foi't  Vancouver. 

The  authorities  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  lost 
no  time  in  sending  reports  of  this  affair  to  London, 
acconii)anied  with  a  statement  that  the  loss  incurred 
through  this  intorforence  with  their  project  amounted 
to  £20,000  sterling.  The  British  government  innuo- 
diatoly  demanded  satisfaction  from  Russia,  but  the 
matter  was  not  finally  settled  until  1839,  when  a  com- 
mission met  in  London  to  arrange  the  points  of  dispute 
between  the  two  corporations,  and  in  a  few  weeks 
solved  difficulties  which  experienced  diplomates  had 
failed  to  unravel  in  as  many  years.  The  claim  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  was  waived  on  condi- 
tion that  the  Russian  company  grant  a  lease  to  the 
former  of  all  their  continental  territory  lying  between 
Cape  Spencer  and  latitude  54°  40'.  The  annual  rental 
was   fixed   at   two   thousand  land-otter   skins,^^  and 


'"  This  fort  was  built  on  the  site  of  an  Inilian  village  near  the  town  of 
Wr.ingoll.     The  logs  used  for  its  foundation  can  he  seen  at  the  present  <lay. 
''•A  fur  much  used  in  the  Russian  army  for  trimming  olticcrs'  uniforms. 


FOIIT  STIKEEX. 


m 


at  the  same  time  .the  EngUsh  company  agreed  to 
supply  the  colonies  witli  a  larije  quantity  of  provision.s 
at  moderate  rates.'^  The  abandonment  of  the  Ross 
colony,  whence  the  Russians  obtained  most  of  their 
8up[)lies,  was  now  merely  a  question  of  time,  and  the 
agreement  appears  to  have  given  satisfaction  to  both 
])arties,  for  at  the  end  of  the  term  the  lease  was  re- 
newed for  a  period  oi  ten  years,  and  twice  again  for 
periods  of  four  years. 

On  tlie  1st  of  June,  1840,  a  salute  of  seven  guns 
was  fired  as  the  British  tla<>'  was  lioisted  from  i'ort 
St  Dionysi,  or  Fort  Stikeen,  as  it  was  renamed  by 
Sir  James  Douglas,  who  tlien  re[)resented  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company,  and  during  a  previous  visit  had 
appointed  Jolin  McLoughlin,  junior,  to  the  conunand.^' 
Having  arrived  at  Xovo  Arkhangelsk  on  April  2jth 
of  the  same  year.  Sir  James  says,  that  "he  had 
lield  dailv  conference  with  the  governor  in  a  frank 
and  open  manner,  so  as  to  dissipate  all  scnd)]ance  of 
reserve,  and  establish  intercourse  on  a  basis  of  mutual 
eonlidence.  The  question  of  boundary  was  settled  in 
a  manner  that  will  prevent  any  future  misunderstand- 
ing  They  wish  to  sell  Bodega ■*''  for  $30,000,  with 

a  stock  of  1,500  sheep,  2,000  neat-cattle,  and  1,000 
liorses  and  mules,  with  important  land  fenced  in,  with 
l)arns,  tlirashing-Hoor,  etc.,  sufficient  to  raise  3,000 
1'anogas  of  wheat.  They  of  course  cannot  sell  the  soil, 
but  merely  the  improvements,  which  we  can  hold 
only  through  a  native.  We  concluded  to  write  to 
]\Ir  McLoughlin  on  this  subject,  so  that  he  may  write 

""Including  14,000  pouds  of  wheat  at  80  cents  per  pond,  498  of  flour 
jit  SI. 45,  404  each  of  pease  and  groats  at  90  cents,  922  of  salt  Ijecf  at  75  cents, 
4'JS  of  ljutter  at  §t.05,  and  92  pouds  of  ham  at  12  cents  per  Ih.  TiUi- 
riHiirf,  iMiir.  Obo».,i.^o\.  \n  Fiiihi>ison^ti  Vaiicnuvcr  Island  ami  N.  W.  t'(i(i..<t, 
Ms.,  1"2,  it  is  stated  that  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  also  agieed  to  .lupply 
trad inj;  goods.  Dall,  Alaska,  .I.'kS,  gives  18.'57  astlie  elate  of  tiie  agreement,  liut 
on  what  authority  I  am  unable  to  ascertain.  The  correct  date  is  given  in 
iVraiKjell,  Statist,  und  Ethiiog.  322  (St  Petersburg,  1839),  and  by  TildimenLf 
and  olliers. 

'"'  In  the  same  year  a  fort  was  b-jjlt  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  on  the 
Trtku  lUver.  Douglas,  Jour.,  MS.,  27^14;  Flnlai/itouii  Vancouver  Jdand  and 
X.  ir.  Coast,  MS.,  13.     It  was  abandoned  in  1843. 

«R0S8. 


i 


658      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPKIIATIONS. 


I'      !i 


t      * 


11' 


to  !Mr  Etholeii  in  reply  in  the  autumn  by  the  stoaui 
vessel,  or  appoint  an  aj,'ent  to  settle  with  the  com- 
mandant at  Bodega."*'  What  might  have  been  the 
result  if  England,  with  her  powerful  navy  and  all- 
grasping  policy,  had  now  gained  a  foothold  in  Califor- 
nia on  the  eve  of  the  gold  discovery  I 

Almost  as  soon  as  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
men  had  established  themselves  at  Fort  Stikeen,  hos- 
tilities were  commenced  by  the  natives.  In  1840  an 
attempt  was  made  to  scale  the  stockade;  in  1841  the 
Indians  destroyed  the  aqueduct  which  supplied  the 
fort  with  fresh  water,  and  the  ^/cleaguered  garrison 
only  saved  themselves  by  seizing  one  of  their  chiefs, 
whom  they  held  as  hostage.  In  the  following  year  a 
more  serious  attack  was  threatened,  which  would  prob- 
ably have  been  carried  out  successfully  but  for  the 
timely  arrival  of  two  armed  vessels  from  Novo  Arlc- 
hangelsk  in  charge  of  Sir  George  Simpson,  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  company's  territories,  whose  statement  I 
will  give  in  his  own  words. 

"By  daybreak  on  Monday  the  25th  of  April,  we 
were  in  Wrangell's  Straits,  and  toward  evening,  as  we 
approached  Stikeen,  my  apprehensions  were  awaken  jd 
by  observing  the  two  national  flags,  the  Russian  and 
the  English,  hoisted  half-mast  high,  while,  on  landing 
about  seven,  my  worst  fears  were  realized  by  hearing 
of  the  tragical  end  of  Mr  John  McLoughlin,  jun., 
the  gentleman  recently  in  charge.  On  the  night  of 
the  20th  a  dispute  had  arisen  in  the  fort,  while  some 
of  the  men,  as  I  was  grieved  to  hear,  were  in  a  state 
of  intoxication;  and  several  shots  \,'ere  fired,  by  one 
of  which  Mr  IMcLoughlin  fell.  My  urrival  with  two 
Vessels  at  this  critical  juncture  \'a'.  most  opportune, 
for  otherwise  the  fort  might  probably  have  fallen  a 
sacrifice  to  the  savages,  who  were  assembled  round  it 
to  the  number  of  about  two  thousand,  justly  thinking 
that  the  place  could  make  but  a  feeble  resistance,  de- 


*^ Douglas*  Jour.,  MS.,  4. 


ETIIOUN  AS  GOVERNOR. 


t» 


prived  as  it  was  of  its  head,  and  garrisoned  by  men  in 
a  state  of  complete  insubordination." 


43 


A  few  days  later  Simpson  returned  to  Novo  Ark- 
hangelsk, in  order  to  discuss  with  Etholen.who  in  1840 
had  relieved  Kuprianof  as  governor,"  the  difficulties 
constantly  arising  between  the  Russian  and  Hudson's 
Bay  Company's  agents  with  regard  to  trade  on  the 
Alexander  Archipelago.  Though  Etholen  was  un- 
yielding in  other  matters,  ho  was  quite  willing  to  join 
Sin)pson  in  his  efforts  to  suppress  traffic  in  spirituous 
li(juors  among  the  Kolosh,"  and  an  agreement  to  this 
eftect  was  signed  by  the  representatives  of  both  com- 
panies on  the  13th  of  May,  1842."     The  evil  was 

*'N'arr,  Jour,  round  World.,  ii.  181.  'If  the  fort  had  fallen,'  continues 
Simpson,  'not  only  the  whites,  -2  in  number,  would  have  been  destroyed,  but 
the  stuck  of  ammunition  and  storcn  would  have  made  the  captois  <langerous 
tu  the  other  cstablishnicnts  on  the  coast.' 

"lie  arrived  in  the  Nikolai  /.,  which  again  sailed  from  Kronstadt  for  tlio 
colonics  ill  August  IS.IO,  with  a  cargo  worth  500,000  rojbles.  Ethoh  n,  who, 
ns  wc  have  seen,  had  before  done  good  service  in  the  colonics,  was  aecoin- 
panicd  by  las  wife,  an  accomplished  lady,  a  native  of  Finland.  Calling  at 
llio  Janeiro,  ho  purchased  for  the  company  a  brig,  which  he  renamed  the 
Grand  Duke  Konstantin,  anil  loaded  her  with  a  cargo  of  Brazilian  produce. 
r>otli  vessels  arrived  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  May  1,  1840.  Tikhmtnff,  Islor. 
Obos.,  i.  3M. 

-*' At  the  post  on  Stakhin  River  the  Indians  were  buying  liquor  and  light- 
ing all  the  time  among  themselves  just  outsi<lc  the  fort.  A  big  hogshead  if 
liquor  four  feet  high  was  emptied  in  one  day  on  the  occasion  of  a  feast.  Tlu-ro 
were  always  four  watchmen  around,  in  the  night  especially.  It  was  terrible ; 
but  they  got  plenty  of  beaver  skin.'  Mrs  JIarvei/'s  Life  of  McLotighlin,  MS., 
19-20. 

*^Thia  docnment  was  handed  as  evidence  to  a  select  committee  of  the 
house  of  commons  in  June  1857.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  original: 
'With  a  view  effectually  to  guard  against  the  mjurious  consequences  that 
arise  from  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  in  the  Indian  trade  on  the  north-west 
coast,  it  is  hereby  agreed  by  Sir  George  Simpson,  governor  in  chief  of  Rupert's 
Land,  act'ng  on  behalf  of  tho  honorable  Hudson's  IJay  Company,  and  his  Lxcfl- 
Icncy  Adolphus  Etholen,  captain  in  the  imperial  navy  and  governor  of  the  Rr.s- 
Eiaii  American  colonics  on  the  north-west  coast  of  America,  acting  on  behalf  of 
the  Russian  American  Company,  that  no  spirituous  liquors  shall  be  sold  or  given 
to  Indians  in  barter,  as  presents,  or  on  any  pretence  or  consideration  whatso- 
ever, by  any  of  the  officera  or  servants  belonging  or  attached  to  any  of  the  cstal)- 
lishments  or  vessels  belonging  to  cither  concern,  or  by  any  other  person  r 
persons  acting  on  their  behalf  on  any  part  of  the  north-west  coast  of  America 
to  tho  northward  of  latitude  50°,  unless  competition  in  trade  should  render  it 
necessary,  with  a  view  to  the  protection  of  tne  interests  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company,  to  discon^'nuo  this  agreement  in  so  far  as  the  same  relates  to  or  is 
applicable  to  that  part  of  the  coast  southward  of  lat.  o-t"  40';  this  agreement 
to  take  effect  from  the  date  thereof  at  New  Arkhangel,  or  w  hercver  else  tho 
Russian  American  Company  have  dealings  with  Indians  on  the  northwest 


3!      '     t> 


50;)      Tim  IIUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OIMXIATIONS. 

felt  ill  all  j)arts  of  the  archipelago,  uud  nowhere  more 
than  at  the  ea[)itul. 

"Some  rei'oiiuation  certainly  was^  wanted  in  this 
respect,"  writes  Sim[)st)n,  "  '"or  of  all  the  drunken  as 
well  as  of  all  the  dirty  places  that  I  had  visited,  New 
Archangel  was  the  worst.  On  the  holidays  in  par- 
ticular, of  which,  Sundays  included,  there  are  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-live  in  the  year,  men,  women,  and  even 
<hildren  were  to  be  s<^en  staggering  about  in  all  di- 
I'ections.  The  common  houses  are  nothing  but  wooden 
hovels  huddled  together  without  order  or  design  in 
n^asty  alleys,  the  hot-beds  of  such  odors  as  are  them- 
selves suilicient,  independently  of  any  other  cause,  to 
breed  all  sorts  of  levers.  In  a  word,  while  the  iidiab- 
itant  do  all  that  they  can  to  poison  the  atmosphere, 
the  place  itself  appears  to  have  been  planned  for  the 
express  purpose  (jf  checking  ventilation." 

The  Indian  villages  in  the  neighborhood  of  Novo 
Arkhangelsk  had  sullered  severely  a  few  years  before, 
when  during  Kuprianoi's  administration  the  small-pox 
ej)idenii(;  appeared  for  the  first  time  among  the  natives 
of  Alaska.  The  disease  broke  out  in  183G,  amonij 
the  Kolosh  tribes  near  the  southern  boundary,  and 
was  probably  introduced  l)y  Indians  i'rom  the  British 
])ossessions.  During  the  first  year  the  settlement  of 
Tongass  suflered  most  seveivly,  two  hundred  and  lifty 
dvinsj!:  in  a  settlement  numbering  nine  hundred  inliab- 
itants.  From  Tongass  the  contagion  rapidly  spread 
over  all  the  Kolosh  settlements  of  the  Alexander' 
Arcliii)elago.  The  fdthy  dwellings  of  the  Kolosh  fos- 
tered the  germs  of  the  disease,  and  the  mortality  was 
a[)j)alling,  fifty  to  sixty  per  cent  of  the  population  being 
iswept  away.  From  the  outlying  settlements  the 
scourge  was  introduced  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  and 
hero  as  elsewhere  a  large  portion  of  the  native  popula- 

const,  and  from  tho  dato  of  the  receipt  of  a  copy  thereof  at  tho  cstablislmionts 
ofTiikoo,  Stikine,  Fort  Simpson,  uud  Fort  McLouyliliu.'  Report  on  II  mhbn 
lluy  Co.  (1SJ7),  3(Ji). 


KAVAGES  OF  SMALL-POX. 


661 


tion  perished,  while  the  proinyshleniki,  ahiiost  as  filthy 
as  the  natives  in  their  habits,  escaped  with  compara- 
tively small  loss.  Kuprianof  did  all  in  his  power  to 
check  the  epidemic,  enforcing  vaccination  wherever  it 
could  be  enforced,  and  keeping  the  whole  medical 
staff  of  the  company  in  the  field,  surgeons,  stewards, 
and  medical  apprentices.  Dr  Blaschko,  a  German, 
who  was  in  charge  of  the  medical  service,  stated  olh- 
ciall  V  that  three  thousand  natives  died  before  any  vac- 
ci  nation  wa.'  attempted,  and  that  for  an  entire  year 
ils  effect  was  barely  })erceptible.^'' 

Ill  1838  the  d(K'tor  proceeded  to  Unalaska  in  tlio 
l\>lijfi,'in,  then  en  route  to  the  Airtic.  The  dis- 
ease broke  out  on  that  island  innnediatelv  after  his 
arrival,  and  it  was  some  time  before  the  su[)erstitious 
Aleuts  could  be  made  to  understand  that  Blaschke 
liad  come  amoui;  them  to  cure  and  not  to  kill.  They 
consented  to  vaccination  only  after  a  most  peremptory 
order  had  been  issued  by  the  conuiiander  of  the  dis- 
trict."    All  the  villages  in  the  Unalaska  district  were 


^Tliicliinof,  who  travelled  in  tlic  Kenai  tlistrict  in  1830,  says  tliat  in 
Miiuo  (if  Ihc  villages  the  inliahitaiits  liad  tlcil,  leaving  only  tlie  sick  ami  deail, 
the  latter  ill  various  atagcM  of  (lecoiiijMisitiDn.  Adri  ntnr'-:,  MS.,  "Jit.  .Markuf, 
i:i  1(1//.  (liy  Sokolof),  iMS.,  7-0,  says:  'Tliediseasocaiiii'iiorthwaril  from  tliot'o- 
lninl)i;i,  and  was  carried  lrii!?i  village  to  village  l)y  Jvolosji  tiailcrs.  At  ono 
tiiiie,  at  Klmtznn  village,  tliey  found  the  place  desicrted,  and  doziiis  of  corji.se.H 
l\ing  around,  rotting  away.  Tlicy  threw  some  earth  over  tlio  hodies^,  ami 
\w\\'  oil  the  |ioint  of  leaving  agiiiii,  when  an  <dd  man  ap|)''ared  ami  Paid  that 
id!  the  people  who  had  escaped  the  disi'iise  liad  moved  into  a  tempor;iry  camp 
in  tlio  Woods,  and  that  they  were  afraid  to  ronie  to  the  villiige,  hut  would 
willingly  1)0  vaccinated.  When  my  father  and  a  .surgeon's  nppreiitiei!  who 
Mas  doing  the  vaccinating  had  followed  Ihe  old  man  a  ^;hort  distiiiicc  into  tho 
Woods,  they  found  tlioniselves  .surroumled  hy  a  er.  v  I  of  me  i,  including  ono 
ef  the  most  powerful sliainans.  The  slianiaa  w.i.si  xli'^rting  the  peojile  to  save 
lliemselves  and  their  families  from  ciMtain  death  .ly  killoi;^  the  vai'einators 
and  Imrning  their  bodies,  and  a  large  fire  for  'hat  purpv>si!  had  already  heeii 
(larted.  The  surgeon's  apprentice  gave  hiin  elf  e|)  for  lost,  knelt  down, 
:  II  1  hefran  to  pray  and  make  the  sign  of  the  ero^s.  In  lit  ving  himself  aliout  to 
lie.  My  father,  however,  began  to  talk  to  tlui  iiht:,  showed  tln'iii  tlio  marks 
( f  vaccination  on  his  own  arm  and  on  that  of  his  eomi'tuiioii,  and  called  upon 
H'liie  of  the  ]vliut7.liil  men,  who  had  liecn  to  ^l'ov()  Arkhangelsk,  to  .s'ly 
v.lictlier  they  had  seen  any  of  tiie  liussians  or  Creoles  die  of  tho  disease.' 
The  above  Ktatement  was  niado  in  Itiissian  to  my  agent,  during  his  stay 
i;t  Sitka  in  July  ISTS.  Tikhmenef  ,stat»  s  that  the  nnmlierof  deaths  in  all  tho 
ihstiicts  was  not  less  tlic"  1,(MK),  and  that  the  epideniio  disappeared  in  l.-iiO. 
htm:  Ohon.,  i.  JUl!.  ^  ■<  ■  lation  has  siiieo  been  performed  on  uU  children  ou 
reaching  a  certain  age.   jlok:  Kom.  l'ii.<.<.  Awir.  h'ul.,  i.  83. 

'■  llia-^rhh;  Ui jutrt  in  Mvrskoi  iSbornik  {lb4tv),  llo-24, 

Umi.  A1.ABKA,     3(i 


l.l  f' 


562      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

visited  by  tlic  vaccinators,  and  parties  wcro  sent  on 
the  same  errand  of  mercy  to  the  Ahiska  peninsula, 
to  Bristol  Bay,  and  Cook  Inlet.*-  In  nearly  every 
instance  the  outbreak  of  the  epidemic  coul  '  be  traced 
to  the  arrival  (  f  persons  from  sections  of  the  colonies 
already  affected,  a  circumstance  which  greatly  in- 
creased the  difficulties  with  which  the  medical  men 
had  to  battle  in  treating  and  protecting  the  natives. 
From  the  coast  villages  the  disease  spread  into  the 
interior,  decimating  or  depopulating  entire  settlements. 
From  Bristol  Bay  it  advanced  northward  to  the  Kus- 
kt)kvim  and  the  Yukon,  and  ra^jed  iiercelv  anionij  tlic 
dense  population  of  the  Yukon  di'lta  and  Norton 
Sound.  To  this  day  the  i.slands  and  coasts  are  dotted 
with  numerous  villaoe  sites,  the  inhabitants  of  which 
were  carried  olV  to  the  last  individual  during  this 
dreadl'ul  period.  In  many  instances  the  dead  wcrn 
left  in  their  dwellings,  which  thus  served  as  tluir 
graves,  and  skeletons  can  still  be  found  in  manv  t'f 
these  ruined  habitations. 

One  of  the  eftects  of  the  small-pox  epidemic  was 
a  general  distress  in  the  outlying  settlements,  caused 
by  the  death  of  so  many  heads  of  I'amilies.  Lai'gt- 
issues  of  ])rovisions  were  made  to  widows  and  or|)han> 
for  several  years;  and  when  it  was  reportetit"  Etholtii 
that  in  the  various  districts  there  existed  many  vil- 
lages Avhere  only  a  few  male  youths  of  tender  ag" 
survived  to  take  care  of  the  women  and  children,  aiiJ 
where  constant  aid  from  tlie  company  would  be  in- 
quired for  some  time  to  come,  he  I'ramed  measures  Ini- 
the  consolidation  of  small  villages  into  large  central 
settlements,  where  jieople  might  hi'l})  each  otlu  r 
in  case  of  distress.     His  plan  was  not  perfected  uii- 

*''Tlic  villaijcs  in  the  Unalaska  district  at  that  time  utimlxrcd  nine;  mu' 
on  Unnlaska  island,  two  on  Akuu,  one  each  at  Avatani'k.  Tigalda,  I'lga, 
Unalga,  and  Uniniak,  three  on  the  Alaska  jn-ninsnla,  two  on  Unnuik,  and  mio 
on  each  of  An}  Priliylof  Islands.  The  service  was  jHTfonaed  on  the  AlasU.i 
iicninsula  hy  anrpeon's  apprentice  Malakh  if,  with  <>ne  interpreter  as  a9si>t::iit. 
Snrgeon's  apprentice  Foiiun,  and  Orlof,  interpreter,  were  sent  to  l!ris'.'>'  I!;iy. 
A  trader  nuiuud  Mulukhof  wua  intrusted  with  thu  vacciuatiou  ou  Cuok  lidi  t. 
/(/.,  110-17. 


POPULATION  STATISTICS. 


C03 


til  1844,  and  th()U,L,'li  it  met  with  violent  opposition 
on  the  part  of  the  natives  who  were  to  be  benefit  eel 
b}^  it,  it  was  tinally  carried  out,  and  tuUilled  the  most 
san^^uine  expectations  of  the  j^overnor. 

Notwithstandinij:  the  loss  of  life  that  occurred  dur- 
ing  the  years  1 8oO-l8:J'J,  the  population  of  the  colonies 
amounted,  according  to  a  census  taken  in  1841,  to  7,580 
wouls,  a  decrease  since  1822,  when  the  first  regular  cen- 
sus was  tal<cn,of  700, and  since  1819  of  1,4139  persons.'^ 
There  were  in  1841  714  llussians  or  Euro[)eans  ot 
foreign  birth,  1,^51  Creoles,  and  5,417  Indians.""^  Jie- 
tween  1830  and  1840  the  number  of  Aleuts  de- 
creased from  0,804  to  4,007,  but  the  loss  was  in  part 
compensated  by  the  increase  in  the  Russian  and  creole 
p:nu!ation,  the  fecundity  among  the  latter  class  being 
vn\^  ;reater  tlian  among  the  natives,  as  tliey  received 
I'Ottei-  food  and  clothing,  and  were  exempt  from  en- 
forced service  on  hunting  expeditions. 

Alt]uiU'>h  the  yield  (jf  the  various  huntinLT-Lirounds 
decreased  considt.'ral»Iy  during  the  second  term  of  tln' 
Itussian  American  (.'ompany's  existence,  it  was  still 
on  a  large  scale.  ]>etwL'en  1821  and  1842  there  wtT;' 
slii[)[)edirom  the colonii's  over  2;"), 000  sea-otter,  4r)iS,0(i() 
fur-seal,  102,000  beavcr,  100,000  fox  skins,  i;]8,000 
])ounds  of  wlialebone,  and  2(;0,000  [)ounds  of  walrus 
tusks."'  At  the  time  oi'  Simpson's  visit  to  th<;  col- 
onies i';  1842,  i.l;.e  catch  of  sea-otter  at  Kadiak,  Una- 


^*  ;')n/-.  A''i/>'  A'v.-x.  imw.  Knl,,  i.  40.  Yeriiiolof,  in  f/Aitlfriqiir  f'li^:^., 
80,  ).'ivi.i  ll,J">}i  's  *■!.>.  i/o]iu;;itii(ii  in  Is.'fti,  without  cniiiitiiiL;  tliu  iiidiiitis  nt 
the  iiit(  I'll,",  ■  liu  ^^■.■i">  i:i<tre  or  Il's-i  siilijcrt  to  tlio  compiiiiy's  nuthoiity.  iiii'l 
who,  I  f  sny^.  ii  iii'.'n  i'  a  ai-ou.:  4(l,(}00.  The  St  IV'ti'ihuruiur  Caluiular  of  IS.SJ. 
\K  I.'!'.',  jiluc's  .!'p  eiii  IV.  po  iiiJitiou  .\.,  iiigli  ai  lOO.OUO,  hut  both  tiicsi.!  csti- 
liiati's  arouo  (loul)t  l„.  ^i. .  .alcd. 

^''Thero  weiv  also  !(o  natives  of  tlie  Ki'.iile  Islaiuis.  Of  tlie  Fiuliaiis,  -l.lli.'i 
wore  Aleuts,  !H!7  Keiiaitzc,  mv\  "JST  ( 'iiiiLraches.  Wrantrcll  says  thci'c  were, 
ill  ls;i(i,  7;!')  llussiaiis.  1,  I4'_' (.'leoles,  ainl  !>.(!8"2  [mliaii.-t,  ami  points  witli  iiii'li! 
to  tiic  inereaso  of  ii).")  souls  whiuh  iia>l  oeenrreil  during  his  administration. 
Slatisf.  Hiitl  EihiiO'i.,  'A'l',. 

"Also  -Jit, 442  otter  skin.s,  2.1,.")0()  sea-otter  tails,  f),.!").")  bear,  4,'J.");{  l.M.x, 
1,."()4  ^dntton,  1."),4nI  mink,  l."),<iOt>  sable,  4,4'Jl  musk-rat,  and  "JOl  wolf  skin-". 
T'ikhmt'tiff,  iMor.  (tlms.,  i.  .S27.  Veniaminof,  Zaiihki,  in  a  tablo  at  the  end 
of  vol.  ii.,  ).'i'.  .3  the  yielil  of  tiie  I'rybilof  Islands  alone,  between  1SI7  ami 
l'^''t7,  at  oil  ..  '4  fur-Ki'alti.  Of  tho  wlialu  lishcriea  ineutiuu  will  bo  uiudu 
later. 


ii'iii 


W  ' 


lli: 


504      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

laska,  and  Atklia,  then  the  principal  liunting-grr  in,ls, 
did  not  exceed  1,000  a  year.  Of  course  the  dimin- 
ished yield  was  attended  with  a  corresponding  increase 
in  price,  six  or  seven  blankets  being  given  for  a  good 
sea-otter  skin,  and  tliirteen  for  the  best,  while  as  much 
as  two  hundred  roubles  in  cash  was  asked  for  a  single 
fur  of  the  choicest  quality."'  Moreover,  the  natives 
were  not  slow  to  better  the  instruction  which  had 
accompanied  the  progress  of  civilization  in  the  far 
•north-west.  They  had  learned  how  to  cheat,  and 
could  already  outcheat  the  Russians.  "  One  favorite 
artifice,"  relates  Simpson,  "is  to  stretch  the  tails  of 
land-otters  into  thos  if  sea-otters.  Again,  when  a 
skin  is  rejected  as  beii.;,  cient  in  size  or  defective 

in  quality,  it  is  immedu.  y,  according  to  circum- 
stances, enlarged  or  colored  or  pressed  to  order,  and 
is  then  submitted  as  a  virgin  article  to  the  buyer's 
criticism  l)v  a  ditlerent  customer." 

It  is  somewhat  remarkal>le  tluii  the  decline  in  the 
leading  industry  of  the  colonies  and  the  increase  in 
llie  vahie  (»f  furs  was  not  attended  with  a  correspond- 
ing reduction  of  dividends.  Between  1821  and  1841 
alxHit  8,500,000  roubles  were  distributed  among  the 
sharehoklers,'^  or  nearly  double  the  sum  disbursed 
during  the  company's  first  term.  The  directors  were, 
however,  often  in  sore  need  of  funds,  and  someiimes 
could  onl\'  declare  a  dividend  by  charging  it  to  the  earn- 
ings of  future  years.  During  this  period  the  gross 
revenues  excecled  01,400,000  roubles,  and  in  1841 
the  capital  liad  beeu  increased  to  about  0,200,000 
roubles,  which  wns  representetl  mainly  by  trading 
goods,  provisions,  material,  implements,  furs,  sea-go- 
ing vessels,  and  real  estate  in  Russia,  the  amount  of 
cash  on  hand  at  that  date  being  less  than  50,000 
roubles. 

'-  Besides  this  no  bargain  was  conclufled  without  other  trifles  being  thrown 
in.    B'lchcr's  yari:   Voij.  round  World,  ii.  101. 

■'■■'  A  list  of  these  di videmU  ia  given  in  I'ikhnifne/,  Isfnr.  Obos. ,  i.  37S.  Thoy 
were  paid  every  two  years,  and  varied  from  108  to  88  roubles  per  share.  For 
1S---3  auJ  1840-1  iio  dividends  were  declared. 


THE  FUR  TRADE. 


5Co 


Large  quantities  of  furs  were  still  exclianged  at 
Kiakhtc  for  teas  and  Chinese  cloths,  which  were 
afterward  sold  at  Moscow  and  at  the  fair  at  Nijinei- 
Novgorod,  the  remainder  of  the  furs  and  all  the  wal- 
rus tusks  and  whalebone  being  marketed  at  St  Peters- 
burg. 

The  contract  with  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and 
the  reopening  of  intercourse  with  foreigners,  though 
limited  to  the  port  of  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  were  of  great 
benefit  to  the  shareholders.  In  1822  and  1823,  when 
the  prohibition  against  foreign  traffic  was  in  force,  the 
company  suffered  a  clear  loss  of  85,000  roubles  in  sil- 
ver, while  for  the  two  following  years  the  dividend 
was  the  largest  paid  during,'  ^he  second  term,  amount- 
ing to  nearly  45  silver  roubles  per  share.  Although 
furs  were  bartered  with  English  and  American  skip- 
pers at  half  or  less  than  half  the  prices  current  in 
Kussia,  the  loss  was  more  than  jounterbalanced  by 
the  cheaper  rates  at  which  provisions  and  trading 
goods  could  be  obtained.''*  Moreover,  the  frciglit 
charged  on  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com|>any's  vessels,  ac- 
cordingly to  the  terms  of  the  contract,  was  50  to  78 
silver  roubles  per  ton,  while  from  Kronstadt  it  was 
180  to  254,  and  by  way  of  Siberia  540  to  G30  roubles 
in  silver.  Between  1821  and  1840  twelve  expeditions 
were  despatched  from  Kroiistadt  to  the  colonies  with 
supplies,  and  yet  more  than  once  the  governor  ^vas 
compelled  to  send  vessels  to  Chile  for  cargoes  of  bread- 
stutl's.^' 


*'  For  the  inhabitants  of  Novo  Arkhangelsk  ahjne,  ami  for  the  crews  of  tho 
company's  vessels  sailing  from  that  port,  there  were  importeil,  in  IS.'U,  (),()(•<) 
poiicls  of  grain,  900  of  salt  beef,  500  of  ilried  beef,  and  a  snllicicnt  quantity  of 
bcitter  and  other  provisions.  Two  years  later  wheat  ilour  was  selling  at  14 
r(  ubles  a  pond,  salt  beef  at  0  to  \'2,  butter  at 'J8,  tea  at  '280,  white  sugar  at 
0."),  and  tobacco  at  50  to  (iO  roubles  a  poud.  Wrainjell,  Statist,  und  Etluwij., 
]-',  24-5. 

'^■'Dok.  Kom,  Russ.  Amer.  Kol.,  i.  .30.  Tho  Ihiikal  w.ts  sent  to  Chile  in 
1820,  in  charge  of  Etholin.  Russian  manufactures  were  then  introduced  for 
the  iirst  time  into  Chilian  markets,  and  met  with  ready  sale  at  protitablo 
rates.  Etliolen  purchased  9,340  pouds  of  wheat,  at  prices  much  lower  than 
tlioso  prevailing  nt  Okhotsk  or  even  in  California.  J'ikhmenif,  latur.  Olms., 
i.  .'J44-5.  Several  regul.'itions  made  during  the  company's  second  terra, 
\\  hereby  expenses  could  bo  reduced,  arc  mentioned  in  Id,,  ti73-4. 


,.k 


f  < 


I 


^^ 

!i::,il 

iji'i 

!  ■■.I 

li 

1 

1 

: 

H 

In 

8 

» 

m 

11 

m 

H 

1 

C66      TIIK  RUSSIAN  A.MKRICAN  COMPANY'S  OPERATIONS. 

The  expoiiso  of  siippoi'tiiifr  the  colonics,  apart  from 
the  sums  i-ec|uire(l  for  the  lioine  office,  tax(^s,  Jind  otluT 
items,  increased  from  about  G7G,000  roubles,  serip,  iti 
1821,  to  over  l,21U,000  roubles  in  1841,  and  amount- 
ed for  the  whole  period  to  nearly  18,000,000  roubles. 
The  increase  was  due  mainly  to  the  necessity  of  estal)- 
lishing  jnore  stations  as  seal  became  scarce  near  the 
settlements,  and  of  increasinf^  the  pay  of  employees. 
"The  salaries  of  the  officers,"  remarks  Simpson  dur- 
int»  his  stay  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  "independently  of 
such  pay  as  they  may  have,  accordinij  to  tiieir  rank 
ill  the  imperial  navy,  ranj^e  between  three  thousand 
and  twelve  thousand  rouldes  a  year,  the  rouble  beinjjf, 
as  nearly  as  possible,  espial  to  the  franc;  while  they 
are,  moreover,  provided  with  firewood  and  candles, 
with  a  room  for  each,  and  a  servant  and  a  kitchen  be- 
tween two.  Ceru  rally  speakinj^,  the  officers  are  ex- 
tra vaijfant,  those  of  liv(  Lhousand  roubles  and  upwards 
spending  nearly  the  whole,  and  the  others  getting 
into  debt,  jvs  a  kind  of  mortgage  on  their  future  pro- 
motion. 

"  For  the  amount  of  business  done,  the  men,  as  well 
as  the  officers,  appear  to  be  unnecessarily  numerous, 
amounting  this  season  to  nearly  five  hundred,  who, 
with  their  families,  make  about  one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred souls  as  the  population  of  the  establishment.^'^ 
Among  the  servants  are  some  excellent  tradesmen, 
such  as  engineers,  armorers,  tin-smiths,  cabinet-mak- 
ers, jewellers,  watchmakers,  tailors,  cobblers,  builders, 
etc.,  receiving  generally  about  three  hundred  and  fifty 
roubles  a  3'ear;  they  have  come  originally  on  engage- 
ments of  seven  years;  but  most  of  them,  by  drink- 
ing or  by  indulging  in  other  extravagance,"  contrive 


*•  These  figures  probably  inchi<lo  only  the  employees  and  their  familios. 
In  nnlaj/son'n  Vanroinrr  Islitnd  and  N.  IK.  Coaxf,  MS.,  10,  it  is  statcil  tiiat 
ill  1840  Sitka  was  garrisoned  by  over  500  troops. 

"  'Spirits,  which  cost  the  company  at  Montreal  $2  per  gallon,  wcrosoM 
in  the  interior  to  their  servants  at  ?8  per  qiiai-t.  At  this  rate  the  company 
could  not  lose  anything  l)y  increasing  the  salaries  of  drinking  men.'  JJuiiu's 
Oregon  and  liiiUah  K.  Amer.  Fur  Trade,  23  (I'hiladelphia,  ISio). 


SIMPSON'S  VISIT. 


607 


to  be  SO  regularly  in  debt  as  to  become  fixtures  for 

"  lb." 


life  "■" 


*' In  Ilia  Narrative  of  a  Jovmf.i/  round  the  World  during  tho  years  1S41 
mill  If+^'i,  Sir  (loorgc!  Simpson  gives  sonui  iiitorestini:^ <le8erii)tioii8 of  Novo  Aik- 
ii.iii^clsk  anil  its  iiiiiiiliitunts,  from  wliioli  I  sliall  givo  ono  or  twocxtnicts  IjitiT. 
Ill'  appears  U»  luivo  been  a  keen  observer,  ami  his  work  was  eviileiitly  written 
witliinit  bias.  'J'ravclling  as  the  representative  of  tiio  iludson's  Jl;iy(,'om- 
ji.iny,  bo  made  the  journey  ovcrlaiul  from  Huston  to  l''ort  Vam-oiiver.  Thenee, 
after  a  visit  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  ho  sailed  for  California  and  the  Samlwieh 
Islands.  Ketnrninjj;  to  Novo  Arkhanj^elsk  in  the  Hpring  of  lSt'2,  he  soon 
afterward  sailed  for  Okhotsk,  and  traversing  Siberia  and  European  iliissia, 
nrrivc'd  ot  London  in  October  of  the  Hamu  year,  the  entire  journey  oueupying 
1!)  months  and  '2li  days. 


W'  I 


\'' 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


It   ' 


THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMrANY'S  LAST  TERM. 

1842-18GG. 

The  Cuakier  Renewed — Its  Provisions — The  Affair  at  Petrof.w- 
lov.sk — Outbreaks  among  the  Natives — The  Nulato  Massacri; — 
A  Second  Massacre  Threatened  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk — Explor- 
ations— The  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company — Westdaiii/s 
Experience — The  Company  Requests  Another  Renewal  of  it-i 
Charter — Negotiations  with  the  Imperial  Government  —  Tiir.iu 
Failure — Population — Food  Supplies — The  Yield  of  Furs — Whal- 
ing—Dividends— Trade — Bibliographical. 


li 


m 


At  the  request  of  the  directors,  and  after  a  care- 
ful investigation  into  the  condition  of  the  colonies, 
the  in)perial  council  at  St  Petersburg  decided,  on  tlic 
5tli  of  Marcli,^  1841,  to  renew  the  charter  of  tlio 
Russian  American  Company  for  a  further  period  of 
twenty  years.  "In  the  variety  and  extent  of  its 
operations,"  declare  the  members  of  the  council,  "no 
other  company  can  compare  with  it.  In  addition  to 
a  commercial  and  industrial  monopoly,  the  govern- 
ment has  invested  it  with  a  portion  of  its  own  powers 
in  governing  the  vast  and  distant  territory  over  which 
it  now  holds  control.  A  change  in  this  system  would 
now  be  of  doubtful  benefit.  To  open  our  ports  to  all 
hunters  promiscuously  would  be  a  death-blow  to  the 
fur  trade  while  the  government,  havincf  transferred  to 
the  company  the  control  of  the  colonies,  could  not  now 
resume  it  without  great  expense  and  trouble,  and  woukl 
have  to  create  new  financial  resources  for  such  a  pur- 

'  DoL  Kotn.  liuaa.  Amer.  KoL,  i.  40;  tho7tli  according  to  Tikhmenef,  Istor, 
Obos.,  i.  365. 

(5C8) 


A  NEW  CHARTER. 


669 


pose."  This  opinion,  together  with  a  charter  defin- 
ing the  privileges  and  duties  of  tlie  company,  was  de- 
livered to  the  tzar  and  received  his  signature  on  the 
11th  of  October,  1844. 

The  new  charter  did  not  differ  in  its  main  features 
from  that  of  1821,  though  the  boundary  was  of 
course  changed  in  accordance  with  the  English  and 
American  treaties.  None  of  the  company's  rights 
were  curtailed,  and  the  additional  privileges  were 
granted  of  trading  with  certain  ports  in  China,  and 
of  shipping  tea  direct  from  Shanghai  to  St  l*eters- 
huYiX.  The  board  of  managers,  throus]fh  its  aijjent  the 
governor  of  the  colonies,  was  recognized  as  the  su- 
preme power,  though  appeal  could  be  made  to  the 
emperor  through  the  minister  of  finance.  A  colo- 
nial council  was  established,  consisting  of  the  dep- 
uty governor  and  four  naval  officers,  or  officials  of  the 
company,  with  criminal  jurisdiction  in  all  but  capital 
cases.  Much  indulgence  was  shown  to  naval,  military, 
and  civil  officers,  who  while  in  the  company's  service 
received  half-pay,  and  did  not  forfeit  their  riglit  of 
promotion,  their  time  of  service  being  countetl  double.^ 

The  sale  of  fire-arms,  ammunition,  and  spirituous 
liquor  to  the  natives  was  still  forbidden;  anil  tliis  pro- 
hibition was  followed  by  an  order  from  the  governor 
that  no  intoxicating  drink  should  be  sold  in  the  col- 
onics. It  is  related  that  when  this  order  was  read  to 
the  servants  of  the  company  many  of  them  could  not 
refrain  from  tears.  The  temperance  cause  had  but 
few  advocates  in  Russian  America.  One  of  the  men, 
named  Markof,  who  in  1845  sailed  from  Novo  Ark- 
hangelsk for  San  Francisco,  thus  relates  his  expe- 
rience: "How  easily  and  willingly  the  labor  of  getting 
the  ship  under  way  was  performed  1  Each  sailor  had 
it  in  his  mind  that  he  could  enjoy  himself  foi-  his 
trouble  in  the  first  tap-room  in  California.     In  the 

'Tho  provisions  of  the  charter  of  1844  are  given  at  length  in  Dol:  Kom. 
liiisn.  Amer.  Kol.,i.  iO-GO;  audiu  Tikhmeiu^,  Istor.  Obos.,  ii.  aiip.  part  i. 
11-74. 


570       THE  RUSSIAN  A:sIERICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 


■i  i 


evening  we  conlcl  only  see  the  outlines  of  our  former 
home,  traced  in  black,  indistinct  shapes  against  the 
darkening  sky.  'The  devil  must  have  planted  these 
cursed  soa-otters  in  these  out-of-the-way  regions,  said 
one  of  the  sailors;  'as  far  as  we  can  see  land  up  and 
down  the  coast,  not  a  single  rum-shop  is  to  be  found.' 
'Yes,'  answered  another,  'but  I  remember  Father 
Baranof  There  was  a  time  when  a  camp-kettle  was 
set  out  brimming  full,  and  he  would  shout,  "Drink, 
children!"  and  he  would  join  himself  in  a  merry  song. 
Those  were  better  days,'  continued  he,  with  his  eyes 
lixed  on  the  waning  land;  'but  now  what  times  have 
we!  We  can  do  nothing  but  work,  and  when  that 
is  done,  we  promenade,  or  smoke  in  the  barrack. 
What  a  life!'  'You  see,'  replied  his  comrade,  'in  this 
c(Hintry  we  all  have  to  join  the  temperance  society.' 
'What  is  that?'  'I  don't  know  exactly:  it  is  some 
kind  of  a  sect.  I  belonged  to  it  once,  but  it  is  so 
hniiX  aijfo  I  forixet.  I  can  make  no  reckoning  of  time 
when  I  get  no  drinks  to  count  by;  but  I  remember 
we  all  had  to  pay  a  beaver  skin  apiece.'  'A  beaver 
skin  apiece!  That  is  a  big  price  to  pay  for  the  ])rivi- 
loije  of  drinkincT  nothing  but  water.  I'll  have  nothing 
to  do  with  any  such  sect.  There  was  that  German 
^lukolof;  ho  joined  the  sect,  and  in  a  few  weeks  he 
was  dead.  God  knows  where  he  is  now' — crossinn" 
himself:  'I  don't  think  there  is  much  room  for  Dutch- 
men in  heaven;  so  many  Russians  go  thcre.'"^ 


.!  n 


,.  |ii^ 


As  soon  as  war  between  England  and  Russia  be- 
came a  certainty,  representatives  of  the  Russian 
American  and  Hudson's  Bay  companies  met  in  Lon- 
don to  consult  on  the  exigences  of  the  case.  It  was 
agreed  that  both  companies  should  petition  their  gov- 
ernments for  a  convention  of  neutrality,  that  should 
include  the  Russian  and  English  possessions  on  the 

'  Riisk-ie  na  Vostofehvom,  etc.,  or  Tho  K'jssians  on  the  Eastern  Ocean  ('2d 
C(l.,  St  rctcrsburg,  1850),  59-00,  102-4.  Murkof  adila  that,  on  reaching  S;iii 
Francisco,  tho  first  huililing  which  they  entered  waa  a  ilrinking-saloon,  kc^it 
by  one  of  Napoleon's  veteraua  who  had  served  in  tlio  campaign  of  1S12. 


WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


r>7l 


north-west  coast  of  America,  the  parties  heincr  al- 
lowed to  trade  freely  with  each  other,  while  I'orhear- 
iii<^  to  furnish  aid  to  the  squadrons  of  Russia  or  of  the 
allies.  The  powers  at  war,  consideriiiijf  this  a  small 
matter,  and  wishiii<jf  to  keep  their  hands  free  in  other 
(juarters,  consented  to  sanction  the  agreement.  A 
few  English  cruisers  appeared  at  the  entrance  of 
Sitka  ]^ay  at  various  times,  hut  finding  no  vessels  of 
war  in  port,  nor  any  evidence  of  a  violation  of  the 
agreement,  inflicted  no  damage,*  The  comjiany  suf- 
fered some  loss,  however,  hy  the  bond)ardment  of 
I?etropavlovsk  in  1854,'^  and  through  its  destruction 
in  the  following  year,  on  which  occasion  the  allies 
burned  the  government  buildings,  plundered  the 
(J  reek -catholic  church,  broke  all  the  windows  in  the 
town,"  and  captured  a  vessel  belonging  to  the  Russian 
American  Company.  A  part  of  the  allied  forces  then 
sailed  for  Ourup,  and  bombarded  the  Russian  settle- 
ment on  that  island,  burned  all  the  buildings,  seized 
the  furs  and  [)apers  belonging  to  the  company,"  and 
hoisted  the  union-jack,  the  tric(>lor,  and  a  sign-post 
declaring  that  they  took  possession  of  the  teiritory 
on  behalf  of  England  and  France.  These  proceedings 
\\ere    sufficiently    disgraceful — the    most   disgraceful 

*  This  was  citlicr  a  fortunate  accMcnt  or  was  due  to  the  vigilance  of  tlio 
Kussians.  lu  185'2  tho  frigates  Aurora  and  Diana,  the  corvetto  Xmariii, 
iiiid  tlio  transport  Xii'mi'ii  were  di!Si)atclied  from  Kronstadt  to  Kuindiatka. 
J/orykiii  Shuriiik,  x.  '2\S.  The  Diana  and  a  corvette  (prolialdy  the  yarariii) 
M  t  re  expected  to  rendezvous  at  Novo  Ariiliangelsk.  iiaint  Aniaii/.  Vdij.  rii 
i'al.  it  <lini-i  I'Orcjoii  (Paris,  lS."i4),  (i.'57.  At  this  time  tlic  fort  of  Novo  Arlv- 
liungelsk  was  mounted  with  70  guns,  inchidiiig  two  of  viry  long  nnige,  and 
wiis  garrisoned  by  '2,'iO  to  ;UM)  men,  well  connnandc^d,  hut  jioorly  armed. 
Of  4S;J  ritlcs  sent  from  Tobolsk,  between  ISol  and  lSo4,  only  101  were  lit  for 
use.  Sitka  Arvhiren,  ii.  8.'}. 

^ After  tho  failure  of  the  attack  whicli  followed  the  bombardment  tho 
English  admiral  I'rico  committed  suicide.  When  infonned  of  this  the  Hus- 
sions would  not  ))elieve  it,  but  ascribed  ids  dealli  to  a  well  aimed  shut  from 
the  shore  batteries.  Mor.'<koi  iShornik,  xlv.  1,  'J,  '2'.\.  l!y  oukaz  of  l>ec.  "J, 
ISIU,  Okhotsk  was  clo:,cd  as  a  naval  stiitiou  and  the  force  transferred  to 
I'etropavloTsk.  /(/.,clv.  7. 

"Ill  li'oilijcra''  Letters,  JIS.,  ii.,  it  is  stated  that,  in  18.")G,  few  bouses  were 
left  standing  at  I'etropavlovsk,  but  that  the  English  behaved  well,  while  tiio 
I'reneli  rioted  in  destruction. 

''i"he  natives  of  the  Kiirile  Islands  reported  sea-otter  plentiful  on  some  of 
the  grouj).  In  18.");>,  108  skins  were  shipped  from  Ourup,  and '200  retaiued 
for  future  sliipuicut.  Sitka  Archive-'',  ii.  Gj. 


■ 


[I 

Mm 


:! 


II 

'  i!  1 

j^M 

l-j, 

■ 

i 

II 

Mi-H' 

m 

ml 

■H 

H^B  wi 

Bflj 

BUB  5' 

M 

^Bl' 

1 

9i>E 
nil 

n,-^ 


TIIK  JIUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMrANY'S  LAST  TKRM. 


afTiiir,  perhaps,  of  the  wliolo  war,  if  wo  except  the 
Sin()[)e  niassiicro;  but  yet  more  (liHi^raeeful  was  tlu; 
conduct  of  the  EngHssh  goverunieiit  which  sanctioned 
them,  on  the  jjfround  that  the  convention  of  neutrahtv 
extended  only  to  the  north-west  coast  of  America,  uud 
not  to  all  the  company's  territory. 

Tlioujjfli  no  attack  was  made,  during  the  war,  on 
the  Alaskan  settlements,  the  Russians  suftered  more 
severely  about  this  date  from  outbreaks  among  the 
natives  than  at  any  time  since  the  Sitka  massacre 
In  1851  the  fort  at  Nulato  was  surprised  by  Indians, 

Among  the  vic- 


and  most  of  the  inmates  butchered. 


Pl^vn  of  NrLATO. 

tims  were  the  commandant  Derzhavin  and  Lieutenant 
]>arnard,  an  English  naval  officer  on  board  the  En- 
ferprise,  despatched  in  search  of  Sir  John  Franklin 
and  his  party.'^  In  that  year  Barnard  was  sent  to  in- 
vestigate the  truth  of  certain  rumors  as  to  the  mur- 
der of  a  party  of  his  countrymen  near  Lake  jMintokh, 
and  in  his  blunt  English  fashion  announced  that  he 
intended    to    send   for  the    chief  of  the   Koyukans, 

^  In  July  ISJO  tho  Ilcriifd,  Plover,  and  hnrKtirjntor,  all  despatched  iuscircli 
of  Fiaiikliii  and  his  party,  mot  in  Kotzchuo  Sound.  Wliile  anchori'd  olf 
Chaniisso  IsUmd  during  the  i)revious  year,  the  capt;iin  of  one  of  these  ves.sels 
caused  search  to  lie  made  for  a  cask  of  flour  buried  there  by  IJecchey,  'l'.\  yeara 
before.  It  was  found  to  be  in  good  condition,  and  a  dinner  party  was  given, 
at  which  cakes  and  pastry  made  of  the  (lnurfonned  partof  the  fare.  Sevmaii'-i 
liari:  Voy.  Jlemld,  ii.  100,  179;  Iluuper'a  'I\hIs  of  the  Tuski,  'IVi. 


MASSACRE  AT  NULATO. 


671 


tho 


-..i*^- 


juamcd  Larion,  avIio  was  tlieii  lioldiiig  fostival  at  his 
villaijo  a  tew  loaj^ues  distant.  But,  as  Dall  roinarks, 
this  man  "was  not  accustonunl  to  ho  sent  tor.  Whou 
the  Russians  dosireil  to  see  him,  they  respectfully  re- 
(juested  the  honor  of  his  i)resenc'e."  Now  Jjarion  was 
a  great  ehii't",  and  also  a  .sliaman,  and  his  ire  was 
thorou,i:fhly  roused  at  tho  insult.  Moreover,  tlioro 
was  another  cause  of  [)rovi)oation.  One  of  his  daugh- 
ters had  for  some  time  heen  living  with  ]3erzhavin  as  a 
concuhine.  This  was  perfectly  legitimate  and  seemly 
according  to  the  native  and  even  tho  Russian  code  of 
morals;  hut  a  second  dauixhter  had  recentlv  found 
favor  in  the  eyes  of  the  connnandant,  and  when  tho 
shaman  demanded,  in  ])erson,  the  surrender  of  at  least 
one  of  his  children,  Derzhavin  coolly  answered  that  ho 
had  at  tho  fort  a  visitor,  who  must  also  ho  provided 
with  a  concuhine.  Alter  his  d(^parturo  perhaps  ono 
of  the  damsels  might  be  restored. 

A  council  wns  call<>d,  and  Larion  swore  that  tho 
salmon  should  have  hlood  to  drink  before  they  went 
back  to  the  sea.  At  this  moment  a  dog-sk'd  a[)peai'ed 
in  sii^lit  on  the  Yukon,  by  tho  side  of  which  walked 
a  Russian  and  a  Xulato  workman.  Soon  afterwar<l 
the  sled  was  drawii  up  on  tlie  bank  for  the  purjiose  of 
cooking  the  mid-day  meal,  and  while  tlie  Xulato 
was  searching  for  watei',  a  party  of  Indians  stole  up 
steathily  behind  the  Russian,  and  stunning  hitu  with 
a  blow  on  tho  head,  beat  in  his  skull  with  their  clubs. 
His  ilesh  was  then  cut  in  strips,  roasted,  and  devoured, 
iuid  the  Koyukans  srt  fortli  at  once  for  Xulato. 
]lalf  a  mile  from  the  fort  were  three  large  buildings, 
in  which  were  many  Xulato  families.  These  were 
set  on  tire,  and  their  (K'cuj>ants  were  either  smothered 
in  the  smoke  or  fell  ])eneath  the  knives  and  arrows  of 
the  savages,  <^no  man  only  making  his  escape  to  tho 
mountains,  and  a  few  women  being  s[)ared  to  servo  as 
slaves. 

The  Koyukans  then  advanced  on  the  fort,  where 
most  of  the  inmates  were  yet  asleep,  and  all  Mere  un- 


f 


574       THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 


conscious  of  the  inipondiiif;^  clan_i»'cr.  Dorzlio-vin,  who 
had  just  risen,  was  stabbed  in  the  back  and  teh  dend 
^vitllout  a  struuf^le.  Barnard,  who  was  readiui;  in  bed, 
grasped  liis  gun  and  fired  two  sliots,  but  each  time 
the  barrel  was  struck  upward  and  the  balls  lodged  in 
the  cciHng,  whereupon  he  was  stabbed  in  the  stouiaoli, 
his  intestines  protruding  from  the  wound.  The  work- 
men, who  lived  in  a  separate  building  in  whicli  wore 
two  Ilussians  and  a  few  Creoles,  had  now  taken  the 
alarm  and  barricaded  the  door.  IMuskets  were  fired  at 
the  savages,  but  without  effect,  and  were  answered  by 
a  fii^ht  of  arrows.  At  len'j^th  one  of  them  fell,  where- 
ui)ou  the  ent're  party  at  once  took  to  flight,  carrying 
Avitli  tliem  their  booty  and  prisoners."^  A  new  i'ort 
Siurrounded  with  a  stockade  was  built  two  or  three 
years  later  on  the  spot  where  it  now  stands,  and 
within  a  hundred  3'ards  of  it  is  a  cross  that  marks  tlie 
resting-place  of  Barnard  and  Derzhavin. 

In  the  following  year  a  party  of  Kolosh  destroyed 
the  buildings  at  the  hot  springs  near  the  Ozerskoi  ro- 

'Dall,  Alaska,  48-r)l,  i3  probably  the  best  authority  or.  the  Nulato  ma-i- 
Bacrc,  tli<m,L,'li,  as  I  have  before  remarked,  ho  is  cxtrcniely  iiiaccurati;  in  mat- 
ters relatinj,'  to  tlie  history  of  Alaska.  I  have  acecptcil  Koine  portions  of  his 
narrative,  and  the  reinainiler  is  taken  priueipally  from  tlie  statement  of  ore 
vlio  Was  i)resent  at  the  massacre  and  from  wiiieh  the  followint;  is  an  extract: 
'When  ti.e  Koyukans  had  gatliered  abo>it  KK)  warriors  they  .>itarted  down 
Btriam,  joiirniv  ng  oidy  by  night.  Finally  they  camped  on  tlio  shore  of  a 
lalic,  about  lialf  a  day's  travel  from  tiie  river,  and  the  same  distance  from  the 
foit.  Several  small  parties  and  some  women  weio  tlien  sent  forward  to  the 
redoubt,  to  trade  and  act  as  spies.  On  tlio  third  day  some  of  them  returned, 
and  duriugthenight  we  advanced  to  wit  bin  !i  short  distance  of  Nulato.  At  dny- 
break  tile  attack  was  made,  mnnien  being  assisted  by  the  spies  who  had  rcmaincvl 
in  the  fort.  This  was  the  lirst  war-pai'ty  that  I  had  ever  joined,  and  I  was  very 
much  frightened,  and  fired  my  musket  at  random.  When  I  entered  tiie  re- 
doubt tlie  victims  were  all  dead,  and  our  people  were  engaged  in  eolleetiiig 
the  pliiiid(,"r,  of  whicii  my  siiare  was  two  silver-mounted  jiistols  and  a  box  of 
lieads;  but  afterward  1  iienrd  Larion  boast  repeatedly  that  he  killed  lioth  JJeri- 
nbiii  iind  the  iMiglisIi  ollicer  with  liis  own  hand,  and  there  were  none  to  eoii- 
tiadict  him.'  This  slalenient  was  made  on  the  l.")tii  of  .Tanuaiy,  ]S7i(,  by 
Ivan  Konnygen,  a  native  of  the  village  of  Unnl.dvleet,  near  Mikhaiclovsk.  My 
ng'jnt  obtained  the  iiUoiniation  from  Konnygen,  wlio  w.as  a  prisoner  at  San 
(^'uentiu,  where  he  went  by  tlie  name  of  Korrigan.  At  the  time  of  the  mas- 
Baere  he  was  a  f-uitor  for  <>uo  of  Larion's  daughters.  Tikhnienef,  Julor.  Ohon., 
ii.  '20"2,  mentions  only  three  victims — Deriabin,  liuruard,  and  one  Aleut,  lie 
also  states  tliat  the  leason  for  the  nttiack  was  the  protection  given  liy  the  Rus- 
eiuns  to  some  of  the  Nulato  people  wlio  had  ii'^^urred  the  wratli  of  the  Koyu- 
kans. Russian  authorities  appear  to  be  ill  informed  on  this  matter  or  to  have 
pur|iosely  misrepresented  it.  In  J)ok:  Kom.  liuaa,  Amtr.  KoL,  i.  80,  it  is 
niei'uly  stated  that  the  attack  was  repulsed. 


KOLOSH  HOSTILITIES. 


575 


doubt.  The  inmates  were  stripped  of  all  that  they 
possessed,  even  to  their  shirts,  and  in  this  plight  made 
their  way  across  the  mountains  to  tlie  capital."^  In 
1855  the  Andreicf  station,  south  of  Fort  !Michaielovsk, 
was  destroyed  by  Indians,  two  of  the  company's  ser- 
vants beinij  slauixhtcred.^*  In  the  same  year  an 
attack  was  made  on  Novo  Arkhansjelsk.  The  Sitkan 
Kolosh,  without  apparent  provocation,  fell  upon  a 
sentry  who  was  guarding  the  wood-piles  of  the  com- 
])any  and  wounded  him  with  spears.  Tlie  governor 
ilemanded  the  surrender  of  the  guilt}*  inrlividuals,  but 
was  answered  with  tlireats.  Two  cannon-sliot  were 
tlu^niircd,  whereupon  the  savages  made  a  rush  for  the 
fort  and  began  to  chop  down  the  palisade.  A  sharp 
lire  of  nmsketry  and  artillery  was  opened  on  tliem, 
but  without  Cifect,  Some  tried  U>  force  themselves 
through  the  embrasures;  others  broke  in  the  door  of 
a  church,  built  outside  the  stockade  ibr  the  use  of 
natives,  and  returned  the  fusillade  from  the  windows. 
If  the  Kolosli  liad  been  in  possession  of  a  few  pieces 
of  cannon,  it  is  not  improbable  that  there  might 
have  been  a  repetition  of  the  Sitka  massacre.  For 
two  hours  they  stood  their  ground,  but  after  losing 
more  than  a  lumdred  of  their  nmnber,''  were  forced  to 
capitulate  and  give  Iiostages  to  the  Uussians,  A  st  rict 
surveillance  was  thenceforth  kept  over  the  indei>en(i- 
ent  native  tribes,  and  no  serious  emeutes  occurred. 

"About  .5,0fK)  roubloa  was  distributed  um.iif:;  tbem  as  roinpcnsiitioii. 
fyi'hi  Arrhiirx,  ii.  107.  One  of  tln'iii,  an  iuvaliil.  is  siniim-i'd  t'l  ii.iv*^  pi'i'islii  d, 
as  iKitliing  was  hoard  of  liim.  ll'iird'-^  Tin-'f  I''.  (/.•••■  fr/.b'i'.'.Wf,  MS.,  4;i.  During 
llio  sanio  year  S.'i  Stikceiis  wi're  inassaored  by  the  Kol.i  h,  wliilo  dii  a  vLsit  t  > 
Kovo  ArUlian;,'elsk  in  sii^bt  of  the  town.  On  aii'ithtr  oeeasitin  several  I'l 
tlieiii  were  smothered  wliih^  takiii;^  a  stiaiii  bath,  tlie  lvilu>h  elnsiiiijall  tlio 
oiH'iiin,i;9.  /(/.,  (».'<-l.  IiiCtetober  bSo3  a  ereolo  and  iiii  AKnit,  while  huiitin:; 
deer  near  the  Ozerskoi  redoubt,  were  murdered  by  Kolosh.  Sirku  Archives,  ii. 

"  Tilhmrnrf,  Istor.  ("<".i.,  ii.  '202-.S.  In  A'.,  i;."!'.),  isj  a  list  of  the  attitiona 
under  the  eontrol.     AnKHig  them  was  Niilato. 

'■''  /'ii/!-.  Kom.  I'liK".  Aino:  A'o/.,  i.  M,  wliero  it  is  stated  ihat  two  of  tho 
defenders  were  killed  and  IS)  wounded.  Tikhnienef,  i-fni:  (t/ntx.,  ii.  •JfiS, 
jdaees  the  losses  of  (he  l!us!<ians  at  the  same  ligures,  and  t'lat  of  the  Kol.;sli  .it 
IM»  killed  and  woumled.  Otherwise  there  is  no  niateri.il  dill'erenee  in  tlie>e 
two  aeeounts  of  the  ulFair.  A  deserijvtion  of  it  is  aksoijiveii  iu  the  Aihvntiin* 
fj  Znkliar  Vhichiiwf,  MS.,  41-0.  L'hiehinof  was  an  eyu-\Mtuj83,  o.^  wua  ulso 
Cliaiica  Krugcr,  iu  18S0  u  resident  of  tiuu  Fnuicisco. 


'  1 


H 


676       THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 

After  his  return  from  tlio  colonies,  Tcbonkof,  who 
succeeded  Etholen  as  governor,  ^nlI'li:■^hed,  in  1852,  an 
atlas,  in  which  the  results  were  exhibited  of  all 
the  explorations  of  the  previous  twelve  years,  to- 
gether with  many  of  former  periods.'^  To  mention 
the  discoveries  of  all  the  exploring  pr.rties  tliat  were 
despatched  during  the  company's  third  term  would 
serve  but  to  tax  the  reader's  patience.'*  More  inter- 
esting arc  the  operations  of  the  scientific  corps  that 
sailed  from  Stuart  Island  on  the  17th  of  September, 
18Gi>,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Western  Union  Tele- 
graph Company. 

It  was  intended  by  the  managers  to  build  an  overland 
line  to  Europe  through  Alaska,  across  Bering  Strait, 
ami  through  Siberia  by  way  of  the  Amoor  River.'' 
The  cooperation  of  the  Russian  government  was 
obtained,  and  a  party  of  explorers  organized  for  mak- 


I.;. 


"  It  was  published  in  1852,  named  The  Xoifh-ire-ifern  CoaH  o/  Amerirn, 
from  JJiriiiij  Straits  to  Cope  Corrienti*  and  tin'  Al'iniHr  I'il'iiii!<,  vith  the  Ail- 
di'ioii  of  a  Fill}  Poiiilx  on  the  Korth-('ii'<tern  Cotint  o/  Ak'hi.  Tlio  iii:i))«,  wliicli 
nunibi.rcd  ,'?!*,  were  cnjrraved  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  l>y  the  crcolo  Tcreiitiof. 
The  di-icnverics  Hjj  to  1>S4'2  have  already  licen  related.  In  1S43  two  parties 
explored  the  .Sustchina  and  topper  rivers  for  tlic  piirixiso  <>f  extendinir  tnide 
with  the  natives.  Daring  Tcbenkrif's  ndniini.stration,  explorations  ineluiled 
the  eoast  from  Anelior  Point  in  ivenai  liny  to Sukli  I.-ilaiid  in  ( "hu.Lrasch  J5a y.  the 
vholo  (if  Kadiak  and  the  smaller  islands  to  the  sniith  (.f  it,  Voskressenski 
l{;iy,  .Andrcianof,  Afognak,  Unniak,  L'nalasska,  Shtnnairin.  Ourup,  and  other 
islands;  the  shores  of  JJaranof  and  Cruznf  islands  fri>ni  C'a]>e  Oinmau'-y  to 
Mount  F.dgeeunil)e,  Norton  Hay,  and  llerinj^  and  Kmile  straits.  Ti/Jiini jh/, 
I.itor.  Olinn.,  ii.  1247-^;  J)"k:  Koiii.  /'ii^s.  Auif-r.   K<->i.,  i.  !>S. 

•*In  this  eonneetion  may  be  mentioned  tlieexplnnitinn  of  the  Aleutian  Isl- 
ands, made  by  Lieutenant  (!il)son  in  the  L'niteil  States  sehcxmer" /('(////(orc 
('oiijur,  in  lS,")(i,  as  mentioned  in  the  Itoijir^  I.tt'ir*,  MS.,  ii.  (\VasljinL;ton, 
1>.  C. ),  lilakc's  siwvey  of  the  Stikeen  Kiver,  as  relatf<l  in  his  l!ii>«iaii  A  i>i<  rii'o, 
1  'J,  and  Kcnnieott  and  Kiibv"s  jimrneys  from  the  .Maekenzio  Kiver  to  the 
Vuk'iii,  as  narrated  in  the  S'iiiitfi'>ri>iiiiii  l!'itort<,  ls*il.  311  4!».and  IStil,  41(1  "JO. 
Kennieott  was  appointed  direetor  of  the  m  lentiiio  eorps,  in  eonnntinn  w  itii 
the  Wistern  Union  T'.  legrapli  Company,  but  died  a  few  months  before  the 
expedition  set  forth.    J>(ill'i>  Ald-'Lcy  4"). 

'^'i'lie  project  is  credited  to  Major  Collins,  to  whom  the  Russian  govern- 
ment ),'a\e  the  ])rivilego  of  eonstruetin;,'.  n  aintaiuiii^'.  and  working  a  line 
from  the  month  of  the  .\inoor  to  the  boumlary  iH'twfen  Russian  territoi-y 
and  Ihitish  .\n'  'riea.  He  was  allowed  to  erect  bio.  k-houses  and  other  neces- 
sary (leti'iices.  lie  miulit  cut  tindier,  ojien  roads,  navigate  rivers,  and  in  fact 
do  almost  anything  except  organize  a  new  empire.  A'/m.r.,  J,'ii>i.  Aimr. 
Tc/.,  '2i'2.  In  ISG2  a  eonnnittee  of  the  U.  S.  .Scii;,te  reportnl  in  favor  of  a 
survey  for  a  lino  via  .Sd)eiia.  r.  S.  S'li.  Con).,  H-ffirl,  .'ITlh  eoug.,  '2d  sess., 
xiii.  In  the  same  year  the  U.  S.  Minister  in  Russia  was  ordered  to  favor 
the  enterpri.se.    U.  S.  Si  ii.  £.i-.  Dor.,  liTth  cong.,  "Jd  t^ess.,  x. 


TCLnORAPH  EXri:DITlON.  f,77 

ing  preliminary  surveys  on  tlie  Aiuorican  contiiiont 
and  in  Siberia.  Captain  C.  S.  Bulkley  was  appointed 
to  superintend  tlie  expedition,  and  for  this  purpose 
])roceeded  to  Xovo  Arkhangelsk  in  the  spring  of  ISOo. 
A  steamer,  three  harks,  and  otlier  eraft  were  j)ur- 
chased  for  the  use  of  the  members,  and  witli  the  per- 
mission of  the  seeretary  of  the  treasury  several  revenue 
olficers  participated  in  the  enterprise.  One  vessel 
sailed  for  Ihitish  Columbia,  the  intention  l)eing  to 
])enetrate  from  the  head  waters  of  the  Frazer  River 
t  )  those  of  tlu'  Yukon;  another  to  Novo  Arkhangelsk, 
a  third  to  Fort  Mikhaielovsk,  and  a  fourth  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Anadir  IJiver  in  Siberia.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  explorations  were  continued;  but  in  18G7, 
a  few  months  after  the  th'st  pole  was  raised,^"  the  com- 
l)any,  after  having  incurred  an  expense  of  three  millions 
of  dollars,  abandoned  the  enterprise  and  recalled  its  ex- 
plorers, frnding  that  the  line  could  not  compete  with 
the  Atlantic  cable.  The  details  of  their  oi)erations 
do  not  concern  the  purposes  of  this  volume,  but  we 
have  some  interesting  des<'riptions,  which  will  be  men- 
tioned later,  of  the  condition  of  the  liussian  settle- 
ments, especially  in  the  work  of  Dall,  who  was  a[)- 
l)ointed  director  of  the  scientific  corps. 

I  shall  venture  also  to  give  a  brief  extract  from  a 
stateuK  .it  made  in  1878  by  Ferdinand  Westdahl,  wlio 
v.ho  was  employed  to  survey  Norton  Souml  and 
other  points  for  the  purpose  of  determining  their  ex- 
act position  on  the  company's  chart,  and  had  not  then 
lieard  of  his  recall:  "We  lav  at  Uisalakleet  until 
I'Y'hruarv,  when  w^  wei.t  into  the  field  .vnd  continued 
to  work  on  the  liae,  j>uttlng  up  some  30  miles — the 
jtosts  only — for  we  had  no  wire.  The  country  is  a 
complete  bog.  If  you  dig  down  on  thi' hills  there  two 
fci't,  you  strike  ice.     We  dug  three  holes  with  crow- 

'*0n  '.'ao  l^tof  Januarj-,  18(17,  after  breakfast,  tlic  party  went  out  in  n 
l""ly  iinil  raised  the  lirst  telegraph  Jiole,  oi'niiiiiriitcil  witli  the  llug.s  nf  the 
I  iiited  States,  tlie  teletrrapli  ex]Htlition,  the  iiiasonic  fraternity,  oud  the 
bi.ii;iUilic  corps      A  salut;-  ot  U(i  guu,;  wiw  lired.  JJuU'n  Alanka,  M, 

UlHT.  ALAbKA.     'Si 


i 


578       THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 

bars.  111  many  i)laccs  we  fbiind  snow  15  foot  in 
tloptli  to  leeward  of  a  hill.  Our  polos  were  on  an 
avorajje  15  feet  lonyf,  but  on  the  leeward  side  we 
had  to  make  them  '24  iwt  long.  We  should  have 
made  them  all  24  or  30  feet  lung,  but  that  the  timber 
was  too  short.  We  dug  them  three  feet  into  the 
ground,  which  consists  of  frozen  dirt.  In  summer 
when  the  surface  thawed,  we  found  many  of  tlicm, 
which  we  sui)|)osed  to  be  very  firmly  erected,  entirely 
loose. 

"The  men  were  very  contented.  They  wen;  of 
course  exposed  to  severe  cold,  and  wo  had  the  ther- 
mometer as  low  as  GS'  below  zero,  but  we  did  not 
sulfer  in  the  least.  We  were  dressed  in  I'urs  like  In- 
dians, and  slcjit  in  open  cam[)S.  For  rations  \\v  had 
only  beans  and  graham  flour.  We  also  obtained  seal- 
(»il  from  the  Indians,  and  sometimes  frozen  fish.  This 
was  just  the  kind  of  food  tliat  we  needcid  in  such  a 
climate.  When  we  started  forth  on  journeys,  wc 
used  to  cook  an  entire  sack  of  beans  into  bean  soup. 
Uefore  it  was  entirely  cold,  we  would  pour  it  into  a 
bag,  let  it  freeze,  and  take  it  with  us.  When  wc 
camped  at  night,  we  took  out  an  axe,  cliopped  olf  a 
little,  made  our  fire,  and  our  su[)per  was  ready  imiiie- 
diately."'- 

In  1800  the  general  administration  of  the  llussiaii 
American  Company  submitted  to  the  minister  ol" 
rmance  a  draught  of  a  new  charter,  together  witli  ;i 
i'ei|uest  tiiat  the  privileges  be  renewed  for  a  furtlui' 
term  of  twi-nty  years,  to  commence  IVom  the  1st  of 
Jamiaiy  ISO-J.'"  In  the  following  year  (  aptain  Go]o\- 
nin  was  sent  to  Novo  Ai'khan<jelsk,  w^ith  instru(;tions 
to  make  a  thorou<di   investi'jfation   into  the  condition 


•'Tliirt  Htatcnunt  was  iiiaile  to  me  jiersoiially,  on  June  7,  1H7S,  liy  Mr 
Wcstdalil,  oil  iKKinl  KUicott's  blt-'aiii-lauucli,  near  AiuIltsou  Ihlaml  in  I'liij;!  t 
Soiuiil. 

'"This  was  approveil  at  a  gcncnil  assembly  of  sliareholdera.     The  few  ail- 

ilitional  privileges  nn<l  changes  ie(|ueste(l  are  nientiotucl  in  Dok.  Ki<m.  /'(>■■'■< 

Ani'i:  Kol.,  i.   144-53,  aud  ui  I'olitoffskv,  l4or.   Oboa.  lloss.  Amcr.  Kom., 
ir.o  •! 


10-'-3, 


NEGOTIATIONS  FOR  A  CHAllTER. 


of  the  company's  affairs  and  ruj)<)rt  ihcrcon  to  the 
^jfoverninent,  ]  lis  re[)»)it  was  in  the  main  I'avoralth', 
tliough  su;jf<jjesting  many  chaiijLiJcs  and  containing;-  much 
advoisu  criticism.  It  was  followed  hy  a  rej)ly  I'rom 
the  Creole  Kaslu'varof,  exposini^  abuses  which  had 
hitherto  been  kept  secret;  and  the  staten)ents  of  the 
latter  bein*]f  indorsed  by  Baron  Wransjfell,  the  }jfov- 
(  rnment  refused  to  renew  tho  charter,  except  on  such 
conditions  as  the  company  was  not  willini^  to  accept. 
]ii  1  S()5  meetiiiij^s  of  the  imperial  council  were  held  at 
which  these  conditions  were  detei-mined,  and  in  the 
same  year  they  wore  aj)provcd  by  the  president  and 
subniitti'd  to  the  general  administration.  Some  of 
them  were  cxtrenii'ly  un[»alatal)le,  es[)ecially  those 
j"e(p>irin<^  that  the  Aleuts  and  otlu'r  dependent  tiilu^s 
be  exempt  fiom  enforced  laboi',  and  that  all  the  inhab- 
itants of  llussian  America  be  allowed  to  ciiu^age, 
without  distinction  or  restric.-tion,  in  whatever  indus- 
try they  [)relerrod  exce})t  that  of  fur-huntinL^''*  After 
much  intriijfue,  some  concessions  were  obtained  from 
government,  and  a  subsidy  was  even  ])romise(l,-' 
hut  no  satisfactory  arrangement  was  made,  though 
negotiations  were  contimu'(l  almost  until  the  transfer 
of  the  territory  to  the  United  States. 

J)uiing  the  rlebates  which  occurred  in  congress  on 
the  j)urchase  question,  and  in  the  comments  of  the 
press  on  the  same  subject,  it  has  frecjuently  been 
stated  that,  in  180G,  the  chai-ter  of  the  Jlussian 
American  Company  was  about  to  expire.  It  had  al- 
i'e;idy  expired  on  the  1st  <»f  Januarv  iHCi',  and  al)()ut 
two  years  later  Prince  Maksutof,  an  (tllicei'  ap|)()intcd 
l)y  the  ini[)erial  government,'-' took  chaigeof  the  com- 


jiany  s  atHurs 


That  the  I'enewal   of  the   charter  was 


C( 


)ntem[)lated,  however,  a[)[)ears  in   the   following  ex- 


'"Tlio  full  text  (if  tlio  iiiip«'ri;il  ooiiiicira  decision  ia  given  in  I'ulitod'sky, 
I  tor.  <)l>vit.  ViVvs.  Amer.  Koiii.,  I47-04. 

="/-/.,  ir)4-7. 

"' Hu  coimiuintlod  a  liattery  at  tlio  attack  on  I'otropavlovsk  in  lS."i4,  unci 
was  woiuiilcil  while  luailinn  ii  euiniuii  witli  Ihh  uwn  liamls.  I>u  llailly,  L'E.c- 
2"'l.  i/t'  i'ctroji(ivloi'i<k;  in  li'cvue  dca  (Ivtw  Muiah.i,  Aug.  1,  lbo8. 


1/ 


1'  . 


ESO       THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 

tract  from  a  decision  of  the  imperial  council,  <:,,a- 
iirmed  by  its  president,  the  grantl  duke  Constantine, 
on  April  2,  18(iG:  "The  company  is  allowed  to  in- 
crease its  workinj^  capital  hy  the  issue  of  new  shares, 
hut  at  the  final  settlement  of  the  company's  business, 
Mithin  twenty  years  hence  or  later,  all  claims  must 
he  satisfied  at  the  company's  expense,  without  assist- 
ance from  the  government." 

Though  the  abuses  mentioned  by  Kashcvarof  were 
no  doubt  sufficiently  culpable,  it  would  seem  that  tlio 
treatment  of  the  natives  was  somewhat  less  severe 
than  during  the  two  first  terms  of  the  company's  ex- 
istence. The  number  of  Aleuts,  which  in  1840  had 
decreased,  it  will  be  remembered,  to  4,007,  was  in  18(50 
about  4,400,--  the  entire  Indian  population  sul)ject  to 
the  company  having  increased  during  the  same  time 
from  about  5,400  to  over  7, GOO.  Meanwhile  the  Rus- 
sian population  had  increased  to  784,  and  the  Creoles 
mustered  nearly  1,700,  the  whole  population  of  the  col- 
onies being  about  12,000,  a  gain  of  more  than  58  }K>r 
cent  since  the  census  of  1841.-^ 

The  increase  in  the  native  population  was  due  in 
part  to  their  being  better  fed  and  housed  than  in  for- 
mer years.  Though  except  for  a  scant  crop  of  veg- 
ctables  raised  cliieliy  at  Kadiak,  nearly  all  food 
sup|»lit;s,  with  the  exceptic^n  of  fish  and  game, 
were  imported,  the  company  not  only  supplied  fair 
rations  of  tlour,  fish,  sugar,  tea,  and  other  provisions 


'-'  In  IStO  it  had  reached  4..12"2,  hut  the  following  year  full  to  4,084.  This 
Vila  caused  by  an  oiithroak  of  tlic  measles  in  the  Sitka  and  Unalaskatlistrict-;. 
J>:'k.  h'(im.  Ji'osii.  Amrr.  KuL,  i.  131.  In  J)fiviilxnii\i  I'cporl  Coast  Siirrin, 
lS(i7,  the  nunibor  ia  given  at  4, 'JOS.  Dall,  Alnnhi,  3.")0,  after  an  nrmsinj,'  cn- 
hibitiou  of  indipiant  philantliropy  on  stilts,  states  that  tlieir  niunbcr  hail  dr- 
creased  about  this  date  to  l,."(00.  To  point  out  any  more  of  Mr  Dall's  bkiu- 
deis  in  tiic  so-called  historical  portion  of  his  work  is  a  task  for  which  I  have 
neither  space  nor  inclination. 

'■*  Goloniiii,  Ohmr.  //o-.'*.  Kol.,  in  Malerhtlut,  i.  app.  \U\.  Tikhmenef,  I»tor. 
(ih'is.,  ii.  'J(i4,  gives  tiie  entire  population  in  lS(3i)at  rj,02S,  including  784  Rns- 
Rians  and  1,(>7C  Creoles,  the  remainder  being  Indians.  Among  the  Russians 
he  includes  'J08  women,  but  most  of  tlieso  were  jjrobably  tlieir  Creole  or  Indian 
wives.     His  tigures  coincide  somewhat  suspiciously  with  those  of  (Jolovniu. 


RATIONS  OP  THK  IIUNTP:Rg. 


5S1 


to  its  servants,'**  but  sold  flour  to  tlicm  at  a  small 
fixed  price,-'  and  often  at  a  lieavy  loss.'-"  Fisli  was  ot 
course  the  staple  food,  and  was  sui>plied  to  servants 
free  of  charge,  those  who  received  less  than  1,000 
roubles  a  year  beini^  allowed  to  draw  each  day  theii- 
dole  of  bread  an<l  fish,  of  pease  or  jj^ruel  twice  a  week, 
of  salt  beef  on  holidays,  and  of  game  when  it  was  plen- 
tiful, from  the  public  kitchen;  while  married  men 
could  receive  an  equivalent  in  money.'-'  The  Aleut  > 
and  others  employed  on  hunting  expeditions  also  re- 
ceived a  liberal  supj^lyof  food  and  warm  clothing,  an, I 
were  allowed  higher  rates  for  their  furs.-^ 

At  the  beginning  of  the  company's  third  term,  rules 
were  establisheil  for  the  [)reservation  of  fur-bearing 
animals  by  a  system  of  alternation  at  the  various  hunt- 

^*  At  the  Miklmielovak  redoubt  they  received  in  ISfiG  about  TiO  pounds  <  i 
flour,  a  pound  of  tea,  and  three  pounds  of  suj,'ar  a  month,  iu  addition  t  > 
tlieir  pay  of  one  roulile  a  day.  JhiH'it  AliuiLn,  I'J.  In  the  Silica  A ir/iirr»,  ii. 
17,  18.")4,  it  is  stateil  that  after  V'oievodsky's  arrival,  the  ration  of  llour«;M 
increased  from  40  to  G'J  pounds,  and  that  to  reiud)urso  the  conipaiiv,  t\v  > 
hours  were  added  to  each  day's  work  during  the  suininer  months.  IJcsidc  ■. 
tiieso  rations,  .servants  received  an  allowance  of  lish.  laid.,  ii.  71.  it  ;; 
mentioned  that  71, -)00  salmon  were  salted  at  tlio  Ozerskoi  redoubt.  It  do  i 
not  appear  that  the  laborer  could  jiurchaso  much  for  his  wages,  for  acconlip  ; 
to  the  company's  price  list  for  l.SdO,  woollen  shirts  were  sold  at  Novo  Ar!;- 
liangelsk  for  rj."?  roubles  a  dozen,  blankets  for  about  "21  roubles  eacli,  bouts  <  i 
second  quality  for  1.")  roublcsa  pair,  and  tobacco  at  G7i  roubles  a  pouil.  TiL.'i- 
iiK'ixf,  Isior.  Ofios.,  ii.  'j;54-5. 

"Five  roubles  (scrip)  per  pond  for  rye  and  common  wheat  flour,  and  1) 
for  fine  white  llour.  The  company  refused  to  .sell  it,  or  sold  it  in  very  smail 
(juantities,  to  those  who  were  not  in  their  service,  on  the  grounil  that  they  wci.j 
compelled  to  keep  on  hand  a  two-years  supply.  Golonun,  Obsor.  lions,  KuL, 
in  Mftti'rinliii,  5G. 

-"In  I8.")G  rye  flour  imported  from  Russia  cost  tiie  company  9.4"2  roubl.  i 
jior  pond,  in  1857,  7.O."),  and  in  1S,")!(,  G.47  roubles  (scrip).  Of  course  lircad- 
stull's  were  obtained  at  cheaper  rates  when  California  began  to  export  ceie;i!-!. 

''  Ilcef  from  Ayaa  sold  iu  tlie  colonies  at  "J.")  knpoks,  or  .")  cents,  per  poan  1, 
and  even  at  tiiat  price  was  beyond  the  means  of  the  poor,  at  least  of  tl;'! 
poor  who  had  families.  California  .salt  beef  sold  for  about  <louble  tliat  }>ri  ■". 
llogs  were  raiseil  to  some  extent,  but  as  they  wei'e  fed  mainly  on  fish,  thi  ii' 
meat  was  unsavorj'.  Chickens,  also  fed  partly  on  lisli.  sold  at  Novo  Aik- 
liangelsk  for  5  to  7  roubles  each,  ami  eggs  at  about  (i  roublci  a  do/.cn.  Kiii.i 
Mas  issued  to  the  seiTants  at  the  rate  of  eight  gills  a  ytar;  but  after  f.i- 
tiguing  lalwr  and  in  bad  weather  a  further  allowance  was  issued,  so  that  tin  v 
usually  received  one  or  two  gills  a  week.  \Vhen  one  had  need  of  .i  labun  v 
or  craftsman,  he  would  usually  pay  in  rum,  which  could  be  obtained  by  those 
in  ollice  for  one  tenth  of  tho  price  at  which  it  was  given  in  payment.  I'iius, 
for  making  a  pair  of  boots,  a  bottle  of  rum  which  had  cost  only  .TJ  roul)le'', 
would  often  be  acccpteil  in  lien  of  30  or  .*$.">  roubles,  scrip.  Id.,  i'tH-'X 

'■"A  table  of  tho  prices  paid  by  the  company  between  1S3G  and  ISoo  ii 
given  in  Id.,  npp.  180-5. 


r,S2       TIIK  UUSSIAX  AMKUICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 


in<^-Lifr()iiii(ls,  tlioso  wliich  wore  threatonod  with  ox- 
luiuslioii  Ix'iiig  allowcil  to  Ho  undisturbed  for  a  period 
often  years.  The  increase  wliieh  (ux-urred  after  this 
regulation  in  the  nuniher  of  fur-seals  was  rcniarkahle, 
especially  at  the  Pryhilof  group.  In  1851,  30,000 
could  he  killed  annually  at  St  ]?aul  Island  alone,  and 
in  I  HC)  I  as  uiany  as  70,000,  without  fear  of  e.Khausting 
the  sup[)ly.  JJetween  1842  and  18GI  shipments  of 
furs  fi'oni  the  colonies  included  about  25,000  sea-otter, 
,338,(100  fur-si>al,  101.000  betiver,  and  121),(;00  i\>\ 
skins.'^'*  It  will  be  observed  that  these  (igur(\s  show 
a  considerable  decrease  from  the  quantity  i"orwarded 
during  the  period  1821-1842.  This  was  caused 
maiidy  by  the  encroachments  of  foreign  traders,  and 
esj)ecially  of  American  whaling- vessels,  whoso  masters 
oiten  touclie<l  at  various  points  in  the  llussian  posses- 
sions durin<_j  their  vova<'e,  and  paid  much  hi'diei-  pric(>s 
ior  furs  than  those  fixed  by  the  company's  tiu-iif.  An- 
other reason   was    the  crrowth   of  intertribal   tralhc, 

CD  ^ 

clothing  worn  by  the  natives  far  in  the  interior  and 
made  up  bv  Aleutian  women  b(;in<j:  bartered  for  sinad 
skins,  oil,  and  bone.'" 

In  1820  Chistiakof  wrote  to  the  directors,  asking 
that  an  experienced  whaler  bo  sent  to  the  colonies. 

*'•*/'/.,  npp.  l.'')S  ct  se(].  Duriiit;  tlie  company's  tliinl  torm  tlio  8iJi>ply  of  fox 
sUiiis  lu'CMiiR'  imii'li  siimllcviiinl  tlicircpiality  ihioiit.  Ktlicili'n  forliiidcisliooiinj 
tlicm  i!i  till"  Unaliii^kii  and  Kailiak  <listriut«,  tli(niL;h  traps  Mii),'lit  sii.l  lio  iisi'il. 
T'L-hni'iir/',  Isloi:  Olmt.,  ii.  'Jl!).  Wanl,  Tlurc  H'lvknin  Silktt,  .MS.,  '_'>S(|.S.");>), 
HMVH  that  alioiit  t')0,U(M)  uliiuM  a  ywir  VLTo  rccuivoil  at  tlio  ^aiclumst!  in  N'o\>> 
Aililiaii^'clsk.  From  Kadiak,  sliipinciits  Iwtwccii  IS4'2and  iHCil  included  ."i.SO!) 
n(  a-dttir,  h5,I{Sl  beaver,  14,2!)S  Kalilu  ttkins,  tuiil  l,'2it(i  poiuls  of  walrus  tll^ks. 
I'roni  St  I'aul  Island,  during;  tlio  same  period,  tliero  wero  sliippecl  •J77,77'^fiir- 
Heal.  I(),,'>(),S  fox  skins,  and  104  iiouds  of  walrus  tusks.  Tikhmviirf,  Jilor.  Olnx., 
ii.  llKt.lMO.  l''or  the  (|nantities  foi'warded  from  other  points,  heo /(/.,  ii.  17!>, 
1  -it  0,  '2'2('i.  I'robalily  tlio  lariiest  cargo  of  furs  ever  ship]ied  from  tlio  colonics 
was  that  of  the  TV, >.■«/•' r/Vc//,  despatched  fron\  Novo  Arklmnyelsk  to  Ayan  in 
IS.">7.  It  contained  4.">S  pickages,  was  valued  '2.004, !H!>  rouliles,  and  in.siin  il 
liv  the  company's  agent  in  J..ondou  for  £100,000.  >'>ilka  Airhin h  (liS.'(7),  i. 
1  (■•.!»,  '-'4.'!. 

'"In  Wlii/ni/iir''-!  Tntr.  ami  Ailirnf.  in  Aln'<hi,  l()'2,  it  is  stated  '.iiat  thin 
trade  was  carried  on  hy  the  'rchuktchis,  v  ho  crossed  from  Sil)eiiii  by  May  if 
IJi'rini,'  Strait,  !iiid  exilianged  their  reindeer  skins  for  these  commodities  v  itli 
the  Kancaks  and  .Maleniiitcs,  \\hom  they  nu>t  at  I'ort  (Uarence.  Mr  Wliyni- 
per  did  not  seem  to  he  iuvare  that  the  'Jchuktchis  or  (,'hugasches  and  tlie 
Alaleinutcs  both  belonged  to  the  family  of  Koniagaa.  For  a  description  of 
these  tribes,  Boe  my  Aadir  Jimr/i,  passim. 


WIIALF-:  FISIIEllY. 


5S.T 


"So  ftirtlier  stops  wore  taken  in  the  matter  until  IS:?:), 
Avlien  an  American  named  Hai-ton  arrived  at  Novo 
Arkhanixelsk,  under  a  five-years  eontraet  to  enLra<>"c> 
in  this  industry,  and  to  instruct  the  nativt^s  in  Iiarpoon- 
ini;  and  in  renderin<jj  oil.  lie  met  with  little  success, 
lor  tlu'  method  emjiloyed  by  the  Aleuts  of  shootinu;' 
the  whales  with  spears  or  arrows,  and  waitiuL;;  until 
tlu!  carcass  was  washed  ashore,  was  found  easier  and 
k'ss  dani^erous.  jMoreovor,  the  company  had  neither 
runds  nor  vessels  to  spare  i'or  the  active  prosecution 
of  this  industry,  as  trade  with  Calilornia  an<l  tlie 
Hawaiian  Islands  was  now  on  a  large  scale,  and  se- 
verely taxed  the  comjjany's  resources.  For  several 
years,  thei'et'ore,  the  whale-lisherios  were  left  in  the 
1  lands  of  foreigners,  since  without  the  ctK)[>eration  of 
the  llussian  government  the  directors  had  no  powt-r 
to  |)revent  their  intrusion. 

In  1842  Etholen  transmitted  a  report  from  Ca[)taiu 
Kadlikof,  conunanding  the  company's  shi[)  Xasfri/n/k 
AUwaiikJi-,  wherein  the  latter  stated  that  he  had  sj>okeM 
an  American  whaler  north  of  the  Aleutian  Islands, 
;ind  had  learned  from  the  captain  that  he  had  sailed 
too-other  with  30  other  whalers  for  ]>ei'ini4'  f^^'fi-  He 
also  mentioned  that,  the  preceding  year,  he  had  l)eeii 
in  the  same  waters  with  50  other  vessels,  and  that  he 
alone  had  killed  13  whales,  yielding  1,G()0  harrols  of 
oil.  Upon  thisrojK)rt  Etholenbasedare(|uest  that  iho 
imperial  govermnent  should  send  armed  cruisers  for 
the  preservation  of  Beiing  sea  as  a  nurr<'  vJdusmn. 
I'^thttkii'seiforts  were  assisted  hy  the  hoard  ol'managers, 
hut  did  not  meet  with  inunediate  succc'ss,  the  inini>- 
t;'i*  foi'  foreign  alfairs  i-e[)lyiug  that  the  treaty  between 
Jiussia  and  the  Uniti'd  States  gave  to  America!)  citi- 
zens the  I'ight  to  engage  in  fishing  over  the  whole  ex- 
tent t)f  the  i*acitic  Ocean.  Ethokii, however,  woukl  not 
allow  the  matter  to  rest,  but  continued  his  correspond- 
ence on  the  subject,  urging  that  so  lucrative  an  indus- 
try should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  Russians,  instead 
t>f  being  left  entirely  to  Americans. 


Ii 


P. 


1 


t    I 


5S4       THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 

The  efovorninont  at  lonijftli  referred  the  matter  to  a 
conimittee,  composed  of  ofHcals  of  the  navy  department, 
wlio  rei)orted  that  the  cost  of  fitting  out  a  cruiser  for 
tlie  protection  of  Bering  Sea  against  foreign  whalers 
would  be  200,000  roubles  in  silver,  and  the  cost  of 
maintaining  such  a  craft  85,000  roubles  a  year.  To 
this  a  reconunendation  was  added  that  if  the  company 
were  willing  to  assume  the  expeniliture, a  cruiser  should 
at  once  be  placed  at  their  disj)osal.  Though  the  direc- 
tors would  not  consent  to  this  outlay,  complaints  of 
the  doinijfs  of  American  whalers  were  forwarded  from 
time  to  time,  referring  chiefly  to  the  practice  of  landing 
on  the  Aleutian  Islands  and  other  portions  of  the 
coast  for  the  purpose  of  trying  out  blubber,  on  which 
occasions  a  wanton  destruction  of  fuel  took  place, 
causing  great  hardship  to  the  inhabitants,  who  de- 
pended entirely  on  the  scant  supplies  of  drift-wood.  It 
was  not  until  1850  that  an  armed  corvette  was  final' v 
ordered  to  cruise  in  the  north  Pacific. 

In  the  mean  time  Tebenkof  took  up  the  matter,  and 
forwarded  proposals  to  the  company  for  the  establish- 
ment at  various  points  of  whaling  stations,  provided 
with  whale-boats  and  improved  appliances,  and  in 
charge  of  experienced  American  whalers  to  be  engaged 
by  the  company  for  a  term  of  years.  In  the  year 
1850  it  was  estimated  that  300,  and  in  later  years  as 
many  as  500  or  GOO  whalers  annually  visited  the  Arc- 
tic Ocean,  the  Okhotsk  and  Bering  soas,^^  and  Alaskan 
waters,  carrying  otf  the  stores  of  dried  fish  reserved 
for  hunting  parties,  and  bartering  liquor,  arms,  and 
powder  with  the  natives  for  furs.  In  1849  a  whaling 
enterprise  was  established  at  Abo  under  the  name  of 
the  Kussian  Finland  Whaling  Comjjany,  with  a  ca[)i- 
tal  of  200,000  roubles  in  silver,  one  half  of  which  was 


"  In  IS'A  there  were  52");  in  1855,  4G8;  in  1850,  .SCO;  and  in  some  years 
600  foreign  v'halera.  J)uk.  Kom.  Roan.  Amer.  Kol.,  i.  110.  In  Sfcinan'it  X(in: 
Voy.  Jlcmld  (London,  1853),  ii.  94,  it  is  stated  that  in  1849-50  the  Americau 
whaling  fleet  in  t!ie  Arctic  consisted  of  299  vessels,  with  8,970  seamen,  and 
that  t!ic  catch  yielded  about  §0,307,000  worth  of  oil  and  §2,075,000  worth 
of  bone. 


NEW  GOVERNORS. 


S83 


furnislied  by  the  Russian  Amurican  Comimny.  Tlio 
corporation  roccivod  i'roni  the  Ljovorinnunt  a  tlonati(»n 
of  20,000  roubles,  and  a  premium  of  10,000  roubles 
each  for  the  first  four  vessels  e«]uippe(l  for  this  purpose, 
and  was  permitted  to  import  material,  implements, 
and  stores,  and  to  ex[)ort  its  products,  duty  free,  for  a 
jieriod  of  twelve  years.^- 

During  the  few  years  of  the  Russian  Finland 
Whaling  Company's  existence,  six  vessels  were  fitted 
out,  but  the  losses  incurred  and  the  dithculty  in  soil- 
ing cargoes  during  the  war  with  3'^ngland  and  Franco 
caused  the  enterprise  to  prove  unprofitable.^''  In  185 -l 
the  shareholders  resolved  to  go  into  liquidation,  and 
were  enabled  to  settle  their  liabilities  in  full  by  a 
special  grant  from  the  im[)erial  treasury,  made  on 
account  of  losses  incurred  during  the  war.  Thus  the 
whale  fisheries  were  again  left  in  the  hands  of  foi'cign- 
ers,  who,  before  long,  caused  their  entire  destruction 
in  the  sea  of  Okhotsk. 


In  consequence  of  the  political  complications  then 
arising  in  ]']urope,  no  successor  was  appointe;!  at  the 
close  of  Tebenkofs  administration  in  1850,  until  four 
years  later,  when  Captain  Voievodsky  was  elected 
governor.  lie  was  succeeded  in  1850  by  the  mining 
engineer  Furuhelm,  the   interval  between  Tebenkof 


^'Srjihnef,  in  Momkoi  Sbornil;  ciii.  8,  89,  90;  Tlkhmrvr/,  I.<tor.  Ofios.,  ii. 
njip.  1-11,  wliore  further  piirticiilars  of  the  cliurter  jiru  given.  The  viilne  of 
every  tenth  whiile  killcil  was  to  lie  delivereil  to  the  Itussiiiii  Ainerieaii  ( 'oiii- 
liany,  to  reimburse  tlie  natives  for  the  loss  eauscil  l>j'  tliis  enterprise. 

"The  Skoiii'i,  the  first  of  the  company's  ships,  a  nOO-tun  vessel  Itnilt  at 
Alio  nnil  litted  out  in  Bremen,  ohtiiined,  during  her  cruise  in  IS.").'?,  I,.Vm) 
liarrcls  of  oil  and  '21, 1(K)  Ihs.  v  halelioiie.  Her  carg(j  was  sold  for  SO,(MM)  rou- 
l>li'S,  yioldini;  .a  prolit  of  1.'<,G()<)  rouhles.  The  second  on(!,  tlie  Tiirkn,  seeured 
only  one  whale  during  her  first  cruise,  Imt  in  the  following  year  was  nioro 
fiiicccHsfnl.  In  lSr)4  the  yli"a/t  wintered  at  IVtrojiavIovsk,  heing  intended  {o 
sail  with  the  'J'lirko  U)V  Bremen,  hut  waa  captured  and  Imrnt  l>y  tlie  alliid 
lleet.  Tikhtncuef,  Inloi:  Ohos.,  ii.  139-r)3;  Momkoi  Sbornik,  xxiii.  5,  «U-;!I); 
Silkd  Archivcn  \\iio4),  ii.  110.  Tikhmencf  gives  a  full  description  of  the  oper- 
ations of  the  Russian  Finl  ind  Whaling  Company.  In  the  Mornkai  Shuniik, 
.\xiii.  4,  45,  47,  it  is  stati:,!  that  in  1854  a  private  whaling  company  was 
established  at  ilelsingfors  under  the  anspices  of  the  Russian  American  Com- 
pany, and  despatched  a  brig  to  Kamchatka  by  way  of  Now  Zealand.  Wo 
liavu  no  further  details  of  its  operutiuus. 


650      THE  UUSSIAX  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 

and  A'oievodskv's  administrations  l)ein<r  filled  hy  tlio 
temporary  appointment  of  lieutenants  Kosenlmr"^ 
and  lludakol',  who  nianaj^ed  the  comjjany's  affair;* 
durini;  the  first  vears  of  the  Kusso-Turkish  war. 


NofAvithstandinirsomc  unfavorable  features  and  the 
interrui)tion  to  trade  caused  by  the  war  of  1858,  there 
was  a  considerable  increase  in  dividends  dnrinjj:  the 
comj)any's  last  term,  the  amount  disbursed  beingal)out 
10,210,000  roul)les,  a  gain  of  nearly  17  i)er  cent 
over  the  sum  distributed  in  the  previous  twenty 
years.  At  the  close  of  the  term  the  fixotl  and  work- 
ing capital  of  the  company  amounted  to  more  than 
13,000,000  roubles.^*  The  receipts  from  all  sourcis 
exceeded  75,770,000  roubles,  of  which  amount  over 
23,755,300  was  required  for  the  support  of  the  col- 
onies, and  nearly  11,300,000  roubles  for  the  general 
administration,  including,  among  other  iten)s,  pensions 
and  rewards  to  officials  and  servants."' 

The  entire  amount  received  from  sales  of  f  -a,  whicli, 
as  in  former  years,  was  mainly  purchased  at  Kiakhta 
and  n)arketed  in  liussia,  exceeded  27,000,000  I'oublcs. 
The  profits  on  these  transactions  were  greatly  reduced 
when,  on  the  application  of  a  few  ^[oscow  manufact- 
urers, a  rule  was  established  that  the  company's  agents 
should  1)0  required  to  accept  Kussian  manufactured 
goods  in  part  payment;  the  Uiore  so  as  these  were 
always  of  inferior  quality.  Between  1835  and  1841 
the  company's  profits  on  each  chest  of  tea  were  from 

^'Tlio  items  and  also  the  rate  of  each  year's  ilividend  are  given  in  Tihh- 
nu'iiif.  l-it'jf.  OhiiH.,  ii.  '281-_',  and  are  in  silver  roubles,  hut  hiivi-  heen  reduoed  to 
rouhlcs  in  scrip,  as  this  kind  of  money  is  the  one  usn^dly  mentioned  in  the  te\t 
of  this  volume.  The  li;;ures  given  in  Dole.  Kom.  7i'ti<.<.  Ainer.  Kol.,  i.  lOi*, 
dilVer  Romewliat  from  Tikhmenefs. 

'-' A  eolonial  pension  fund  was  created  in  l.S.")l  l)y  a  tax  on  the  sale  of 
liquor,  but  about  t'>vo  yeiirs  later  there  was  ii  deficit,  which  was  made  j,'0(hI 
by  an  appropriation  from  tlie  ennipany.  Sifkn  .[rr/iir('<,  IS.'i-t,  ii.  iS."».  Rewards 
were  on  a  libcr.al  scale.  For  18.").'}  they  amounted  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  alone 
to  2(!,5o5  rou))les.  /</.,  73.  The  total  number  of  the  eoiiipiiny's  siTvants  en 
the  lat  of  .Fanuary,  lS(il,  including  a  portion  of  the  Siberian  line  battnlinn, 
M'as  847.  Ooloi'iiiii,  Ob»or.  h'onn.  Kol.,  in  Materialui,  npp.  l4o.  This  of  coimo 
does  not  include  the  hunters.  Wanl  states  that  the  governor  received  35,000 
roubles  a  year,  and  his  assistant  12,000.    Three  Weeks  in  Sitka,  MS.,  79. 


CALIFOHNIA  TRADE. 


887 


187  to  nOO  ronUlos;  in  1845  it  was  less  tlu-ui  23 
rnul)]i's.  TIo  loss  fell  entirely  on  tiie  eoni])iiny,  or 
uiort  ])rol)ably  on  the  company's  servo  tits.  Two  years 
after  permission  was  given  to  send  carjjfoes  of  tea  from 
ShanLjhai  to  Russia,  annual  shipments  were  made 
of  4,000  chests;  and  yet  cloths  manufaetared  at  ]\[os- 
cow  could  he  bought  cheaper  at  Shanghai  than  in  the 
i'ormer  cit}',^ 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  was  of  course 
followed  hy  a  marked  revival  of  trade  with  that  coun- 
ti'V.  One  cargo  of  almost  worthless  goods,  that  had 
hi'en  in  the  company's  storehouses  for  years,  was  dis- 
])  ».,ed  of  in  San  Francisco  at  fabulous  rates.  Other 
Aentures  were  less  su  ^ccssful,  though  most  of  them 
were  jMofi table.*"  In  1851  a  party  of  San  Francisco 
capitalists,  among  whom  were  Messrs  Sanderson  and 
J.  ^loia  Moss,  made  a  contract  with  Rosenberg  lor 
250  tons  of  ice  to  be  shipped  from  Novo  Arkhan- 
gelsk at  675  per  ton.  The  shipment  was  made  in 
J'chrnary  1852,  and  in  October  of  the  same  year  the 
]  rice  ,vas  reduced  to  $35  per  ton,  and  the  quantity 
i'orwanled  increased  to  1,000  tons,  a  contract  to  this 
I'lfect  being  made  for  three  years.  Later  the  price 
V,  as  further  reduced  and  the  quantity  again  increased. 
]3etween  1 852  and  1859  there  were  .ship[)ed  from  Xovo 
Arkhangelsk  13,900  tons,  and  from  Kadiak  7,403 
tons.^^  The  ice  was  procured  from  two  lakes,  one  of 
them  near  Novo  Arkhano'clsk  and  the  other  on  Wood 
Island,  near  Kadiak,  five  buildings  bemg  erected  for 
its  storage '^^  with  a  total  capacity  of  12,000  tons.'*" 

"'/fe/.'.  Kom.  I'nu/t.  Amer.  KoL,  i.  00;  Go/oniiiK  Ohnor.  Hcmi.  KoL,  in  Mat'  - 
rinhii,  l'_M-'_*,  Tlie  conipniiy  was  allowed  ti>  ship  toa  liy  water  only  on  con- 
dition that  tiiey  would  not  undersell  the  Kiiikhta  nicrcliants. 

^' Tiiii-e  was  also  a  small  Imt  protitahlo  trade  with  New  York  during  the 
oompany's  tliinl  term.  In  IS.">7.  T.-'itX)  fur-seals  .ind  4,000  beaver  skins  weiu 
.';hip|ied  to  that  port.    Silkn  Arrhinrn,  i.  308. 

•""An  account  of  each  year's  shipments  is  given  in  /'/.,  lS(»-8.  It  is  there 
stateil  that  •J(i,.").">4  tons  were  sohl  in  San  Francisco,  netting  §!1'J1,0.")0. 

^'■' Three  at  Xovo  Arkhangelsk  and  two  ut  Kadiak,  all  built  in  1S.")2-.'!. 
■S'tk'i  .I)v7(( '■'■",  i.  1S8.  In  Id.,  0,  it  is  stated  that  one  ice-house  was  built  in 
each  of  the  yi^ars  IS.VJ,  IS.'iU,  and  18.")(j.  Ward,  in  his  Three  Wf-eLi  in  tSi'l.-fi, 
MS..  10,  says  that  an  ice-house  was  built  in  18o3  at  the  edge  of  the  lake,  but 
nientiotih  no  otiier. 

*"  According  to  the  opinion  of  an  American  engineer  in  the  company's  em- 


583      THE  RUSSIAN  AMERICAN  COMPANY'S  LAST  TERM. 


Kails  were  laid  to  connect  the  ice-houses  with  tlic 
wljarvcs,  these  being  tlie  first  tracks  constructed  in 
Kussian  America.     I  append  in  a  note"  a  few  remarks 

ploy,  the  lake  on  Wood  Island  alone  could  furnish  30,000  tons  a  year.  Tikh- 
mrncf,  Ixlor.  Ohox.,  ii.  I'.I.S. 

*'  Anion};  the  principal  sources  of  information  as  to  the  affairs  of  the  Rus- 
sian American  Company,  may  be  mentioned  first  the  Dokliul  Komiltta  Jt 
Ustrol-ilva  Iiiinnl:'d-h  AtnerihiiinkUh  Kohnii,  or  lieport  of  tlie  Committee  (iii 
the  Reorganization  of  the  Russian  American  Colonies,  St  Petei-sburg,  l.S(i:i- 
4,  2  Vols.  The  (piustion  of  what  was  to  he  done  with  the  Russian  possessions 
in  America  at  the  expiration  of  the  absolute  control  of  the  Russian  Americiiu 
(,'ompany  was  referred  to  a  mixed  committee  of  fourteen,  composed  of  gov- 
crnnient  ollicials,  men  of  science,  and  meml)ers  of  the  company.  This  coiii- 
niittoe  presented  an  elalwrate  report  based  upon  the  information  they  liad 
gathered  from  the  works  of  Khlebnikof,  Tiklmieucf,  and  others,  and  from 
private  individuals,  which  was  publiaiied  in  the  present  work,  togctiur 
with  the  following  additional  documents:  1.  A  separate  opinion  of  Act- 
ual State  Counsellor  Kostlivtzof,  a  member  of  tlie  committee;  2.  Expla- 
r.ations  as  to  tiie  conclusions  of  the  committee  by  the  general  administra- 
tion of  the  Russian  American  Company;  3.  A  letter  of  a  member  of  tlio 
general  administration.  Admiral  Ktholin;  4.  A  communication  from  the  gcu- 
eral  administration  on  the  financial  condition  of  the  company;  .').  Report  of 
an  inspection  of  the  Russian  American  colonies  in  1800  and  ISlil  by  Kost- 
livtzof; (J.  Report  on  tlie  same  subject  by  Captain  (iolovnin;  7.  Remu>'ks  of 
tlic  general  administnitio:.  on  Kostlivtzof's  report;  8.  Reply  of  the  company 
to  the  opinion  of  the  minister  of  marine  concerning  its  pri\ileges;  {).  Letter 
on  tlie  h-amo  subject  by  Adjutant  General  Wrangcll,  member  of  tlie  privy 
council;  10,  Letter  of  Furuiiilm  on  the  mining  interests  of  the  Russian 
American  colonies;  11.  Letter  of  Captain  Wehrnian  on  the  c(mditi<m  of  the 
Russian  Amorican  Company  and  the  trade  with  the  arctic  regions;  12.  i;.-;- 
t:acts  from  a  conimuniralion  of  the  company  to  the  committee  on  tiie  orwiii- 
iziition  of  the  Russian  American  colonies.  The  work  lias  few  historical  data 
not  containerl  in  the  work  of  Tiklimenef,  but  throws  light  on  the  cin-uiii- 
staiices  wiiich  led  to  the  sale  of  Alaska  to  the  United  States,  and  is  prolwilily 
more  reliable  in  matters  of  detail. 

At  the  time  when  the  third  term  of  the  exclusive  privileges  granted  to  the 
Russian  American  Company  was  about  to  expire,  the  subject  of  renewing  or 
revoking  its  charter  was  generally  discussed,  both  in  cominorcial  and  govcni- 
niiiit  circles.  Tikli.in-.ief  undertook  the  task  of  compiling  a  complete  history 
of  the  colonies  and  of  the  company,  and  as  he  was  atfordcd  every  facility  by 
the  directors,  the  dili'ercnt  departments  of  the  government,  and  the  holy  synod, 
he  succeeded  admirably.  The  work  covers  a  period  of  7.»  years,  and  is 
enriched  with  a  large  number  of  verbal  copies  of  original  documents  an  i  let- 
ters by  Ikranof,  Siieiikof,  loassafT,  Rezanof,  and  others  who  played  a  prom- 
inent part  in  tlie  development  of  the  Russian  colonies  in  America.  The  various 
im]K'rial  edicts  and  charters  of  the  company  are  also  given  in  full,  an  well  in 
compreiiensivc  statistics  :)f  population,  commerce,  antl  industries.  J'hc  \ol- 
iimcs  arc  handsomely  printed,  and  adorned  with  excellent  charts,  steel  en- 
gravings, and  autographs  of  .Slielikof,  Raranof,  and  Rezanof.  It  is  entitled 
/■:ltiriilitsLi>ic  Ohosnuii'  < ihrnzovdiiiti  y?(M««///.v)  Aii>riil,fi.ii>ik<ii  K(iiiip(tui,  or 
Historical  Review  of  the  Origin  of  the  Ru'^ian  Arierican  Company  (2  vols., 
St  Petersburg,  1801).  Of  tiie  Mntrriiif-  i  illin  Istori  UnssHiLh  Zaxsihiii,  or 
Material  for  the  History  of  th"  lU.Mian  Settlements,  mention  has  before 
been  made. 

The  Krntkoie  Istorirhcikoie  Ohozn'nifl  Obrazovania  i  iMnIvy  Roxiwko-A  vn  r- 
ikandoi  Kom/iani  M\tnmaiio  ywlmii  Ufhrrulaiiit  Oiioi  %  do  XnttoluHf) haro 
\'rimcm,  or  Short  Historical  Account  of  the  Establishment  and  Operations 
of  the  Russian   American   Company  from  its  First    Beginning    down  to 


BIBUOGRAPHY. 


cso 


of  a  bil)li()(>raliical  nature  on  authorities  for  annals  of 
the  company. 

the  Present  Time,  by  Lieutenant  Oei-eral  Politoffsky  ("^t  Petcrslnirg,  1861), 
covera  only  the  ground  occupied  l>y  Tikhmuucf  and  othera,  but  in  a  latiT 
edition  contains  the  negotiations  between  the  company  and  the  imperial  gov- 
eniinent,  not  to  bo  found  in  any  of  the  authors  quoted  in  this  volume.  Tlie 
above  autlioritiea  together  with  Khlebnikof,  Veiiiamiiiof,  and  Zuvalishin  are 
tlio  principal  sources  of  information  concerning  the  liussian  American  Com- 
])any,  apart  from  tlie  iSitka  and  Alaska  niohivcH,  thougli  nuiny  items  of  inter- 
est may  be  gleaned  from  Markot,  i).ividiif,  Lisiansky,  Wrangull,  Lelcher, 
!Sin;pson,  and  from  the  manuscripts  qiiottd  in  this  volume. 

Worthy  of  mention  also  is  the  Kl-  umoliHjkheskaia  Itiloria  Otkrytla  Afrut- 
sl.ilh  (Jstrovov  Hi  Podvuji  Ro^siiiHlcitno  Kiij-it'hr.itra  na  i'r!nori)/:ii/t>:n!i7ii  Ixto- 
rkhexkatio  IzveMia  o  Miakhocoi  Ton/nrli',  or  Chronolocical  History  of  the  Dis- 
covery of  the  Aleutian  Islands  or  the  Acliieveineiitsof  the  Russiai,  Merchants, 
villi  an  additional  Historical  Review  of  the  Fui  Trade.  (Orets^h  Printing 
Otiice,  iSt  Petersburg,  18'J3.)  The  author  of  this  work,  who  is  nov  named  on 
the  title-page,  is  Vaasili  Berg,  and  tiie  \olunio  ij  ikdicatcd  ti  *he  vice- 
admiral  and  chief  of  the  naval  Ktatl'  of  his  iniperi;.!  Majesty,  Ai  ton  Vassil- 
i;;vitch  Von  Moller.  The  wnter,  who  was  a  nicuibi'r  of  t'le  Imperial 
Academy  of  Sciences,  has  collected  witli  gp'at  care  an  1  jirran;^'!'  .  (.hi oiii (logi- 
cally the  accounts  of  all  voy.nges  of  Russian  fur  ti-ailera  au';  huntiis  from 
Okhotsk  and  Kamchatka  to  the  islands  and  c(>a.<ts  of  Derin ,'  Sea,  between 
1713  and  ISOo,  as  found  ui  the  crigiual  journals  and  •'•"ch  ves  of  i?ibcri;ui 
tlf^\■ns. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


;i 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 

18G7-18S3. 

Motives  for  TitE  Transfek  by  thf.  RrssiAN  Oovernmf.nt— Neooiia- 
TioN.s  Commenced — Senator  Cole's  Efforts — The  Tiieaty  Skjned 
AND  Ratified — Reasons  for  and  ac.ainst  the  I'irchask — The  Tiii- 
liiToiiV  AS  an  Investment— Its  Formal  Cession — Infux  of  Amui- 
ICAX  Adventirers— Measires  in  CoNtRF.ss— a  CorNTRV  WITHorX 
Law  or  Protection — Evil  Effect  of  the  Military  Occri-ArioN  — 

An   l^MEI'TE  ATSitKA  — FlRTIIER  TroIBLF-S  WITH  THE   NATIVES — TlIEIR 

Cause— HooTCUENoo  or  Molasses-ri  m— Revi.nce— Scggestions  for 

A  ClVIL(ioVERNMENT — WaNT  OF   MaIL   FACILITIES— SlBVEYS  AND    V]\- 
PLORATIONS. 


From  tho  day  on  which  the  term  of  the  Iliissi;m 
American  CotJipany's  third  charter  expired,  tho  gfe;it 
inon(tj>oly  tjascd  to  enjoy,  cxce[»t  on  sufferance,  any 
rlglit.s  or  priviU'ges  other  t)ian  tliosc  common  to  all 
Ixu«sian  subjects.  It  retained,  of  course,  its  personal 
property  and  the  real  estate  actually  in  use,  but  al't»  r 
the  company  refused  to  accept  the  terms  of  the  iiii- 
}!erial  government,  operations  were  continued  only 
pending  the  disjutsition  of  its  effects  and  the  \vin<ling- 
u[)  of  its  affairs.  l']:.penses  were  curtailed,  some  of 
the  ti'ading  posts  abandoned,  and  the  control  of  the 
colonies  placi'd  in  charge  of  an  officer  aj)pointed  by 
the  company. 

But  llussia  had  no  desire  to  retain  control  of  this 
territory,  sepaiated  as  it  was  from  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment by  a  wide  tract  of  teuijiestuous  ocean  and  by 
the  breadth  of  her  vast  e.npire.  Long  bel'ore  (lie 
Ciimean  war,  tho  (juestion  luul  been  mooted  of  plac- 

(890) 


RU£:  -lA  HAS  NO  USE  FOR  ALASKA. 


591 


ing  Alaska  under  imperial  rule,  but  it  was  decided 
that  the  expense  of  protecting  this  vast  territory,  and 
of  maintaining  there  the  ct)stly  macliinery  of  a  colo- 
nial government,  was  not  justified  by  the  prosjKct  of 
an  adequate  return.  Tlie  bombardment  of  Petropav- 
lovsk  aiid  other  incidents  of  the  war  had  coniirmed 
this  impression,  and  the  day  seemed  not  far  distant 
when  the  long-threatened  struggle  would  begin  with 
Englan<l  1.  r  supremacy  in  central  Asia.  In  such  nn 
event  Russia  would  need  all  her  resources.  Already 
her  railroads  had  been  built  and  her  wars  conducted 
mainly  with  borrowed  capital.  In  case  of  another 
war  with  the  greatest  moneyed  power  and  the  great- 
est maritinivi  power  in  the  woi'ld,  neither  men,  ships, 
nor  money  could  be  spared  for  the  protection  of  Kus- 
sian  America.  ^Moreover,  Russia  had  never  occu- 
]>ied,  and  had  never  wished  to  occii|)y,  tliis  territory. 
For  two  thirds  of  a  century  she  had  been  represented 
there,  as  we  have  seen,  almost  entirely  by  a  fur  and 
trading  company  under  the  protection  of  government. 
In  a  measure  it  had  controlled,  or  emleavored  to  con- 
lol,  the  affairs  of  that  company,  and  among  its  stock- 
liolders  were  .several  miMnbers  of  the  I'oyal  iaiuily; 
l)Ut  Alaska  had  been  oiiij^inallv  ufranted  to  the  ]ius- 
sian  American  Com|)any  by  iniperial  onkaz,  and  by 
iin[>erial  oukaz  the  charter  had  been  twice  renewed. 
Now  that  the  company  had  declined  to  accept  a  Iburtli 
charter  on  the  terms  proposi-d,  sometliiiig  must  be 
done  with  the  tei'iitoi'v,  and  Russia  would  lose  no 
actual  portion  of  lier  etupire  in  ceding  it  to  a  republic 
V,  ith  which  she  was  on  iViendly  terms,  and  wlu)se  do- 
main seemed  destinetl  to  s[)read  over  the  entire  conti- 
nent. 

The  exact  date  at  which  nc^gotiations  wire  com- 
menced for  the  transfer  is  dithcult  todeicrmine;  but  we 
know  that  at  Kadiak  it  was  regarded  almost  as  a  ce-r- 
tainty  not  later  than  1801,'  and   ihat  at  Washington 

'According  to  Chicliinof,  Ailirnfiirei>,  MS.,  4S,  tlio  maim'/cr  of  this  tUs- 
trict  ilocluruil  that  unuiiLrciiivuls  Willi  tlio  Uiiitud  Statoa  wuru  uhiiubt  com. 


1 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNIT.:!)  STAT.:  >  COLONY. 

it  was  tliscussod  at  least  as  earlv  as  1859.  In  Docom- 
Lcr  o^+lif  latter  voar,  durinuf  Buclianan's  adininistra- 
tion.  Air  (jwiii,  then  senator  for  California,  held  sev- 
eral interviews  with  the  llu>ssian  minister,  in  the  course 
of  which  he  stated,  tliouixh  not  olticiallv,  that  the 
United  States  would  be  willint^  to  pay  five  million 
dollars  for  Alaska.  The  assistant  secretary  (»f  state 
also  alfinned  that  the  president  was  in  favor  of  tlio 
purchase,  and  that  if  a  favorahle  answer  were  returned 
hy  the  llussian  j^overnment,  he  would  lay  the  mattei 
before  the  cabinet,  A  few  months  later  a  despatch 
wa.s  received  from  Prince  Gortschakof  statini^  that 
the  sum  off -red  was  entirely  inadequate;  but  that  the 
minister  of  linance  was  about  to  inquire  into  the  condi- 
tion of  the  territory,  after  which  Ru.ssia  would  be  in  a 
condition  to  treat." 

On  the  1st  of  January,  18G0,  the  company's  ca[)ital 
was  estimated  at  about  four  million  four  hundred  thou- 
sand tlollars,^  but  it  was  represented  almost  entirely 
by  furs,  goods,  real  estate,  improvements,  and  sea-goiiiL^ 
vessels,  which  would  realize,  of  course,  but  a  small 
jiart  of  the  value  placed  on  them.  In  view  of  this 
iact,  and  of  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  renewal  of  the 
cliarter,  it  is  not  imi)robal)le  that  a  positive  offer  of 
five  million  dollars  might  have  been  accej)ted,  but  for 
the  outbreak  of  the  civil  wai',  wliich  for  several  years 
put  an  end  to  further  negotiations. 

Among  those  who  most  desired  the  transfer  wen? 
the  peo[»le  of  Washingtctn  Territory,  many  of  whom 
had  been  enq)loyed  in  tli(3  fisheries  of  the  British 
jtrovinces,  and  wished  for  right  of  fishery  among  the 
rich  .saluion,  cod,  and  halibut  grounds  of  the  Alaskan 
coast.*     In  the  winter  of  18GG  a  memorial  was  adopted 

pleted,  but  notliiug  more  was  lieard  of  the  matt  jr  at  Kiidiiik  until  a  few  weeks 
bffore  tliu  tiT.iisfcT  dooiuthI. 

*Siimiifr'K  S/M'ih,  I'rs.i.  ttitxt.  Amer.,  8  (Waaliiiifftoi),  ISCi').  Sumner  n'- 
tiKirks  that  Uucliaiiun  ciuploycd  a3  his  intermediary  u  known  Bympatliizer 
vit!i  slavery,  and  one  who  afterward  Ijoeanie  a  rebel. 

»  P..litoli>ky,  htof.  Ol>oi.  Hohh.  Amn:  Kom  ,  W2,  gives  it  at  5,907,850.08 
rouble.H,  silver! 

*luli')jil.  Com.  For.  Aff.  in  Howie  Com.  Jitpt.  40th  cong.  2d  segs.,  No.  37, 


NEGOTIATIONS  FOR  rURCIIASE. 


503 


by  the  logislatiire  of  this  territory,  "in  roforoneo  to 
the  cod  and  othor  fisheries,"*  and  after  hc'uvj;  jiresented 
to  the  president,  was  delivered  to  the  ]lussian  minis- 
ter, with  some  comments  on  the  necessity  of  an  ar- 
ran<^emcnt  that  would  avoid  dilHcailties  between  the 
two  powers. 

A  few  weeks  later  otJier  influences  were  broujj^lit 
to  bear.  The  lease  of  territory  wJiich,  it  will  be  w- 
memberod,  had  been  ti^ranted  by  tlie  Russian  Ameri- 
can Company  to  the  Hudson's  J]ay  Comi)any  in  IS;!?, 
and  several  times  renewed,  would  expire  in  dune 
1HG8.  Could  not  the  control  of  this  valuable  slip  of 
earth  bo  obtained  for  a  tradini^  conijiany  to  be  or- 
puiized  (m  the  Pacific  coast,  to<^ether  with  a  license 
to  gather  furs  in  porticms  of  the  Russian  territory? 
I\tr  Cole,  senator  for  California,  souij^ht  to  obtain 
these  privil'wes  on  behalf  of  <-ertajn  parties  in  that 
state,  and  thus,  :^s  Sunnier  remai'ks,  "tlut  mii^litv  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company,  with  its  hcad([uarters  in  Lon- 
don, was  to  give  way  to  an  American  company,  with 
its  headquarters  in  California."  The  minister  of  the 
United  States  at  St  Petersburg  was  addressed  <»n  the 
subject,  but  replied  that  the  Russian  American  Com- 
pai'v  was  then  in  correspon(K'nce  with  the  Hudson's 
iVdj  Company  as  to  the  renc^wal  of  their  lease,  and 
that  no  action  could  be  taken  until  sonit;  <lelinite 
iinswer  wi^re  received,  ^leanwliile  tiie  Jiussian  min- 
ister at  Washington,"  with  whom  Cole  had  held  sev- 
eial  interviews,  returned  to  St  l\'tersburg  on  le;ive  of 
iii<sence,  promising  to  do  his  best  to  maintain  friendly 
relations  between  the  two  powers. 

If  a.  this  juncture  a  [)rom[)t  and  satisfactory  an- 

\\  II,  it  is  stated  tlint  the  people  of  WaOiiiicrton  Torritnry  '  ciittiTil  into  compo- 
tition  unsttct'cssfully  with  tlio  subjects  '>f  (ircut  Hiitiiii»  mid  liii.xsia.  who  li<i  I 
tilitaiiicil  from  their  resitectivi!  govenmuMts  a  virtual  inoiiopoly  of  the  jtcuHiiiul 
oust  above  the  pftrallel  of  49'  north  liititiule.'  'I'he  eoiiuiiittee  did  not  mcimi 
to  lie  uwure  that  the  Kussiaui  inaile  little  use  of  tlicir  fisheries  e.\.i'|it  for 
Ileal  coiisuinptioii,  uiid  that  even  the  w'huie-ti.shcrica  wer»  lualuly  iu  the  huuda 
of  .Viiicricans. 

•'  .\  copy  of  it  is  given  in  fiumner's  Speech,  8-9. 

•IJaroii  Kd ward  tie  Stoockl. 
Uin,  AuMKA.    38 


m 
i 


i 
i 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 

swer  had  been  returned  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany, Alaska  might  at  this  day  have  been  one  of  the 
numerous  colonies  of  Great  Britain,  instead  of  being, 
as  \n  fact  it  became  for  a  time,  the  only  colony  belong- 
ing to  the  United  States.  But  no  answer  came,  or 
none  that  was  acceptable;  nor  at  the  beginning  of 
18G7  had  any  agreement  been  made  bv  tlm  Russian 
American  Company  with  the  imperial  government  as 
to  the  renewal  of  its  charter. 

In  February  of  this  year,  when  the  Russian  minis- 
ter  was  about  to  return  to  Washington,  the  archduke 
Constantino  gave  him  power  to  treat  for  the  sale  of 
the  territory.  On  his  arrival,  negotiations  were  at 
once  opened  for  this  purpose.  On  the  23d  of  March 
he  received  a  note  I'rom  the  secretary  of  state  offeriiiLf 
to  add,  subject  to  the  president's  approval,  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars  to  the  sum  of  seven  million  dollars 
before  proposcvl,  on  condition  that  the  cession  be  "free 
and  unencumbered  by  any  reservations,  privileges, 
franchises,  grants,  or  possessions  by  any  associated 
companies,  whether  corporate  or  incorporate,  Russian 
or  any  other."'  Two  days  later  an  answer  was  re- 
turned, stating  that  the  minister  believed  himself  au- 
thorized to  acce[)t  these  tornjs.  On  th  j  29th  final  in- 
structions were  received  by  cable  from  St  Petersburg. 
On  the  same  day  a  note  was  addressed  by  the  minister 
to  the  secretary  of  state,  informing  him  that  the  tsar 
consented  to  the  cession  of  Russian  America  for  tlio 
stipulated  sum  of  seven  million  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars  in  gold.  At  four  o'clock  the  next  morning  the 
treaty  was  signed  by  the  two  parties  without  further 
phrase  or  negotiation.  In  May  the  treaty  was  rati- 
fied,* and  on  June  20,  1807,  the  usual  proclamation 
was  issued  by  the  president  of  the  United  States. 


^  William  If.  SeiranVn  Letter  to  Edward  do  fsloeckl,  in  Hrpt.,  ut  supra,  S2. 

*0n  May  UTtli,  or  nccortlinj^  to  tlio  Kussian  oiilciular,  on  May  ITitli, 
Seward  ri-«'civcil  from  Stocckl,  wlio  wns  then  ut  Now  York,  ailcspatcli,  statiiiL,' 
that  the  treaty  liad  been  ratilictl  at  St  reter8l)urg.  On  tlio  28th  Stoeckl  was 
iu  Washington,  and  on  the  same  day  the  treaty  wua  ratitied  by  tlio  govern- 
meut  of  tko  United  Statca.  Utpt.,  ut  supra,  &3. 


TRKATY  OF  CES8I0X.  860 

Such  in  l>rit.'f  is  tlio  liistorv  of  tliis  tr<>nty,  wliicli 
for  yetir.s  was  ])ul>lislir:l  and  r('|)ul)lislie(l.  disciisscHl 
and  ivdisc'ussed,  throunhont  the  Ignited  States,''  As 
there  is  no  |)rln(i[)le  involved,  nor  any  interesting' 
inioi'niation  eonnected  therewith,  it  is  not  neet-s- 
sary  liere  to  enter  upon  an  analysis  or  elueidation 
of"  these  discussions.  The  eireumstances  which  Ic  I 
to  the  transi'cr  arc  still  suj>poscd  by  many  to  h-; 
enshrouded  in  nivsterv,  but  1  can  assure  the  reader 
that  there  is  no  niysteiy  about  it.  In  diplomatic 
circles,  even  so  siin])le  a  transaction  as  buyinL*'  a  piece 
ofo'round  must  not  be  allowed  consummation  without 
the  usual  wise  winks,  whispeiinjj^s, and  circumlocution. 

Some  of  the  reasons  which  probably  induced  Russia 
to  cede  her  American  possessions  have  already  been 
mentioned.  The  motives  which  led  the  United  State.-; 
government  to  [nuchase  them  are  thus  stated  in  a 
report  of  the  committee  on  foreign  affairs,  published 
May  18,  JHG8:  "They  were,  first,  the  laudable  desii-e 
of  eiti/ens  of  the  Pacific  coast  to  share  in  the  prolific 
fisheries  of  the  oceans,  seas,  bays,  and  rivers  of  the 
western  worltl;  the  refusal  of  JIussia  to  ivnew  the 
charter  of  the  ]?ussian  American  Fur  Company  in 
180(1;  the  friendship  of  Russia  for  the  United  States; 
th(^  ncM'essity  of  preventing  tlu^  transfei-,  by  any  possi- 
ble chance,  of  the  north-west  coast  of  America  to  an 
unfrientlly  power;'"  the  creation  of  new  industiial  in- 
terests on  the  Pacific  necessary  to  the  supremacy  of 
our  empire  on  the  sea  and  huul;  and  finally,  to  facili- 
tate and  secure  the  advantages  of  an  unlimited  Amer- 
ican commerce  with  the  friendly  powers  of  Japan  and 
lima. 

Ifcrc  wo  have  })robably  a  fair  statement  of  the  case 
iu  favor  of  the  purchase  question,  howsoever  senseless 

'Copies  of  it  are  to  lio  fouiul  in  .\f)n.<.  nnil  Dor.  Jhpf.  Stale,  T.,  40tli  coiii,'. 
2il  Bess.  ;VSH-i»(>,  ill  Dnir*  Alaska,  .'JOO-'i,  among  otlier  works,  ami  in  coiint- 
k'88  ni'W8|)apcra  ami  iii'iioilieuls. 

"'intS'«m/ii'/-',t  Sjiffi'h,  10 -1 1,  is  a  clear  and  logical  discussion  on  the  relation 
of  former  treaties  Itetweeu  Kn^'laml  and  UuHsia  as  to  the  transfer  of  Alaska; 
nnd  in  JJaiimirt!,  Ihb.  ecxv.  14H7-8,  anil  ecxvi.  W'u  (1807), are  some  remarks 
mode  iu  the  British  Uouac  of  Cummuus  ow  this  point. 


r,OQ 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COL(>\Y. 


and  Illonicnil  soinu  of  the  reasons  cited  may  appear. 
On  tile  other  side,  \V(^  have  some  coLjent  ar'^mnents  in 
theminoiityrepoi't,  where  it  is  remarked  that  "aeon  tract 
is  entered  into  hy  the  j)resident,  aetinjjj  tliroui^h  the  sec- 
retary ot'  state,  to  purchase  of  tiie  Itussian  t^'overnment 
tlie  territory  of  Ahiska.  The  contract  contaiiu-d  stij»- 
vdations  whicli  wei-e  well  understood  hy  l^ai'on  Stoeekl, 
the  agent  of  the  Russian  L^ovei-nnient.  Those  stipu- 
lations wi-re  su<"li  as  the  nei^otiators  could  not  enfori'e, 
hut  which  Were  necessary  to  he  eomj)lied  with  hi-fore 
t!i<'  tr^-aty  could  heeonio  valid  or  hindinj^;.  The  stip- 
ulations were,  iirst,  that  the  treaty  should  he  ratified 
hy  the  senate;  and  second,  that  the  k's^islative  power 
should  vote  the  necessary  appro|)riati»»n.  The  fu'st 
stipulation  was  complied  with,  and  the  second  is  the 
<»ne  now  hi'iniL!^  considered.  Each  stipulation  was  inde- 
pc^ndeMit  of  tlie  otlier,  and  requii-ed  independent  j)o\v- 
ers  to  carry  it  into  execution.  The  treaty-makiuLj 
power  can  no  more  hind  conn'ress  to  i)ass  a  law  than 
congress  can  hind  it  to  iu;ike  a  treaty.  They  ai'e 
intUpi'ndent  departments,  and  \  ere  desiiLjnod  to  act  as 
clu'i'ks  I'ather  than  he  suhservient  to  each  other. 

"As  was  well  said  hy  Judi^e  ^[cLean,.  .  .'a  treaty 
is  the  supreme  law  of  the  land  oidy  when  the  treaty- 
making  power  can  carry  it  into  eiK'ct.  A  ti'eaty 
which  sli|»ulates  lor  tlie  payment  of  moneys  under- 
takes to  do  that  which  the  treatv-makinu;  i)ower  can- 
not  do;  therefore,  the  treaty  is  not  the  su[)reme  law 
of  the  land.  A  foreign  government  may  he  presumed 
to  know  that  the  power  of  ap[)ropriating  money  he- 
longs  to  congress.'"'* 

The  unseemly  haste  with  wliich  the  treaty  was  eon- 
.sununated,  and  the  reluctance  with  which  the  jHircliase 
money  was  afterward  voteil  by  congress,  adil  to  the 
[)eriinence  of  these  remarks;  and  the  mistrust  as  to 
the  expenditure  of  public  funds  was  not  dispelled  by 

"  In  tho  minority  report  it  is  complained  that  in  answer  to  a  resolution 
that  nil  corruspomlenec  and  information  in  posaossion  of  tlio  oxucutivo  bo  laid 
iMiforc!  the  liouiio  of  repreueututives,  300  pages  mainly  of  irrolovuut  matter 
were  priHliiced. 


A  CIOOD  IJAIKJAIX. 


oBt 


tho  report  of  th(>  <M)niniitto(*  on  juiMlo  oxpeiiditur' 
juiMislied  at  Washintjftoii  in  Ffhruary  I8(i!).'-  Moro- 
ovt'i",  it  was  Well  known  to  all  American  citizens  tiiat 
tlu!  president  of  the  I'nited  States,  or  his  rejtresi'iita- 
tive,  had  no  more  riL^ht  to  use  the  })ul>lie  money  lor 
tlie  purchase  of  Alaska  without  a  vote  of  couorcss, 
than  had  the  <pi(H'n  of  T^nulaiid  to  demand  from  her 
pcopU-  the  price  of  lu-r  diiily  breakfast  without  the 
consent  of  pai'liament. 

Nevertheless,  ex])erienco  has  ]>rovcd  that  the  t(  iri- 
toi'v  was  well  worth  the  sum  paid  for  it,  though  at  lirst 
it  was  helieved  to  he  ahiKtst  valueless.  And  this  is 
the  real  reason  of  the  puivhase;  it  was  thouLjht  to  he 
a  ijjood  bari^ain,  and  so  it  was  houi^ht,  though  cash  <>u 
hand  was  not  over  plentiful  at  the  time.  A  special 
n;^ent  of  the  treasury,  in  a  report  dated  Novemher  'M), 
18GD,  estimates  the  compounded  interest  of  the  pur- 
chase monev  lor  twentv-tive  vetirs  at  S2;i,70|  ,7l)J.  I  4, 
and  adds  to  this  sum  !-<l2,r)0(),000  as  the  jtrohahle  ex- 
pense, caused  hy  thi;  transfer,  to  the  ai'my  and  navy 
<!epartments  for  the  same    j)ei-iod,  thus  makin'jj  th' 


total 


cost,  includintr  the  i)rincii»al,  s4;5,40l  ,7HlM4   for 


ow 


tlie  first  (juarter  of  a  century,      lie  is  of  opinion,  h 
eve)-,  th:it  ^75,000  to  !=^  1 00, 000  a  year  mi^-ht  he  derived 

1  |)ei'hai»s 


an( 


froni  what  he  terms  the  '  seal-fisherie 

>>r).000  to  J?  10,000   from   customs.     "As  a  finan<-ial 

measure,"  ho  remarks,  "it   miijfht   n(jt    he   the  worst 


'•'Tn  this  rpport  wc  have  a  ef>pv  of  the  ti'i'.isury  warrant  delivered  to 

Stauckl,  iuil  of  ills  roci'ipt.  From  tlic  st.ituiiuiits  of  .ill  tlir  v  itiii-.sni'.s,  no  evi- 
(U'licf  of  lirilicry  ^v;l.^  I'licitcil  when  llii'  f.icts  wrvv  sittt'il  finiii  ruiiioraiiil  l:ear- 
tay,  uiili'ss  the  oH'irliy  tlio  I!ils^iull  luiiiistfr  of  .'*;1.(IIM1  in  jjold  to  tlu'  princ  ipal 
lintprii'toi- of  tliu  H'd-^hiii'i/'iii  llalij  '  'liruidiff,  aiul  tin;  payiiiunt  of  Jr-l.tMM)  in 
yrci.'iihai'k.i  to  a  rupri'sontativc  of  tli'.'  California  iifi-is,  In-  so  rc^jarili'il.  The  fotu 
l>aicl  to  iMuiisi'l  were  vi-iy  ni  iilrratc.  William  li.  Scwaril,  one  of  tlie  wit- 
lusscs,  (hiiieil  niu.st  eir  n'latically  "all  knowKilie  whatever  of  any  jiayniiiits 
oi-  ilistri'uiti m  of  any  ;  "t  of  said  nioiicy  )tlier  than  to  the  riprerseiit.iLivo 
(if  t'le  l!iis.<ian  uovernnie..t,  or  of  any  payments  other  than  triliini,' nunis  for 
I'.riiitin;,',  i>MrehasinLr,  and  di^trilmtini;  documents  hy  and  fiom  the  .-tato 
dojiurtment  pertaining;  ti)  Alahka.'  Siieii  a  stateimnt,  howevei',  proven  i;o'.h- 
ii;;_',  n^^  tliiMf  were  iloul>tless  si'veral  thousand  others,  at  Wasliington  ai>d 
el.-iewlicre,  who  knev,-  of  no  laihevy  or  coirnptioii  in  the  matter.  In  iho 
Jltiiiroi'f  Li'ir  'Ki/  S-niji.<,  and  iu  Ho  ir/iurniL'i'x  •'i'l'i'/i  Hrx  L:  i.  ]i  .ssi  n,  tlierc 
are  wunie  amusiny  discussions  and  cuniments  on  tho  disiMjsitioti  of  the  jjurcluric 
niuucj. 


» \   ■ 


ALASKA  AS  A  UN'ITKD  STATES  COLOXV, 


|M)lify  to  ul>aiul<)M  the  tcniloiy  for  tli(-  |»ivsiiit."" 
Tli(!  nu^t'iit  aj)j)oars  to  have  Ikh'Ii  soi  icwliat  astray  in 
liis  cstiniatcs,  for  Ix'tweon  1871  ainl  IHh:')  alxuit 
J^a, 000,000  were  paid  into  the  United  States  treasury 
as  rent  of  the  J^*vl»ilof  Islands  and  tax  on  seal- 
skins  alone.  It  is  true  that  the  niiiitarv  oeeupa- 
tion,  while  it  lasted,  was  somewhat  exjiensive,  and 
that  huildini^s  whieh  cost  many  thousands  of  dol- 
lars weie  afterward  sold  for  a  few  hundreds;  hut,  a-; 
we  shall  see,  troops  were  not  needed  in  Alaska,  an  I 
the  cost  of  maintaininLj  the  sinu;lc  war-vessel  which 
was  occasionally  stationed  at  Sitka  after  their  with- 
drawal caimot  have  heen  excessive. 

Seward,  who  visited  Alaska  a  short  time  hefore 
tlie  au^ent's  report  «'as  published,"  and  who  deliveied 
a  s]>eech  at  Sitka  in  Auujust  1809,  remarks:  "31r 
Sunnier,  in  his  elaborate  and  mai^niticent  oration,  al- 
thoutjh  he  spake  oidy  from  historical  accounts,  has 
nctt  exa(]fL»erated— no  man  can  exay^i^erate — the  marine 
treasures  of  the  territory,  liesidos  the  whale,  whicli 
everywhere  aiul  at  all  times  is  seen  enjoyin<jf  his  lo- 
bust  exercise,  anil  the  sea-otter,  the  fur-seal,  the  hair- 
seal,  and  the  walrus  found  in  the  waters  which  ini- 
bosom  the  western  islands,  those  waters,  as  well  as  the 
seas  of  the  eastern  archi[>elago,  arc  found  teeming;' 
witli  the  salmon,  cod,  and  other  fishes  adapted  to  the 
sup})ort  of  human  and  animal  life.  Indeed,  what  I 
have  seen  luTe  has  almost  made  me  a  convert  to  the 
theorv  of  some  naturalists,  that  the  waters  of  the 
j^lobe  are  tilled  with  stores  for  the  sustenance   of  ani- 


"  Miliih/rr's  Ilij,!.  in  Sni.  Ex.  Dm:,  4l8t  cons.  2«1  rpss.,  Xo.  .^2,  p.  3». 
lie  stall's  tiiiit  the  I'litiro  iiiinilicr  of  voters  in  tlit!  territory  iloos  not  excinl 
I'J.'i,  iiiiil  ri'ixirts  .'iirainst  tin-  «'stal)lisliiiiiiit  of  a  territorial  government. 

"lie  arrived  at  Sitka  on  ]«»artl  tlie  .\<'firi'  on  .July .'!(),  IS()!(,  ami  witnes^nl 
the  eelijise  that  oeeiirred  ii  few  days  later  near  l>aviil.son's  eaiiip  «.n  the 
Cliilkat.  .'•'ewaril  was  on  his  way  nj)  the  river  when  the  eelip.ie  ooeiirml. 
The  (hiy  was  clouily,  ami  the  sun  was  first  ohserved  liy  an  liulian,  who  r..'- 
iiiarke<i  that  it  "was  very  siek  anil  wnnteil  to  go  to  sleep.'  The  Ini'.ians 
refused  to  row  any  farther,  and  tile  party  wi'ut  ashore  and  li^jhted  ii  lire  in 
ft  deli  niai-  Ihi'  rivir  liank.  In  the  evening  Seward's  party  reaehed  the  pin- 
fe  sir's  camp,  to  which  they  liuil  been  invited.  IJoiic/Mrtuko'ii  Scraij  Bouk, 
i.  11. 


TRANSFER  AT  SITKA.  ||| 

iHJil  lift':  surpassiiij^  the  availablo  productions  of  the 
land."^' 

Of  the  rosouroos  of  Alaska,  niontion  will  lu?  made 
later.  At  present  lier  furs  and  tisJK^rics  are  <»f  course 
the  chief  attractions;  hut  it  is  not  iniprol)al)li'  that 
in  the  distant  future  the  .sale  (»f  her  miiiinii;  and  tini- 
her  lands  will  yield  to  the  United  Stat(^s  an  annual 
income  lariicr  than  the  amount  of  the  purcha.sc!  monev. 

The  Russian  American  Company,  besides  sup[)ort- 
inuf  its  numerous  and  expi-nsive  estahlishments,  p;iiil 
into  the  imperial  treasury  hetween  1841  and  1802  over 
4,400,000  rouhli's  indutit'Sj^'to  stockholders  more  than 
12,700,000,  and  for  churches,  schools,  and  l>enevi»lent 
institutions  about  aoM.OOO  roubles.  There  appears 
MO  valid  reason,  therefore,  why  .Vlaska  should  not  have 
been  a  .source  of  profit  to  the  l"nit«Hl  States,  exce|)t 
jieihap.^  that  this  was  the  first  experiment  made  in  the 
colonization,  and  it  is  to  be  hoj)ed  the  last  in  tin;  mil- 
itary occupation,  of  a  territoiy  which,  as  will  be  re- 
lated, the  attorney-genend  declared  in  1873  to  be 
'Indian  country.' 

On  Friday,  the  18th  of  October,  1807,  the  Russian 
and  United  States  commissionei's,  Ca])tain  Alext'i 
.  IVstchourof  and  (ieneral  L.  11.  Rousseau,  escorted  by 
a  company  of  the  ninth  infantry,  landed  at  N(jvo  Ark- 
haiiiL^clsk,  or  Sitka,^''  from  the  United  States  steamer 
John  L.  Stephens.  MarchinjT;  to  the  jrovernor's  resi- 
de!ice,  they  were  drawn  up  side  by  side  with  the  Rus- 
sian ijfarrjsou  on  the  sunnnit  of  the  rock  where  floated 
the  Russian  flag;  "whej-eupon,"'  writes  an  eye-witness 
of  the  proceedings,  "Cai»tain  Pe.stchourof  ordered  the 


^■' Sl/ifrrken  of  William  II .  Svinird  in  Al(ub(,  Van.,  and  Or.  G  (Washing- 

tim,  isai»). 

'"Oil  tea  foi'wanled  from  Slmnglmi  ami  Kiakhta.  Tikhmrmf,  iMor.  (flm.s., 
ii.  L'SO. 

"  I  liiitl  no  evidence  as  to  the  cxai^t  <luto  when  the  name  of  Novo  Arkli;in- 
pelsk  was  I'liaiiied  to  that  of  Sitka,  ."^impson,  writing  in  1SJ7,  uses  liotli 
v.-onls.  ,/oitt:  round  World,  ii.  180-1.  Tlum:;ii  the  hitter  is  usuil  by  writers 
Ix^fore  Ilia  tii:ic,  it  was  prol^ably  about  tliia  datti  that  it  lirst  coino  generally  into 


GOO 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 


Russian  fla^  hauled  down,  and  tbcreby,  witli  Inief 
declaration,  transltrii'd  and  dilivcn-d  tin-  tciiitorv  of 
Alaska  to  the  I  nitod  States;  the  <;anisons  prost'Mted 
arms,  and  the  JIussian  l)attcries  and  our  men  of  war 
fired  tlic  international  salute;  a  hrii-C  ri'|>ly  of  a('ce|»t- 
ance  was  made  as  the  stars  and  stiipes  were  run  u|> 
and  similailv  saluted,  anil  wo  stootl  ui)on  the  soil  of 
the  United  IStates."'' 

Thus,  without  further  eenMuony,  without  oven  haii- 
quetinj^  or  s|ioech-makinjj^,  this  vast  area  of  land,  l»e- 
lonij^in!^  hy  rii^ht  to  neither,  was  transferred  fi-om  one. 
European  race  to  the  offshoot  of  another.  No  sooner 
had  tho  transfer  been  mado  than  (jrenoral  Davis  di- 
niandod  tho  barracks  for  his  troops,  tak in*;  possession, 
moreover,  of  all  tho  buildinijfs,  and  this  althoui^h  t!io 
improvements  of  whatever  kind  woro  bevond  dou!>t 
tho  property  of  tho  Russian  American  Com]>any,  tin- 
]iussian  government  havinij^  no  rii^ht  whatever  to 
transfer  them.  Tims  the  inhabitants  wore  turixd 
into  tho  streets,  only  a  few  of  them  obtaining  two  or 
three  days' grace  in  whic]\  to  find  shelter  for  their 
families  and  remove  their  effects. 

Witliin  a  few  weeks  after  tho  American  flag  was 
raised  over  the  fort  at  Sitka,  stores,  drinking-saloon s, 
and  restaurants  were  opened,  vacant  lots  were  staked 
out,  were  covered  with  frame  shanties,  and  chanin  d 
liands  at  j)rices  that  ])romisod  ti»  make  the  frontage 
of  the  one  sti'ei-t  which  t!ie  capital  contained  alone 
worth  the  ])urchase  nionev  of  the  territnrv.  To  tliii 
new  tloniain  Hocked  men  in  all  conditions  of  life — spi-c- 
ulators,  politicians,  otKce-hunteis,  tradesmen,  even 
laborers.     Nor  were  there  wanting  loafers,  iiarlots, 

'^^  li'oi»liji<i»l'.-<  K'",iht  Mmithx  at  Silhi,  ill  Onrhuii!  Miinlhhi,  Ft'li.  ISO'.). 
Ill  WhioHji  r'a  Ahisln,  l(),"»-(i,  and  in  siiiuf  <)f  tlio  I'acilii;  ooiisi  iiowspain  rs,  it 
is  stiiti'il  tliat  till-  lUissiaii  llai:,  w  Inn  lii'iiig  liwirftl,  i  liiiij.;  t(i  tli- yanl  anu. 
Tile  foUdwinm'xtiiict  fniin  the  Al'i'dii/  Stti/'-  /ii-jh't  Ihinmrdl,  Maiv'i 'JO,  I.S7.'', 
will  stTvu  as  a,  fair  sin'i'iiiiin  nf  tin'  iioiisiiisc  piiMisluMl  on  tliis  iinttcr:  'A 
sailor  was  onliTcd  up  tho  tlagstall",  .nml  liad  artnally  ti)  vut  tlio  Hag  iiuu  wlin  lU 
licioro  lie  could  take  it  down.  Wlii'ii  tlic  Anioricaii  flag  reuchod  tliu  toji  of 
the  stair,  it  hung  lit'eless,  until,  at  tlie  first  liooniof  the  saluting  Kussiau  artil- 
lery, it  gave  11  eonvulsive  sliudder,  and  at  the  Bucuiid  gua  it  shook  out  its .ntany 
folils  and  proudly  flouted  iii  the  breeze.' 


yi:w  ()RnT.:R  OF  Tin\(js. 


001 


pat 


iililcrs,  niul  (livers  otlicr  classes  oC  free  whlti'    l"]u- 


r<>|u'aiis  iioviT  Mt'L'ii  ill  tlii;se  jiarts  lic-run",  for  of  such 
is  our  su|)(ri(»r  civilization.  A  cliurtor  was  iVaiiicd  lor 
llic  so-«al]t(l  city,  laws  wcro drawn  U|»,  .'unl  >in  clcctictii 
lu'ltl,  at  wJiicii  a  liinidrcd  'ijtfs  were  polled  lor  almost 


as  inaiiv  cant 


lidat. 


The  claims  of  stjuntters  wen 
])ut  on  reconl;  judijment  was  passed  in  c;ises  when 
lil»e!ty  an«l  even  life  wi-ro  at  stake;  (juestions  wen 
decided   which   involved   nice  points  of  inteiiiati<»nal 


li 


iw 


and  idl  this  was  <lone  with  utti-r  iiidilfei-ence  to 


the  militai-v  authorities,  then  the  only  legal  trihunjd  in 
the  territory. 

Two  geiu'rations  had  ])asse(l  away  since  I>nranof 
and  his  countrymen  liiid  huilt  the  fort,  or  as  it  is  now 
termed  the  casth',  of  Sitka.  Duiing  idl  these  years 
tlu'  liussians  had  known  little  and  cared  for  little 
lH'y(Hid  the  dull  rctutine  of  their  daily  lahor  and  their 
daily  life.  Jt  is  jn'ohalile  that  the  appt'arance  of  the 
lirst  steam-vessel  in  Alaskan  waters  caused  no  less 
sensati(»n  among  them  than  did  the  news  of  Auster- 
litz,  of  Kylau,  or  of  Waterloo.  Apart  from  the  higher 
olHcials,  they  bol(»ngod  for  the  most  part  to  tlu?  utied- 

itetl  classes,      li   poorly  paid,  they  had  l)een  better 


nc 


fed  and  clad  and  h(»used  than  others  of  thi-ir  cl, 


iss. 


Tl 


lev  were  a  law-ahidinix,  if  ti<>t  a  (lod-learin'»'.  com- 


munity. J)inMiig  the  long  ti'rm  of  the  company's 
domini<»n  there  had  heen  no  overt  resistatioi'  to  author- 
ity, except  in  the  two  instances  already  mentioned  in 
this  volume.  They  had  hi'en  accustomed  to  submit 
without  a  mtu'mur  to  the  <lictates  of  the  governor, 
from  whom  there  was  no  ap|»eal,  save  to  a  court  iVom 
whose  seat  they  weri-  separateil    by  more  than  *>uo 


tliinl  of  the  earths  circund'crenc 


I'l 


us,    ]ioWeVer 


was  under  what  might  be  called  a  half-savage  reginu 

'Mr  ])oiIi:c',  colli'c'tor , of  «.ustoins,  was  the  first  in.avor  of  Sitka.     Sot 


after  tlio  iiiiriliasc,  tlu'   following,'  tickt't   wa.s  tirutoil 


F. 


>r   iiiavor, 


W. 


lod;  l(ir  Luuiiciliiuii,  .J.  A.   I'uJltT,  (.'.  A.  Kiiikaid,  Frank  Mali 


\V.  H. 
oiicy,  Isaac 


jfriruian,  ami  .J.  IJi'lstt'dt;  f< 


•ilir,  <;.  K.  .\;.'i\i 


It:  f( 


or  siirvt  V"r, 


.1.  A. 


1(1  for  ciiii.  talilc,  r.  K.  i\yan.     In  l^-S-J,  Wood  was  i>rarti.>in:,'  lav 


Vu\W 

San  Fraufisci),  Fuller  livid  at  Naj)a,  Kinkaid  at  I'ortland,  (jr.,  McKni^lit  ut 

Key  West,  Via.,  ami  Hulsttilt  still  kept  a  store  at  Sitka. 


602 


ALASKA  AS  A  U^aTED  STATES  COLONY. 


But  iK^w  all  was  cliani^ed.  Speculation  and  law- 
lossnoss  were  rife,  and  tlie  veriest  necessaries  sold  at 
jirices  beyond  reach  of  the  poor.  Tiie  natives  were 
not  slow  to  take  advantai^e  of  their  opportunity,  and 
refused  to  sell  the  Russians  game  or  fish  at  former 
rates;*'  while  the  Americans  refused  to  accept  the 
parchment  money  which  formed  their  circulatiui; 
medium"  in  payment  for  goods,  except  at  a  heavy  <lis- 
count.  No  wonder  that  few  of  the  Kussians  cared  to 
take  advantage  of  the  clause  in  the  treaty  which  pro- 
vides that,  "with  the  exception  of  the  uncivilized 
native  tribes,  the  inhabitants  of  the  ceded  territory 
shall  be  admitted  to  the  enjoyment  of  all  the  rights, 
advantages,  and  immunities  of  citizens  of  the  United 
States,  and  shall  be  maintained  and  protected  in  tlu! 
free  enjoyment  of  their  liberty,  property,  and  religion," 
The  company  and  the  im|)erial  government  gave 
them  at  least  protection,  sufficient  means  of  livelihood, 
schools,  a  chiuvh;  but  in  this  vast  territory  tlicro 
never  existed,  since  18G7,  other  than  a  send)Iance 
evtii  of  military  law.  There  was  not  in  1883  legal 
l>it>tection  for  person  or  property,  nor,  apart  fiom  a 
i'ow  regulations  as  to  commerce  and  navigation,  had 
any  imj)ortant  act  been  passed  by  congress,  save  those 
that  relate  to  the  preservation  of  seals,  the  collection 
of  revenue,  and  the  sale  of  fire-arms  and  fire-water. 

"  The  iidiabitants  of  the  ceded  territory,  according 
to  their  choice,  reserving  their  natural  allegiance,  may 
return  to  Russia  within  three  years,"  read  the  words 
of  the  treaty.  Within  a  few  weeks,  or  perhaps  months, 
after  the  transfer,  there  were  not  more  than  a  dcjzen 


"Tho  Rituntion  wns  roiulorod  wothp  by  certain  nptitntors,  prominent  nmnii;,' 
wliom  was  llDiulmrciikti,  who,  <in  .Fuly  I,  IStW,  luililislii'd  an  a(Ulro«.s  in  tai- 
J/((,sAvt  lliiu//,  ailvisiiig  tlif  Ahnts  anil  llusso-AinoriianH,  ns  iio  tcrnnil 
tlic'in,  iiot  to  worit  for  less  tlian  live  dollars  a  iliiy  in  f^olil.  On  S('|>ti'nil"  r 
'j;jtl  of  tiiia  year  Amlrei  I'opof  waa  ailniitted  to  vitizenship— tho  lirst  Uiis- 
Biun  who  ciianxed  IiIm  nationality. 

'-'  Usually  in  iiicces  two  inilies  sqnnre,  which  pasned  cnrrent  for  aliont 
eiuht  cents  wlun  two  corniTs  wire  cut  olF.  nnd  for  fcnir  cents  when  ail  tiio 
corners  were  lopped.  The  Holdiers,  after  elipiiintr  the  lowi'r  part  of  the  four 
cent  i>icce8,  pjumeil  thuni  oU'  for  eight  cents  until  the  fraud  was  discovered. 


POUCY  OP  CONGRESS. 


Russians  left  at  Sitka,  the  remainder  having  been 
sent  lumie  by  way  of  California,  or  round  the  Horn.*' 
Five  years  later,  the  })opulation  was  coniposod  of  a  few 
••rooles  of  the  poorer  class,  a  handful  of  American  sol- 
diers, perhaps  a  score  of  American  civilians,  a  few 
Aleuts,  and  a  few  Kolosh. 

Toward  the  Creoles  and  Indians  the  policy  of  the 
United  States  has  thus  far  been  severely  neijative; 
and,  to  put  the  tnatter  in  its  most  favorable  li,L,dit,  I 
cannot  do  better  than  quote  the  words  of  ^he  creole 
Kostroniitin,  who  in  1878  was  a  resident  of  t  nalaska, 
beinjL?  at  that  date  an  oct  )«ijenarian.  "I  am  ,i(lad,"  he 
says,  "that  I  lived  to  see  the  Americans  in  the  coun- 
try. The  Aleuts  are  better  off  now  than  they  were 
under  the  liussiaiis.  The  first  Russians  who  came 
here  killetl  our  men  and  took  away  our  women  and 
all  our  [lossessions;  ami  afterward,  when  the  Russian 
American  Company  came,  they  made  all  the  Aleuts 
like  slaves,  and  sent  them  to  hunt  far  away,  where 
many  were  drowned  and  many  killed  by  sava-'e  na- 
tives,  and  others  stopped  in  strant^e  places  and  never 
cauR!  back.  The  old  company  pive  as  fish  for  iiotliini;-, 
but  we  could  have  got  plenty  of  it  i'or  ourselves  if  we 
had  been  allowed  to  stay  at  home  and  provide  for  our 
families.  Often  they  would  not  sell  us  flour  or  tea, 
even  if  we  had  skins  to  pay  for  it.  Now  we  nuist  pay 
for  everything,  but  we  ca.  Lay  what  we  like,  (iod 
will  not  give  me  many  day.-,  to  livi',  but  I  am  satis- 
fied."-^ We  shall  st'c  j)ies(Mitly  that  Kostroiuitin's 
satisfaction  was  not  bhar  ;d  ity  a  majority  of  his  eoun- 
trymen. 

In  many  sessions  of  congress  bills  have  been  intro- 
duced relating  to  Alaska,  of  which  some  have  pro- 
voked discussion,  many  have  been  tabled,  and  u  few 
have  passed  into  law.     The  only  measm-i-s  to  whieii 


^  m 


i  m 


'^' A'n/f/er'.i  MS.  Mr  Clma  Kru^cr  w;i8  for  more  timii  IT)  yem-s  ii  tnisttil 
eiii|ilo\t!  uf  tlio  UiixMiaii  .ViiK'iiouii  Co. 

"  kiifljf  Tiiiin  ill  Alfiil  Id.,  MS.,  15-10.  Kwtruimtiu  wtw  thou  liviug  ut 
tlio  viliujj;c  uf  Mukuiiliiii. 


s 


004 


ALASKA  AS  A  UXITCD  STATHS  COLONY. 


roforonce  is  ueodccl  at  piesoiit  arc  the  act  of  c(U?grcss 
ai)j»r()vc(l  July 'J7,  IHO,^,  \vlicrcl»y,  anioiijj^  other  jtro- 
visioiis,  a  collection  district  was  cstaMisJicd  in  that 
territory ;■*  two  bills  mtrodined  in  l.s(]i)  and  1H70  to 
provide  for  a  temporary  i^ovirnnient  in  Alaska,  both 
of  which  were  relerred,  thou«.^h  neither  passed;  some 
futile  attempts  to  extend  the  I'nited  States  land  laws 
over  the  territory;*"  and  certain  ret^ulations  as  to  the 
importation,  sale,  and  manufacture  of  litjuor.-" 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  in  a  territory  which  has 
belonned  to  the  United  States  for  more  than  hall'  a 
gi'ueration,  and  whose  area  is  more  than  «loul)l(>  that 
•  )f  the  lartifest  state  in  the  Union,  no  lci,'al  title  could 
be  obtained  to  land,  other  than  to  small  tracts  deeded 
to  the  Russians  at  the  time  of  the  puichase,  except  hy 
special  act  of  conjj^ress,  and  not  a  sinude  acre  had  as 
yet  been  surveyed  for  prei'mption.^'  "Claims  of  |)re- 
en!]>tion  and  si'ttlemeiits,"'  ninaiks  Seward,  "ai'e  not 
only  without  the  sanction  of  law,  but  are  in  direct  vinln- 
tion  of  laws  applicable  to  the  public  domain.  Militaiy 
ibice  may  be  use<l  to  remove  intrudirs  if  necessary.' -"* 

As  there  was  no  lej^al  title  to  land  in  Alaska,  thtif 
coulil  be  neither  Icijal  ronveyance  nor  mort^^a^c, though 
conveyances  were  made  occasionally,  and  iecoreled  In' 


'S»'t!  Conij.    CliJ)t\    lSt!7  S,  app.  riliT-S. 


A  list  of  till'  vari<m.s  suli- 


tlii'ts,  witli   iliiir  liicatiniis  in   iMiM,  in  ;;ivi  n  in   /!, 


if  nu>\  Mi-liit 


Ahishi,  '1  '.M,  in  ,S'. 


Ex.  ihu 


'• !»'  ( ■ 


i;/..  .V/.SV 


i/i-f 


/.'. 


Icili.ws.  their  (lutii's,  »ti'.,  in  Morns,  Jirpl.  AliuiLii,  I.VIU,  in  Siii.  E.r.  J'"., 
JfMli  f'niii.l.  itil  Sii-.,  No.  .'•'.•. 

■■"■'A  liill  wax  iiitiiMliuid  for  this  piirjmei:  io  IS7L     S*>«  IfoiiMc  Jour.,  .',hl 


I;/,   .ill   Si 


ll!l. 


■■"M'oiitaiiH'il  ill  Htttioii  :\  of  tlu"  ait  of  .lulv  27,  lS«iS,  nii'l 


■  If.l  Ity  a -t 


if  Manli  ',\,  \.<i:i,  ixttiuiiii^r  over  tin-  ti  rrit<  i  y  .•■fctioiis  "JO  iiiid  '.M  of  tiio  nut  of 


line  :i(>,  l-s:n,  rcmilating 


trade 


il  inti' 


ii-s«'  Willi   Jntliaii   triln's,  tlio  si' 


tiims  liciii),'  tliii.,.  icLitiiitj  to  tlie  iiuiiinfafturv ami  ititiXHiuctioii  of  liquor.    Sou 


('mill.   (;Ii'Ih',  |n7-  ;I,  app.  -74. 


//.  i:...  i)u 


!h   ( 


<"".!• 


',1  S, 


I. v..  -JI 


I,  aiKi  ./ 


I  .;.7^/i  Coiiij.  ,ri 


Sim.,  ix.  14(1.     AiToiilinj,'  to  tlio  latter,  no  «uncy  Iwl  l>tin  iihuIc  up  to.Ii 
H(l,  I>7H,  anil  none  Imt  spei-iiil  ami  loial  xurvej.-*  apptut    to  liuvc  liecu 


8ini'i'  that  il.ite. 


KlirVeV  ^va^^   Itt 


.1 


irlvn-.  IS<'.7.   /' 


ytfi  t  •,,,.7. 


i\.  No.  SO.     For  report  on  •pianti;y  ami  •|iiality  of  luml,  me  Zttliri-Lit'^ 
LiUiil  i.iiirH,  ,SS(»    1. 

-Lrtfer  of  Willjain  II.  s,.\^ar.l  to  tJcH.  «:nuit.  (kt,  2H.  ISl!7,  ill  Morr!», 
/.''■/'^  Al(i.lc(t,  IMI.  'I'ho  SI  eietary  r.iiiH  .ti  tint  Tiant  lanso  instrnotions  to 
tl.it  eliei't  to  111'  forwaiihil  to  (ieiiiial  K  u-^'anut  Silk;..  .Stu  aluo  liiai'di-ti's 
Li  lit.  Aliieka,  in  Sin,  L.v.  Jjoi-.,  ,',i,tn  Com;/.  .'*/*>«.,  no.  103,  p.  14. 


PROPERTY  RICHTS. 


605 


the  ilo|>uty  collictors  at  WrainjfiU  niid  Sitka,  tlio  par- 
tit'H  c(»iicc'iiicil  lakii!*^  tlicir  own  lisk  as  to  wliothci' tlio 
transaction  nii<rlit  at  sonic  distant  dav  l>c  legalized. 

Miners  and  otlici's  whoso  entire  possessions  niij^lit  lio 
within  llie  tenilorv,  and  who  ini'dit  have  heeorne  resi- 
dents,  could  not  hetjucath  theii'  j)roi)eity,  wlu'ther  I'cal 
or  j»«'rsonal,''''ror  thi'i'e  were  no  |»rol)ate  courts,  nor  any 
authority  wlierehyestatescoidd  Luadniinistered.  Debts 
could  not  he  collected  excejtt  thi"oti|L^h  the  suuunarT  i)ro- 
(css  hy  which  dis|)Utes  are  sonietiiues  settled  in  niin- 
iiiLf  <'ain|)s.^'  In  .'-liori,  there  was  neithei- civil  noi'ciini- 
iiial  jiuisdiction"  in  any  part  ol"  Alaska.  Even  mur- 
der nii«4;lit  beconnnitte(l,and  theri'Wasiio  redresswithiu 
that  colony.     Thus  it  was  that  "the  inhabitants  of  the 


"III  Nov.  1877  the  iMHtinastcr  ;\t  Sitka  dicil  intestjito.  Sixiu  after  liia 
ile.itli  liis  i-rfditors  mrivol  fnnii  Oiv-on,  aii'l  ii  L;«MR'r!il  norainhlc  took  [iliut'  fur 
liis  i)ri)]icrty.  The  eiL'ilit(»r;i,  (it  i-oiiiii",  tmik  tlu-  liou'.sHhi'.ro,  tlu'  wiilow  \vli:it 
til'  ••  'imch^ftil  to  livivf  her,  ainl  tlio  two  yoiiiiL,'  cliiMi-in  of  llic  ili'i-ra'^nl  liy 
ft  w  iff  wt-re  li'fc  t.i  the  I'liiirity  of  Mliaiii;i'i(t.   .\tiirrl<n  Uv\tl.  Aiiuku,  IJ<>, 

i.i  .X.  Iiix'.,  .y>fh  (''■ii'j.  ..'(/  Si'SM.,  11(1.  ')'.(,  J).  I'H), 

•' ■  1(1  t(Ui>te  file  wirdsiif  a  iiieiiinrial  ftildre.'isiMi  liy  the  iidiahitunta  of  Hoiifh- 
rxsteni  ALt-nka,  in  l,V>l,  to  tlie  ))resi(leiit  .'iikI  i!iiiiL,'i'(S!*  of  the  l,'iiiteil  sta.os; 
''liieiv  are  no  court!)  of  reeor.l,  i)y  wliieli  titi(^  to  in-opeity  may  lie  eslalili.-ilie.l, 
or  eonllietiiij,'  chiinis  ailj'.KiieatiMl,  or  estates  aiiiiiini.sten'ii,  or  iialinali.'alio.i 
mid  otlier  I  rivilt'Kes  iicnuireil,  or  delits  eolhvted,  or  the  eoniiiieriii',1  nilxan- 
tiitje.s  of  laws  mcnred.  And  lu^rsons  aeeiiHed  of  ( linies  !;iid  nii.ideniea/ioiM  aro 
miTijeet  to  tiie  arltitrary  will  of  a  military  or  naval  i-ommaiidt  r  -  thi'owii  into 
|iiir'>ii  and  kept  thiTe  for  months  Milhout  trial,  or  iimiishmcnt  hy  ini|iri.~<o:i- 
liu!!'  upon  Kiieple  aeeuiuilion  and  witiioiit  veidietof  a  jury  -,.11  in  lilaiii  \  io- 
l.i;:.>ii  of  the  eon.'<titution -f  tl:e  fiiit'd  States,'  The  followinv:  is  an  extruut 
fi. .Ill  a  letter  nddi-ea.-ed  July  II.  iSM,  hy  the  seeiilary  of  tlie  navy  to  Com- 
iiian.Ier  (;las.s  of  the  ./'(;;ify.'o»rM,  tlien  Ht.itione(l  at  Sitka,  relating  to  |iuriie8 
nrrested  for  certain  diminlers:  '  In  the  nl)^■,(■nee  of  any  legally  eijiittiitnleil 
jtidicial  triliunal.M,  the  {H'ao  and  |.Miid  order  of  .society  demand  tnat  tlu;  n.tval 
autlioruy  in  control  of  the  territory  shonld  inter|iose  il.i  powei  to  mainiaiii 
the  iirotcction  of  the  livcH,  i>c>rHuiiD,  uiid  property  of  individuaU  within  its 
rtaeh.' 

"  The  only  offcmx'S  thnt  could  lie  roniinitted  apparently  were  those  which 
violate  the  act  uf  July  '27,  IN<iS,  'to  extend  the  lau.s  of  the  I'liited  Stnlcs  ro- 
liitin:^  to  cUHtonis.  coiiinierc*',  and  n.iviu.ition  o\er  l!ie  ti  iriiory  ceded  to  iho 
I'nited  .stijtcs  l»y  Ku.s.si.i,  to  esiaMi.sli  a  collection  district  theri  in,  and  fur 
o'.lu  r  purposes'  (the  otln  r  p'lrpo.ie.i  relatinj.;  to  tlic  .sale,  importation,  and  ii.sc  of 
lire-arms,  nniiminitioii,  and  di.stilled  li.piorH,  and  the  protection  of  fur  liening 
animals).  In  such  ea.si.s  it  is  prox  idcd.  liy  section  7  of  the  same  act,  that  tho 
oll'eiider  xlmll  Ik'  prosecuted  in  any  l",  S.  district  court  of  California  or  Ore- 
ffon,  or  ill  one  of  the  district  courts  of  Wasliington  Ti  rritory.  In  1^7- a  hill 
was  intrtHliici-il  'further  to  pro\  ide  for  the  punishment  of  oirciiees  cum. 
iidtted  in  tilt'  district  of  .Maska.'  l'.  S.  Sni.  Join:,  J,  .'it  ('ninj.  .M  .Vi«.,  4(K>-I. 
And  one  in  the  same  \ ear 'authori/iii^' the  secretary  of  t'.ie  interior  to  fako 
jurisdiction  over  the  people  of  Alaska  called  liidiuuij,  and  fur  ulliur  purposes.' 
Jloute  Jour.,  4~''l  ^'oA'j. -'d  St"*.,  iMi. 


•k 


606 


AL-\SKA  AS  A  UNITED  STAT::S  COLONY. 


ceded  territ(H'v  were  ndniitfed  to  tlio  eniovinent  of  all 
tlie  ri'^dits,  advantaj^es,  and  iniinunitios  of  citizen.s  of 
the  I'liited  States." 

What  shall  we  do  with  Alaska?  was  one  of  the  first 
questions  asked  after  the  transfer  of  the  territory — 
make  ttf  it  a  penal  colony  ^^^  Perhaps  it  had  heen 
better  so.  At  no  period  in  the  annals  of  Alaska  were 
then>  so  many  Indian  enientes  as  durini^the  few  years 
of  the  niilitarv  oecuj»ation;  at  no  j)oriod  were  lust, 
theft,  and  drunkeiniess  more  prevalent  among  Indians 
an<I  white  persons  alike.  After  the  withdrawal  of  the 
trooj>s,  in  June  1877,^  disturbances  among  the  na- 
tives became  fewer  in  mimber  and  less  serious  in  char- 
acter, and  it  is  probable  that  many  lives  would  have 
been  saved  if  no  United  States  soldier  had  ever  set 
foot  in  the  territory. 

"  I  am  comjielled  to  say,"  writes  William  S.  Dodge, 
collector  of  rustoms,  to  A'^incent  (\)lyer,  sj)ecial  In- 
dian commissioner,  in  IMOU,  "that  the  conduct  of  cer- 
tain military  and  naval  olHcers  and  soldiers  has  been 
I>ad  and  demoralizing  in  the  extreme:  not  oidy  con- 
taminating the  Indians,  but  in  fact  demoralizing  and 
UKikiiig  the  inhabitants  of  Sitka  what  Dante  charac- 
terized Italy — 'A  grajid  house  of  ill-fame.'  I  H[)eak 
only  of  tilings  as  seen  and  IVlt  at  Sitka. 

"  Fir.st.  The  demoralizing  inlluence  originated  in  the 
fact  that  the  -'arrison  was  located  in  the  heart  of  the 
town. 

"Secondly.  The  great  mass  of  the  Holdiers  were 
either  desperate  or  very  innnoial  men. 

"Thirdly.  Some  of  the  otHci-rs  <lid  not  carr}'  out 
military  disei[)line  in  that  just  way  whi<'h  the  regula- 

•'Tlic  (|iK'stiijii  was  8tM-i(Hi8ly  nirM)teil  liy  XonUiolF,  in  a  iimj,'azinc  articlu 
rntitlf4  'What  shall  \vi>  i|i>  with  Scni>.';,'s?  Sfnij,'j.'s  is  tlui  Aiiii-i-icuu  (iinx'^ 
bal)V;'  niul  l)V  i-ertaiii  of  the  Sun  Fraiirisoi    aixl  Sucraiiieiito  papfi's. 

"f.V,,.  lirtlim,  JJ<i't.  I'ril.,  May  'i;*,  |S77.  In  AV/./.  .SV.'.  MVm-,  I.,  ,;;/A 
CoH'i.  1-t  .SV*«.,  47,  tiic  HtutiMiiunt  HJiow.s  4(1  iiiimi  at  Fort  Wraiif^'cll,  aii'l 
ill  /'/.,  \'24,  it  is  iii<-iitii)iu>il  tliat  L'iini|)aiiii'.s  F  and  I.  of  the  fourth  artilii'iy 
wen,'  Htationcil  at  Sjika.  It  is  worthy  of  leinark  that  the  si'dvlary,  whilf 
vtatiiig  that  thin-  was  an  iinin'ovcnifiit  in  tlu;  inonilo  of  the  army,  Ha,\s  lliat 
out  of  a  fill"'  of  'J.'t.iKK)  tiif  mimljcT  of  deserters  in  lb74-ii  was  'J,  100  less 
tluui  iluriuj;  the  i)reviuus  year. 


TREATMENT  OF  NATrV'ES, 


W7 


tions  contemplate.  Tlioy  gave  too  great  license  to 
bad  men;  and  the  deepest  evil  to  all,  and  out  of  wliieh 
other  great  evils  resulted,  was  an  indiscriminate!  pass 
system  at  night.  Many  has  been  the  niglit  when  sol- 
diers have  taken  possession  of  a  Russian  house,  and 
frightened  and  hrowhi-aten  tin;  women  into  com[>liai)ce 
with  tiieir  lustful  passions. 

"Many  is  the  night  1  have  lu>en  railed  upon  after 
midnight,  by  men  and  women,  llussian  and  Aleutian, 
in  their  night-clothes,  to  protect  them  against  the 
njalice  of  the  sokhers.  Jn  instances  where  the  guilty 
parties  could  be  recognized,  they  Iwive  been  punislied; 
but  generally  they  liavc^  not  been  recognized,  and 
thereft>re  escaped  punishment. 

"Fourthly.  The  conduct  of  some  f>f  the  officers 
has  been  so  demoralizing  that  it  was  next  to  impossi- 
ble to  keep  discipline  among  the  soldiers. ..  .OtHeers 
have  carried  on  with  the  same  high  liaiid  among  the 
Russian  people;  and  were  the  testimony  ol Ciiizens  t(> 
be  taken,  many  instances  of  real  infamy  and  wrongs 
would  e(jme  to  liyfht. 

"  For  a  louij  time  some  of  the  officers  drank  ini- 
moderately  of  liipior,  and  it  is  telling  the  simpli!  trutli 
when  I  say  that  one  or  two  <»f  tliem  have  been  drunk 
for  a  week  at  a  time.  Tiie  soldiers  saw  this,  the  Ind- 
ians saw  it;  and  as  'ayas  tyhus,'  or  'big  chiefs,'  as 
they  called  the  officers,  (bank,  they  tliought  that  they 
t(»o  nuist  gi't  intoxicated.  Then  came  the  distrust  of 
American  justice  when  tlii'V  found  themselves  in  the 
guanl-house,  but  never  saw  the  officers  in  when  in  a 
like  condition.""'* 


'  I 


li^      !l» 


I 

I 


**Src.  nf  Interior  Itept.,  ,'/t-4  Coixj.  2d  Spah.,  10,'{0-I,  whoro  it  is  stiitoil 
that  witiiin  six  riioiitliH  after  tlio  niTival  of  tlu!  troops  at  Sitka  nearly  iiic  wirtio 
Sitka  trilto,  soino  l.'J(K)  in  ininilH'r,  wi-ro  siill'i-riiij,'  from  vfiu'rca!  <liseasr;i. 
It  in  prolmitio,  liowcvi-r,  timt  must  of  tlicni  liad  snuii  iliscaHfH  lonj{  I"I'.>i"l' a 
Uiiiti'd  Stntt'8  8olilii>r  set  foot  in  tliu  tt-rritory.  (^)lyc'l•  nniiariiM:  '  I  liavo 
B{Miki-ii  of  tiic  ill  cfiec-tHof  tlio  iioiir  iiroximity  of  Holdicis  to  tlio  liuliaii  villa>,'fH, 
ami  of  tlio  ilumomli/.in^'  ftli'i-tH  upon  lM>tl>.  It  in  tlio  fuinio  in  ail  Intliait  i-oiin- 
tries.  It  appears  to  ln!  worse  uvro.  Iiccauso  iiioris  iicucn.'sH.  Nowlicro  I'lso 
that  I  luiTu  visitftl  is  tliu  nligohito  iisclvHHni-xH  of  si-lilirrH  ho  npparcnt  as  in 
Alaska. .  ..TliusoldiorH  will  liavn  whiskey,  ami  tli(>  Indians  are  (Mpially  fonil  of 
it.    TLu  froo  usp  of  thin  l>y  both  soldiers  und  ludium*,  toguthi-r  with  thu  other 


I    t 


COS 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 


i 


"All  ifKort  is  hfluL^  iiuulc  to  have  tlio  military  re- 
turn to  Alas!:a,"  writes  the  Ue))utv  collector  of  cus- 
toms from  Fort  Wraiiijjell,  in  October  1877,  "and  in 
the  name  of  humanitvaml  conunon  sense  I  ask,  What 
forJ  Is  it  f<)r  the  hest  interests  of  tht?  territory  that 
they  should  return  ?  L()ok  at  the  jiast  for  an  answer. 
\\  henever  did  thev  do  anvthiui;  for  tiie  country  or 
the  |)eoj»le  in  it  that  deserves  [)raise  i  Did  they  en- 
coiiraLfe  enterprise  and  assist  in  the  developint*  of  the 
rososirees  of  the  country  i  No!  It  stands  recorded 
thp»t  tliv'v  foik'd  the  develo|>ing  of  it,  and  j)laced  re- 
strictions on  enterprise  and  improvements.  Did  tiny 
Sf'ek  the  (^'idiLchtemnent  of  the  Indian,  and  endeavor 
vo  rlfvale  him  to  a  hii^iier  moral  standard  i  On  this 
point  let  the  Indians  themselves  testily."*' 

Tlu're  were  in  1805)  five  hundred  st)!diers  stationed 
in  Alaska,  while  it  was  admitted  hy  many  of  the  otli- 
•ers  that  two  hundred  were  sullicient,  and  it  had  al- 
ready heconie  ;j|)parent  to  civilians  that  none  were 
really  needed.  In  a  country  where  there  are  few 
roads,  and  v.h»'re  communication  is  ahnost  entirely  l»y 
water,  three  or  four  rt'vrmie  cutLers  and  the  [)resenc('or 
a  sinulf  war-vessel  would  have  jirevented  snm^i^lin:^' 
and  lawlessness  far  more  etfectually  than  any  force  of 
troops.*' 

delmm-ln'ries  Iwtwoon  them,  rapiilly  ilomomlizos  l»oth.'  Rr/it.  I  ml.  Aiyitlrs, 
18(il),  ."M(i.  Ill  IS4»;i  wiiiu-  »:ililit'rs  wiTo  ilniiiiiii<'<l  out  of  tlu'  sorviii'  fur 
ri)lil)iiiu'  <'«'  (Inck  i-liiifili  at  Sitk:-.,  and  fur  otlirr  ciiiiicH.  Iil.,  TmT.  I'm' 
furtluT  tliouijli  lf».*  roliiililt!  ih-tiiiis  an  to  tlio  iiiUcumluct  (if  tlio  inilitiiry.  sco 
lltiiii r'i'iriiilii'ii  Srrei/i  Jt'uil;  i,  |i,(s.-4iiii, 

'■' Li'ttor  to  i'il;lit  S'tiniil   .l;-;//(--.  I'llhlisllO"!   Nov.  'J.'i,   IS77,  of  wliicli  tlieltl 

ia  a  i;o|iy  in  Morri-'*  Itrpf.,  app.  |."i:t.  A  statoiiu'iit  as  ti  tin-  ivsnltof  iiiil'tary 
mil'  in  (,'ivrn  liy  tliri'f  iliirf.-t  aiiioii^'  tin-  Wraiijicll  Iiuliaiis. 

'•Captain  \Viiitf,  in  a  letter  to  the  Mccrctaiy  of  tin;  troaauiy,  remarks; 
'  From  my  own  |)erHoiial  olisiM\atioii  and  the  experieiue  (.'aiiied  in  my  fonin  r 
crui-.e  to  this  portion  of  AliNUa,  emlM-aein,'  the  waters  of  the  AK'vaii'l'i.  u 
Arehi|  elav'o,  uii>l  extending,'  li<:m  latitiidu  N.  Tit  40'  to  latitiidi'  N.  (i<)'.  I  ha"  o 
no  hi-.-iilation  in  reniK-otluIly  statim^tliat  evi'ii  for  armed  vessels  of  tiiedei-prst 
ilraii-iht  theiv  is  no  'itliciitty  in  appnNichin^r,  witiiin  I'asy  ^ilK■lllllf5  diwtanee,  :iiiy 
of  the  vill:iu'es  anil  eomptetelydestroyinfr  them.'  .l/orr/x"^ /iV/zor',  Ahislo,  lli'.t. 
Moi  ri;!.  is  of  opinion  tli.-tt  ves.sels  iiiteiiileil  to  lie  permanently  stationed  on  tlio 
coast  of  Aiaiika  tdioiild  Ih>  of  not  less  than  r>()0  toim  Imnlen;  hnt,  as  Wliite  re- 
marks, a  small  vessel  pro|N'rly  armed  and  eipiipped  eoiild  aeeomplish  all  that 
a  lar;{er  and  niore  heavily  ariiH'd  one  eonld,  with  the  added  iidvanta(,'e  ol  ee- 
Icrity  of  movement  and  <|niekness  of  evolution,  (hi  the  withclrawal  of  tho 
troups  in  1877  tliiec  ruvunuo  ciitturM  wci'u  atutiunud  in  Alaska. 


CONDITION  OP  THE  PEOPLE. 


609 


Xotwithstantling  all  that  lias  been  said  against  the 
regime  of  the  Russian  American  Company,  it  must 
he  admitted  that  there  were  more  troubles  with  the 
natives  in  the  ten  years  during  which  American  troops 
wei-e  stationed  in  Alaska  than  in  any  decade  of  the 
llussian  occupation. 

"When  the  territory  was  transferred  to  tiie  United 
States,"  writes  Bryant,  "the  natives  had  no  knowl- 
edge of  the  people  with  whom  they  were  to  deal;  an<l 
having  been  prejudiced  hy  the  parties  then  residing 
among  them,  some  of  the  more  warlike  chiefs  were  in 
I'avor  of  driving  out  the  'Boston  men,'  as  they  termed 
'.IS."  3'  The  discontent  arose,  not  from  any  antagonism 
to  the  Americans,  but  from  the  fact  that  the  territory 
had  been  sold  without  their  consent,  and  that  they 
had  received  none  of  the  proceeds  of  the  sale.  The 
llussians,  they  argued,  had  been  allowed  to  occupy 
the  territory  partly  for  mutual  benefit,  but  their  fore- 
fatl»ers  had  dwelt  in  Alaska  lonijf  before  anv  white 
man  had  set  foot  in  Aiuerica.  Why  had  not  the 
6^7,200,000  been  paid  to  them  instead  of  to  the  Rus- 
sians? 

But  long  before  the  purchase,  as  the  reader  will 
remember,  the  natives  received  better  prices  I'uv  their 
pi'ltry  from  the  Americans  than  from  tlu;  Russians, 
and  when  it  was  found,  after  the  tninsfi'V,  iliat  still 
higlier  rates  and  greatt^r  variety  of  products  ct)ul(l  he 
<tl>tainetl,  their  anti[)athy  raj)itliy  disappeared.  Thus 
for  a  time  there  was  m*  dilliculty;  .VUuit  and  Thlin- 
kcet  became  I'riends  of  the  'Boston  men,'"'"  and  so  it 
might  Iiave  contiiuuMl  but  for  an  untoward  in<-i(icnt. 

On  New-Year's  day,  ib(i'.),  a  Cliiliiat  chief,'"  Chol- 

*^  P.njanVH  Repf.,  14. 

'"Till'  U.  S.  military  forco  sent  to  Cool;  lulci  in  18(58  was  instructoil  to 
'licware  of  tlio  northern  lu'liaiis  n"  savage,  ii.uelieroiis,  uiul  wailik''.' 
'J'liat  clianioter  the  natives  of  Cook  Inlet  ilo  not  ileaeivo.  The  tn>o))s  I'oiiii  1 
them  tnithful,  hy  no  nu'an>i  w.iriiko  thoiij^h  (.'oo.l  hunters,  and  '  lievcs  ruly 
nn  l(^r  gnat  teniptJttion.  When  the  soldierd  were  Nhipwn^oked  ami  at  tlnir 
nierey,  they  ilid  not  steal  I'immi  them,  imt  caught  lisli  for  their  subsiisten^e. 
Wnihf'^  ( \,fk  liiitt,  (m. 
■  "Tho  CI  ■II  ats  uri!  .i  Thlinktct  tribo. 

Uitt.    Vlas.U.     UU 


1-    i 


CIO 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 


clicka  by  name,  was  invited  to  dinner  l>y  Coiicral 
I>i\is,  tlicn  ill  command  of  tlio  district.  After  ihnw^ 
ample  justice  to  the  j^eiieral's  hospitality,  lie  was  pre- 
sented with  two  bottles  of  American  whiskev,  and  on 
takinij  bis  leave,  felt  that  be  was  not  only  (!veiy 
inch  a  chief,  but  us  good  and  great  a  man  as  an}'  who 
claimed  possession  of  bis  country.  On  reaching  tlio 
foot  of  the  castle  stairs,  attired  in  a  cast-off  army  uii- 
Ibiin,  and  witb  bottles  in  band,  be  stalked  ma  jest  i- 
cally  across  the  part  of  the  [)arade-ground  rescivcij 
for  otKcers,  and  was  challenged  by  the  sentry.  Igimr- 
i»ig  such  ])altry  presence,  Cholcheka  went  on  his  \v;iy 
toward  the  stockade,  at  the  gate  »)f  which  was  a 
second  sentry,  and  refusing  to  turn  back,  be  receive! 
a  kick  as  be  passed  out.  Now  a  kick  to  a  Chilk.it 
cliief,  and  es[)ecially  to  one  who  dons  the  Unite! 
States  uniform,  has  just  dined  witb  the  general  in 
<'onnnand,  and  has  a  bottle  of  whiskey  in  each  bani!, 
is  a  sore  indignity.  Witb  the  aid  of  one  Sitka  daik, 
tlieii  a  well  known  character  among  the  townsfolk,  lie 
wrested  the  rilKr  from  the  soldier's  grasp,  ami  enteied 
the  Indian  village  close  at  baml. 

'Flu;  guard  was  at  onci^  turned  out,  an<l  "ordered," 
writes  J)avis  in  his  re|)ort  of  January  f),  isni),  "to 
follow  bim  into  the  village,  and  arrest  bini  and  Iiis 
party.  ]ie  resisted  by  op<'iiinga  lire  upon  the  guar  1. 
The  guai'd  returned  it,  out  finding  tlu;  Indians  too 
str(»ng  I'or  them,  ii'treated  back  into  thegarrison.  As 
the  cliief  himself  was  reported  probably  killed  in  tin; 
melee,  and  tlie  whole  trihe  of  Sitkas,  among  whom  he 
was  staying,  was  thrown  into  a  gr(>at  state  of  excite- 
ment, 1  tliouglit  it  prudent  to  order  a  strong  guard 
out  lor  ilie  night,  and  to  take  no  fui'tlier  acition  until 
morning,  as  the  niglit  was  very  <lark,  thus  giviiijf 
them  time  to  reflect. 

"I  called  the  principal  Sitka  chiefs  together,  add 
they  disclaimed  any  jiarticipation  in  the  alliiif,  ;iiid 
said  they  did  not  desire  to  fight  (Mther  the  tvoo[);s  or 
the  Chilkahts,  and  that  they  bad  already  boisted  white 


CHOLCIIEKA'S  WIIOXGS. 


eii 


i1;i.j«  ov(>r  tlu'ir  ('ivl)ins.  I  tlion  (li'tnandcil  tlic  siirivii- 
(lur  of  the  Chilkahtrhief,  wlu),  after  coiisiduraML'  drlay 
aiul  some  sliow  of  fii^ht  on  tlio  part  of  about  fifty  ot 
liis  warriors,  came  in  and  j^avo  liiniself  up.  A  few 
liiiiiutes'  talk  with  hiui  sufficed  to  convince  me  that  he 
was  bent  on  war,  and  I  would  have  had  to  lii^lit  hut 
f  >r  the  Sitkas  refusiu'j:  to  join  in  his  desi«rn.  I  cKn- 
lined  him  and  his  principal  confederates  in  tlie  L,niard- 
house,  where  he  still  remain^ 


10 


In  a  few  days  Choleheka  and  his  party  were  lih- 
crated,  and  here  it  was  siipposcsd  tlu;  niattei'  w<)ull 
I  lid;  but,  as  it  j)roved,  this,  the  iirst  dillicidtv  bctwt'eu 
the  Indians  and  the  military,  was  frauiLjht  with  evil 
consequences,  and  all  on  account  of  a  United  States 
j;cneral  niakiui;-  an  Indian  drunk,  and  then  havinn"  two 
f  his  people  killed.      And  this  from  his  <>wi!  showiiiLC", 


VvO  never  hear  the  other  side  of  these  storit 

I) 


On 


the  iZ.Mh  of  Deceinbi-r  last,"  continues  J^avis,  mi 
report  dated  ^farch  J),  IHCiD,  "a  couple  of  whits 
m(>n,  named  ]\[aa!:^('r  and  Walker,  hit  Sitka  in  a 
small  boat  on  a  tra(hn;,' e.\[>edition  inC'hatliam  Si  raits. 
AI)()ut  one  week  after  their  dej>arture  the  <lilli('uliy 
between  the  (Millcot  chief  and  a  few  of  his  fol- 
h)wers  occurred  at  this  place,  as  heretofore  reported. 
It  appears  that  duiinuf  this  dilliculty  a  |>arty  of 
ei'^ht  Kake  Indians  w.n*  at  the  Sitka  villaiii-  and 
out;  of  them  was  shot  by  a  sciitinil  whii<^  attem[)tin,i; 
to  escape  from  the  vlllaL^e  in  a  canoe,  c<»ntrary  to  or- 
ders and  Jui  understandiu',^  with  the  junu'cable  portion 
of  the  Indians.  The  parlies  thus  attempting;  to  escape 
were*  run  down  by  small  boats  from  the  S'li/i'iinic  and 
i\\c  revenue  cutter  l*<lmntr,  and  broui^'ht  back.  As 
they  were  unarmed,  they  were  permiit.ed  to  o'o  about 
tlu'Ir  business.     They  remained  some  davs  anionic  the 


Silk 


vas,  ai 


id  after  the  Chilcot  chief  was  restored  to 


'".Vir.  Iiitirior,  1,'rpf.,  .ihl  ('oh.;.  Jil  .sV.w..  lO'JS.  In  his  Ictti-r  to  Viiictnt 
(' >l,Vir,  ilatfcl  Nov.  |0,  lS(ii>,  J)o(l:.;(!  luiyn  that  tlif  KicUiii'.,' was  witiicHHi'il  l>y 
a  little  IfiiMsiiin  trirl.  /</.,  lOKI.  'I'wn  Imliunti  \vi  iv  kiUeil  in  tlio  fr;:y,  jiii'l  one 
goliliur  severely  wouadeil. 


Li 


* 


CH 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLOXV. 


liberty,  it  is  rcportiul  tlicv  trii'il  to  rrr.t  him  to  j  -in 
llic'ia  ill  a  <^'t'iu'ial  tii^lit  ai^ainst  tlio  whites.  From  the 
I'cst  information  I  can  get,  he  deehned  to  do  so.  Tluy 
then  left  for  their  lu>mes,  and  en  route  murdi'it.l 
^liia-'er  and  Walker  in  the  iii(>.st  brutal  manner."*' 

It  was  not  yet  known  to  the  military  authorities, 
or,  it'  it  were,  the  fact  was  ij^nored,  that  anion<^  tlu' 
'I'hlinkeet  tribes,  when  a  member  has  suffered  dcuith 
iv  injury  from  violence,  hii<  comrades  require  payment 
in  money  or  goods,  and  in  default  of  it,  never  fail  to 
letaliate.  The  i)resent  of  a  few  blankets  or  otiur 
Jirti<;les  to  the  relatives  of  those  who  fell  in  the  emeute 
at  Sitka  would  |)robably  have  prevented  the  troubles 
that  ensued,"     It  is  eertnin  that  it  would  at  least  hav(> 

I  111  vented  the  mutilation  and  murder  of  Maager  and 
NValker. 

Davis  had  now,  as  he  thought,  no  alternative. 
][(!  sailed  for  Kou  Island,  the  territory  of  tlie 
Kakes,  on  board  the  Sa(/inaw,  intending  to  obtain 
tlie  surrender  of  the  murderers,  or  to  seize  some  of 
their  chiefs  as  hostages.  On  his  arrival  he  found  that 
lh(!  whole  tribe  had  disappeared,  dreading  the  ven- 
geance that  might  overtake  them;  whereupon  hi'  or- 
dei-ed  their  villa-'es  to  be  razed  to  the  jxround  aiul  all 
lliiir  ])roperty  to  be  destroyed. 

Henceforth  troubles  with  the  Indians  continucil 
throughout  and  after  the  military  occupation.*^     On 

*'  Ann;/  ninl  A'rtiv/  Jour.,  March  1,  ISfiO.  A  copy  of  flcn.  Pavis'  rej>i)rt 
vai  funiialuil  t>  lliis  publicutioii  from  tlio  liwuljiiiirtors  of  tlio  military 
ili\  \M<in  oi  tlic  I'aciliL'. 

"  I'ivo  moiil!::;  after  tlio  c^mcuto  occurred,  a  party  of  ('liilkota  txMirili.l 

II  Vessel,  mill  ileiiiaiuled  iiioiii  y  or  life,  (iuarniity  was  (.'iveii  for  ]>ayuitiit, 
ici'l  (III  the  i'(  filial  of  tliu  eoiiiinaiiilLr  at  iSiikii  to  funiisli  tiio  miiii  agreed  on, 
i;  waH  paiil  liy  tlie  owner,  I'ruiiU  K.  Loutliaa,  a  .Sitka  iiiureliaiit,  who  HuyM,  in 
a  letter  to  Viiueiit  Colyor,  in  IStJ'.t:  '.My  own  cxperitnei)  ha.i  tmij,'ht  mo  that 
an  i:niiii'diatc  Hettlcmoiit  for  any  mortal  or  other  injury  inllietvd  in  this  nio.st 
j  hlieioiit)  eoiirsu  to  iiiirsut)  with  the  Koluuh  liuliuuii.'  Jtr/it.  Jml.  AJ'uir-, 
,l/M/.Yt,  in  Ifr/,/.  liid.  Comm.,  IHCil,  p.  .'>73. 

^•' l'rofeH:;or  1  >a\i(l,i(in  of  the  coast  survey  went  to  the  Chilkat  Hiver  to 
oh-irrvo  the  Hohir  eelinse  on  •Vn.i.'unt  (I,  IStiO.  Hewuswaniid  that  tl:e('!iil- 
lv:lt  ln>liail;4  had  just  fueii  provoked  to  hostility,  hut  did  not  heed  th<!  Wai  ii- 
ilij:,  and  tlio  |>arly  returned  Mufe.  Theohscrvation  wan  iiiuilu  iieiirii  po[iuIo,i:< 
vi!Ia!.;e,  and  wiieu  it  took  phui!  the  Indians  gradually  di.ta|ipeared  ami  fled 
ialo  tho  wuoib  in  sileut  dismay.     They  liiul  uut  buiiovud  l>a\  iUitou's  prvdic- 


his 


KILLIXU  OF  LOW  AX. 


•IS 


ChriHtmns  nijLjht  of  1809  it  wasr({)(>rtt(l  to  the  ofTiivr 
in  coiiiumiul  at  Fort  Wraiij^fcll  tliat  u  Stikceii  naiiird 
Lowaii,  or  Siwau,"  had  bitten  otl'  the  fiu<j('r  of  tho 
wifo  of  the  (luarternuifrter  sergeant.  A  Jetaclmieiit 
uas  sent  to  arrest  him,  in  eluvrge  ot*  Lieutenant  Loueks, 
wlio  states  t!iat  ho  entered  the  Inchan's  liouse  with 
twelve  men,  eight  being  posted  outside,  and  instruc- 
tions given  to  fire  at  a  given  signal.  "  I  ta|»[)ed 
Siwau  on  the  shoulder,"  reports  the  lieutenant,  ".say- 
ing that  I  wanted  him  to  come  with  me.  Ho  arose 
from  his  sitting  posture  and  said  ho  would  put  on  his 
vest;  after  that  ho  wished  to  get  his  coat.  Feeling 
<'onvineed  that  this  was  merely  to  gain  time,  and  that 
he  wished  to  trifle  with  me,  I  began  to  be  more  urgent. 
Siwau  ai)jteared  less  and  less  inelined  to  come  awny 
with  me,  and  in  this  the  latter  part  of  the  parley  he 
became  impudent  and  uionacing  in  raising  his  hands  as 
if  to  strike  mo.  I  admonished  him  against  such 
actions,  and  tried  my  utmost  to  av(*Id  extreme  meas- 
ures in  arresting  him.  About  this  time  Estecn, 
probably  apprehending  datiger  to  his  brother,  Siwau, 
lushed  forward  in  front  of  the  detachment,  extending 
his  arms  theatrically,  and  exclaiming,  as  I  sup[)osevl 
under  the  circumstances,  '  Shoot;  kill  me;  lam  not 
afraid.'  Siwau,  seeing  this,  also  rushed  upon  tlio 
detachment,  endeavoring  to  snatch  a  musket  awiiy 
IVom  one  of  the  men  on  the  right  of  the  detachment. 
Still  wishing  to  avoid  loss  of  life  if  po.ssible,  I  tried  to 
give  him  two  or  three  sabre-cuts  over  the  head  to  stun 
without  killiui;  him.  In  doinuc  this  I  had  given  the 
]>reconcertod  signal,  by  raising  my  hand,  to  fire.  I 
should  judge  about  six  or  tight  shots  were  fired  during 
the  m^loo,  and  only  ceasing  by  the  Indian  Siwau  fail- 
ing at  the  feet  of  the  detachment  doad." 

The  ofiicor  returned  to  his  (juarters  and  dismissc  1 
his  men,   supposing   that  no  further  trouble   would 

tion  the  ilny  boforo,  niul  its  fulliliiifnt  prolwibly  caused  tlic  siifcty  of  tho  parly. 
I!<}il.  ('o<tst  Siin-vii,  I8t>!).  177-'.>. 

"  Buth  uuiuc:^  uru  uwU  ia  thu  oliicial  re|>orttt  ou  thU  mutter. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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2.0 


1.8 


1.25 

1.4       1,6 

■9 6"     

► 

Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporaiioii 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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C14 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLOXY. 


0(!cur;  but  an  hour  later  sliots  -were  heard  from  the 
dircctif)!!  of  the  store  of  the  ])ost-trader,  and  taking 
M'ith  him  a  single  ])rivate,  Loiicks  ran  toward  the  spot. 
On  his  way  he  stumbled  across  an  object  near  tlio 
plank  walk  laid  between  the  store  and  the  garri- 
son quarters.  It  was  the  post-trader's  partner,  Leon 
Smith,  lying  on  his  breast  with  arms  extended,  a  re- 
volver near  his  right  hand,  fourtecen  bullet  wounds 
in  his  left  side  just  below  the  heart,  and  three  in 
the  left  wrist.  A  few  hours  later  ho  died  an  ex- 
tremely painful  death,  and  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
murder  had  been  committed  by  an  Indian  named 
Scutdoo. 

Immediately  after  reveille  Loucks  was  sent  with 
twenty  men  to  demand  the  surrender  of  the  nuir- 
derer;  to  summon  the  chiefs  of  the  tribe  to  the  post, 
and  to  state  that  if  the  culprit  were  'not  delivered  u[) 
at  mid-day  at  latest,  fire  would  be  opened  on  the  Ind- 
ian village  outside  the  stockade.  At  noon  there  wore 
no  indications  that  the  demand  would  be  complied  with, 
but  there  were  very  stroniif  indications  tliat  the  Ind- 
ians  intended  to  fiixlit,'*^  After  consulting  with  his 
fellow-officers  and  waitinij  for  two  hours  more,  in  the 
hope  that  tlie  natives  would  change  their  determina- 
tion. Lieutenant  Borrowc  of  the  second  artillery,  then 
in  connnand, ordered  his  battery  to  open  with  solid  shot 
on  the  murderer's  house.  Several  shot  passed  tlu'ougli 
the  building,  but  the  Indians  maintained  their  posi- 
tion and  returned  the  fire.  Later  a  fusillade  was  opened 
by  the  Indians  from  the  hills  in  rear  of  the  post,  but 
being  answered  with  canister,  they  quickly  dispersed. 

Firing  was  continued  on  both  sides  until  dark.  "The 
next  morning,  just  at  daybreak,"  reports  Borrowc, 
"they  opened  on  the  garrison  from  the  ranch  with 
musketry,  which  was  immediately  replied  to,  and  see- 
ing that  they  were  determined  not  only  to  resist,  but 


*^  Some  of  thorn  were  obsorvod  crvrryiii'T  aw.'iy  tlicir  poods  to  .n  place  of 
E.ifcty.  Lkutcnatil  Uorrowe's  lici  in  Sen.  Ex.  Doc,  41st  Vuiiij.  Jd  Sin.<,,  no. 
07. 


BORROWE'S  ACHIEVEMENTS. 


G15 


had  become  the  assailants,  I  resolved  to  shell  them, 
but  having  only  solid  shot  for  the  six-pounder,  and  the 
distance  being  too  great  for  canister,  I  still  continued 
the  fire  from  that  gun  with  shot  and  from  the  moun- 
tain howitzer  with  shell." 

Durinfj  the  afternoon  mcssenfjers  were  sent  under  a 
flag  of  truce  to  request  a  parley.  The  reply  was,  that 
until  the  murderer  was  surrendered  "  talk  was  useless." 
"  Soon  after,"  continues  Borrowo,  "  the  chiefs  were 
seen  coming  over,  and  a  party  behind  them  with  the 
murderer,  who  was  easily  recognized  by  his  dress. 
Just  as  they  were  leaving  the  ranch  a  scuffle,  ev- 
idently prearranged,  took  place,  and  the  prisoner  es- 
caped, and  was  seen  making  for  the  bush,' no  attempt 
to  rearrest  him  being  made."  On  arriving  at  the  post 
the  chiefs  were  informed  that  if  Scutdoo  w.;ve  not  de- 
livered up  before  six  o'clock  the  next  evening  their 
village  and  its  occupants  would  be  destroyed.  At 
nine  p.  m.  on  the  26th  the  murderer  was  surrendered; 
on  tlie  28th  he  was  tried  by  court-martial,  and  at  noon 
on  the  following  day  he  was  hanged.*" 

The  prompt  action  of  Lieutenant  Borrowc  was  ap- 
proved by  General  Davis,  but  it  would  appear  that  the 
matter  might  have  been  settled  without  the  nuirder 
of  an  Indian,  a  white  man,  and  the  bombardment  of 
an  Indian  village,  especially  as  the  general  admits  that 
Siwau  was  drunk  when  he  bit  off  the  woman's  finger. 
This  skilful  and  gentlemardy  performance  of  the 
lieutenant,  who  with  twenty  armed  men  could  not 
arrest  a  drunken  and  defenceless  Indian  without  first 
cutting  him  on  the  head  with  a  sabre,  and  tlien  allowing 
him  to  be  shot,  was  a  fitting  su[)plement  to  that  of  his 
general.  The  killing  of  Siwau  was  no  less  a  murder 
than  was  the  assassination  of  the  white  man.  For  tliat 
murder  vengeance  nmst  be  taken,  in  accordance  with 
Indian  notions  of  justice,  and  the  post-trader's  assassi- 

^'■'A  full  report  of  the  iiffair  at  Fort  Wraiigcll  is  coiitivincd  in  /'/.,  tin;  re- 
port <if  Lieutenant  Loiicks  which  follows,  and  the  i>roc'(jLdiug.i  of  llie  (.uurt- 
luurtiul  whiuii  urc  appended. 


■.'< 


616 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITliD  STATES  COLONY. 


ii 


nation  was  the  act  of  vengeance  as  inflicted  by  Scutdoo. 
After  listening  with  perfect  cahnness  to  his  sentence, 
the  prisoner  exclaimed,  "Very  well,"  and  said  that "  he 
would  see  Mr  Smith  in  the  other  world,  and,  as  it 
were,  explain  to  him  how  it  all  happened;  that  he  did 
not  intend  to  kill  him  particularly;  had  it  been  any 
one  else,  it  would  have  been  all  the  same."*^ 

There  is  abundant  testimony  as  to  the  peaceful 
character  of  the  Indians  at  Fort  Wrangell.  Leon 
Smith  himself  says,  in  a  letter  to  Vincent  Colyer, 
Avritten  about  three  months  before  his  death,  "I  liavo 
found  them  to  be  quiet,  and  they  seem  well  disposed 
toward  the  whites;"  and  in  the  same  letter  remarks 
that  "the  Stick  (Stikeen)*^  tribe  are  a  very  honest 
tribe,  and  partial  to  the  whites."  These  statements 
are  indorsed  by  others.  Moreover,  from  the  reports  of 
several  reliable  witnesses  it  appears  that  the  Wrangell 
Indians  were  far  more  industrious,  if  not  more  intel- 
ligent, than  the  United  States  soldiers.*" 

From  the  official  reports  of  the  officers  in  conmiand 
at  Sitka  and  Fort  Wrangell,  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
conduct  of  the  troops  was  sufficiently  atrocious,  and 
of  course  they  put  the  matter  in  its  most  favorable 
light.  "If,"  writes  the  Christian  missionary  society's 
superintendent  of  Indian  missions'^*'  to  Vincent  Colyer, 
iu  1870,  "the  United  States  government  did  but 
know  half,  I  am  sure  they  would  shrink  from  being 
identified  with  such  abominations,  and  the  cause  of 
so  much  misery.  I  hope  and  pray  that  in  God's  good 
providence  the  soldiers  will  be  moved  away  from  Fort 


"  See  rcjiort  of  procccdinga  of  conrt-martinl.  Scutdoo  admitted  that  he 
was  tho  murderer,  nnd  was  identified  by  the  chiefs. 

*^  A  Tlilinkeet  tribe.  TIio  word  is  various'y  spelled.  For  tlie  location  of 
the  tiibc,  see  my  Native  I'acen,  i.  90,  143. 

** '  The  majority  of  these  Indiana  are  very  industrious,  and  are  nhv.iy-i 
onxioustogcteinploynicnt,' writes  \V.  Wall,  interpreter  at  Wrangoll.  'Tlity 
aro  of  a  very  superior  intelligence,'  saya  William  S.  Dodge,  collector  of  cus- 
toms. Col i/er\H  lif))t.,  al^l).  D. 

'"Tiio  Rev.  W.  Duncan,  supciintendent  in  British  Columbia,  near  tlie 
boundary  lino  of  Alaska.  Id.,  p.  10. 


OUTRAGES. 


017 


Tongas  and  Fort  Wrangel,  where  there  arc  no  whites 
to  protect.  "^^ 

It  is  unnoecssafy  to  relate  in  detail  all  the  outrages 
that  called  forth  this  well  deserved  remark  and  justi- 
fied it  in  later  years.  I  will  mention  only  three 
instances.  At  Sitka,  a  Chilkat  was  deliberatc.^ly 
shot  dead  by  a  civilian  in  18G'J  for  breaking  the 
glass  of  a  show-case ;'''  three  were  wounded  in  1872 
by  United  States  soldiers  in  an  affra,y  caused  by  the 


^'  Tho  supci  in  ;en(lcnt  is  wrong  on  this  point.  Tliere  was  a  small  number 
of  white  people  at  each  of  tliesc  posts. 

'^  I'robably  l)y  Jaiiu!!j  C.  I'arker,  an  eniployco  of  tho  post-trader.  Parker 
was  tried  by  a  court-martial.  The  iinding  of  the  court  was,  tliat  'after  a 
careful  examination  of  tho  witnesses  wlio  liavc  been  called  before  the  l)card, 
the  board  has  not  been  able  to  determine,  further  than  throuiu'h  tho  inferences 
of  circumstantial  evidence,  who  shot  tlic  Chilkat  Indian.  Tiie  circumstan- 
tial evidence  points  to  an  employee  of  the  post-trader,  Mr  I'arkcr,  as  tlio 
person  who  did  tho  shooting;  the  breaking  of  a  show-case  for  the  pur))o.so  of 
stealing  being,  as  far  as  tho  board  can  determine,  the  circumstance  which  led 
to  the  shooting,  and  the  board  is  of  the  opinion  that  if  there  were  no  moro 
reasons  for  shooting  than  those  brought  out  in  evidence,  the  act  was  nub 
justifiable.'  Tlie  evidence  was  at  least  such  as  would  have  enilaii'rercd  Par- 
ker's neck  if  he  had  been  living  in  British  Columbia.  Colonel  W.  I[.  Den- 
luson,  then  in  command  of  the  post,  testified:  'I  was  in  tlie  sutler's  [post- 
trader's]  store  ttt  about  4  o'clock  in  tho  afternoon.  Mr  Parkei",  wlio  is  em- 
ployed in  tho  store,  came  in  very  much  excited,  and  asked  Mr  Soutiian  ftlio 
sutler]  where  liis  rillc  was.  Mr  8ou than  asked  Mr  Parker  to  the  jiurport  as 
to  whether  he  had  seen  tlie  Indian.  Mr  Parker  replied  tliat  he  had.  Whiio 
Mr  Parker  was  looking  around  for  tho  rille  and  changing  Iiis  siioes,  MrSoutiiaii 
told  him  two  or  three  times  not  to  take  tho  rille.  Some  one  else  sitting  by 
tlie  stove  told  Mr  Parker  to  tak"  the  pistol  instead  of  tho  rille.  Mr  Parker 
t^aid  the  pistol  was  not  sure  enough ;  "lam  going  to  take  the  rille  to  bring  tlio 
Indian  back."  Ho  took  the  Henry  rille,  went  out  of  the  front  door,  and 
walked  up  toward  the  Indian  market-house,  and  came  liack  in  about  ten  min- 
utes. Mr  Southan  asked  him  if  he  had  gotten  the  Indian.  Mr  Parker  replied 
that  "  that  was  a  very  hard  (|uestion  to  ask  a  man."  '  When  asked  whether,  as 
commanding  oQiccr,  he  had  taken  any  action  in  the  case,  tiie  colonel  answered: 
'I  took  none  more  than  to  investigate  and  satisfy  myself  that  no  sohlier  of 
my  command  was  engaged  in  the  shooting.'  Soutiian  stated  tliat  the  damago 
to  tiic  sliow-caso  was  trilling,  and  tliat  Parker  asked  for  the  rille,  siiyiug  that 
lie  was  in  pursuit  of  the  Indian  wlio  had  ))rokcn  the  show-case  wimlow. 
Private  John  McKeuzio  testified  that  tlicrc  was  no  one  witli  Parker  at  tho 
time,  private  Alonzo  Ramsey,  that  lie  saw  Parker  chaso  tho  Indian,  return 
to  tlie  store  for  the  rifle,  go  outside  the  stockade,  and  disapjicar  lichind  a 
neighl)oring  liill  near  tlio  Greek  church.  A  few  minutes  later  Uamsoy  heard 
three  shots  fircil,  and  from  tho  direction  of  tlio  smoke  supposed  that  Parker 
had  discharged  liis  gun.  Inimciliately  after  the  shooting  the  Indian  stated 
to  his  brother  tliat  the  shots  wero  fired  nt  liim  by  Parker  in  rear  of  tho 
(i reek  church,  on  the  hill  near  the  stockade.  Sec.  litlcrior  I'ejit.,  /^luf  Coinf. 
Sil  Srss.,  npp.  R,  1047.  A  few  weeks  before  this  incident,  Lieutunant  Cowan 
of  tho  revenue  service  was  sliot  dead  in  a  saloon  by  a  discharged  soldier. 
The  bullet  was  intended  for  Colonel  Dcnniaon,  who  was  with  Cowan  at  tho 
timo. 


ill 


Wii 


C18 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 


accidental  breaking  of  an  egg;''^  and  an  Indian  cliief, 
bein'j:  sent  on  board  a  steamer  from  Fort  Wranijell  in 
1875,  as  a  witness  against  some  nnlitary  |)risoners,met 
with  such  ill  usai»'e  that  lie  cut  his  throat,  his  servant 
afterward  attempting  to  blow  up  the  steamer  by 
tluxnving  a  large  can  of  powder  into  one  of  the  fur- 
naces, and  his  tribe  threatening  war  on  hearing  of 
their  chiefs  suicide. 

After  the  witlidrawal  of  the  troops  there  was  no 
power  or  authority  in  the  land  to  jninisli  wrong-doers, 
and  a  serious  outbreak  was  of  course  anticipated;  but 
none  occurred.  In  August  1877  there  were  at  most 
but  fifteen  American  citizens  and  five  Russians  re- 
maining at  Sitka,  with  their  wives  and  families,  at 
the  merc}^  of  tlie  liundreds  of  Kolosh  who  inhabited 
the  adjoining  village.  They  were  in  hourly  fear  of 
their  lives,  as  they  saw  drunken  men  staggering  past 
their  residences  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  niglit;  but 
that  for  two  years  at  least,  the  Indians  caused  farther 
trouble,  apart  from  being  noisy,  boisterous,  sometimes 
insolent,  sometimes  guilty  of  petty  tl.eft,  and  always 
drunk  when  they  could  obtain  liquor,  there  is  no 
evidence.  Much  indignation  was  expressed  by  the 
newspapers  of  the  Pacific  coast  as  to  the  indifferenco 
Vv'itli  which  a  handful  of  loafers  and  office-seeking  poli- 
ticians— American  citizens  they  were  called — were 
abandoned  to  their  fate."*  In  a  San  Francisco  pub- 
lication issued  November  2,  1877,  it  is  even  stated 
that  the  timely  arrival  of  a  revenue  cutter  alone  saved 
Sitka  from  demolition  and  the  white  population  from 


^'  Two  soldiers  were  bargaining  with  an  Indian  woman  for  a  basket  of 
eg,c;s,  and  broke  one  of  tlien\  tar  which  the  woman  (k'nianded  payment.  A 
sciilllc  followed,  and  soon  the  trilo  gathered  in  the  parudc-groiuul.  One  of 
them  h^hot  at  tlie  sentry,  whereupon  the  troops  were  put  iiiidi.'r  ariua.  Akiaki 
VAc;-..  JulyJ-l,  1S72;  Portland  Bull.,  July  1,">,  ISTi;  .S'.  F.  liidklin,  August 
1,  1872. 

^' Among  others,  see  the  S.  F.  Diilh'tin,  Sept.  '2X,  1S77,  Get.  30.  1.S77, 
Jan.  22,  1S7S;  Chronicle,  Oct.  .31,  1877,  Jan.  20,  1878;  Vail,  Jan.  23,  1878. 
Ill  the  iSVtj;  Fruiicisco  Po!<f,  October  31,  1877,  it  ia  justly  remarked  that  '  the 
cLuuorfor  troops  to  hold  the  Indians  in  cheek  is  a  j^lialluw  pretext,  prompteil 
liy  a  dozen  contractora,  and  the  ajj^cata  of  u  steamship  lino  that  has  lost  iU 
traiiic' 


OFFICIAL  REPOKTS. 


ei9 


slauglitcr;  but  now  lot  us  lioar  the  ofKcial  reports  of 
the  leveiiuc  officers  themselves  ou  this  matter. 

Captain  White  of  the  Corw'ui,  ordered  to  Sitka 
soon  after  the  withdrawal  of  the  military,  wi'ites,  ou 
Aui^ust  12,  1877:  "After  diligent  inquiries  and  care- 
ful observation  since  our  arrival  here,  I  have  n»)t  dis- 
covered any  breach  of  the  public  peace,  nor  has  my 
attention  been  called  to  any  particular  act,  save  a  few 
petty  trespasses  committed  by  the  Indians,  half- 
breeds,  and  white  men  as  well."'"' 

In  September  of  this  year  there  was  much  needless 
alarm  at  Sitka.  It  was  reported  that  Sitka  Jack, 
then  tiic  chief  of  his  tribe,  had  invited  a  large  number 
of  the  Kolosh  from  the  districts  north  of  the  ca[)ital 
to  be  present  at  a  grand  festival  which  was  to  com- 
Tiience  on  the  1st  of  October.  Liquor  would  of  course 
llov/  plentifully,  and  it  was  feared  that  the  festival 


''  2rorr'i''8  liCpt.,  Iii7.  The  vessel  was  sent  at  tlxo  request  of  Mnjor  Eerry, 
Cillcctor  of  custonis,  ami  William  Gouvoriiciir  !Morris,  special  a.,"jnt  of  tlio 
treasury  departiiiciU,  ami  .lutlior  of  the  report.  The  cruise  of  the  Conriii  in 
Ala  k;'.  and  the  X.  \V.  Arctic  in  1881,  as  nlated,  JfoKxe  Ex.  Dor.  (publi-shed 
i  1  Kcparato  form,  Washiiij^ton,  1SS.1).  is  too  well  known  to  tho  reader  to  rei|uirc 
cOiHUicnt.  Mention  of  this  cruise  is  made  in  the  >S.  F.  Uitlkttii,  Sept.  'J(i-'J'J 
and  Oct.  22,  1S81.  Ou  Aur;  ,.st  12th  of  this  year,  Capt.  Hooper  of  tlio  Cor- 
vl,i  .siiuei'cded,  after  mncli  diiliculty,  in  reaching;  ^Vran;;ell  Land.  The  island 
was  r'luiatcued  New  Columbia,  the  American  (lag  hoisted,  a  record  of  the 
Connii'a  visit  and  a  copy  of  the  Ncny  York  Herald  were  jilaced  in  a  bottle  and 
pecurcd  to  the  lln'^'-polc,  and  the  (laij  saluted.  The  decitiiiui  of  the  court  of 
iii'iuiry  hold  r.t  Washington,  as  to  the  mend)ers  of  the  JviHctlv.  expedition,  is 
published  in  Id.,  ]"eb.  I!*,  ISS,'].  During  her  cruise  the  ('•iririu  destmyed  the 
Indian  village  of  Hootchcnooou  the  Alaska  coast,  two  miles  from  N'ortli  Port. 
The  incident  is  thus  deseiihed  in  /(/.,  X(jv.  ]'.i,  IS82:  'Tlw;trilie  iiad  seized 
and  held  two  white  men  and  a  steam-laum  Ii,  \\hicli  had  b;-en  sent  out  w  ith  a 
tug  after  whales.  The  launch  was  jirovided  with  a  bomb-gun,  u[)on  liring 
v.hich  an  explosion  occurred,  and  an  Indian  chief  who  was  assisted  on  boar. I 
t!ie  hiunch  was  killed.  The  tribe  surrounded  and  captured  the  Luinch  with 
two  white  men,  and  nearly  s\u;cecded  in  gettin.'  possession  of  the  tug.  Tho 
laficr,  however,  got  away  and  steamed  to  Si.ka.  Tho  (.'iirwi.i,  v.'itli  Capt. 
JMcri'iman  and  sixty  sailorsand  marines,  was  de':patehed  to  Ibiochenoo.  C;'»])t. 
i\lerrini:iu  demanded  tlio  surrender  of  the  launch  and  jirisoncrs,  .md  tho 
In. liana  demanded  200  blankets  in  compensation  for  the  death  of  the  chief. 
Captain  Merriman  put  in  a  counterclaim  for4(!()  blankets  as  compensation  fcr 
the  .seizure  of  tlio  launeli  and  r.;en.  The  Jndians  lefused,  and  the  next  morn- 
ing a  Catling  gun  was  played  ou  tho  Indian  ennoes  on  the  beach.  .\  force 
was  afterward  landed,  which  dcftroycd  all  of  them.  Tho  Indians  afterward 
fled  it  tho  wooils  ami  tho  villiigo  was  shelled,  the  huts  remaining  staiuliug 
after  the  siulling,  being  looted  i.nd  burned  to  the  jjround.'  The  erui.U!  of  tho 
Uniteil  Slati  s  lelief  sNanier  lUdnt  )m  is  mentioned  in  Id.,  Nov. !),  14,  17,  1351, 
and  the  wreck  of  tlic  VifjUaut  iu  Id.,  Aug.  15,  ISSl. 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLOXY. 


would  end  in  the  saclc  of  the  town  and  the  massacre 
of  its  inhabitants.  The  revenue  steamer  Wolcott  was 
therefore  ordered  to  Sitka  from  Port  Tovvnsend,  and 
on  the  18th  of  October  her  commander  thus  reports 
to  the  secretary  of  the  treasury:  "The  situation  of 
affairs  here  remains  unchanged  since  the  cutter  Conviii 
left.  The  festival  amonij  the  Indians  is  nothin<>-  new; 
they  have  continued  this  fashion  of  holding  an  annual 
celebration  similar  to  this  one  for  years,  and  I  Icaiii 
from  a  reliable  source  that  no  trouble  has  ever  couio 
of  it,  or  is  there  likely  to  now.  Thoy  are  noisy  and 
boisterous  in  their  mirth,  and  assume  immense  airs, 
and  swagger  around  with  some  insolence,  but  nev(>r 
make  any  threats.  Sitka  Jack,  the  chief  of  the  Sitka 
Indians,  has  recently  built  him  a  new  house,  and  cele- 
brates the  event  on  this  occasion  by  inviting  the  rel- 
atives of  his  wife,  numbering  about  thirty  persons, 
from  the  Cliilkaht  tribe.  These  are  all  the  Indians 
from  abroad,  which,  with  the  live  hundred  Sitka  Ind- 
ians, comprise  the  total  number  present.  With  the 
exception  of  the  noise  and  mirth  incident  to  these 
festivities,  I  am  assured  by  the  chiefs  that  there  sli.ill 
be  no  disturbance."^  And  there  was  none;  nor  has 
there  since  been  any  very  serious  trouble.  In  1879 
emeutes  were  threatened  at  Sitka  and  Fort  WranLrcll, 
but  both  were  prevented,  the  former  by  the  arrival  of 
the  British  man-of-war  Osprey,  and  the  latter,  which 
was  merely  a  fray  between  two  hostile  tribes,  by  tlio 
arrival  of  a  party  of  armed  men  from  the  United 
States  steamer  Jamestown.^^  Since  that  time  tlu;re 
have  been  occasional  murders  and  attempts  at  murder, 
but  less  frequently,  in  proportion  to  the  population, 


'"  Id. ,  128.  Captain  Selden,  who  wrote  this .  cport,  was  of  opinion  that  tlio 
Sitkiis,  being  entirely  depeiulcnt  on  the  Bca-ioast  for  the  means  of  sub- 
sistciico,  aiuT  knowing  the  certainty  of  punish  ;ncnt  if  tliey  displayed  lios- 
tility  toward  tlie  wliitcs,  feared  the  consequcncoa  too  inueli  to  commit  any 
dcjircdations.  The  only  depredations  which  they  committed,  wortliy  of  niou- 
tioii,  wcro  carrying  off  the  doors  and  windows  of  the  government  buildiug.s, 
and  tearing  away  a  part  of  the  stockade  for  firewood. 

^'  An  account  of  the  former  affair  is  given  in  Bearddee'a  liept.  Affairs, 
Alaska,  4-0,  and  of  the  latter  in  the  S.  F.  Bulletin  of  Feb.  2,  1880. 


' 


ABORIGINAL  RULE. 


C'JI 


than  has  bocn  the  case  in  sonic  of  the  states  and  ter- 
ritories of  tlie  Pacific  coast. 

Considering  that  since  the  withdrawal  of  tlic  troops 
tlio  natives  have  been  for  the  most  part  masters  of 
the  situation,  they  appear  to  liave  shown  more  forbear- 
ance than  could  reasonably  bo  expected.  It  is  true 
tliat  they  have  often  assumed  an  ari-ogant  tone,  have 
sometimes  demanded  and  occasionally  received  black- 
mail from  the  white  man  when  trouble  was  threat- 
ened;"^ but  this  is  not  sui-prising.  They  had  been  ac- 
customed to  stern  treatment  under  Russian  rule,  to 
brutal  treatment  under  American  rule,  and  now  that 
there  was  no  rule,  they  found  themselves  living  in 
company  with  Americans,  llussians,  Creoles,  China- 
men, Eskimos,  men  of  all  races,  creeds,  and  colors, 
in  a  condition  of  primitive  republican  simplicity. 
They  vastly  outnumbered  those  of  all  other  national- 
ities. Notwithstandin<:j  the  reufulations  as  to  the  sale 
of  fire-arms,  ammunition,  and  spirituous  liquor,  the 
Indians  could  always  obtain  these  articles  in  exchange 
lor  peltry  and  other  wares.  They  were  seldom  irei; 
from  the  craze  of  strong  drink,  and  strong  drink  of 
the  vilest  description ;  tlie  imported  liquor  sold  to  them 
Avas  the  cheapest  and  most  poisonous  compound  man- 
ufactured in  the  United  States,  and  the  soldiers  liad 
tauufht  them  how  to  make  a  still  more  abominable 
compound  for  themselves. 

Nearly  all  the  troubles  that  have  occurred  witli 
Indians,  since  the  time  of  the  purcliase,  may  be  traced 
directly  or  indirectly  to  the  abuse  of  liquor.  During 
tlie  regime  of  the  llussian  American  (Jonipany,  rum 
was  sold  to  them  only  on  special  occasions,  and  then 
in  moderate  quantities,  but  afterward  the  supjjly  was 
limited  only  by  the  means  of  the  purchaser.  The 
excitement  of  a  drunken  and  lascivious  debauch  be- 
came the  one  object  in  life  for  which  the  Indians  live-d, 
the  one  object  for  which  they  worked.     While  sober 

'*  See  the  report  of  the  commander  of  the  Osprcy,  published  in  the  S.  F. 
litilkCui,  Murch'lS,  ly"*). 


Ill 


\* 


622 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATICS  COLONY. 


tlicy  were  tractable  and  soinetimes  industrious,  and 
if  tlicv  liad  suflieieut  self-denial,  would  remain  sol)er 
lt)ng  enough  to  earn  money  for  a  prolonged  earousal. 
Thoy  would  thcn"[)laii  their  prasnik,  as  they  termed 
it,  deliberately,  and  of  maliee  aforethought,  and  enjoy 
it  as  deliljcrately  as  did  the  English  farm-laborer  in 
the  seventeenth  century,  when  spirits  were  cheap  and 
untaxed,  and  when  for  a  single  sliilling  he  could  soak 
his  brains  iu  alcohol  for  a  week  at  a  time  at  one  of  the 
road-sldc  taverns,  where  signs  informed  the  wayfarer 
that  he  could  get  well  drunk  for  a  penny,  dead-drunk 
for  twopence,  and  without  further  expense  sleej>  olf 
the  effects  of  his  orgy  on  the  clean  straw  provided  for 
him  in  the  cellar. 

Soon  after  the  purchase,  an  order  was  issued  by  the 
president  of  the  United  States'^'  that  all  distilled 
spirits  should  be  sent  to  department  headquarters  at 
Sitka  and  placed  under  control  of  General  Davis — a 
wise  proceeding,  if  we  may  judge  from  results — but 
the  injunction  was  of  no  avail.  In  18G9  confiscated 
liquor  was  sold  at  auction  by  the  collector  of  the  port 
in  the  streets  of  Sitka.  In  the  same  year  nine  hundred 
gallons  of  })ure  alcohol,  landed  from  the  steamer  jVcw- 
hcrn  and  marked  '  coal  oil,'  were  seized  by  the  in- 
spector; but  for  each  gallon  of  alcohol  or  alcoholic 
liquor  conliscated  by  the  revenue  ofiicers,  probably  ten 
were  smuL^oled  into  the  territory,"^  or  were  .delivered 
under  some  pretext,  at  the  sutler's  stores.  By  the 
Xcwhcni  were  also  forwarded  to  Tongass  and  Fort 
Wrangell,  during  the  same  trip,  ten  barrels  of  distilled 
spirits,  twenty  of  ale,  and  a  largo  number  of  cases  of 
porter  and  wine.  The  ship's  papers  showed  that  they 
were  for  the  use  of  the  officers;  but  as  there  were  only 
four  officers  at  Tongass  and  a  single  company  of  troops 
at  Fort  Wrangell,  there  is  no  doubt  that  they  were 

"Under  act  of  congress.     See  Cohjer'n  I'rpt.,  537,  ami  app.  H,  585. 

^' '  During  the  summer  soiison,' writes  Moi'ris,  on  April  14,  1S77,  '  the  Al!i<!- 
kan  coast  swarms  with  small  vessels  and  canoes,  navi^'atcd  by  despcrato  and 
lawless  men,  bent  upon  smui^glin^,  illicit  barter,  and  that  espueiul  curse  to 
the  natives — trading  iu  ardent  spirits.'  I?i'iit.,  23. 


SALE  OF  LIQUOR. 


023 


intended  for  sale  at  the  Indian  villacjes  adiuininGftlicse 
posts.^i 

In  answer  to  a  letter  from  the  secretary  of  war  in 
1873,  the  attorney  general  of  the  United  States  dc- 
olared  officially  that  "Alaska  was  to  be  regarded  as 
Indian  country,  and  that  no  spirituous  liquors  or  wines 
could  be  introduced  into  the  territory  without  an  order 
by  the  war  department  for  that  purpose.""-  In  1875 
ail  permits  for  the  sale  of  spirituous  liquors  in  Alaska 
were  revoked,''''and  during  the  two  remaininuf  years  of 
tiie  military  occupation,  we  learn  of  no  serious  disturb- 
ances amomj^  the  natives. 

The  disorders  that  followed  the  withdrawal  of  tlio 
troops  were  due  quite  as  nmch  to  white  men  as  to 
Indians;  and  by  both,  the  reyenuc  laws  and  revenue 
otiieers  were  held  in  contempt.  Of  the  disij^racoful 
scenes  that  then  ensued,  I  will  mvo  a  sinu'le  instance. 
Early  in  1878  there  were  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
miners  at  Fort  Wrangell,  waiting  until  the  ice  should 
form  on  the  Stikcen  River  or  navigation  should  become 
practicable.  In  a  repcrt  dated  February  23d  of  that 
year,  the  deputy  collector  of  customs  at  WrangcU 
says:  "While  I  was  at  Sitka  another  thinsjf  occurred 
at  this  port  that  puts  to  shame  anything  that  has 
happened  heretofore.  A  gfing  of  rowdies  and  bum- 
mers have,  for  the  past  three  months,  been  in  the 
habit  of  getting  on  a  drunken  spree,  and  then  at  mid- 
night going  about  the  town  making  the  most  hideous 
noises  imaginable,  disturbing  everybody,  and  insult- 
ing those  who  complain  of  these  doings.  On  the 
nin^ht  of  February  IGth  the  incarnate  devils  started 
out  about  midnight,  and  after  raising  a  connuotiou 


V 


i 


^1 


"'  Id. ,  537-8.  The  spirits  were  afterward  scut  to  Sitka,  through  fhc  inter- 
ference of  Co'.yer. 

•^-Letter  of  Geo.  H.  Williams  to  W.  W.  Belknap,  in  Sen.  Lx.  Dar.,  /fjtl 
Con;/.  J(l  .SV.W.,  '2i.  In  Oct.  1S71  the  ileputy  collector  at  Vv'raii';eU  was 
arrested  by  o.der  of  the  officer  in  command  fcir  %'io!ating  the  rules  on  the  im- 
portation of  liquor.  Alaska  II rr.,  Oct.  2Sth.  Oa  Jan.  7,  I'iT.J,  the  distiict 
court  !it  Portland,  //(  re  John  A.  Carr  on  hibeas  corpus,  held  Curr  to  answer  on 
a  similar  charge,  audlixedhisbailat.S-joOO.  Portland  Ore joitiaii,  Jan.  8,  Ih'o. 

^^Gen.  Orders,  Depl.  Col.,  Jan.  '21,  187j. 


i 


624 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 


i|! 


all  over  town,  visited  a  house  occupied  by  an  Indian 
woman,  gave  her  whiskey  that  made  her  beastly 
drunk,  and  tlien  left.  Shortly  after  their  departure 
the  house  occupied  by  the  woman  was  discovered  t<> 
be  in  flames,  and  ere  any  assistance  could  bo  rendered 
the  poor  woman  was  burned  to  death.""*  It  was 
feared  that  two  months  later  there  might  be  a  thousand 
miners  congregated  at  Wrangell;  and  the  population 
of  the  Indian  village  was  about  double  that  number. 
As  there  was  a  plentiful  supply  of  whiskey  for  the 
former,  and  of  hootchcnoo,  or  molasses-rum,  for  the 
latter,  serious  troubles  were  anticipated. 

During  the  last  five  months  of  1877,  there  were 
delivered  at  Sitka,  from  the  steamer  which  carried  the 
United  States  mail  from  Portland,  4,880  gallons  of 
molasses,  and  at  Fort  Wrangell  1,G35  gallons.  Large 
quantities  were  also  landed  from  other  vessels,  all  for 
the  purpose  of  making  hootchenoo,  the  other  ingre- 
dients used  being  flour,  dried  apples  or  rice,  y'  ist 
powder,  and  sometimes  hops.  Sufficient  water  is 
added  to  make  a  thin  batter,  and  after  fermentation 
has  taken  place,  a  sour,  muddy,  highly  alcoholic  liquor 
is  produced,  of  abominable  taste  and  odor.""*  From 
one  gallon  of  the  mixture  nearly  a  gallon  of  hootche- 
noo is  (  ..stilled,  a  pint  of  which  is  quite  sufficient  to 
craze  the  stronjxest  brain. 

Before  the  time  of  the  purchase  the  art  of  making 
molasses-rum  was  unknown  to  the  natives,  but  after 
the  military  occupation  many  of  the  soldiers  became 
proprietors  of  hootchenoo  stills,  while  others  were  in 
the  habit  of  repairing  for  their  morning  dram  to  the 
Indian  village  outside  the  stockade  at  Sitka,  where 
this  liquor  was  sold  at  ten  cents  a  glass.''"     Occasional 


'  •*  Report  of  I.  C.  Dennis  in  Morris's  liept. ,  4-5.  Tlie  deputy  collector  states 
that  ho  intends  to  stop  the  liquor  traffic. 

"^Thc  process  is  described  in  Morris's  Rept.,  Cl-2.  Petroflf  says  that  in 
1880  tlic  natives  used  Sandwich  Island  sugar  for  this  purpose.  Pop.  Alanka, 
1.3.  Beardslco  states  that  in  1879  a  number  of  hootchenoo  distilleries  neiir 
Sitka  were  broken  up.  Jlept.  Affairs,  Alaska,  16. 

^  Morris's  Kept. ,  62;  and  letter  of  I.  C.  Dennis  in  Putjet  Sound  Argus,  Nov. 
23,  1877.     'And  yet,'  remarks  the  deputy  collector,  'white  men  were  ar- 


HOOTCHENOO  LIQUOR. 


623 


laids  were  inaflo  on  the  distilloricH,  and  the  proceeds 
detained  until  it  ('f)uld  bo  settled  by  tlie  proper  autiiori- 
ties  what  should  be  done  with  them.  What  wan  tlone 
with  them  wan  seldom  known,  l)ut  it  is  certain  that 
no  real  effort  was  made  to  cheek  this  evil,  thouijh  jire- 
tended  restrictions  were  sometimes  placed  on  vendors 
of  raw  sugar  and  molasses. 

At  least,  a  considerable  amount  of  revenue  might 
have  been  derived  from  this  source,  enough,  perhaps, 
if  honestly  collected,  to  offset  a  large  part  of  the 
excess  in  disbursements  over  receipts,  which  has  oc- 
curred each  year  since  S"'ka  was  declared  a  port  of 
entry.  Between  July  1,  I  >  GO,  and  May  1,  1878,  the 
receipts  of  the  customs  district  of  Alaska  from  all 
sources  were  $57,404.  5,  wlile  th*^'  disbursements  for 
the  same  period  were  $1  IS, 074. 87.  The  operations 
of  the  Alaska  Commercial  ^^ompany,  of  which  men- 
tion will  be  made  later,  were  conlined  almost  entirely  to 
the  Prybilof  Islands,  and  have  yielded  an  income  to 
the  United  States  sufficient  to  pay  good  interest  on 
the  purchase  money.  But  the  rent  paid  for  the  fur- 
seal  islands  since  1871,  apart  from  the  tax  on  furs, 
has  barely  covered  the  delicit  of  revenue  in  other  [»or 
tions  of  the  territory.  Under  these  circumstances,  \i 
was  recommended  by  the  secretary  of  the  treasur}^  in 
December  1877,  that  Sitka  should  be  abolished  as  a 
port  of  entry j^"^  or,  in  other  words,  that  Alaska  should 
be  left  to  take  care  of  itself. 

It  would  seem  that  a  territorj^  which  for  the  five 
years  ending  May  1,  1876,  paid  into  the  United  States 
treasury  as  rent  for  the  Prybilof  Islands,  and  tax  on 
seal  skins,  more  than  $1,700,000,^^  or  nearly  four  and 
three  quarters  per  cent  a  year  on  the  purchase  money, 

rested,  confined,  and  prosecuted  on  a  charge  of  having  introduced  at  Wran- 
gell  a  bottle  of  liquor. 

^''  Rcpt.  in  House  Ex.  Doc,  Ji5th  Conf],  2d  Sess.,  xxx.  The  receipts  and 
disbursenienta  of  tl'o  customs  district  of  Alaska  between  July  1,  \tii)9,  and 
May  1,  1878,  are  ci;  ,n  in  detail,  for  each  year,  in  ilorrin^s  liept.,  11-12. 

^Tentaiido  ]]ood'a  Jtrpt.,  Ahiska  Com.  Co.,  in  House  Com.  Replg,  44(h 
Cong,  1st  Sean.,  app.  C,  19. 

UlBT.  AUiBKA.     40 


'i 


626 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 


deserved  a  better  fate.  It  is  at  least  the  only  territory 
that  yields,  or  ever  has  yielded,  any  direct  revenue ;  and 
yet,  notwithstanding  all  the  bills  and  petitions  laid  be- 
fore eon!:^ress  for  its  orj^anization,  it  was  without  gov- 
ernment, and  almost  without  protection. 

"  I  recommend  civil  government,"  writes  General 
Howard  to  the  secretary  of  war,  in  1875,  "by  attaching 
Alaska  to  Washington  Territory  as  a  county,  as  the 
simplest  solution  of  all  ditBculties  in  the  case."*^^  In  a 
despatch  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy,  dated  January 
22,  1880,  the  commander  of  the  Jamestown,  then  sta- 
tioned at  Sitka,  remarks:  "A  court  should  be  estab- 
lished possessing  full  power  to  summon  a  jury  and  try 
and  settle  all  minor  cases  of  delinquency  on  the  spci, 
and  with  power  to  make  arrests  and  inflict  punishment 
of  fine  or  imprisomnent.  For  offences  of  magnitude 
this  court  should  have  full  power  to  take  all  testimony, 
which  sliould  be  received  by  the  United  States  court 
at  Portland  as  final..  .  .The  land  here  should  be  sur- 
veyed and  existing  titles  perfected  and  protected,  and 
it  made  possible  to  transfer  real  estate.'"'''  "  Either 
the  civil  laws  of  the  United  States  should  be  ex- 
tended over  the  Indians,"  remarks  Colyer,  "or  a  code 

^'■'  111  tlie  same  year  a  hill  was  introduced  by  Senator  Mitchell,  and  one  in 
187()  by  Delegate  Garfieldo  (from  Washington  Tcr.),  for  t'.iis  purpose.  In 
Con'j.  Ulohe,  1873-G,  194,  it  is  stated  that  the  latter  bill  was  referred  to  coin- 
ii'.ittee.  hut  nothing  came  of  cither  of  them.  lu  1807  a  bill  to  organize  the 
territory  was  introduced  by  James  M.  Ashley,  Home  Jour.,  JfOlh  Comj.  Id 
l^c.sa.,  '2ii9,  and  one  in  1871  to  provide  a  '  teni])orary  civil  organization  for  the 
territory.'  U.  S.  Sen.  Jour.,  50(5,  and  House  lh'[>t.,  2944.  In  1880  a  bill  v.:i3 
before  congress  for  oiganizing  the  territory.  On  December  13,  1881,  it  was 
resolved  in  the  senate,  'that  the  committee  on  territories  be  instructed  to  iii- 
cjuirc  aa  to  the  expediency  of  organizing  civil  government  in  Alaska.'  U.  S. 
Sen.  Jour.,  4Tth  Comj.  1st  Senti.,  90.  In  the  same  session  a  senate  joint  reso- 
lution authorizing  the  president  to  declare  martial  law  in  Alaska  Avaa  read 
tv.ice  and  refeiTcd,  /(/.,  1281;  and  a  bill  for  establishing  courts  of  justice 
and  I'ucord  in  the  territory  was  read  twice,  referred,  and  reported  on  unfa- 
vorably. /'/.,  1102.  During  this  session  a  petition  of  the  citizens  of  soutii- 
eastcru  Alaska  for  a  territorial  government,  a  reaolutiou  of  the  San  Franciso) 
board  of  trade  in  favor  of  the  introduction  of  civil  law,  and  a  memorial  of  the 
Portland  (Or. )  board  of  trade  in  favor  of  the  establishment  of  territorial  gov- 
ernment were  presented,  of  course  with  the  usual  result. 

^'^ Jienrdilee's  llept.,  34.  On  page  14  of  this  report  Beardaleesays:  'Tlieie 
ar^  a  number  of  miners,  mining  engineers,  and  others,  etc.,  who  are  dosirnua 
ol  settling  in  Sitka  and  bringing  their  families.  If  they  could  preempt  land 
here,  or  purchase  land  and  houses  from  the  governmeut,  tho  place  would  tuko 
a  step  forward;  this  they  cannot  do.' 


GOVERXMENT  NEEDED. 


m 


of  laws  at  once  adopted  defining  orinio  and  providlnj^ 
a  judiciary  and  a  police  force  to  execute  it."'^  "  What 
this  country  wants  is  law,  and  without  it  she  will 
never  flourish  and  prosper,"  remarks  I.  C.  J)ennis,  on 
resigning  his  position  as  deputy  collector  at  Wrangell 
in  1878.  "  I  have  acted  in  the  capacity  «i' arbitrator, 
adjudicator,  and  peace-maker  until  forbearance  has 
ceased  to  be  a  virtue.  Within  the  past  montli  one 
thousand  cojnplaints  by  Indians  have,  been  laid  before 
me  for  settlement,  and  as  I  am  neither  Indian  agent 
nor  justice  of  the  pi.'ace,  I  decline  the  honor  of  patch- 
ing up  Indian  troubles." 

The  main  obstacle  in  the  establishment  of  some  form 
of  civil  government  for  Alaska  appears  to  have:  been  the 
difficulty  in  reconciling  the  conflicting  claims  of  the 
several  sections,  separated  as  they  are  by  a  vast  extent 
of  territory',  and  having  few  interests  in  connnon. 
South-eastern  xVlaska  has  mines,  timber,  and  fisheries, 
though  it  is  not  probable  that  any  of  these  resources 
except  the  last  will  receive  much  attention  in  the 
near  future.  On  Cook  Inlet  in  Kadiak,  on  the  Alaskan 
peninsula,  and  on  the  Aleutian  Islands  there  are  also 
mines  and  fisheries,  but  fur-hunting  is  still  the  lead- 
ing industry.  In  the  far  north,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Yukon,  now  almost  deserted  by  Mhitc  men,  salmon 
canneries  mav  be  established  at  no  distant  dav,  whicli 
will  rival  those  of  the  Colundjia  River;  while  at 
the  Prybilof  Islands,  the  catch  of  fur-seals  produces 
at  present  a  larger  aggregate  of  wealth  than  all  the 
other  intkistries  of  the  territory  combined. 

In  1883  Alaska  was  but  a  customs  district,  with  a 
collector  and  a  few  deputies.  For  laws,  the  territory 
had  the  regulations  matle  by  the  secretaiy  of  the 
treasury;  and  for  protection,  the  presence  of  a  single 
war-vessel,  the  crew  of  which  was  sometimes  employed 
as  a  police  force  among  the  settlements  of  the  Alex- 
ander Archipelago. 

"  Rept. ,  500-1 .  Colyer  recommends  that  the  savage  tribes  be  put  on  reaer- 
vatioDs,  but  this  would  seem  impracticable. 


ill 


6^ 


ALASKA  AS  A  UNITED  STATES  COLONY. 


iHh 


From  St  Paul  to  Sitka  the  distance  is  but  five  hun- 
dred and  fift\-  miles,  and  from  Iluiliuk  in  Unalaska 
about  a  thousand  miles;  and  yet  the  deputies  at  both  of 
these  stations  could  rarely  report  to  the  collector  ex- 
cept by  way  of  San  Francisco,  nearly  twenty  degrees 
to  the  south  of  either  point.  The  mail  service  estab- 
lished between  Sitka  and  Port  Townsend  extended 
ordy  to  Fort  Wrangell  and  Harrisburg,  and  in  some 
parts  of  the  territory  the  visit  of  a  whaling-vessel  or 
revenue  cutter  afforded  until  recently  the  only  means 
of  conununication  with  the  outside  world.''^ 


Among  the  wants  of  Alaska,  remarks  a  special 
agent  of  the  census  of  1880,  are  "a  gradual  but  sys- 
tematic cxjiloration  of  the  interior,  and  an  immediate 
survey  of  the  coast  and  harbors  of  the  region  now 
constantly  frequented  by  trading  and  fishing  vessels, 
in  order  to  prevent  the  alarmingly  frequent  occur- 
rence of  wrecks  upon  unknown  rocks  and  shoals."" 
The  navigation  of  the  Alaskan  coast  is  in  many  parts 
extremely  intricate,  and  as  yet  reliable  charts  cxht 
only  for  a  few  sections.  Some  progress  has  beert  made 
in  this  direction,  however,  since  the  purchase,  and  as 
I  have  already  observed,  we  may  in  the  remote  fu- 
ture possess  reliable  charts  for  the  entire  coast  and 
more  definite  information  as  to  the  interior. 

In  1867  an  expedition  organized  by  the  treasury 
department  sailed  from  San  Francisco  on  board  th(3 
reveime  steamer  Lincoln,  and  during  the  summer 
passed  several  months  in  exploring  and  obtaining  in- 
formation  concerning  the  newly  purchased  country. 

'■^In  1869  the  L'nited  States  senate  resolved  that  the  committeoon  post- 
offices  inquire  as  to  tiie  expediency  of  establishing  a  mail  service  between 
I'ortlaud  and  Alaska,  deti.  Jour.,  4i^t  Coikj.  Isf  Sexs.,  p.  77.  Mail  statistics 
for  1870-7  are  given  by  the  postmaster-gen.  iu  I?ep(..,  ^ih  Comj.  2il  Sesn.,  .and 
iu  House  Ex:  Doc,  ^oth  Cong.  2(t  Sesg.,  vii.  part  ii.  There  are  no  overland 
mails.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  Russian  occupation  there  appears  to 
have  been  regular  overlan«l  communication.  In  1857  the  agent  at  Saint 
Micliael  was  instructed  to  send  an  overland  mail  to  Sitka  by  way  of  Cook 
Inlet  and  Kadiak.  In  the  previous  year  the  mail  had  arrived  safely  and  in 
good  order.  Sitka  Arihiveti,  i.  264. 

I'lvanPetrof,  iu  Interiiat.  Jivo.fFvib.  1882,  122-3. 


EXPLORING  PARTlllS. 


Amoiisf  the  members  was  Gc()r<xo  Davidson,  who  was 
placed  in  charge  of  the  coast  survey  party,  and  whose 
report  was  printed  by  order  of  congress,  and  forms  a 
most  valuable  memoir.'* 

In  1869  a  party  was  sent  to  the  Yukon  River, 
in  charg(>  of  Charles  W.  Raymond,  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  the  amount  of  the  Hudson's  i3ay  Com- 
pany's trade  in  that  district,  and  the  quantity  of 
goods  forwarded  from  British  territory;  also  to  obtain 
information  concerning  the  sources  of  the  Yukon  and 
its  tributaries,  and  the  disposition  of  tlie  tribes  in  its 
neighborhood.'^  In  1871-2  W.  H.  Dall  surveyed  the 
Aleutian  and  Shumajjin  Islands  and  located  several 
new  harbors.'"  In  1879  a  valuable  set  of  charts  of 
Sitka  Sound  was  forwarded  to  the  bureau  of  navi- 
gation by  L.  A.  Beardslee,  the  commander  of  the 
Jamestoicn.'^  Thus  some  little  effort  has  been  made 
toward  the  survey  and  exploration  of  the  territory,  if 
none  as  yet  toward  its  development. 

"  U.  S.  Coast  Surv'if,  //i.'h  Coii(j.  M  .SV.'.st.,  app.  18,  p.  187.  The  personnel 
of  the  expedition  ia  {^iveu  in  Id.,  11)8-9.  The  most  interesting  parts  of  the 
report,  rolating  to  cliiiiato,  vo;;ct:il)Ie  productions,  fisheries,  timber,  and  fur- 
bearing  animals,  were  repuhliilied  in  the  Cousi  Pilot  of  Alunka  (Washington, 
IS(iS)).  Some  vahi;il>lo  colketions  in  natural  history  and  ethnology  were  suii- 
plied  by  Davidson  and  others  to  the  Sniithi^oniau  Institution.  SmUliHOiiiini 
Ji'ept.,  1S()7,  p.  4:{. 

'*Thc  report  is  published  in  Sen.  Doc,  /f2(l  Coiuj.  IM  Srxx.,  12.  In  1880 
a  partial  exploration  ot  the  Chilkivt  Itiver  was  made  by  a  private  partj'.  Au 
account  of  it  is  given  in  Hanrroft  Library  Scra]i^,  li)0-2. 

''Fourteen  according  to  U<)>t.  L'oaxt  Siirvrj/,  187'2,  40,  but  most  of  them 
were  known  before,  at  least  to  the  Russians.  In  /(/. ,  187.'J,  \'2'2.  is  given  tliu 
height  of  a  number  of  mountains  as  estimated  by  Dall,  who  gives  as  the 
heightof  Mount  Shishaldiii  in  Ooni'riak,  8,(;8.'{  feet.  Alphonse  I'inart,  ii  rreneli 
scientist,  atti.'inpted  its  ascent  in  Se[)teml)er  I87'J,  but  .ifter  iittuiiiing,  as  !.o 
relates,  a  height  of  8,782  feet,  was  confronted  by  almost  i>erpendieular  v.T.iis 
of  ice.  Toy.,  1.3.  During  a  canoe  voyage  from  Uiiiilaska  tu  Kacliak,  he  utopiicd 
at  an  island  which  he  calls  Vozoychcnski  (probably  Vo-nessennky),  wiicie  he 
met  an  Aleut,  who  was  said  to  be  120  years  of  age,  and  rciiiembei'ed  the  time 
the  Russians  took  possession  of  the  country.  Itl.,  1."). 

"'  Beardslee  claims  that  his  oliiccrs  dise:>vercd  a  better  ehiiuuel  into  Sitka 
Harbor  than  any  before  known.  lirqd.  Affairs,  Alaska,  9. 


f 


if 

I    '. 

;   1- 

I    ;   I!: 


lir 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 

1808-1884. 

Imports  and  Exports — Cost  of  Collkotino  Revenue — The  Hudson's 
Ray  Company— Smuoi'.lino — The  Alaska  Commehcial  Company— It 
Obtains  a  Lease  oi'  thi;  ruvuiLOF  Islands — The  Terms  of  the  Con- 
tract—Remuneration  AND  Treatment  of  the  Nativks— Their  Mode 
of  Life— Investigation  into  the  Company's  Management— State- 
ments OF  RoiiEUT  Desty— And  of  THE  .Secretary  OF  THE  TREAsruY — 
Increase  in  the  Value  of  Furs- Remarks  of  II.  W.  Elliott- 
Landing  OF  THE  Fur-seals — Their  Comiiats — Metiiod  of  Driving 
AM)  Slaughtering — Curing,  Dressing,  and  Dyeing- Sea-otters— 
Land  Peltry. 

The  exports  from  California  to  Siberia  amounted 
for  the  year  endinif  June  30,  1883,  to  a  very  large 
sum,  and  were  greatly  in  exoess  of  the  amount  for  the 
|»revious  year.  The  imports  for  1883  were  valued  at 
Jri2,887,200,  and  never  exceeded  in  any  year  83,000,- 
000.  There  is  probably  no  country  in  the  world  hold- 
ing commercial  relations  with  which  the  balance  of 
trade  is  so  largely  in  favor  of  the  United  States. 

The  connnerce  between  Alaska  and  other  portions 
of  tlie  Pacific  coast  is  insignificant,  but  will  probably 
increase  now  that  congress  has  put  that  territoiy 
within  pale  of  the  law.  As  is  the  case  with  Sibcr  .., 
however,  imports  are  largely  in  excess  of  exjDorts. 

During  llie  existence  of  the  Russian  American 
Company  it  will  be  remembered  that  trade  became 
ever}^  term  more  considerable,  and  yielded  each  year 
a  moderate  revenue  to  the  imperial  government. 
There   is   little   doubt   that,  were   any   considerable 

(CSO) 


STATISTICS  OF  RK VENUE. 


631 


]virtions  of  tho  torritory  surveyed  and  open  to  prcciiip- 
tioii,  its  resoutoes  are  sufficient,  apart  from  the  seal- 
grounds,  to  attract  capital  and  population,  and  henco 
to  develop  traiiic.  For  a  year  or  two  after  the  mili- 
tary occupation  there  was  a  fair  amount  of  commerce, 
l)utsubse(piently  ft)r  a  time  the  fees  and  duties  of  tho 
entire  district  about  sufficed  to  pay  the  salary  of  a  sin- 
j;le  deputy  collector. 

Tho  following  tiij^ures  require  little  comment:  For 
the  six  months  endin_i>'  July  1,  1808,  the  imports  on 
which  duty  was  paid  were  valued  at  moi'C  tlian  .S"2(),- 
000;  for  the  twelve  months  enditii.;'  iMarch  1,  1878,  at 
83,2*Ja,  the  decrease  meanwhile  biin;^'  gradual.  For 
the  year  ending  13ecend)er  31,  1870,  lines,  penalties, 
and  forfeitures  amounted  to  nearly  $0,000;  for  tho 
year  ending  Decend)er  31,  1877,  to  .^>10.  J)uiing  187(5 
there  were  no  tines,  and  the  rvjvenue  collections  for 
that  year  amounted  to  .$1 ,417.8 l,Mvhile  the  cost  of 
colK'cting  this  sum,  apart  from  the  expense  of  main- 
taining revenue  cutters,  was  !? 1 1,11)5.  Thus  the  cost 
of  collection  was  to  receipts  about  in  the  ratio  (jf  eight 
to  one.  And  yet  the  year  187(1  compares  very  favor- 
ably withother  years.  In  1872,  for  instance,  tixclud- 
ing  fines,  the  cost  of  collecting  one  dollar  of  revenue 
was  fifty  dollars,  and  in  1873  sixty  dollars.-  These 
fiu'ures  do  not,  of  course,  include  the  rovaltv  on  fur- 
seals,  or  the  I'ent  paid  by  the  Alaska  (N)mmercial 
Company  for  the  lease  of  the  Pribylof  Islands. 

I'he  total  value  of  domestic  exports  from  Alaska, 
excluding  ])eltry,  was,  for  1880,  about  600,000,  and 
will  no  doubt  increase  when  the  fisiieries  are  more 
l;ir<jfelv  utilized.  The  value  of  domestic  imports  de- 
])ends  partly  on  the  demand  at  the  various  minmg 
(hstricts,  and  especially  at  the  Cassiar  district  in  ]3rit- 
ish  Columbia,  for  which  Wrangcll  is  the  distributing 

'For  (lutiea  $7-24.4.'},  mid  for  tonnage  tax  i=-r,On..'W.  Morrii'x  /.V/»^,  II. 
Tilariiic  lio^pi':;!  collootioivt  for  iST'i  iiiuouiitc;!  to  §331.70,  iiml  tliiaist  iiicliidcil 
l>y  tlie  oollci'lor  ttJii  jxirtof  tlio  revt'iiuo. 

- /iL,  11-12.     St.itiatica  ua  to  tr.ailc  will  lie  found  in  iho  Com.  uinl  Xav. 

Ji'tjlts, 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS^ 


I  i'y 


point,  and  is  therefore  fluctuatinjif.  In  occasional 
years  it  reaches  or  exceeds  $350,000,"'  and  may  average 
about  6300,000,  the  principal  connnodities  being  Cal- 
ifornia Hour,  tea,  coarse  sugar,  and  tobacco.  Tlie  de- 
mand is  about  equally  divided  between  eastern  and 
western  Alaska,  the  latter  having  imported  from  San 
Francisco  in  1880  nearly  20,000  barrels  of  flour.* 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  a  territory  which  absorbs 
this  amount  of  produce  should  import  so  trilling  a 
quantity  of  duty-paying  goods,  and  that  the  cost  of 
collecting  the  duty  on  these  goods  should  bo  three  or 
four  times  their  value,  and  at  least  eight  times  that  of 
the  revenue  collected.  Moreover,  it  is  ditHcult  to  ac- 
count for  the  fact  that  fines,  ])enalties,  and  forfeitures 
should  have  decreased  from  $8,843  in  1870  to  62,9-1 
in  1872,  increased  to  $5,814  the  following  year,  and 
fallen  to  nothing  in  187G.  Hootchenoo  distilleries 
were  in  full  blast,  it  will  be  remembered,  almost 
througliout  the  military  occupation;  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  there  was  less  smuggling  in  1872  than  in 
1870;  and  there  is  no  evidence  that  there  was  less 
smuggling  in  187G  than  in  1873.  On  the  contrary, 
there  is  strong  evidence  that  smuggling  was  steadily  on 
the  increase  during  and  after  the  military  occupation. 

The  fact  that  imports  of  duty-paying  goods  de- 
creased from  620,000  for  the  six  months  ending  July 
1,  1808,  to  about  §3,000  for  the  year  ending  March 
1,  1878,  and  that,  meanwhile,  trade  had  been  so  hcjn- 
estly  conducted  that  there  was  no  longer  occasion  for 
lines,  })enalties,  or  forfeitures,  is  a  matter  that  invites 
investigation.  Apart  from  the  negligence  of  officials, 
to  use  no  stronger  phrase,  it  is  certain  that  powerful 
factors  have  been  at  work  to  cause  this  anomaly,  and 
the  main  factor  is  pi'obably  the  operations  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company. 

'  The  value  of  inerchaiulise  that  passed  through  Wi-angcU  alone  in  187 1 
was  more  than  !?l,~»(i,OO0.  AluHkn  J/cr.,  JMarch  15,  187o. 

*  Jjcsidoa  ',\,4'y'2  cases  of  hard  hrcad,  753  chests  of  ti3\  and  2,04!)  lialf-Kirrda 
o*  sugar.  I'i-lroff'n  Pan.  Alitshi,  SO.  At  least  r)0,000  lbs.  of  leaf-tobacco  were 
'.Iso  iiiiported,  a  part  of  which  came  from  San  Francisco. 


HUDSON'S  BAY  COMI'ANY. 


^m 


Wlion  governor  of  this  corporation,  Sir  Crcorgo 
Sini[)son  declared  that,  without  the  stri}>  of  coast  leaded 
to  it  hy  the  Russian  American  Company,  the  interior 
wouhl  be  "comparatively  useless  to  England."  It  will 
be  remembered  that,  by  the  Anglo-Russian  treaty  of 
1825,  the  boundary  between  the  Russian  and  Britisli 
possessions  was  one  drawn  between  the  Portland  canal 
and  Mount  St  Elias,  and  following  the  trend  of  tho 
coast  range,  or  at  a  distance  of  thirtv  miles  from  tho 
sea.  By  tiie  same  treaty  it  was  provided  that  ]>rit- 
ish  subjects  should  forever  enjoy  right  of  navigation 
on  the  rivers  and  streams  which  cross  this  line  in  th(.'ir 
course  toward  the  north  Pacific.  The  latter  clause 
was  repeated  in  the  treaties  of  connnerce  and  naviga- 
tion between  Russia  and  Great  Britain  in  184;J  and 
1851). 

As  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  surrendered  most 
of  its  ])ossessions  to  the  British  government  in  IHGl),* 
and  is  now  merely  a  private  trading  corporation,  there 
can  b3  no  doubt  that  its  pretensions  are  barred  by  tho 
clause  in  the  treaty  of  1 8(!7,  which  declares  tho  cession 
of  Alaska  to  be  fiee  of  encumbrance  throULrh  priviletms 
granted  to  any  association  or  to  any  parties  except 
individual  j)roperty  holders.  It  is  also  improbable 
that  its  employes,  or  other  ]h'itish  subjects,  will  con- 
tinue to  enioy  ri'j^'lit  of  navi«;ation  on  the  rivers  and 
streams  which  cross  the  boundary  line. 

"In  succeeding  to  the  Russian  possessions,"  re- 
marks Sunmer,  "it  does  not  follow  that  the  ITnitcd 
States  succeed  to  ancient  obligations  assumcid  by  Rii.- 
sia,  as  if,  according  to  a  phrase  of  the  connnon  law, 
they  'are  covenants  running  with  the  land.'  Jf  these 
stipulations  are  in  the  nature  of  servitudes,  they  de[)end 
for  their  duration  on  the  sovereii>ntv  <>f  Russia,  and 
are  ])ersonal  or  national  rather  than  territorial.  So  at 
least  I  am  inclined  to  believe.  But  it  is  hardly  ])ro(it- 
able  to  speculate  on  a  point  of  so  little  practicable 
value.     Even  if  'running  with  the  land,'  these  sorvi- 

6  For  £;M)0,000  sterling. 


n.! 


634 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


tudes  can  bo  tonniuated  at  the  expiration  of  ton  y<^ars 
from  the  last  treaty,  by  a  notice,  which  equitably  the 
United  States  may  give  so  as  to  take  ettect  on  the 
12th  of  January,  18(59.  Meanwhile,  daring  this  brief 
])eriod,  it  will  be  easy  by  act  of  congress  in  advance 
to  limit  importations  at  Sitka,  so  that  this  'free  port' 
t'liull  not  be  made  the  channel  or  doorway  by  which 
] British  goods  may  be  introduced  into  the  United 
States  free  of  duty."" 

In  the  customs  regulations  it  is  provided  that  "no 
duty  shall  be  levied  or  collected  on  the  importation  of 
]H;ltrics  brought  into  the  territories  of  the  United 
States,  nor  on  the  proper  goods  and  effects,  of  what- 
ever nature,  of  Indians  passing  or  repassing  the  boun- 
dary line  aforesaid,  unless  the  same  be  goods  in  bales 
or  other  large  packages  unusual  among  Indians,  which 
shall  not  be  considered  as  goods  belonging  to  Indians, 
nor  be  entitled  to  the  exeni])tion  from  duty  aforesaid." 

When  we  consider  that  live  or  six  revenue  officers, 
hampered  with  such  restrictions,  and  some  of  them  a 
thousand  miles  apart,  collect  the  customs  of  a  terri- 
tory whose  coast  line  is  more  than  twice  as  groat  as 
that  of  the  United  States,"  it  is  not  sur{)rising  that 
the  results  should  be  nugatory.  There  is  probably 
no  better  opportunity  for  smuggling  in  any  part  of 
the  world  than  amidst  the  tortuous  channels  of  the 
Alexander  Archipelago  and  among  the  Aleutian  Isl- 
ands. Hundreds  of  bidarkas  laden  with  blankets, 
molasses,  sugar,  iire-arms,  and  other  commodities  pur- 
chased I'rom  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com})any's  ag('nts, 
escape  the  vigilance  of  the  revenue-cutters,  or  if 
detected,   the   wares  are   passed  off  as  the  "proper 


^Speech  on  Ccw.  Rus>i.  Amer.,  11.  In  the  president's  mcssajro  in  Srn.  Kx. 
Dor.,  4"thCoiiti.  .id  Se^s.,  No.  ,^~,  coniplainta are  inudcof  thooncroaclmicntaof 
the  Hudson 'i3  liay  Company  on  the  trade  of  Alaska.  Ex-Cullcctor  ]]criy  states 
tliat,  after  the  cession,  the  company  established  a  town  eight  or  ten  nlile;^ 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Stikeen  River,  and  at  the  head  of  tide- water,  for  Ihe 
purpose  of  unlop.dinj{  vessels  from  Victoria,  B.  C,  at  that  point,  and  thus 
evading  custom  dues.  iJiirlpptiifiits,  Alaxka,  MS.,  3. 

'  The  coast  lino  of  Alaska,  inehiding  the  islands,  is  20,000  niilca,  and  of  the 
United  States  10,000  miles.   Stwurd's  Our  Xorl/i  roc.  iSUita,  3. 


SMUOCJLING. 


pfoods  and  effects  of  Indians,"  Anion*?  IndianH,  blan- 
kets are  still  the  prineipal  curri'ncy,  as  they  were 
(hnini^  the  regime  of  the  liussian  American  Company, 
liianket.s  (jf  Pacific  coast  nianufacture  are  sold  to-day 
to  a  small  extent  in  England,  and  to  a  considerable 
extent  in  the  states  and  territories  east  of  the  Rocky 
Monntains;  but  so  successful  has  been  this  illicit  tral- 
lic,  that  a  few  years  ago  none  but  Hudson's  Bay  CV)m- 
pany  blankets  were  to  be  found  among  the  Indians  of 
Alaska. 

Of  smuggling  among  white  men,  two  instance's  may 
be  mentioned — those  of  one  Charles  V.  Baranovich, 
a  trader  at  Karta  Bay,^  and  of  the  Rev.  William 
Duncan,  an  Episcopalian  missionary  and  teacher,  mag- 
istrate, and  trader  at  Metlahkatlah,  in  British  Colum- 
bia, near  the  Alaskan  border.  Baranovich  was  ac- 
cused in  1875  of  smuggling  blankets,  hard-bread,  and 
Hour.  The  evidence  was  conclusive,  but  there  was  no 
jurisdiction  in  Alaska,  and  it  was  not  considered  worth 
the  expense  to  indict  him  in  the  courts  of  Oregon  or 
Washington  Territory.  In  the  following  year,  the 
Rev.  W.  Duncan  was  known  to  have  held  coiuplicity 
with  smugglers  of  blankets,  silk  goods,  lire-arms,  and 
molasses.'*  Mr  Duncan  is  criticised  perhaps  a  little  too 
.severely  by  William  Gouverneur  ]\lorris,  a  late  agent 
of  the  treasury  department,''  but  it  would  seem  alien 
to  the  functions  of  a  missionary  to  transgress  or  to 
connive  at  the  ti'ansjxression  of  the  United  States 
revenue  laws.  The  exjiense  at  which  the  revenue 
laws  have  been  administered,  and  the  conteni[)t  in 
which  they  are  held,  need  no  further  comment. 


Let  us  now  consider  the  resources  of  a  territory 
which  contains  but  a  few  score  of  American  citii;ens, 

*  Pi-inco  of  Wales  Island. 

•Tlio  evidence  in  the  latter  case  appears  to  be  snfliciently  conclusive.  See 
il/o.'T/.-i'.s  Iicjjf.,  38-9.  Duncan's  biilarka  licet,  on  its  way  from  Mcilaldiiitl;:!i, 
v.aa chased  i)y  Deputy  Collector  Dennis.  Collector  M.  P.  licrry,  v.  ho  oi-dcivd 
the  chase,  paid  the  expense  out  ot'  his  own  pocket,  i;s  for  .some  reason  it  v.aa 
disallowed  by  the  t'econiiti'.!;;  oiiiccra  of  thi!  departinciit. 

'"Duncan  is eouipliuiented  very  hii;hly  in  LUjtra  L'ljjt.,  ooS-Q. 


'!■ 


1; 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


and  which  was  det'larod  'Indian  country'  by  an  ex- 
attorney-gcneral  of  tlic  United  States.  They  consist 
of  furs,  fislieries,  timhor,  mines,  and  as  some  would 
have  us  hehevc,  agriculture.  Tiie  last  three  are  a.s 
yet  but  little  utilized,  and  will  be  mentioned  later. 
The  fur-seal  trade,  which  is  at  present  the  most  im- 
portant industry,  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Alaska 
Comniercial  Company,  of  which  I  shall  make  some 
mention  before  proceeding  further. 

When  negotiations  for  the  sale  of  the  Russian  pos- 
sessions were  drawing  to  a  close,  a  party  of  San  Fran- 
cisco merchants,  among  whom  was  J.  Mora  Moss, 
obtained  from  Prince  Maksutof  a  promise  to  transfer 
to  hem  all  the  firoperty  of  the  Russian  American 
Comi»any;  but  no  contract  was  signed. 

Among  those  who  landed  from  the  John  L.  Stephens 
at  the  time  of  the  transfer,  however,  was  a  merchant 
named  Hutchinson,  who  proceeded  at  once  to  the 
castlo  and  made  arrano^ements  with  the  ex-ijovernor 
to  dis[)ose  of  a  portion  of  the  company's  vessels  and 
other  property  to  the  firm  of  Hutchinson,  Kohl,  and 
Company,"  on  better  terms  than  those  offered  by 
Moss  and  his  colleagues.  His  offer  was  acce|)tod. 
A  fur-trader  named  Boscovitch  also  purchased  about 
sixteen  thousand  fur-seal  skins  at  forty  cents  a])iece, 
which  were  shipped  to  Victoria  and  sold  for  two  or 
three  dollars  each.^-  Other  portions  of  the  company's 
assets  were  disposed  of  to  various  parties,  most  of 
them  at  rates  very  much  below  their  value. 

In  1869  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  was  in- 
corporated, with  a  capital  of  $2,000,000.  In  1870  a 
law  was  passed  by  congress  for  the  protection  of  fur- 
bearing  animals,**  and  a  lease  of  the  Prybilof  or  Seal 

"  As  to  the  amount  of  his  purcliases,  there  are  no  reliable  data. 

'^Thereupon  Boscovitch  tried  to  secure  the  remainiler  of  the  skina;  but 
meanwhile  the  governor  had  received  orders  not  to  part  with  them.  Among 
the  stock  in  the  warehouses  were  80,000  di'ied  fur-seal  skins. 

'"For  reports,  bills,  discussions,  and  investigations  concerning  the  seal- 
hunting  grounds  of  Alaska,  see  Sen.  Ex.  Doc,  ^/.s<  Coiu/.  2d  Sp^s.,  1;  Sen. 
L'</.t.,  4M  CoHij.  2d  Ses-H.,  47,  p.  228-30,  and  Cong.  Globe,  1809-70,  app. 
Co6-9,  675. 


ALASKA  COMMERCIAL  COMPANY. 


c.t; 


islands  granted  to  the  C()ni[)any  for  a  term  of  twenty 
years.'*  in  1872  the  company  )>urcliased  the  prop- 
erty and  interest  of  Hutchinson,  Kolil,  &  Company, 

Apart  from  the  seal  islands,  the  industries  of  the 
territory  are  open  to  the  public,  and  for  the  stations 
which  the  company  has  established  on  the  Aleutian 
Islands  and  on  the  [)enin.sula  north  and  west  of  Ka- 
diak,  no  special  privileges  are  claimed. 

It  was  estimated  by  the  secretary  of  the  treasury, 
before  the  lease  was  granted,  that  the  cost  of  main- 
taining at  the  expense  of  the  United  States  a  revenue- 
cutter  and  a  detachment  of  twenty  troops,  and  of 
praying  the  salaries  of  officials,  would  amount  to 
$371,200  a  year,  while  a  private  company  could  save 
nearly  half  that  sum.^^ 

"  The  plan  I  propose,"  remarked  one  of  the  stock- 
holders'" to  the  chairman  of  committee  on  commerce 
in  the  house  of  representatives,  "asks  for  no  expendi- 
ture of  money,  nor  the  exercise  of  any  doubtful  or 
unusual  power  of  the  government.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  will  abolish  the  entire  expense  of  the  military 
and  naval  establishments,  which  have  already  cost  the 
government  so  much  at  a  time  when  it  could  be  least 
afforded;  and  in  the  next  place,  it  will  put  into  the 
treasury  $1. '30,000  per  annum  net  revenue  at  a  time 
when  it  is  most  needed." 

It  must  be  admitted  even  by  its  enemies  that  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  has  thus  far  more  than 
fulfilled  its  promise.     Instead  of  $150,000  a  year,  the 

"  Morris,  Rept.,  151-2,  makes  the  following  absurd  statement:  In  18CS-9 
there  were  four  or  five  companies  engaged  in  killing  seals  on  theae  islands,  as 
fast  as  they  could  hire  Aleuts  to  do  the  work.  Among  them  was  au  eustei-a 
firm  that  was  too  religious  to  allow  seals  to  be  killed  on  tlie  sabbath,  but  did 
not  hesitate  to  supply  whiskey  to  the  Aleuts  in  payment  for  skins.  Captain 
J  W.  White,  of  the  revenue  marine,  stopped  this  wholesale  slaughter,  wliiuh 
threatened  the  extermination  of  the  fur-seal,  and  ordered  all  the  whiskey- 
barrels  to  be  broken  open,  and  their  contenta  poured  on  the  ground.  The 
Aleuts  lapped  up  the  pools  of  whiskey  as  dogs  lap  water.  There  were  but  two 
companies  engaged  in  killing  seals  on  the  Prybilof  islands  in  1868-0,  and 
otherwise  tlie  statement  is  pure  fiction. 

'5  It  was  supposed  that  loss  Ijy  shipwreck  would  entai?  an  additional  ex- 
pense of  about  §108,000.  Tlie  number  of  revenue-cutters  which  the  United 
States  proposed  to  lose  each  year  is  not  stated  ia  the  secre    • '  <j  report. 

'•Nathan  F.  Dixon. 


638 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


avcrai]^^  reveimu  In'twH-ou  IsrOnnd  1883  was  alxMit 
C'o  1 7,000,  and  ineauwliilo  tho  supply  of  fur-.soals  in- 
creasod." 

By  tho  act  ap])rovcd  July  1,  1870,  "to  prevent  tlie 
extermination  ot'  fur-bearinj^  animals  in  Alaska,"  it 
Mas  provided  that  fur-seals  should  be  killed  at  the  Pry- 
bilof  Islantls  oidy  duriuLj  the  months  ot*  June,  July, 
September,  and  October,  except  such  as  minht  be  re- 
quired for  the  food  and  clothinjiC  of  the  natives;  that 
tlu?  slautrhter  should  bo  restricted  to  males  at  least 
twelve  months  old;  that  the  number  killed  each  year 
for  their  skins  should  not  exceed  75,000  at  St  Paul 
and  25,000  at  St  George  Island;  and  that  the  use  of 
fire-arms  or  other  weapons  tending  to  drive  the  seals 
avv'ay  should  not  be  permitted.  It  was  estimated  by 
H.  W.  Elliott,  a  treasury  agent,  from  surveys  made 
in  1872-3,  that  only  one  eighteenth  of  the  aggregate 
supply  was  contained  at  the  hitter  island,  and  that  to 
secure  there  25,000  seals  within  tho  time  allotted 
would  1)0  a  difficult  task.  Through  his  efforts  the  act 
of  1870  was  amendcd,^^  and  the  secretary  of  tho  treas- 
ury authorized  to  determine  the  relative  number  to 
be  killed  at  each  island  from  season  to  season.  The 
time  for  killinor  was  also  extended  to  the  first  half  of 
the  month  of  August. 

According  to  the  terms  of  its  contract,  the  company 
was  required  to  pay  a  fixed  rental  of  $55,000  a  year, 
a  tax  of  .$2.02^  on  each  fur-seal  skin,  and  55  cents  per 
gallon  on  all  tho  seal-oil  shipped  from  the  Prybilof 
Islands;  to  furnish  annually  to  tho  natives,  free  of 
charge,  25,000  dried  salmon  and  GO  cords  of  fire-wood, 
together  with  salt  and  barrels  for  preserving  seal-meat ; 
and  to  maintain  a  school  on  each  island  for  at  least 
eight  months  in  the  year.  As  the  market  value  of 
seal-oil  ranged  from  35  to  55  cents  per  gallon,  the 
company  could  not  save  it  except  at  a  loss,  and  it  was 

"  After  the  indiscriminate  slaughter  in  1868-9  seals  disappeared  rapi<lly 
from  the  Prybilof  Islands,  but  two  or  three  years  later  began  to  return  in  vast 
numbers. 

18  Uy  act  approved  March  24,  1874. 


TREATMKXT  OF  NATIVES. 


allowed  to  f^o  to  waste.  TliDU^h  the  tax  was  after- 
ward alxdished  in  consideration  of  a  payment  to  tlio 
natives  of  10  cents  ])er  gallon,  the  j)roduction  of  oil 
was  still  found  to  be  nnprufitable,  and  shii)inents  have 
never  been  considerable.'" 

In  the  resTfulations  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany, prescribed  in  January  1872,'"  are  certain  provi- 
sions as  to  the  remuneration  and  treatment  of  the 
natives,  which,  together  v/ith  tlie  obligations  of  its 
contract  with  govermnent,  appear  to  have  been  faith- 
fully carried  out.  The  Aleuts  are  to  Ije  paid  forty 
cents  for  each  skin  delivered,  and  for  other  labor  a  sum 
to  be  agreed  ujm)!!  between  the  company's  agents  and 
the  i)arties  employed.  The  working  parties  are  to  be 
under  control  of  native  chiefs,  and  no  compulsory  labor 
is  to  be  required.  Gcjods  are  to  bu  sold  at  rates  not 
more  than  twenty-five  per  cent  above  tlio  wholesale 
price  in  San  Francisco,  .salmon,  fuel,  and  oil  being  fur- 
nished gratis.  Widows  and  orphans  at  either  island 
are  to  be  supported  if  necessary  at  the  company's  e:;- 
pcnse.  Medicines  and  medical  attendance  are  to  bo 
provided  for  all  free  of  expense.  Free  transportation 
and  subsistence  on  the  company's  vessels  must  be  fur- 
nished to  those  who  any  time  wish  to  remove  to  any 
island  on  the  Aleutian  group.  Finally,  the  agents 
and  emploj'es  of  the  company  are  strictly  erijoined  at 
all  times  to  "treat  the  inhabitants  of  the  islands  with 
the  utmost  kindness,  and  endeavor  to  preserve  ami- 
cable relations  with  them.  Force  is  never'  to  be  used 
against  them,  except  in  defense  of  life,  or  to  prevent 

"It  was  alleged  in  1876,  that  the  100,000  seals  killed  each  year  wouUl 
yield  :it  least  200,000  gallons  of  oil,  that  if  the  tax  had  been  liiaiutuined  it 
would  have  yielded  $110,000  a  year  to  government,  and  tliat  the  oil  would 
have  sold  in  London  for  0.")  ecnts  per  gallon.  It  is  well  known  that  the  seals 
whose  fur  is  most  valuable  ;;ive  the  least  oil,  and  the  average  yield  is  proba- 
bly nearer  half  a  gallon  than  two  gallons  per  seal.  Moreover,  the  oil  that 
sells  in  London  for  95  cents  a  gallon  is  not  fur-seal  but  hair-seal  oil.  T'.'.o 
former  has  sometimes  no  marketable  value,  and  iipart  from  tax,  the  highest 
price  paid  for  it  never  exceeds  the  cost  of  production,  freight,  and  other 
charges.     See  Ilouie  Com.  IteptK.,  /fjfth  Coiifj.  lat  Se-^s.,  G23,  p.  'J. 

'"  A  copy  of  them,  and  also  of  the  '  Act  to  prevent  tlic  extermination  of  fur- 
bearing  animals  in  Alaska,'  may  be  found  in  Elliott's  Heed- Islands,  Alaska, 
Ii3-G. 


640 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


ii;!i 


I.;  I 


the  wanton  destruction  of  valuable  property.  Tlie 
agents  and  servants  of  the  company  are  expected  to 
instruct  the  native  people  in  houseliold  economy,  and 
by  precept  and  example  illustrate  to  theui  the  prin- 
ciples and  benefits  of  a  higher  civilization." 

The  workmen  keep  a  tally  of  their  number  of  skins, 
and  at  the  close  of  each  day's  labor  give  the  result  to 
their  chief  When  the  skins  are  afterward  counted 
b}'^  the  company's  agent  at  the  salt-houses,  it  is  seldom 
that  any  discrepancy  is  found.  Once  a  month,  or 
sometimes  more  frequently,  the  sum  due  for  the  catch 
is  paid  to  the  chiefs,  by  whom  a  portion  is  distributed 
among  the  men,  the  remainder  being  reserved  until 
the  final  settlement,  which  takes  place  at  the  end  of 
the  season.  First-class  workmen  can  thus  earn,  in- 
cluding extra  work,  about  $450^^^  for  three  or  four 
months'  labor,  and  considering  that  they  are  supplied 
gratis  the  year  round  with  house-room,^^  fuel,  oil,  and 
their  staple  article  of  food,  it  would  seem  that  their 
condition  is  much  better  than  that  of  the  majority  of 
laborers  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  Not  a  few  of 
them  save  money,  though  thrift  is  a  rare  virtue  among 
the  Aleuts,  and  the  company  allows  good  interest  to 
those  who  deposit  their  savings,^^  some  having  several 
thousand  dollars  to  their  credit.^* 

Complaints  have  been  made  from  time  to  time  of 

"  At  40  cents  per  skin,  the  payment  for  the  7i"5,000  skins  taken  at  St  Paul 
Island  in  1872  amounted  to  .§30,000,  and  including  extra  work,  to  $30,C.'>7..37. 
This  was  divided  into  74  shares,  though  in  fact  only  50  men  were  at  work, 
portions  being  reserved  for  the  church,  the  priest,  wiclows,  and  orphans.  The 
shares  were  thus  divided:  ,37  first-class  shares  at  Sir)l.'22;  23  second-class 
sliarcs  at  8-100.08;  4  third-class  shares  at  $300.97;  JO  fourth-class  shares  at 
$31o.S5.  Id.,  25-6.  Firat-class  shares  arc  given  to  those  who  have  worked 
regularly  ami  are  of  good  standing  in  the  community;  second-class  to  those 
who  have  worked  irregidarly  or  for  a  portion  of  the  time;  third-class  to  those 
who  have  been  idle  and  worked  only  when  they  felt  dirposcd,  and  fourth-class 
to  boys.  Te-ilimoiii/  of  Charles  Bryant,  in  House  Com.  Itepts.,  44^h  Cong. 
I(it8>:<is.,  623,  p.  97. 

^ '  In  1870  dwellings  had  been  erected  on  both  islands,  one  for  each  family. 
They  were  lined  inside  and  filled  in  between  the  lining  and  weathcr-boai  din,|j. 
Stoves  were  also  provided  free  of  expense.  Testimony  of  Johh  F.  Miller,  in 
/(/.,  30. 

^*  Nine  per  cent  was  the  rate  paid  in  1880. 

"In  1875,  eighty  natives  at  St  Paul  were  credited  with  ^34,715.24. 
Id.,  31. 


COXDITIOX  OF  THE  INDIANS, 


641 


the  treatment  of  natives  by  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company.  Even  before  its  incorporation  the  commis- 
sioner of  Indian  affairs  lamented  that  the  relations  of 
Hutchinson,  Kohl,  &  Company  with  the  Aleuts  were 
merely  those  of  traders,  and  "in  the  name  of  human- 
ity" trusted  that  the  bill  which  passed  the  house  of 
representatives  in  18G8,  and  which  "would  virtually 
reduce  the  Indians  of  Alaska  to  a  condition  of  serf- 
dom," would  not  become  law.  What  relations  <jtlier 
than  those  of  traders  he  expected  to  exist  between 
the  Aleuts  and  Hutchinson,  Kohl,  &  Company  the 
commissioner  does  not  state.  It  is  certain,  however, 
tliat  at  the  Prybilof  Islands  the  treatment  of  the  for- 
mer has  been  in  marked  and  favorable  contrast  with 
that  which  they  received  elsewhere  during  the  mili- 
tary occupation  or  during  the  regime  of  the  Russian 
American  Company. 

The  entire  population  of  the  Prybilof  Islands  num- 
bered, in  1880,  nearly  four  hundred  persons,-'  all  out 
eighteen  of  them  being  Aleuts.  Until  these  islands 
were  leased  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  most 
of  the  natives  lived  in  sod  huts,  some  of  them  partly 
under  ground.  The  fat  of  seals  and  a  small  quantity 
of  drift-wood  found  on  the  northern  shore  of  St  Paul 
Island  formed  their  only  fuel,  and  when  these  failed, 
they  passed  the  remainder  of  the  long  drear  winter 
huddled  together  beneath  seal-skins,  in  the  warmest 
corner  of  their  dark  and  noisome  dwellings.  Now  there 
is  in  their  midst  neither  poverty,  suiFcring,  nor  crime,-* 
and  the  villages  o,t  St  Paul  and  St  George  will  com- 
})are  not  unfavorably  with  those  of  equal  size,  even  in 
the  eastern  states.  The  streets  are  regularly  laid 
out;  each  family  lives  in  a  comfortable  frame  dwell- 
ing;    there  are  churches  and  school- houses  at  both 

'*  At  !*t  Paul  there  were  298,  including  14  white  persons,  128  male  and 
MO  female  Aleuts;  at  St  (jeorge  the  population  was  02,  including  4  whites, 
3.->  male  Aleuts  and  53  females,  an  increase  of  30  or  40  souls  siuoo  lt>73.  Elli- 
otl\i  Si-al-/tilaml.i,  Alaska,  20. 

''"'  There  arc  no  policemen  nor  courts  of  justice,  and  since  1870  there  has  not 
hcen  a  single  instance  where  the  presence  of  a  justice  of  the  peace  was  needed, 

lilt  J     M^, 

Hht.  Alaska.    41 


642 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


iMt 


settlements,  and  at  St  Paul  a  hospital  and  well  fur- 
nished dispensary. 

The  principal  food  of  the  natives  is  sahnon  and  seal 
meat,  of  which  five  to  six  hundred  pounds  a  year  are 
required  per  capHa.  For  animal  food  they  have  no 
relish.  Salt  beef  and  pork  they  will  sometimes  accejit 
as  a  present,  but  will  never  purchase  them.  Apart 
from  fish,  bread,  butter,  canned  fruit,  sugar,  and  tea 
form  their  principal  diet.  Of  bread  they  consume 
about  five  pounds  each  per  week,  of  butter  and  sugar 
all  that  they  can  purchase,  or  rather  all  that  the  corn- 
pan}'  will  allow  them  to  purchase;  for  if  the  supj^ly 
were  unlimited,  they  would  constantly  surfeit  tlieni- 
selves  with  both  these  luxuries.  The  samovar,  which 
is  now  being  replaced  by  the  tea-kettle,  is  kept  boiling;' 
at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  most  hours  of  the  niij^ht. 
When  not  at  work  the  Prybilof  Islander  sips  tea  evtu 
more  persistently  than  the  Chinaman,  some  of  thom 
drinking  as  much  as  a  gallon  a  day.  No  intoxicating- 
liquors  of  anj'  kind  are  openly  permitted  to  como 
within  their  reach,  and  of  tobacco  the  consumption  is 
moderate.'^ 

DurinsT  the  eiijht  or  nine  months  which  intervene 
between  the  sealing  seasons,  the  Aleut  is  little  better 
than  a  hibernating  animal.  He  sleeps  or  slumbers  foi' 
about  eighteen  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four,  and  for 
the  rest  he  eats,  drinks  tea,  smokes,  goes  to  church, 
and  occasionally  gambles.  Sometimes  he  will  worlc 
at  the  grading  of  roads,  or  assist  in  the  unloading  of 
vessels,  receiving  for  his  services  fifty  cents  to  one 
dollar  a  day,  but  he  does  so  with  an  air  of  supreme 
condescension,  for  after  receiving  his  share  in  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  year's  catch,  he  has  sufficient  to  support 
him  until  the  following  season,  and  is  averse  to  labor 
of  anv  kind.  The  holidavs  of  the  Greek  church, 
of  which,  including  Sundays,  there  are  usually  three 
or  four  each  week,  afford  some  relief  from  the  tedium 
of  winter  life.     For  those  who  are  socially  inclined, 

'"  Aoout  fifty  pcninila  a  week  lit  St  Paul  Island. 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


C43 


there  are  also  birthday  parties,  and  occasionally  danco 
parties,  at  which  the  young  pass  through  the  figures 
taught  them  by  the  Russians  and  set  to  Russian 
music,  and  the  old  look  on  and  drink  tea. 

At  St  Paul  Island  we  have  probably  about  as  con- 
tented a  community  as  can  bo  found  elsewhere  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  Strong  efforts  have  been  made  froiu 
time  to  time  to  show  that  the  natives  are  dissatisfied  r'' 
but  the  dissatisfaction  appears  to  exist  only  in  the 
minds  of  those  who  failed  to  procure  the  privileges 
granted  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  or  who 
envy  its  privileges.^  That  the  conipany  has  been 
guilty  of  breach  of  faith  in  its  relations  with  the  na- 
tives or  with  the  government  has  never  yet  been 
proved,  and  assuredly  its  conduct  has  not  lacked 
investigation. 

After  a  thorough  inquiry  into  the  affairs  of  the 
company,  the  committee  of  ways  antl  means  report 
to  the  house  of  representatives,  in  June  187G,  that 
"there  is  no  just  ground  of  complaint  against  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  or  the  officers  of  the 
government  who  were  intrusted  under  the  law  with 
the  power  to  make  and  see  to  the  performance  of  the 
lease."  The  assignment  of  tlie  lease  was  also  made 
the  subject  of  a  special  investigation. 

Before  a  sub-committee  appointed  ft)r  the  purpose 
of  taking  testimony,  a  large  number  of  witnesses  were 
examined,  among  whom  were  General  John  F.  Miller, 
president  of  the  company,  George  S.  Boutwell,  secre- 
tary of  the  treasury  in  1870,  B.  II.  Bristow,  secretary 
of  the  treasury  in  187G,  and  Louis  Goklstone,  who  in 
1870  "was  trying,"  as  he  testifies,  "to  obtain  a  lease 

"Any  wilful  violation  of  the  regulations  is  punished  by  tlie  sumniaiy 
disniis»tal  uf  the  offending  party.  /(/. ,  \'>G. 

™  For  adverse  comments  and  groundless  complaints  ns  to  the  company's 
management,  see  Honchurcuko,  Scrap  Hook;  passim,  and  Jloi'm'  (.'ont.  ]''■}>/••■., 
44^^  Vonij.  lut  .S'mv.  ,  023,  p.  29>-30.  If  we  can  believe  tlie  president  of  the 
company,  General  Howard,  to  whose  pamphlet  rellecting  very  severely  on  the 
management  of  the  natives  was  due  in  part  the  investigation  (jf  1870,  hud 
never  been  within  500  miles  of  one  of  the  company's  stations,  or  within  1,500 
miles  of  the  seal-islauds. 


^- 


644 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


from  the  gfoveriinient  for  fecal-fishing  on  the  Saint 
George's  and  Saint  Paul's  islands." 

In  the  fourth  section  of  the  act  of  July  1,  1870, 
for  the  protection  of  the  seal-islands,  it  is  ordered 
that  the  secretary  of  the  treasury  shall  immediately 
lease  the  Prybilof  Islands  "to  proper  and  responsible 
parties,  to  the  best  advantage  of  the  United  States, 
having  due  regard  to  the  interests  of  the  government, 
the  native  inhabitants,  the  parties  heretofore  engaged 
in  the  trade,  and  the  protection  of  the  seal-fisheries, 
for  a  term  of  twenty  years  from  the  1st  day  of  INIay, 
1870."  In  the  sixth  section  it  is  provided  "that  the 
annual  rental  to  be  reserved  by  said  lease  shall  be  not 
less  than  fifty  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  to  be 
secured  by  deposit  of  United  States  bonds  to  that 
amount,  and  in  addition  thereto  a  revenue  tax  or  duty 
of  two  dollars  is  hereby  laid  upon  each  fur-seal  skin 
taken  from  said  islands  during^he  continuance  of  such 
lease. 

On  the  8th  of  July,  1870,  an  advertisement  was 
published  by  order  of  the  secretary  of  the  treasury, 
stating  that  bids  would  be  received  for  a  period  of 
twelve  days,  and  among  them  was  one  from  Louis 
Goldstone,  offering  to  pay,  in  addition  to  $55,000  of 
rental,  $2.62}^  for  each  seal-skin  and  55  cents  for 
each  gallon  of  seal-oil.  Goldstone  represented  three 
])artiesin  California,  among  whom  was  the  "American 
Kussian  Commercial  Company,"  which  withdrew 
about  the  time  that  the  bids  were  opened,  notice  to 
that  effect  being  immediately  sent  to  Mr  Boutwell. 

After  considering  all  the  proposals,  together  with 
the  character,  fitness,  and  financial  responsibility  of 
the  ]>arties,  the  secretary  decided  that  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  best  fulfilled  the  conditions 
named  in  the  act,  and  could  give  the  surest  guarantee 
of  a  faithful  and  intelligent  performance  of  their  con- 
tract. He  therefore  awarded  to  them  the  lease  on 
the  same  terms  as  were  offered  by  Goldstone,  the 
comi>any  agreeing,  moreover,  to  furnish  food  and  fuel. 


LEASE  OF  THE  ISLANDS. 


645 


and  to  maintain  free  .schools  for  the  use  of  their  native 
emi)loyes  on  the  Prybilof  Islands. 

Such,  in  brief,  is  the  story  of  this  transaction — one 
that,  like    the   purchase,   is  supposed   to  be  deeply 
shrouded  in  mystery,  but  was  in  fact  a  very  straight 
forward,  business-like  proceeding. 

Mr  Boutwell,  in  giving  his  testimony  before  the 
committee,  stated  that  the  lease  was  assigned  by  his 
direction,  after  such  investigation  as  was  thought 
necessary  on  the  question  of  granting  to  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  the  preference.  The  matter 
had  been  first  submitted  to  the  attorney-general,  who 
had  also  been  asked  whether,  in  his  opinion,  it  was 
the  duty  of  the  secretary  to  give  public  notice  of  the 
passage  of  the  bill,  and  to  invite  proposals.  The 
reply  was  that  the  company  was  entitled  to  prefer- 
ence only  so  far  as  the  secretary  should  consider  them 
to  have  peculiar  facilities  for  the  performance  of  the 
contract,  and  that  the  invitation  for  public  bids  was  a 
matter  that  lay  very  much  within  his  own  discretion. 
If  the  terms  which  the  company  oft'ered  were  as  fa- 
vorable to  the  government,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
seal-islands,  and  to  the  })rotection  of  the  seal-fisheries 
as  those  which  could  be  obtained  in  any  other  quar- 
ter, or  nearly  so,  "then,  under  the  ])rovisions  of  the 
act,  they  would  be  entitled  to  a  preference."^" 

General  ^Miller  testified  that  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company  offered  for  the  lease  as  nmch  as  any 
other  proper  and  lesponsible  party,  and  in  addition, 
the  considerations  above  mentioned.  The  pro[)osals 
were  merely  invited  by  the  secretary  for  his  own  in- 
forn^ation,  and  he  had  of  course  the  power  to  reject 
any  or  all  of  them,  as  he  saw  fit.  Being  asked  whether, 
if  the  contract  had  been  let  to  other  parties,  they  could 
have  fulfilled  it  satisfactorily.  General  Miller  replied 

""/f/.,  49-50.  Mr  Boutwcll's  testimony  was  confirmed  by  that  of  W.  A. 
Richarilson,  assistant  secretary,  by  whom  the  contract  was  signed,  the  former 
being  absent  from  Washington  at  the  time.  Mr  Iliciiardson  states  that  ]limt- 
well  was  very  much  opposed  to  leasing  the  seal-islands  at  all,  but  the  law 
having  been  passed,  anil  the  uttoruey-gcneral  having  readerod  his  opituon, 
there  waa  no  alteruative.  Id. ,  GO. 


i' 


m. 


i 

ill' 


646 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


i  '''  i 


E 


that  it  would  have  been  verv  difficult  for  them  to  do  so. 
They  cc.ild  not  have  obtained  at  the  islands  the  use 
of  a  single  building,  nor  any  of  the  appliances  needed 
f(jr  carrying  on  the  business,  since  all  of  them  belonged 
to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company ,^^  a  member 
of  which  had  also  made  contracts  with  the  natives 
for  their  labor.  To  build  salt-houses,  boats,  dwelling- 
liouses,  and  procure  what  else  was  needed,  would  re- 
quire much  time  and  capital,  whereas  the  company 
had  already  on  hand  everything  that  was  necessary. 
Hence  they  were  better  fitted  to  carry  on  the  business 
than  were  other  parties. 

In  addition  to  the  above  reasons  for  granting  the 
lease  to  this  company,  it  may  be  stated  that  among  its 
stockholders  were  three  firms,  certain  of  whose  mem- 
l)ers  had  more  experience  in  fur-sealing  and  the  fur- 
8oal  business  than  any  v._^  the  remaining  applicants, 
their  names  being  Williams,  Haven,  and  Company  of 
New  London,  John  Parrott  and  Company  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  Hutchinson,  Kohl,  and  Company.  These 
firms  afterward  consolidated  and  formed  the  nucleus 
of  the  present  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  the  first 
of  them  being  the  oldest  and  most  successful  of  all  firms 
connected  with  the  American  fur  trade.  At  the  time 
when  the  lease  was  assigned,  this  association  repre- 
sented a  capital  of  nine  millions  of  dollars,  and  owned 
lio  less  than  fifty  trading  posts  in  various  parts  of 
Alaska. 

As  to  the  bid  tendered  by  Louis  Goldstone,  it 
remains  only  to  be  said  that,  on  the  withdrawal  of 
the  American  Russian  Commercial  Company,  the 
secretary  of  the  treasury  considered  it  thereby  inval- 
idated, probably  not  deeming  Mr  Goldstone  and  his 
colleagues  "proper  and  responsible  parties,"  "having 
due  regard  to  the  interests  of  the  government."  Cer- 
tain it  is  that  the  offer  made  by  Goldstone  was  suspi- 
ciously liberal — more  liberal  than  the  law  required, 

"  Being  transferred  by  Mr  Hutchinson  to  the  firm  of  Hutchinson,  Kohl, 
and  Company,  and  by  the  latter  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company.  Testi- 
mony oi  H.  M.  Hutciiiusou,  iu  Id.,  pp.  112,  118. 


RIVAL  BIDDERS. 


647 


though  less  so  than  the  terms  ultimately  proposed  by 
the  Alaska  Commercial  Company.  The  action  taken 
by  the  secretary  gave  sore  offence  to  Golclstone  and 
his  associates,  by  some  of  whom  a  pamphlet  was  pub- 
lished, entitled  the  History  of  the  Wrongs  of  Alaska, ^"^ 
a  memorial  being  also  forwarded  to  the  representatives 
and  referred  to  committee,  in  which  it  was  alleged 
that  the  lease  had  been  illegally  assigned.  The  state- 
ment was  afterward  retracted,  as  having  been  made 
under  a  misapprehension  of  the  facts,  and  the  memo- 
rial withdrawn.** 

If  any  other  evidence  be  needed,  in  addition  to 
the  statements  already  mentioned,  we  have  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Hon.  B.  H.  Bristow,  of  which  more  later, 
Joseph  S.  Moore,  and  other  responsible  gentlemen, 
whose  answers  before  the  committee  were  unanimously 
in  favor  of  the  company.  Finally,  we  have  the  report 
of  the  members  of  the  committee  themselves,  who 
"concur  in  the  opinion  that  the  lease  with  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  was  made  in  pursuance  of  the 
law;  that  it  was  made  in  the  interest  of  the  United 
States,  and  properly  granted  to  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company;  that  the  interest  of  the  United  States 
was  properly  protected  in  all  the  requirements  of  the 
law;  and  that  the  lessees  have  faithfully  complied 
with  their  part  of  the  contract." 

"A  copy  of  it  will  bo  found  in  House  Ex.  Doc,  4¥h  Cong,  lat  Sess.,  no. 
8.3,  n.  152-71. 

'^  A  copy  of  the  letter  will  be  found  in  House  Com.  liepts,,  44ih  Cong.  1st 
Sess,,  G23,  p.  136.     It  reada  as  follows: 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  Dec.  1.5,  1871. 

HoNOnED  Sir;  During  the  last  session  of  Congress  a  memorial  w.ia  pre- 
pared by  the  undersigned  and  associates  and  presented  to  the  House,  antl  re- 
ferred to  your  committee,  in  which  it  was  alleged  that  the  lease  to  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  by  the  United  States,  for  the  islands  of  St  Paul  and  St 
(jieorge,  Alaska,  August  3,  1870,  was  illegally  obtained  by  said  company  from 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  ought  to  have  been  awarded  to  the  undcr- 
Bigued  and  associates.  I  now  desire  to  withdraw  said  memorial.  The  alle- 
gations contained  therein,  having  been  made  under  a  misapprehension  of  facts, 
are  therefore  untrue.  The  uiulersigucd,  representing  the  memorialists,  as 
an  act  of  justice  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  all  concerned,  begs  to 
withdraw  all  statements  of  complaint  contained  in  said  memorial. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

Louis  Goldstonk. 
Hon.  John  A.  Bingham,  Chairman  Judiciary  Committeo  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, Washington,  D.  C. 


ti; 


G4S 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


1  :(; 


Among  tlic  papers  submittocl  to  the  committee  of 
wftv.s  and  means  were  two  communications  from  Rob- 
ert Desty  of  San  Francisco.  In  the  first  one,  dated 
February  28,  1 870,  he  cites  a  number  of  charjreH  against 
the  company,^*  which  then  solicited  an  investigation, 
and  which  he  compares  to  a  "thief  who  aims  to  keej) 
liimself  always  ready  to  be  searched,  depending  on  hav- 
ing the  search  directed  by  himself."  He  also  states 
that  he  has  delivered  to  Senator  Jones,  of  Nevada,  cer- 
tain documents  relatin<jf  to  Alaska,  to  wdiich  he  refers 
the  connnittee.  "I  am  not  a  trader,"  writes  Desty, 
"never  was,  and  never  likely  to  be,  have  no  interest  in 
Alaska,  but  for  many  years  I  have  been  a  close  student 
of  its  affairs,  and  have  contributed  some  to  writing  uj) 
its  resources,  which  I  believe  to  be  greatly  underrated 
by  the  company;  and  desiring  to  see  an  honest  admin- 
istration of  the  aflairs  of  government,  I  took  the  lib- 
erty thus  to  address  you." 

From  Desty's  second  communication,  dated  May  1 , 
187G,  I  will  give  a  few  extracts,  which  may  serve  to 
exj)lain  the  History  of  the  Wrongs  of  Alaska  and  the 
newspaper  comments  to  which  it  gave  rise.  "Some 
time  since  I  forwarded  to  you  a  collection  of  documents, 
and  a  written  statement  of  the  affairs  of  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company.  Since  that  time  I  have  taken 
especial  pains  to  investigate  as  far  as  I  was  able  the 
matters  involved  therein,  and  I  have  become  convinced 
that  most  of  the  charges  against  the  company  are  not 
founded  on  facts  which  can  be  proved. 

"Having  written  nearly  all  the  newspaper  articles 
which  have  appeared  in  the  San  Francisco  papers  dur- 
ing the  last  seven  years  against  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company,  and  being  the  author,  in  print,  of  most 
of  the  charges  which  have  been  published  against 
that  company ...  I  deem  it  incumbent  on  me  to  make 
the  following  statement.  .  .Being  a  poor  man,  and  a 
wu'iter,  I  wrote  upon  this  subject  such  things  as  I  was 
required  to  write  by  those  who  employed  me;  and 

"They  are  given  in  M,  p.  139-43. 


DESTY'S  WRITINGS. 


040 


being  a  radical  in  politics,  of  the  French  school,  I  was 
the  more  easily  deceivctl,  and  more  readily  accepted 
the  statements  which  charged  oppression  and  wrong- 
ful acts  upon  the  part  of  this  |)owerful  company  as 
true,  and  wrote  them  up  with  all  the  vigor  and  zeal  I 
possessed,  induced  by  my  natural  desire  to  protoct 
the  weak  ajjainst  the  stronjj. 

"It  is  well  known  that  there  has  existed  in  this  city 
for  several  years  a  combination  of  individuals,  mostly 
fur-dealers,  who  singly  and  together,  under  various 
names,  have  made  common  cause  against  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company.  For  a  time  they  took  the 
name  of  the  'Alaska  Traders'  Protective  Association;' 
lately  they  have  assumed  the  name,  'The  Anti-Monop- 
oly Association  of  the  Pacific  Coast. '^ 

"It  was  in  the  interest  of  this  combination,  as  I  now 
discover,  that  I  was  employed  to  write,  and  the  alleged 
facts  and  charges  which  I  have  from  time  to  time 
written  and  published  against  the  company  were  fur- 
nished by  one  and  another  of  these  jjarties.^^ 

"  The  pamphlet  called  the  History  of  the  tVronr/s 
of  Alaska  Avas  mostly  composed  of  statements  and 
charges  made  by  me  in  the  Alaska  Herald  and  otiier 
sources — the  articles  written  by  me  and  published  in 
the  Alaska  Herald  and  other  San  Francisco  papers,^' 
and  in  the  New  York  and  Chicago  papers. 

"The  object  and  purpose  of  all  these  various  publi- 
cations on  the  })art  of  this  combination  was  to  raise  a 
clamor  against  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  and 
by  charging  fraud  and  oppression  continually,  make 
the  company  so  odious  to  the  public  that  congress 
would  take  action  towards  the  abrogation  of  its  con- 
tract of  lease  for  the  Seal  Islands. 


I 


li 


! 


'••The  names  of  the  members,  according  to  Desty's  information,  are  given 
in  /(/.,  141.  Deaty  states  that  he  was  himself  invited  to  become  a  member, 
but  declined. 

'"  'And  others  in  written  memoranda  f urnislied  by  the  pen  of  Honcliarenko, 
and  wliicli  I  elalwrated  into  tlie  articles  which  appeared  in  print.' 

"  Desty  states  that  Honcharcnko  was  never  in  Alaska,  ami  tliat  the  Aln.ika 
llcruld  was  publislied  for  several  years  in  8an  Francisco,  and  supported  by 
the  combination  and  their  sympathizers. 


650 


COMMERCE,  llEVENUE,  AND  FURf3. 


"I  now  desire  to  retract  all  I  have  written  agrainst 
the  company,  and  this  I  do  freely  and  voluntarily, 
without  tear  or  compulsion  of  any  sort,  but  as  an  act 
of  simple  justice." 

Desty's  communications,  for  whatever  they  were 
worth,  were  put  on  file  as  evidence.  Their  worth  is 
])robal)ly  known  to  those  who  were  residents  of  Sail 
l^Vancisco  when  the  suit  of  Thomas  Taylor  and  others 
Acrsus  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  and  others 
was  tried  in  1871/'  and  they  are  mentioned  in  theso 
]iages  merely  to  explain  in  part  the  adverse  comments 
tliat  have  appeared  in  the  press  and  in  various  pani- 
phlota. 

Perhaps  the  most  valuable  testimony  educed  durin<( 
the  investigation  was  that  of  B.  H.  Bristow.  "I 
understand  you  to  say,"  remarked  a  member  of  the 
sub-committee,  "  that  you  have  instituted  all  the  in- 
quiries that  you  deem  necessary,  but  that  you  ha\e 
not  found  an^^thing  against  the  company  that  is 
reliable?"  "Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  secretary  of  the 
treasury,  "all  that  I  thought  necessary — indeed,  all 
that  I  could;  for,  to  speak  the  plain  truth,  when  it 
came  to  my  knowledge  that  the  company  was  making 
a  very  large  profit  out  of  the  matter,**  I  felt  that  the  gov- 
ernment was  not  getting  as  much  as  it  ought  to  have, 
and  I  wanted  to  find  some  way  of  getting  a  share  of 
the  profits  for  the  government;  but  I  found  myself 
confronted  with  the  law  and  this  contract,  and  I  saw 
no  reason  to  believe  that  the  company  were  not  carry- 
ing out  their  contract  in  good  faith,  whatever  may  be 
the  suspicions  by  which  they  are  surrounded." 

The  only  charge  worthy  of  mention  that  was  brought 
home  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  was  a  dis- 


"  A  portion  cf  the  evidence  in  this  case,  of  which  I  have  a  copy,  will  be 
found  in  the  AUmka  Com.  Co.,  MS. 

""  Miller  testitied  that  the  company  lost  money  the  fii-st  year,  but  the 
second  year  made  a  small  profit,  that  for  the  third  year  tlie  dividend  was  ton 
per  cent,  and  for  1875  fifteen  per  cent.  JJome  Com.  Reptn.,  4Mh  Coixj.  lit 
SeSH,,Q2S,  p.  37,  where  are  given  the  names  of  the  stockholders  in  1876. 


CHARGES  AGAINST  THE  COMPANY. 


m 


311 


all 
it 


Ling 

Srov- 

ave, 


saw 


tlis- 


dU  be 

ut  the 
ten 


cropanoy  of  $1,407.37'"'  between  the  accounts  kept  by 
the  custom-house  and  those  of  the  company;  and  in 
the  opinion  of  the  official  appointed  to  examine  the 
company's  books,  this  was  due  to  an  error  of  the  gov- 
ernment agents. 

In  18G9  the  value  of  a  fur-seal  skin  in  London,  tlio 
world's  mart  for  peltry,  did  not  exceed  three  or  four 
dollars,  but  at  that  date  the  tax  was  one  dollar  per 
skin.  In  187G  a  first-class  skin  delivered  in  London 
cost  the  company  six  to  six  and  a  half  dollars;  its 
market  value  at  that  date  before  being  dressed  or 
dj'ed  was  about  fifteen  dollars,  and  in  1881  twenty 
dollars.  The  enhanced  price  is  due  in  part  to  better 
preservation,  but  more  to  whim  of  fashion. 

The  demand  for  furs  is  of  course  controlled  by  fash- 
ion. As  men  wear  beaver  hats  in  summer,  so  do 
women  seal-skin  sacks.  Among  others,  furriers  regu- 
late fashion.  "When  I  was  in  London,"  remarks 
[Miller,  "I  talked  with  all  the  great  furriers,  and 
they  were  delighted  to  know  that  they  could  cal- 
culate with  reasonable  certainty  upon  the  number  of 
^^kins  that  w^ere  to  be  put  upon  the  market  each  year. 
The  furriers  influence  fashion.  The  value  of  this 
article  is  subject  to  the  caprice  of  fashion,  but  the  fur- 
riers themselves  aid  in  making  the  fashions,  and  they 
make  the  fashion  for  an  article  that  will  pay." 

Amonof  the  charsjes  brouijlit  acjainst  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  was  that  of  taking  more  than  the 
number  of  skins  allowed  by  law.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
(.liscuss  this  charge.  As  a  fact,  they  usually  take  one 
or  two  hundred  less  than  the  number  prescribed,  and 
not  until  1881  did  the  number  of  accepted  skins 
amount  to  a  hundred  thousand,"    "If  we  overran  the 

*"  The  amount  of  tax  on  559  skins  at  $2.62.V  each. 

*^  EHiott's  Seal  hlands,  Alcuka,  1G9.  The  list  of  the  treasury  agent  is  the 
official  indorsement  of  the  company's  catch.  The  skins  are  shipped  to  8;in 
Francisco,  where  tliey  are  counted.  'As  it  never  iiappened  before,  until  the 
Foason  of  1S81,'  remarks  Elliott,  'that  the  two  counts  at  San  Francisco  and  St 
I'aul  have  agreed  to  a  unit,  tlio  company  lias  given  strict  and  inijwrative 
Oidera  that  no  more  than  99,800  or  99,850  shall  be  annually  taken  by  ita 


I 


C-.2 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AXD  FURS. 


market  to  any  appreciable  extent,"  stated  ^rillej-,  in 
ovidcncu,  "it  would  certainly  knock  tliu  price  down, 
and  it  would  do  it  because  it  disturbs  the  present 
equilibrium." 

At  the  Prybilof  Islands  the  government  has  what 
may  be  termed  a  stock-farm,  which  yields  an  income 
of  more  than  .$300,000  a  year.  The  advantages  of 
leasing  tlu'se  islands  to  responsible  parties  are  thus 
stated  by  Henry  W.  Elliott,  tbrmerly  a  treasury  agent, 
who  inspected  the  seal-grounds  in  187G: 

"First.  When  the  government  took  possession  of 
these  interests,  in  1808  and  18G9,  the  gross  value  of 
a  seal-skin  laid  down  in  the  best  market,  at  London, 
was  less  in  some  instances,  and  in  others  but  slightly 
above,  the  present  tax  and  royalty  paid  upon  it  by  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company. 

"Second.  Through  the  action  of  the  intelligent 
l)usincss  men  who  took  the  contract  from  the  govern- 
ment, in  stimulatinijf  and  encouragltig  the  dressers  of 
the  raw  material,  and  in  taking  sedulous  care  that 
nothing  but  good  skins  should  leave  the  islands,  ainl 
in  combination  with  leaders  of  fashion  abroad,  th  ■  d<- 
mand  for  the  fur,  by  this  manipulation  and  manage- 
ment, has  been  wonderfully  increased. 

"Third.  xVs  matters  now  stand,  the  greatest  and 
best  interests  of  the  lessees  are  identical  with  those 
of  the  government;  what  injures  one  injures  the  other. 
In  other  words,  both  strive  to  guard  against  anything 
that  shall  interfere  with  the  preservation  of  the  seal- 
life  ill  its  original  integrity,  and  both  having  it  to 
their  interest  if  possible  to  increase  that  liTe;  if  the 
lessees  liad  it  in  their  power,  which  they  certainly  ha\o 
not,  to  ruin  these  interests  by  a  few  seasons  of  rapacity, 
they  arc  so  bonded  and  so  environed  that  prudence 
prevents  it. 

agents  from  the  seal-islands.  Taking  the  full  quota  for  this  season  of  1S8I 
was  contrary  to  its  express  direction.'  In  the  Rv-pt.  on  Finaucen,  in  Ihmo'. 
Ex.  Doc,  47th  Ciuif/.  2d  Sets.,  47,  tlie  secretary  of  tlio  treasury  states  that  in 
1882  the  Ahiska  Commercial  Co.  took  'nearly  the  maximum  number  of  seal- 
skins permitted  under  its  lease,  paid  the  tax  thereon,  as  well  as  the  rent  uf 
the  islands,  and  otherwise  performed  its  duties  under  its  lease.' 


ELLIOTT'S  REPORT. 


ns 


"Fourtli.  Tlic  frequont  elmnofos  in  the  oflife  of  the 
seorc'tury  of  tlie  treasury,  wlio  lias  very  properly  the 
fthsolutc  control  of  the  luisitioss  as  it  stands,  do  not 
permit  ujHm  his  part  of  that  close,  careful  scrutiny 
which  is  exercised  by  the  lessees,  who,  unlike  him, 
have  but  their  one  purpose  to  carry  out.  The  char- 
acter of  the  leadincf  men  amouLj  them  is  enoULrh  to 
nssure  the  public  that  the  business  is  in  responsible 
hands,  and  in  the  care  of  persons  who  will  use  every 
effort  for  its  preservation  and  its  per[)etuati()n .  .  .As 
matters  are  now  conducted,  there  is  no  room  for  any 
scandal — not  one  simple  transaction  on  the  islands  but 
what  is  as  clear  to  investigation  and  accountability 
as  the  light  of  the  noon-day  sun;  what  is  done  is 
known  to  everybodj-,  and  the  tax  now  laid  by  the 
government  upon  and  paid  into  the  treasury  every 
}'ear  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  yields 
alone  a  handsome  rate  of  interest  on  the  entire  i)ur- 
chase  money  expended  for  the  ownership  of  all 
Alaska."*^ 

It  is  probable  that  the  lease  of  the  Prybilof  Islands 
has  been  a  much  more  profitable  transaction,  both  for 
tlie  government  and  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany, than  was  anticipated  at  the  time  when  it  was 
signed.  In  1871  Hutchinson,  Kohl,  &  Company 
obtained  a  lease  of  Bering,  Copper,  and  Robben 
islands  on  very  much  more  favorable  terms.  The 
rental  was  but  five  thousand  roubles  in  silver,  and  the 
i-oyalty  two  roubles.  The  minimum  number  of  skins 
that  should  be  taken  was  fixed  at  one  thousand,  but 
otherwise  there  was  no  limit." 

In  many  parts  of  Alaska  there  were,  in  the  time  of 
the  Russian  American  Company,  as  the  reader  will 

" Seal  IdnmlK,  Alaska,  2G-1 .  'It  is  frequently  urged  with  great  persist- 
ency, by  misinformed  or  mrlicious  autliority,'  continues  Elliott,  'that  the 
kssecs  can  and  do  take  thousands  of  skins  in  excess  of  th<3  law,  and  this  catch 
ill  excess  is  shipped  sub  rosa  to  Japan  from  the  Pribylov  Islands.'  To  show 
the  impossibility  (jf  such  action  on  the  part  of  the  company,  he  then  states 
the  conditions  under  which  tlie  skins  are  taken. 

"A  copy  of  tlio  Itjase  is  given  in  Home  Com.  Septs.,  44th  Cong.  1st  Sets., 
C23,  app,  B. 


C54 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AXD  FURS. 


remember,  scrtl-grouiids  of  great  value,  but  where  t  >- 
day  the  oatcli  is  inconsiderable.  In  the  south  Pacific 
there  were,  less  than  fifty  years  ago,  rookeries  fre- 
quented by  millions  of  seals,  and  which  now  yield  but 
(ive  to  ten  thousand  skins  a  year.  That  the  sauio 
fite  would  have  overtaken  the  Prybilof  Islands,  but 
for  the  intervention  of  congress;  that,  instead  of  the 
live  millions  of  fur-seals  which  at  present  make  these 
islands  their  summer  resort,  there  would  have  been 
but  a  few  thousands,  cannot  reasonably  be  doubted.*' 
They  return  each  year  only  because  they  are  net 
allowed  to  be  disturbed  by  the  sound  of  fire-arms  or 
by  other  means,  nmch  care  and  method  being  used 
durinijf  the  slaughtering  season. 

When  they  come  in  from  the  north  Pacific  in  early 
sunnuer,  the  seals  usually  select  their  landing-places 
on  the  south  and  south-eastern  shores  of  the  Prybilof 
Islands,  mainly,  as  is  supposed,  because  the  winds. 
blt)\\  ing  at  that  season  usually  from  the  north  and 
west,  cai')-v  out  to  sea  the  scent  of  their  old  rookeries. 
During  the  month  of  May  only  a  few  hundreds  of  full- 
grown  males  are  to  be  fc«een  on  the  grounds,  but  about 
the  fust  week  in  June,  when  banks  of  gray  fog  begin 
to  enshroud  the  islands,  the  males  swarm  in  daily  by 
tliousands,  and  choose  locations  for  their  harems  close 
to  higli-water  mark. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  month  the  females  arrive, 
and  meanwhile  a  constant  fight  has  been  going  on 
])etween  the  new-comers  and  those  already  in  the 
field,  during  which  the  latter,  exhausted  by  repeated 
coulliets,  arc  often  driven  higher  up  the  rookery  and 
away  from  the  water-lino.  The  contests  are  only 
among  the  full-grown  males,*''  which  dispute  in  single 
combat  the  choicest  spots;  and  veterans  have  been 
known  to  fight  thirty  or  forty  pitched  battles  in  oriler 

*'  .\l)out  .3,000,000  urc  full-grown  females.     Wlicrc  they  all  harbor  Juriu!' 
the  rest  of  the  year  is  not  known,  hut  it  is  l)clieve(l  that  they  Biiend  the  \i    ■ 
ter  south  of  the  Aleutiiin  Ishinils,  in  places  where  fioh  aro  abundant.  IlilUU  s 
Com.  and  Iiiil.,  I'ac.  Coas(,  'Si'l. 

"  Eiyht  years  old  or  more. 


SEAL  BATTLES. 


c.:.j 


to  maintain  their  ground  until  the  arrival  of  tlio 
females,  when  it  seems  to  he  understood  that  those 
^vho  have  held  their  own  shall  not  be  disturbed  for 
the  season.*" 

The  combatants  approach  warily  and  with  averted 
gaze.  When  at  close  quarters  they  make  feints  or  passes 
like  pugilists  in  the  ring,  their  heads  darting  in  and 
.)ut  and  their  eyes  gleaming  with  a  lurid  light.  After 
much  preliminary  roaring  and  writhing,  they  sei;',e 
each  other  with  their  long  canine  teeth,  and  when  the 
grip  is  relaxed,  tlie  skin  and  blubber  of  one  or  both 
are  scarred  with  furrows,  the  blood  streaming  down 
meanwhile,  and  the  conflict  being  i)erliaps  the  most 
singular  that  man  can  witness. 

"Thus,"  as  Elliott  remarks,  "about  two  thirds  of 
all  the  males  which  are  born,  and  they  are  equal  in 
numbers  to  the  females  born,  are  never  permitted  by 
the  remaining  third,  strongest  b}^  natural  selection,  to 
land  upon  tlie  same  breeding-ground  with  the  females, 
which  always  herd  thereupon  en  masse.  Hence,  the 
great  band  of  bachelor  seals,  or  holluschickie,*''  so 
fitly  termed,  when  it  visits  the  island  is  obliged  to 
live  apart  entirely,  sometimes,  and  in  some  places, 
miles  away  I'l'oni  the  rookeries;  and  in  this  admirably 
perfect  metliod  of  nature  are  those  seals  which  can  bo 
])ro[)erly  killed  without  injury  to  the  rookeries  se- 
lected and  held  aside,  so  that  the  natives  can  visit  and 
take  them  without  disturbii:g,  in  the  least  degree,  the 
eiitin  quiet  of  the  breeding-grounds,  where  the  stock 
IS  perpetuated." 

To  the  bachelor  seals  remains  tlie  choice  of  taking 
U{»  their  abode — in  technical  phrasi-,  'hauling  up' — - 
in  rear  of  the  rcjokeries,  or  on  what  are  termed  the 
free  l)eaclies.  For  the  former  [)Urposc  a  path  is  left 
through  the  married-quarters  by  which  they  pass  in 
ceaseless  fdes,  day  or  night,  at  will.     No  wcH  c(mi- 

*•  ICUiott  states  tlint  he  lias  seen  a  vi'tcviiu  se;.!  figlit  40  or  .")0  battles  aiirl 
beat  ofTftll  hi.s  assailuuts,  coining  out  of  the  campaign  with  the  loss  of  an  eye, 
and  covered  with  raw  and  festerin^;  scars.  Seal  lalaiulK,  Akulcn,  32. 

*'  A  Russian  word  for  bachelor.!. 


: 


C36 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AXD  FURS. 


ducted  liollusc'liick  is  molested  on  tlio  way,  but  wo(3 
to  him  that  keeps  not  straight  on  his  path,  or  looks 
askant  and  snills  in  tlie  neighborhood  of  a  harem. 
Loss  of  fiipp*^''  or  of  life  is  the  sure  penalty. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  season,  the  bachelor  seals 
that  select  as  their  ground  the  free  beaches  haul  uj>''* 
v.ithin  a  few  rods  of  high-water  mark,  and  to  effect 
their  capture  great  caution  is  required.  At  the  first 
glimpse  of  dawn,  a  party  of  natives  is  sent  to  the 
.spot  whence  the  seals  are  to  be  driven  to  the  slaugh- 
lerinijr-yfround,  and  while  their  victims  are  still  dozin<jf, 
creep  stealthil}'  between  them  and  the  surf  When 
roused,  they  find  themselves  cut  off  from  retreat  to 
the  sea,  and  crawl  or  lope  in  the  direction  in  which 
they  are  guided  by  the  Aleuts,  who,  brfm!li^•Ving  their 
clubs,  but  as  noiselessly  as  possible;  "-vai'-  )wly  on 
the  Hank  and  in  rear  of  the  drove,  f.u  Uiis  man- 
ner, under  favorable  circumstances,  seveial  thousand 
fur-seals  may  be  driven  by  a  dozen  men,  but  usually 
only  a  few  hundred  are  taken  at  a  time. 

From  the  hauling-grounds  to  the  killing-grounds 
the  seals  are  driven  at  the  rate  of  about  half  a  mile 
an  hour,  with  frequent  halts  to  allow  time  to  cool,  as 
heating  injures  the  quality  of  the  fur.  During  the 
'drive,'  as  it  is  t(>.rmed,  they  never  show  fight,  unless 
it  should  hap[»en  that  a  few  veterans  are  among  the 
drove.  When  the  men  think  it  time  to  halt,  they 
droj)  back  a  few  paces,  whereupon  the  holluschickie 
stop,  and  pant,  and  fan  themselves.  The  clattering 
«)f  a  few  bones  or  a  shout  from  their  drivev,^  ciiises 
them  instantly  to  resume  their  march  to  tl'c  i-langii- 
tering-gr«nmds.^'' 

About  seven  o'clock  the  seals  are  secured  in  the 
slaughtering  corral,  which  is  always  close  to  one  of  the 

*•  A  phrase  apjilied  to  the  action  of  seals  when  they  land  from  the  surf  and 
clmg  tlicniselvcs  ovit  tlio  liuacli. 

**Tlie 'drive' to  Jj)ikiinni>n  on  St  Paul  Island  occupies  about  two  hours, 
to  Tolstoi  on  the  .same  island  two  and  a  half  t  >  tli'ec  hours,  while  to  Zoltui, 
o'  Stticorge  Islan<1,  the  distance  from  the  lieaeh  is  trilling.  These  are  tho 
)irinciiial  slauj^htering-groun  IS.  fil.,  71  (note).  Opposite  that  page  if  .i,  plato 
repreaentiu^  a  drove  i.ai  i,a  way  to  tlio  Uilling-grouuds. 


mm^m^mim! 


SLAUGHTER  OF  SEALS. 


657 


Alaska  Commercial  Company's  villages.  Here  they 
are  allowed  to  cool  until  the  men  have  breakfasted,  after 
which  all  the  Aleuts  come  forth,  armed  with  bludj:?eons, 
clubs,'"  and  stabbing  and  skinning  knives.  At  a  given 
signal  the  men  step  into  the  corral,  from  which  a 
hundred  or  a  hundred  and  fifty  are  driven  at  a  time, 
and  surrounded,  the  circle  narrowing  until  the  seals 
are  huddled  together  and  within  reach  of  the  clubs. 
The  chief  then  selects  those  which  are  doomed,  and 
a  single  blow  of  the  club,  which  will  stun  and  not 
kill,  is  dealt  to  all.  If  the  day  happen  to  be  warm 
and  fair,  the  skin  will  spoil,  unless  removed,  sometimes 
within  half  an  hour,"  and  always  within  an  hour  and 
a  half  after  the  death  of  tlie  seal.  To  avoid  waste, 
therefore,  and  to  allow  those  whose  furs  have  been 
injured  during  the  harem  tights  a  chance  to  escape, 
the  fatal  blow  is  not  struck  until  later,  when  a  single 
well  aimed  stroke  of  the  bludgeon  crushes  in  the  slen- 
der  bones  of  the  victim'sskull  and  stretcheshimlifeless." 

The  skins  are  taken  to  the  salt-house,  where  thev 
are  carefully  examined,  and  those  which  are  damaged, 
the  number  seldom  exceeding  one  per  cent,  are  rejected. 
They  are  then  salted  on  the  fleshy  side,  and,  in  sealing 
phrase,  piled,  fat  to  fat,  in  'kenches,''^  after  which 
salt  is  thrown  on  the  outer  edges  and  kept  in  place  by 
sliding  planks.  In  two  or  three  weeks  they  are  pickletl, 
when  they  are  taken,  as  required,  rolled  into  bundles 
of  two,  with  the  fur  outward,  and  are  tightly  corded. 
They  are  then  ready  for  shipment  to  San  Francisco, 
where  they  are  counted  by  the  government  agent  nn<l 
thence  forwarded  to  London  in  casks  containiny;  each 
forty  to  eighty  skins.'^* 

The  method  of  dressing  and  dyeing  the  skins  is  a 

^'The  bliulgeona  are  of  liickory,  nti<l  the  clulw  five  or  six  feet  in  lenjjtli, 
and  three  inches  in  diameter  at  the  head. 

"  fcllliott  states  thut  thia  oeeurs,  but  is  a  rare  occurrence. 

*'  The  blows  are  usually  repeated  two  or  three  times. 

*^  Largo  bins. 

*'Tho  (iverago  weight  of  .a  skin  tlius  pickled  is  0  to  10  lbs.  A  tabln  of 
the  weight,  size,  and  growth  of  the  fur-seal  at  the  Pryliilof  lalauda  ia  Lrivcn 
iu  U.,  40. 

Hut.  Ambka.    ii 


I 


i 


i! 


638 


COMMERCE,  REVENUE,  AND  FURS. 


trade  secret,  and  for  soino  reason  this  branch  of  indus- 
try appears  to  b-  ahiiost  concentrated  in  London.  Al- 
though artisans  have  been  engajj^ed,  and  dye-st  iffs  and 
even  water  imported  from  England  by  the  French,  furs 
])repared  by  artisans  of  the  latter  nf^tion  are  not  con- 
sidered equal  to  those  prepared  in  London.  The  pro- 
cesses previous  to  that  of  dyeing,  wherein  the  secret 
lies,  are  very  simple.  In  order  to  rid  it  of  greasy 
particles,  the  skin  is  first  soaked  in  warm  water,  and 
after  being  scraped  clean,  again  soaked  in  warm  water 
containing  rose-wood  or  mahogany  sawdust.  The 
fleshy  side  of  the  skin  is  then  shaved,  in  order  to  cut 
off  the  roots  of  the  coarser  hairs,  which  fall  out,  leaving 
only  the  soft  fur,  which  is  then  ready  for  the  dyeing 
process.'" 

Whatever  has  been  or  may  be  alleged  against  the 
Alaska  Connnercial  Company,  it  cannot  be  said  with 
truth  that  it  has  diminished  the  world's  wealth.  Dur- 
ing the  first  term  (f  the  Russian  American  Company's 
existence,  the  entire  catch  of  fur-seals  at  the  Pribylof 
Islands  was  estiniirted  at  a  little  over  1,000,000,  dur- 
ini;  the  second  term  at  less  than  400,000,  and  durinj; 
the  third  term  at  about  340,000,  each  term  extending 
over  about  twenty  years,  and  almost  each  year  show- 
ing a  diminution  in  the  supply.  The  waste  of  skins 
caused  through  f  »ult  of  curing  has  already  been  men- 
tioned.**"  In  18u8  the  slaughter  exceeded  240,000, 
and,  as  we  have  seen,  the  rookeries  were  threatened 
with  extermination.  In  1883  about  100,000  were 
killed;  their  value  was  greatly  enhanced,  and  during 
the  portion  of  the  company's  lease  that  had  then 
expired  the  supply  was  gradually  on  the  increase. 


The  catch  of  sea-otter  now  averages  5,000  to  G,000 
a  year,  or  more  than  double  the  number  secured  be- 

**  IlUteWs  Com.  and  Ind.  Pac.  CcrM,  335.  The  price  of  a  good  finishe  1 
skin  ill  London  was.  in  1881,  about  ^0. 

'"Elliott  rcinaika  that  tlic  method  ci  curing  in  early  times  was  to  peg  tlio  i 
out  -when  green  on  the  ground,  o  stretch  them  on  a  wooden  frame.  AbouD 
7:.0,000  were  spoiled  in  1803. 


SEA.OTTER  AND  FOXES. 


Co9 


fore  the  purchase ;  and  their  skins  are  worth  in  Lon- 
don from  $75  to  $100/^  This  industry  furnishes  prof- 
itable employment  for  a  few  months  in  the  year  to 
several  thousand  Aleuts,  the  skin  being  the  most  val- 
uable of  all  peltry,  excepting  perhaps  the  pelt  of  the 
black  fox. 

Silver-gray  and  black  fox-skins  were  first  introduced 
to  fashion,  it  will  be  remembered,  at  St  Petersburg/^ 
Of  either  the  catch  is  inconsiderable,  that  of  the  silver 
fox  seldom  exceeding  one  hundred,  while  the  appear- 
ance of  a  black  fox-skin  in  the  market  is  of  very  rare 
occurrence.  Blue  fox-skins  are  taken  to  the  number 
of  about  2,000.  The  red  fox  has  little  commercial 
value.  Of  marten  and  beaver  skins  considerable  ship- 
ments are  made;  but  of  these,  as  of  other  land  peltry, 
the  principal  supply  comes  from  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company. 


57  ' 


?or  1879  the  catch  was  900  in  the  Kadiak  district,  and  4,850  in  the 
Uua'.aska  district,  the  latter  including  the  Shuniagin  Islands.  PetrojPa  Fop. 
Jlasha,  06. 

!'«Thisvol.,p.  253. 


1  i 


ii 


fi 


I 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

FISHERIES. 

1867-1884. 

Salmon  Packing — Price  and  Weight  of  the  Raw  Fish — Yukon-river 
Salmon — Alaskan  Canneries — Domestic  Consumption  and  Waste— 
The  Cod-bank3  of  Alaska — Large  Increase  in  the  Catch  of  Cod- 
fish—And Decrease  in  its  Valle — The  Halibut-fisheries — Hei> 
ring  and  Herring-oil — Mackerel — The  Eulacuon  oiiCANDLE-iisu— 
Value  and  Prospects  of  the  Alaskan  Fisueuies— Whaling  E.ntlu- 
PRiSE— The  North  Pacific  Whaling  Fleet — Gradual  Decrease 
IN  the  Catch — Threatened  Exhaustion  of  the  Whaling-grounds. 


Pi  ' 

i  it 


" In  their  public  prayers,"  remarks  John  Adams,  "it 
is  said  that  the  Dutch  ask  of  tlie  supreme  being  that 
it  may  )>lease  him  to  bless  the  government,  the  states, 
the  lords,  and  the  fisheries."  In  177G  the  fisheries  t)f 
Alaska  were  unknown  to  John  Adams  and  to  the 
Dutch,  nor  were  the  Russians  aware  of  their  value, 
even  at  the  time  of  the  transfer,  though  it  is  not  im- 
probable that,  a  generation  hence,  the  waters  of  this 
territory  may  be  one  of  the  main  sources  of  the  world's 
sui)ply. 

There  is,  of  course,  no  immediate  prospect  that  the 
fisheries  of  Alaska  will  be  extensively  utilized  unless 
other  sources  of  supply  should  begin  to  fail.  It  is  a 
little  significant,  however,  that  the  salmon-pack  should 
have  increased  from  about  8,000  cases  in  1880'  to 
3G,000  in  1883,  the  yield  in  the  latter  year  being- 
worth  about  $180,000,^  while  during  the  interval  the 

'  IHttdrs  Com.  avd  Ind.  Pac.  Const,  373.  There  were  also  sliippeil  in  ISSO 
500.000  lbs  of  salted  salmon. 

'■'  San  Fran.  BuUcliii,  April  Vl,  1884.  A  case  contains  four  dozen  one-ixjuii  J 
tins,  the  value  of  which  is  eatimated  ut  $1.'J5  per  dozen. 

(6C0) 


SALMON  IX  ALASKA. 


CGI 


market  for  canned  salmon  had  become  greatly  over- 
stocked. More  than  30,000  cases  are  often  shipped 
by  a  single  cannery  on  the  Columbia,  although  the 
price  paid  per  fish  in  1883  was  on  the  Columbia 
seventy  cents,  and  at  the  Alaska  canneries  from  one 
cent  to  five  cents. 

The  average  weight  of  salmon  caujjht  in  Alaskan 
rivers,  after  being  cleaned,  exceeds  fifteen  pounds,^ 
M'hilo  on  the  Columbia  it  is  less  than  twenty  pounds. 
The  flavor  of  the  best  fish  caught  in  the  former  local- 
ity is  only  excelled  by  that  of  Scotch  and  Norwegian 
salmon,  which  are  considered  superior  to  any  in  the 
world.  The  more  northerly  the  waters  in  which  salmon 
are  taken,  the  better  their  flavor.  The  king  salmon, 
the  largest  and  choicest  of  the  s})ecies  found  in  Alaska, 
not  unfrequently  attains  a  weight  of  eighty  and  son;  - 
times  of  a  hundred  pounds,  its  range  being  from  the 
Alexander  Archipelago  to  the  Yukon.  It  is  known 
to  ascend  that  river  for  more  than  a  thousand  miles,* 
the  run  commencing  about  the  middle  of  Juno  antl 
lasting  till  the  end  of  August.  So  choice  is  its  flavor, 
that  during  the  regime  of  the  Russian  American  Com- 
pany,  several  barrels  of  the  salted  iish  were  shii)i)e(l 
each  season  to  St  Petersburg  for  the  use  of  the 
friends  of  the  company's  oflficials." 

The  run  of  salmon  on  the  Yukon  is  immense,  but 
lasting  as  it  does  oidy  for  about  six  weeks^  is  at  i)ros- 
cnt  considered  of  too  l)rief  duration  to  warrant  tlie 
investment  of  capital.  The  fact  that  the  mouth  of  the 
Yukon    is    not   navio-able  for  sea-u^oinij  vessels  is  a 


'III  it/'or)7.s'',i  liept.,  Alu'^kn,  113,  it  is  stated  that  at  ('(Xik's  Inlet  tlicy  av- 
erage GO  ll)s,  anil  that  some  liavo  l)een  eauyht  weighing  \^l(^  11)3.  The  state- 
ment would  he  true  if  it  were  ai)plied  only  to  king  salmon,  but  ia  nmeli  abovo 
the  ligui'os  for  the  average  cateii. 

*]5cvond  the  site  of  Fort  Yukon. 

'C^'tS'.  Aiir'ic.  l!ei>L  (ISTO), .;/.-/  Cimij.  Si  Se.-^x.,  3S2-X  The  more  common 
Bpecies  have  the  same  range,  Init  their  run  commences  a  few  days  later  and 
tlicy  remain  longer.  A  king  salmon  when  dried  will  make  on  an  avei'ago 
about '20  Iba  of  H^n'i,  as  the  dried  fish  was  termed  by  the  Indians.  In  tlio 
I'eport  the  weight  of  the  common  species  is  given  at  10  to  30  lbs,  and  when 
cleaned  an<l  smoked  2  or  Hlbs.  These  figures  are  too  low.  Probably  tlio 
Aleut  process  of  curing  is  the  one  mentioucd. 


m  FISHERIES. 

further  obstacle.  In  other  rivers  and  streams  of 
Alaska,  however,  salmon  are  almost  equally  abundant, 
and  it  is  possible  that  the  proprietors  of  the  Colum- 
bia River  canneries  may  find  competition  from  these 
sources  increase  more  rapidly  than  they  anticipate. 

About  the  year  1808  a  cannery  was  built  at  Klowak, 
on  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  probably  the  first  one  in 
Alaska,  and  afterward  became  the  property  of  tlie 
San  Francisco  firm  of  Sisson,  Wallace,  and  Company, 
who  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  California,  takiiij^ 
the  name  of  the  North  Pacific  and  Trading  Company.*^ 
In  1878  Cutting  and  Company,  also  of  San  Francis- 
co, established  a  cannery  near  the  site  of  Fort  Sv 
Mikhail,  or,  as  it  is  now  termed,  old  Sitka,"  and  al- 
though they  did  not  commence  operations  until  late 
in  the  season,  their  first  pack  was  about  five  thousand 
cases.'^  On  account  of  an  accident,  this  cannery  was 
afterward  removed  to  a  favorable  site  on  Cook  Inlet. 
In  1883  the  Alaska  Salmon  Packing  and  Fur  Com- 
pany was  incorporated,  among  its  purposes  being  tlio 
canning,  salting,  and  smoking  offish  at  the  lake  an<l 
harbor  of  Nalia.  Small  canneries  have  also  been 
established  at  other  points,  and  it  is  worthy  of  note 
that  they  should  find  the  industry  remunerative, 
while,  on  account  of  low  prices,  the  canneries  of  the 
Columbia,  with  their  superior  appliances,  have  almost 
ceased  to  be  profitable. 

The  chief  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  canneries  arc 
the  shortness  of  the  season,  the  difficulty  in  obtaining 
labor,  the  great  cost  of  supplies,  the  want  of  commu- 
nication, and  the  fact  that  no  title  can  be  obtained  to 
land.  That  raw  fish  will  continue  to  be  cheaper,  be- 
cause more  abundant  and  more  easily  caught  than 

*  Monis  states  that  the  first  year's  operations  satisfied  the  firm  that  the 
enterprise  woultl  be  successful.  liept.,\\5. 

'  l''ive  miles  from  tlie  present  town  of  .Sitka. 

^ Derry'i*  JJeoi'loiiminti,  Akvka,  MS.,  12.  Berry  states  that  the  firm 
dill  not  lose  money  the  first  season.  In  <S'('«.  Ex.  Di.-.,  JfithVomj.  2il  Sci<>i., 
105,  p.  13,  it  is  stated  that  the  total  shipments  for  1879  were  t»,000  cases,  and 
a  large  quantity  of  salted  salmon  iu  barrels.  At  that  date  tliere  were  two 
other  firms  in  operation. 


COD-BANKS. 


683 


elsowhorc  in  the  world,  tlu»ro  is  littlo  doubt.  It  would 
seem  that  as  salmon  can  he  houLclit  iVoni  the  natives 
in  Alaska  at  loss  than  oiu;  fifteenth  of  the  price  paid 
on  the  Columbia,  and  as  Alaska  salmon  is  preferrcid 
in  the  eastern  states  and  in  Eur()|)e  to  Columbia 
River  salmon,  these  difficulties  will  in  time  bo  over- 
come. Moreover,  it  is  j)robablo  that  the  demand  for 
canned  salmon  will  gradually  increase,  and  that  its* 
present  low  marketal)le  value  will  not  long  continue, 
for  few  more  nourishing  and  palatable  articles  of  food 
can  be  bought  at  the  price,  and  the  entire  pack  of 
Alaska  would  not  yt  I'urnish  breakfast  for  the  popu- 
lation of  London  fi^r  a  single  day. 

The  quantity  of  salmon  shipped  from  Alaska  is  of 
course  but  a  small  portion  of  the  annual  catch,  ior 
this  is  the  staple  food  of  the  30,000  or  35,000  Ind- 
ians who  inhabit  the  territory.''  A  30  or  40-pound 
fish  will  weigh  but  four  or  five  pounds  when  })re[»ared 
b}^  their  wasteful  process  for  winter  use,  and  it  is  es- 
timated that  they  take  10,000,000  or  1-2,000,000  sal- 
mons a  year,  probably  at  least  thrice  the  number  re- 
quired to  su[)ply  the  demand  of  all  the  cannories  on 
the  Pacific  coast. ^" 


The  cod-banks  of  Alaska,  like  the  salmon  fisheries, 
are  admitted  to  be  the  most  extensive  known  to  the 
world,  and  only  in  the  waters  near  this  territory,  and 
perhaps  three  or  four  degrees  farther  south,  is  the  </('- 
dufi  morrhna,  or  true  cod,  known  to  exist  on  the  Pacific 
coast.  The  banks  extend  at  intervals  from  the  Shinn- 
agin  Islands  northward  and  westward  to  the  ice-lii»o 
of  the  Bering  Sea,  eastward  to  Cook  Inlet,  and  soutli- 
ward  to  the  strait  of  San  Juan  do  Fuca,"  those  near 

•According  to  the  census  of  ISSO  tlie  entire  population  was  .'}.'?,4'J(i,  of 
whom  430  were  wliitc  jiersons,  l,7">'i  c  pdIcs.  ami  i\w  iTiiiaiinli'i'  Iiidiiins, 

'"Tlie  Pacific  coast  puck  was  cstiniatc.l,  for  ISSl,  at  44,44(),0(K)  ll)s.  Hit- 
telVti  Com.  and  Iiid.  Par.  CaivJ,  .'{SO. 

"  U.  S.  Atfric.  Hi'vt.,  ISTO,  37J.  Dodge  states  tliat  the  cdd  llsheries 
extend  to  Bering  Str.tit,  and  even  to  the  Arctic  Ocean.  Mon-ia'.-t  I'(/i/. ,  1 1 .'{.  A 
few  stragglers  may  liud  their  way  througii  the  strait  during  sumincr,  hut  lat. 
59"  N.,  which  is  aljout  tlic  line  reached  iii  mid-wiuter  by  floating  ice,  is  practi- 
cally the  limit. 


i  f 


C04 


FISHERIES. 


tlio  Shuinnr'in  Islands  heini^  considered  tl>e  best,  or 
at  least  the  most  available.'-  East  and  west  it  may 
bo  said  that  they  reach  for  20  or  2')  niles  from  tlu' 
shores  of  Asia  and  America,  the  area  of  the  Alaskan 
banks  alieady  known  bein<^  })robably  more  than 
100,000  square  miles.  They  are  nmch  more  shallow 
tl)an  those  of  Xewfoundland,  the  depth  of  the  former 
being  usually  20  or  30  fathoms,  though  the  best  fish 
are  taken  in  70  or  80  fathoms,"  while  the  latter  aver- 
age from  (JO  to  120  fathoms. 

In  1807,  23  vessels  were  employed  at  the  cod-banks, 
the  catch  for  that  year  exceeding  2,500  tons  when 
salted,  and  its  value  being  about  §350,000,  against 
k;ss  than  1,500  tons,  worth  almost  the  same  amount, 
in  180(5.  The  catch  of  1807,  which  w.as  then  consid- 
ered enormous,  completely  glutted  the  market,  and 
caused  a  fall  in  price  t)f  about  40  per  cent.  It  is 
worthy  of  note,  however,  that  in  1809  nearly  3,700 
tons  offish  were  salted,  and  in  1870  over  5,300  tons, 
the  catch  for  each  vear  sellini;  at  better  rates  than 
were  obtained  in  1807."  After  1870  the  take  aver- 
aged about  500,000  fish  per  ^•ear,*''  the  industry  usu- 
ally giving  employment  to  a  dozen  or  fifteen  schoon- 
ers, some  of  which  were  engaged  for  a  portion  of  the 
year  in  the  salmon  fisheries.  Meanwhile  the  price 
gradually  fell  in  San  Francisco  to  about  five  cents  per 

'■^  One  advantiigo  is  that  fishing  vessels  can  always  lie  under  the  lee  of  one 
of  the  islanda,  and  thir;  lie  protocted  from  the  swell  of  the  ocean;  another  id 
llio  proximity  of  the  Shnina'-'in  Islands  to  Kndiak,  where,  as  Davidson  suj^- 
f.fsls,  a  curing  establislnuent  nu;^':it  he  0()eiied  with  advantiige.  Coccit  Pilot-, 
.lUiKlrt,  40. 

'^('njtluiii  ]Vh!tc,ii\  Jfori-h'-i  /?«■//^,  112.  The  captain  states  that  at  a  point 
70'>  miles  north-west  of  Sitka  his  erew  eau(;lit  '2.M)  lish  with  20  lines  in  two 
hi.i'.rs,  and  that  the  natives  li.sh  in  shallow  water,  where  tliey  catch  cod 
vei^^hing  .")  to  !.")  llis,  hccause  deep-water  lisliing  is  too  hard  work.  Williani 
S.  Dodge,  in  /(/.,  1  lU,  ridates  that  two  Kadiak  fishermen  caught i!2,00()  cod  in 
tiiN  months;  and  Sheldon  .Taekson,  that  in  1871)  three  San  Francisco  tirnis  sc- 
ct'.red  3,000  tons  off  the  Shuniagin  Islands.  Alaska,  4~>.  The  existence  of 
these  cod-banks  was  well  known  to  the  Russians.  See  DaciusoH'n  Cuavt  I'i- 
liJ,  AIn.thi,  44-0,  and  Siimm  r'''  ('<.<.■*.  Ii'iiss.  A>»i'r.,  42  H. 

'•Each  year'a  catch,  between  1804  and  1870,  together  with  its  value,  is 
t.ivenin  IT.'S.  A'lric.  l!ej>t.,  1870,  :»80. 

"  PeJmirs  Pop.  Al(ii<ka.  ~  1 .  At  the  Shuniagin  Islands,  in  187.1,  five  veusel.i 
I'  lU'^lit  'J.'{r),000  lisli.  Ala.ibi  Ih  rnkl,  Oct.  24,  1873.  lu  187d  seven  vessels  took 
•iiO.OOOnsh.  /(/.,  Oct.  1,  187."). 


HALinUT-IIERRING-MACKKREL. 

pound  at  the  close  of  1883/"  and  to  still  lower  rates 
during  the  early  months  of  1884.''  Small  quantities 
of  cod  are  also  shipped  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  and 
elsewhere/^  but  the  demand  is  practically  limited  to 
the  Pacific  coast  from  California  northward,  and,  as 
its  entire  ])opulation  does  not  yet  exceed  1,500,000,  it 
is  not  probable  that  this  immense  source  of  future 
wealth  will,  at  present,  be  much  further  utilized. 

Although  it  is  conceded  that  the  flavor  of  the 
Alaskan  cod  is  not  inferior  to  that  of  fish  caught  on 
the  banks  of  Newfoundland,  the  former  always  isells 
at  lower  prices  in  the  market,  the  difference  being 
sometimes  as  nmch  as  three  cents  per  pound.  Tiiis 
is  probably  due  to  defect  in  curing,*^  and  perhaps  in 
part  to  the  fact  that  Atlantic  cod  has  always  been  in 
favor  on  the  Pacific  coast. 


Among  the  other  food-fishes  with  which  the  waters 
of  Alaska  abound,  I  shall  mention  only  the  halibut, 
herring,  mackerel,  and  culachon.""  Tiie  range  of  the 
halibut  extends  from  Capo  Flattery  northward  to  the 
Aleutian  Islands.  The  true  halibut  is  smaller  in  size 
than  that  of  the  Atlantic  coast,  but  specimens  of  the 
bastard  halibut  arc  not  unfrequently  taken  weighing 
from  300  to  500  pounds.  As  yet,  neither  has  been 
much  in  demand,  except  for  local  use,  but  the  flavor, 
ev(;n  of  the  bastard  halibut,  when  salted  and  smoked, 
is  j)referred  by  many  to  that  of  salmon,  while  its  napes 
and  fins  are  a  standard  article  of  commerce. 

llerrin;^  arrive  in  vast  shoals  at  the  Aleutian  Isl- 
ands,  the  Alexander  Archipelago,  and  Norton  Sound 
during  the  month  of  J  une.     Those  caught  at  Unalaska 


'*Tlio  price  on  V>cc.  ,10th,  according  to  t',  ".  F.  Chronicle,  was  four 
cents  for  cod  in  l)iinillcs  .and  six  cents  for  l)on'  I    .I 

''"'J'o  tiiree  and  li\e  cents  for  the  two  desoriptions.  .9.  /'.  Ihdldiu, 
March  19.  18S4. 

'■'  In  ISdS  a  cargo  was  sent  to  Australia,  and  realized  eight  cents  per  11>. 

''••  I'etroff  tiiinks  it  n>;iy  bo  caused  by  the  inferior  c|iia!ity  of  tlie  Kiilt  used 
in  the  process.  I'oji.  Alaikn,  71.  It  it  more  prolwbly  owing  ti>  tlio  tisli  Ixing 
kept  in  salt  for  several  niontlis,  until  the  return  of  the  vc33Ci  to  Saa  l-'rancisco. 

*"  Spelled  also  oolikou,  ulikon,  and  otherwise. 


6C6 


FISHERIES. 


arc  considered  the  best,  but  in  the  n  ^borliood  of 
Sitka  they  are  perhaps  most  abundant  At  the  hitter 
point  a  canoe  h)ad  can  easily  be  secured  within  half  an 
hour.  Thou«^h  a  lew  barrels  may  occasionally  find 
their  way  to  San  Francisco,  the  Alaska  herrinjj;  has 
as  yet  no  commercial  value  except  for  its  oil,  for  the 
production  of  which  an  establishment  was  in  operation 
at  Prince  Frederick  Sound  in  1883,  about  20,000  gal- 
lons being  obtained  in  that  year."  It  is  admitted  tliat, 
in  bulk  and  Havor,  those  taken  at  Unalaska  and  else- 
where are  quite  equal  to  imported  herring,  and  tluie 
appears  no  good  reason  why  they  should  not,  if  pr<j[)- 
erly  cured,  find  a  profitable  market  on  this  coast. 

Mackerel,  equal  in  size  and  flavor  to  those  captured 
in  Atlantic  waters,  are  found  in  the  bays  and  straits 
of  the  Aleutian  and  Shumagin  islands,  and  when 
shi])ped  to  San  Francisco  have  met  with  ready  sale, 
sometimes  realizing  as  nmch  as  $^24  per  barrel.  It  is 
probable  that,  when  the  range  and  distribution  of  this 
favorite  food-fish  is  better  ascertained,  a  thrivinir  in- 
dustry  may  be  established  in  conr  ion  with  other 
branches  of  fishery. 

The  eulachon,  or  candle-fish,  as  it  is  often  termed,  a 
small  silvery  fish,  seldom  exceeding  fifteen  inches  in 
length,  and  in  appearance  resembling  a  smelt,  abounds 
in  river  and  stream  as  far  south  as  latitude  40°.  It  is 
most  abundant  in  Alaskan  ^^aters,  where  for  the  tliree 
or  four  weeks  during  which  the  season  lasts,  the  niu 
is  more  marvellous  even  than  that  of  salmon.  The 
eulachon  is  the  fattest  of  known  fish,  and  the  oil  tried 
out  from  it  is  sold  to  the  Indians  on  the  Nass  liiver 
near  the  Alaskan  border"^  at  profitable  rates.^'  When 
dried,  it  serves  as  a  torch,  burning  with  a  clear  bright 
flame.     Hence  its  name  of  candle-fish.     When  smoked 

'•Besidos  3,000  gals  of  whale  oil  and  12,000  of  dog-fish  oil.  This  industry 
•was  established  by  the  North-west  Trading  Company  of  Portland.  Tlie  com- 
pany has  another  station  at  IJordova  Biiy,  where  it  was  proposed  to  conuneiico 
work  in  1882.  IlUtdCs  Com.  and  Ind.  Pac.  Coa-il,  3')7. 

'■''^  Tlie  eulachon  is  also  plentiful  in  the  Eraser  and  Columbia  rivers. 

^  About  .SI  per  gal.  in  1881.  Id.,  355.  Hittell  states  that  the  oil  possesses 
valuable  medicinal  qualities. 


THE  CANDLE-FISII. 


667 


anfl  propnrod  for  tal)lo  by  broiliiifr  or  stoaniiiig,  it  is 
equal  in  flavor  to  tlio  finest  (jiuilit}'  of  eastern  inaek- 
erel,  and  when  pickled  and  8hi[)ped  to  San  Francisco, 
finds  a  ready  market. 

On  the  Nass  River,  eulachon  are  usually  caught  in 
wicker  baskets,  and  after  beinj^  dried  or  smoked  are 
stored  up  for  future  use.  The  fishing  commences  about 
the  end  of  March ;  and  in  connection  with  it  is  a  curious 
custom  which  prevails  elsewhere  among,  the  natives 
and  in  other  branches  of  fishery.  The  first  eulachon 
caught  is  addressed  as  a  chief,  and  the  notives  gath- 
ering round  him,  tender  profuse  apologies  that  they 
should  be  compelled  to  destroy  his  kindred  in  order  to 
supply  their  wants.  Then  follows  a  feast,  with  spee(;hes, 
sor.gs,  dancing,  and  of  course  drinking,  after  which  fish- 
ing commences  in  earnest  and  continues  until  all  have 
procured  a  sufficient  stock, 

I  have  mentioned  only  the  varieties  that,  with 
the  exception  perh  ps  of  the  white  fish,  have  or  are 
likely  to  have  any  commercial  value,  but  in  few 
parts  of  the  world  are  other  kinds  more  abundant. 
Among  them  may  be  mentioned  the  tom-cod,  smelt, 
salmon-trout,  and  grayling,'*  all  of  which  are  found  in 
Alaskan  waters,  the  first  three  being  of  excellent  qual- 
ity. 

The  value  of  all  the  Alaskan  fisheries,  in  which 
phrase  is  included  the  seal-hunting  grounds,  was  esti- 
mated in  the  '^cnsus  of  1880  at  $"J,GG1,G40,  of  which 
sum  fur-seal  skins  and  other  pelagic  peltry  were 
valued  at  $2, 09(5, .500,  and  the  fisheries  j)roper  at 
6505,140.  What  will  be  the  commercial  value  of 
these  fisheries,  when,  as  will  probably  be  the  case  at 
no  very  distant  day,  the  Pacific  states  and  teri'itories 
are  peopled  with  15,000,000  instead  of  1,500,000  peo- 
ple, and  are  threaded  with  railroads  almost  as  com- 

'*  The  tom-cod  resembles  the  eastern  fish  of  that  name,  bat  is  much  Itctter 
flavored.  Smelt  arc  plentiful  near  Sitka  ami  elsewhere.  Salnion-trout  of  ex- 
cellent flavor  are  taken  in  the  smaller  rivers  and  strocms.  The  grayling  is  of 
poor  quality.  Pike  are  taken  in  the  lakes  and  ponds  of  northern  Alaska,  )>ut 
are  of  little  value  as  a  table-flsh,  and  arc  mainly  used  for  dot;-fced. 


! 


1 


1 

.    I 


66S 


FISHERIES. 


plctely  as  are  now  the  western  states  of  America? 
But  when  this  shall  happen,  there  will  doubtless  be 
more  frequent  communication  with  ^[exico  and  Central 
and  South  America;  for  already  Pacific  coast  manu- 
factures have  found  a  foothold  in  all  these  countries, 
and  it  is  predicted  by  political  economists  that  the 
manufactures  of  this  coast  will  exceed  both  miniuij; 
and  atrriculture  in  asfijrefjate  wealth.  The  fur-seal 
industry  is  the  only  one  at  present  utuizetl  to  any 
considerable  extent,  but  it  is  not  improbable  that, 
even  before  the  close  of  this  century,  the  fisheries  may 
become  more  valuable  than  are  now  the  fur-seal 
grounds. 

Of  whaling  enterprise  in  the  neighborhood  of  tlic 
Alaskan  coast,  mention  has  already  been  made;  but  a 
few  statements  that  will  serve  to  explain  the  enor- 
mous decrease  that  has  occurred  in  the  catch  within 
the  last  tliree  decades  may  not  be  out  of  place. 

Of  the  six  or  seven  hundred  American  whalers  that 
wore  fitted  out  for  the  season  of  1857,  at  least  one 
half,  including  mo.st  of  the  larger  vessels,  were  en- 
gaged in  the  north  Pacific."'  The  presence  of  so  vast  a 
lleet  tended  of  course  to  exhaust  the  whalinij-i^roumls 
or  to  drive  the  fish  into  other  waters,  for  no  permanent 
whaling-grounds  exist  on  any  portions  of  the  globe 
except  in  those  encircled  by  ice  for  about  ten  months 
in  the  year.  In  the  seas  of  Greenland,  not  many 
years  ago,  whales  were  rarely  to  be  seen ;  in  1870  they 
v;ere  fairly  plentiful.  The  sea  of  Okhotsk  and  the 
waters  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Aleutian  Islands 
were  a  few  decades  ago  favorite  hunting-grounds,-" 
but  are  now  almost  depleted,  while  in  1870  the  coast 
of  New  Siberia  was  swarming  with  whales.     Schools 

■"Incliiiliuf^  of  course  the  Bering  Sea.  Zahriskk'x  Ln»d  f.airs.  S8'2. 

'■"'  Davidson  says  tliiit  in  ISliS  whales  wore  as  plentiful  near  the  Aleutian 
gronp  as  in  the  Arctic,  hnt  that  the  shoal  waters  of  tlie  latter  greatly  facili- 
tateil  their  pursuit.  Srient.  Kxpid.,  470,  It  would  aeem  th.at,  if  tlicy  wero 
ns  plentifid  olT  the  Aleutian  Islands  *is  the  professor  woulil  have  us  believe, 
tliey  V  ould  iiave  heen  taken  in  greater  number.  The  Aleuts  found  no  ditfi' 
culty  iu  catching  tlicni. 


WHALES. 


669 


of  sperm-whale  are  occasionally  seen  between  the 
Alaska  Peninsula  and  Prince  William  Sound,  and  the 
hump-back  sometimes  makes  its  appearance  as  far 
north  as  Baranof  Island.  Between  Bristol  Bay  and 
Bering  Strait  a  fair  catch  is  sometimes  taken,  but 
most  of  the  vessels  forming  what  is  termed  the 
nortli  Pacific  whaling  fleet,  now  pass  into  the  Arctic 
Ocean  in  quest  of  their  prey.**'  Probably  not  more 
than  eight  or  ten  of  them  are  employed  on  the 
whaling  jjrounds  of  the  Ala '^kan  coast. 

In  1881  the  whaling  fleet  of  the  north  Pacific 
mustered  only  thirty,  and  in  the  following  year  forty 
craft,  of  which  four  were  steamers.-^  The  catch  for 
1881  was  one  of  the  most  profitable  that  has  occurred 
since  the  date  of  the  transfer,  being  valued  at  .$1,130,- 
000,  or  an  average  of  about  $57,000  for  each  vessel,"'" 
some  of  them  returning  with  cargoes  worth  $75,000, 
and  few  with  cargoes  worth  less  than  $30,000.  In 
1883  the  catch  was  inconsiderable,  several  of  the  whal- 
ers returning  'clean/  and  few  making  a  profit  for 
their  owners. 

The  threatened  destruction  of  these  fisheries  is  a 
matter  that  seems  to  deserve  some  attention.  In  1850, 
as  will  be  remembered,  it  was  estimated  that  300  whal- 
hn^  vessel;  visited  Alaskan  waters, and  the  Okhotsk  antl 
Bering  seas.**  Two  years  later  the  value  of  the  catch 
of  the  north  Pacific  fleet  was  more  than  $14,000,000."'^ 
After  1852  it  gradually  decreased,  until  in  18G2  it 
w&s  less  than  $800,000;  for  18G7  the  amount  was  about 
$3,200,000;  in  1881  it  had  again  fallen  to  $1,13D,000; 

"  Sen.  Ex.  Doc,  4:?d  C<m,j.  SdSess.,  34,  p.  2-3.  It  is  there  statr.l  that  of 
28  right  whales  caught  near  the  coast  of  Alaska  during  one  season  eleven  were 
lost. 

■*  A  steam  M'haler  was  despatched  from  San  Francisco  for  the  first  time  in 
1880.  HilMt's  Com.  and  Ind.  Pur.  Coant,  .347. 

""Including  3:)4,0(H)  Iba  of  whalebone  xvortli  §2  to  $-2.oO  per  lb.,  21,000 
Lbls  of  oil  «<•■  about  35  cents  per  gallon,  and  l.'),000  lbs  of  ivory  at  00  cents 
per  lb.  /(/.,  34.S. 

'"!'.  584,  tlrs  vol.     They  were  not  of  coiirse  all  American  V(  jsels. 

"  The  fleet  .'or  that  year  consisted  of  278  ships.  .Sen.  AV.  Ac,  -/.'(/  Conij. 
2d  Stss.,  34,  p.  i 


670 


FISHERIES. 


and  for  tlie  season  of  1883  there  was  a  still  lurther 
reduction.^^ 

The  whalinof-OTounds  of  the  north  Pacific,  thoiioli 
of  course  open  to  all  nations,  are  now  in  the  hands  of 
Americans,  and  were  so  practically  before  the  pur- 
chase.^ It  is  probable  that  the  United  States  will 
continue  to  enjoy  a  virtual  monopoly  of  this  industry, 
for  under  present  conditions  it  will  erelong  cease  to 
be  profitable. 

''In  Id.,  4-5,  the  value  is  stated  of  each  year's  catch  between  1845  and 
1807. 

"In  l.S(i4  there  were  only  14  whaler?,  in  1805,  18,  and  iu  18GC,  9  vesscla 
Bailing  under  other  flags.  /(/.,  5. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

SETTLEMENTS,  AGRICULTURE,  SHIPBUILDING,  AND   MINING. 

1794-1884. 

Sitka  dt'imno  the  Russian  Occupation — The  Town  Half  Deserted — 
Social  Life  at  the  Caimtal — The  Sitka  Library— Xewspapehs — 
Fort  Wranc.kll — Tonisass — Harrisbituo — Settlements  on  Cook  In- 
let—Kadiak — Wood  Island— Spruce  Island— Three  Saints— Afog- 
NAK — The  Aleutian  Islands — Volcanic  Eruptions  and  Earth- 
quakes— Saint  Michael — Fort  Yukon — Auriculture— Stock-r^\is- 
iNu — Timber — Suip-BniLoiNO — Coal-mininu  —  Petroleum,  Copper, 
Quicksilver,  Lead,  and  Sulphur— Silver  and  Gold. 

In  May,  1794,  Vancouver  visiitcd  a  settlement 
at  Cook  Inlet,  which  ho  thus  describes:  "Wo  met 
some  Russians,  who  came  to  welcome  and  conduct 
us  to  their  dwelling  hy  a  very  inditlerent  path,  which 
was  rendered  more  disagree,  ble  by  a  most  intolerable 
stench,  the  worst  excepting  that  of  the  skunk  I  had 
ever  the  inconvenienc-'  ofcxperiencing;  occasioned,  I 
believe,  by  a  deposit  made  (hiring  the  winter  of  an 
immense  collection  of  all  kinds  of  tilth,  offal,  etc.,  that 
had  now  become  a  fluid  mass  of  putrid  matter,  just 
without  the  rails  of  the  Russian  factory,  over  which 
these  noxious  exhalations  s[)read,  and  seemed  to  be- 
come a  greater  nuisance  by  their  combination  with 
the  efiluvia  arising  from  their  houses." 

Cleanliness  and  comfort  were  little  regarded  by  the 
early  settlers  in  Alaska.  It  will  be  remenil)ert'd  that 
Rezanof,  calling  on  the  chief  manager  in  ISO,),  found 
him  occupying  a  hut  at  Sitka,  in  which  the  bed  was 
often  afloat,  and  a  leak  in  the  roof  was  consideretl  too 
triviiil  a  matter  to  need  attention.     As  late  as  1841, 

(071) 


■i; 


iri 


1:1 


\i 


.\ 


I 


!'.'ll 


Hi 

i 

i 


672 


AGRICULTURE,  SHIP-BUILDING,  AND  MINING. 


Simpson,  wlio  visited  the  settlement  tlurin<:f  liis  voy- 
age round  tlie  world,  declared  it,  as  the  reader  mIU 
remember,  the  dirtiest  and  most  wretched  })lace  that 
he  had  ever  seen.*  Nevertheless,  it  continued  to  in- 
crcaso  rapidly.  On  the  site  where  the  first  coloni.^ts 
pitched  their  tents  and  lived  in  constant  fear  of  the 
Kolosh,  there  stood,  in  1845,  besides  other  buildings, 
a  spacious  residence  for  the  governor,  a  well  furnished 
club-house  for  the  lower  officials,  barracks  for  labor- 
ers and  soldiers,  an  arsenal,  a  library,  an  observatory,' 
and  the  churches,  schools,  aiid  hospital  of  which  men- 
tion will  be  made  later.  A  wharf,  with  a  stone 
foundation,  and  on  which  were  several  storehouses, 
led  out  into  deep  water,  and  the  fort,  from  whicli 
floated  the  flag  of  the  liussian  American  Company, 
was  mounted  with  two  rows  of  cannon,  which  com- 
manded all  portions  of  the  town.* 

'  Tlicrc  was,  however,  a  considerable  improvement  in  the  cou<lition  of  tho 
Bottlemcnt  l)cforc  this  date.  IJclcher  gives  a  detailed  description  of  Sitka  at 
tlie  time  of  liis  visit,  in  1837,  in  which  he  notes  tho  solidity  of  its  buihiiiigs 
and  fortifications,  and  its  excellent  Khip-yard  and  arsenal,  ^'(iri;  To//,  run. id 
Wi'Hil,  i.  !).">-!).  On  the  evening  before  Helcher's  departure,  Kouprianof,  «lio 
was  then  chief  manager,  gave  u  liall  at  which  the  former  remarks  tliat  tlio 
women,  thouu'h  almost  self-taught,  danced  with  as  nmch  e;ise  and  grace  as 
those  who  had  l)eei.  trained  in  Kuroptan  capitals.  Ho  speaks  very  favorably 
of  Madame  Kouprianof,  ami  st^itcs  that  tho  wife  of  Baron  Wrangell  was  the  lirst 
Russian  woman  who  came  to  Alu'fka.  /'/.,i.  lOH-O.  Davis,  whonrrivcd  at  Sitka 
onlKjard  theZ/OM(>iin  1831  (the  lirat  year  of  Wrangell's  administration),  speaks 
of  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the  Russian  oliicials  as  bjing  exceedingly 
beautiful,  liliniimcs  of  l/if.  /'n^t  in  Ciil.,  MS.,  i,  2;  but  ho  was  a  mere  boy 
at  the  time,  ami  probably  exaggerates,  for  in  the  Sitka  Archivis,  M.S.,  of  tlii.-i 
date  but  two  women  are  mentioned  as  living  at  Sitka. 

'■'  Tiio  observatory  was  built  at  tlie  company's  exp  'use,  and  its  reports  were 
published  by  the  acajlemy  of  sciences  at  St  I'etcrsburg.  JJok:  Koin.  /'ii.-m. 
Anil"-.  A'"/.,  i.  OH.  Jt  was  erected  on  one  of  the  islands  in  .Sitka  Biiy.  U'ltrd'j 
Thrre  WirLs  vi  S!H.a,  MS.,  '28. 

'  Mnrhdf,  J'lixskif  va  I'osfolrhnnm  Okeana,  54-0(81.  Petersburg,  18."»0,  '2d 
cd.)  Tiklimi'uef  states  tiiat  the  ninnber  of  guns  in  position  was  (it),  and  tli;it 
there  were  S7  others  in  the  arsi'iial  and  elsewhere,  of  all  sizes,  from  8()-j)ovind 
mortars  down  to  one-pound  falconets,  /.■^^>r.  Ohon.,  ii.  ,1'JS.  Ward,  who  was 
at  Sitlia  in  IS.'i.'t,  says  that  the  chief  manager's  residence  was  a  very  largo 
two-story  building,  the  lower  ]iart  of  whicli  was  used  for  his  private  apart- 
ments, olliees,  etc.,  while  the  upper  lloor  was  used  for  public  receptions,  l>alls, 
and  diiiuer-piirties.  On  tlie  -Ith  of  .luly,  18.">3,  at  winch  date  an  Ameiicau 
baik  was  lying  in  the  harbor,  and  several  Americans  were  on  a  vi^iit  to 
the  .settlement,  a  salute  of  1.3  guns  was  fired,  anil  in  the  evening  there  wui 
a  diniu'r-]iarly,  at  whifh  champagne  flowed  freely  and  complimentary  spocchcs 
Were  iiia<le.  '/'/irix'  ICrr/.-.s  ('/(  <S'.//.r<,  .M>'.,  l.".-M,  17-18.  .Many  of  tiio  oUiccra 
liu  I  oUicials  ill  the  company  a  service  could  spcitk  Kuglish. 


SITKA. 


C73 


Such  was  Sitka  about  tlie  middle  of  tlic  present 
century,  when  its  inluibitants  mustered  about  one 
thousand  souls;  and  there  are  to-day  on  the  Pacific 
coast  few  more  busj'^  communities  than  that  which 
peopled  the  capital  of  Alaska  toward  the  close  of  the 
Russian  occupation.  After  the  withdrawal  of  the 
Kussian  employes  who  departed  for  their  native  land, 
and   of    American   speculators    who   departed    with 


V. 


hV^r 


(-' 


r> 


*<■ 


y' 


V 


Baranof  and  Kki'Zok  Isl.vmis. 


empty  pockets,  the  settlement  gradually  fell  into  do- 
cay,  and  soon  was  but  the  ghost  of  its  former  S(,'lf.  lu 
1875  the  population  had  deci'eased  to  one  half;  in  IHH;} 
it  was  little  more;*  many  of  the  dwellings  were  tenant- 
less;  the  harbor  was  almost  deserted,  and  the  arrival 


i  ! 


♦In  the  S.  F.  BuUdin  of  Oct.  3,  1882,  it  is  given  at  SfK),  of  whom  2."iO 
were  white  ])(!oplo  and  410  Inrli.ins.  Most  of  the  latter  were  proljahly  <,ri'olt's. 
In  I  HCOtlie  Indian  viUagoailjoiuing  Sitka  contained  50  houses,  with  about  1,200 
inmates. 

HiiT.  Alaska,    43 


674 


AGRICULTURE,  SHIP-BUILDING,  AND  MINING. 


or  departure  of  tlie  mail  steamer  was  the  sole  incident 
that  roused  from  their  lethargy  the  people  of  the 
once  thrivinjTf  town  of  Novo  Arkhanjjelsk. 

With  the  exception  of  the  fort,  or  castle,  which 
crowns  a  rock  about  a  hundnxl  feet  in  hci!j|:]it,  and  is 
reached  by  a  steep  flii^htof  steps,  the  buildinj^s  occupy 
a  low  and  narrow  stri[)  of  land  at  tlie  base  of  Mount 
Vcrstovoi.  On  Kruzof  Island,  at  the  entrance  of  the 
bay,  is  INtount  Edjjfecumbe,  the  prominent  landmaik 
(}f  this  portion  of  the  coast.  In  the  bay  are  S'-veral 
islets,  whicji  partly  screen  from  view  the  portion  of 
Baranof  Island  on  which  Sitka  is  built,  until  the  ves- 
sel arrives  within  a  few  caiiles'  len^i^th.  On  landini^, 
one  notices  unmistakable  sig-ns  of  decay,  !^^any  (»f 
the  houses  are  falling  into  ruins;  and  some  of  them, 
being  built  of  logs  and  their  h^wer  portion  continually 
water-soaked,  are  settling  down  on  their  foundations. 
After  passing  the  fort  we  come  to  a  better  class  of 
buildings,  prominent  among  which  is  the  Greek  church,'^ 
with  its  dome  and  roof  painted  an  emerald  green. 
Beyond  this  are  the  club-hou!»e,  the  principal  school- 
house,  and  the  hospital;  then  come  a  score  or  two  of 
huts,  and  then  the  forest,  through  which  is  cut  for  a 
short  distance  a  path,  the  second  road  made  in  Alaska 
before  the  purchase." 

Of  social  life  at  Sitka,  before  the  transfer,  some  in- 
teresting records  have  been  handed  down  to  us  by 
travellers,  and  by  the  annalists  of  the  Russian  Amer- 
ican Company,  among  whom  were  several  of  the  com- 
pany's servants,  Olficers  and  officials  had  cast  in 
their  lot  in  this  the  Ultima  Thule  of  the  known  world, 
far  removed  from  all  centres  of  civilization,  and  from 
all  civilizing  influences.  Some  were  of  noble  birth, 
and  had  iKissed  thoir  vouth  nnd  eai'lv  manhood  among 
the  cultured  circles  of  St  Petersburg;  but  here,  amidst 

^Adjacent  to  this  building  is  the  Lutlicran  chapel,  wliicii  in  1877  ^vil.^ 
vacant. 

*  WhiiinjM'r'n  Alftskft,  07 -S.  Otlior  roads  have  hccn  huilt  since  that  d.ite. 
Until  1SG7  Sitka  had  no  reL;ular  oDnnnunicatiou  witii  uiiy  point  outside  of 
Alaska.     In  the  following  year  it  was  made  a  port  of  entry. 


SOCIAL  LIFE. 


c:; 


this  waste,  there  was  for  iiianv  years  no  sooletv,  no 
home  circle,  no  topic  even  tor  conversation.  How 
best  shouUl  thev  beLfuile  the  loni;  years  of  their  l)an- 
ishnient,  the  tedium  of  barrack  Hfe,  the  drear  monot- 
ony of  tlieir  voluntary  servitude?  Xo  wonder  tliat 
many  fell  victims  to  i(and)linjjf  and  stronj^  drink,  sank 
even  to  yet  lower  depths,  andgi-adually  debased  them- 
selves oftentimes  below  the  level  of  the  savage. 

To  remedy  this  state  of  affairs,  and  especially  to  pro- 
vide condortablc  accommodation  for  unmarried  otHcers 
and  otiicials  of  the  hiy^her  rank,''  Etholen,  durinij  the 
first  year  of  his  administration,'*  established  at  Sitku 
a  social  club,  furnished  with  reading,  billiard,  card, 
and  suj)[)er  rooms.  ILere  the  mendjers  entertained 
visitors,  when  the  hospitalities  tendered  by  the  gov- 
ernor were  intermitted.  Until  the  transfer,  this  in- 
stit-'ution  was  conducted  on  tlie  system  adopted  at  its 
foundation,  and  wrought  much  l)enefit  in  the  colony, 
save,  i)er]iaj)s,  in  the  cause  of  temperance— a  virtue 
which  the  Kussians  were  loath  to  practise.  "Rus- 
sian hos[)itality  is  proverbial,"  remarks  Why m per,  "and 
we  all  somewhat  suffered  therefrom.  The  first  [ihrase 
of  theii'  language  ac(iuired  by  us  was  'petnatchit  cop- 
la'^ — fifteen  drops.  Xow  this  (juantity — in  words  so 
modest — usually  meant  a  good  hall'-tunil»ler  of  some 
unmitiLjated  si)irit,  ranging  from  cognac  to  raw  vodli- 
ka,  and  which  was  pressed  upon  us  on  evc.ry  availai)lo 
occasion.  To  refuse  was  simiilv  to  insult  your  host. 
Then  memory  refuses  to  retain  the  nund)er  of  times 
\ve  had  to  drink  tea,  which  was  served  sometimes  in 
tund)lers,  sometimes  iji  cu[)s.  I  need  not  say  tht^  oft- 
described  samovar  was  in  every  Imusehold.  {Several 
entertainments — balls,  su[)]ters,  and  a  fete  in  the  elub- 
gardi'iis — were  organi/eil  for  our  benefit,  and  a  number 
of  visitors  came  off  daily  to  our  fleet  of  fbiu'  \ 


esse  IS, 


■'9 


'Tho  distinction  of  'li'-Mdraltle'nnd  'very  linnnrMblc' — poti'lietnui  imd  |)nl- 
upotoiictnui — was  \u;uU-  lu'coi'ding  ti)  riiiiii.  'J'lif  very  lumorahlis  w  c  ri'  naval 
oliiLTfs  and  tiic  lii'iln'r  otiicials;  tliu  lionorablcs,  petty  olliccr.s,  clciks,  liook- 
keepiTs,  and  the  like. 

"On  the  otii  of  NoviMubcr,  1S40.    Tikhmnw/,  Is/,,,-.  o/,n.-t.,  ii.  lM4. 

'Almka,  lOl-'J.     Tliia  occuncd  in  1605,  dining  Muksntui's  iuimiiiiati"a- 


071 


AORICULTURE,  SHIP-BUILDING,  AND  MINING. 


l!-: 


At  all  sensons  of  the  year  the  tables  of  the  social 
<-lul)  and  of  the  higher  class  of  oin|)loyes  were  sup- 
]>lictl  with  venison  or  other  game,  with  chickens,  pork, 
vegetables,  berries,  and  of  course  with  fish.  A  simi- 
lar diet  was  provided  for  the  lower  officials,  while  the 
sta]ile  food  of  the  laborers  was  for  abcjut  nine  months 
in  the  year  fresh  fish,  and  for  the  remaining  three, 
salt  Ml.'' 

There  was  little  variation  in  the  routine  of  life  at 
Sitka.  Employes,  other  than  the  higher  officials, 
WLie  required  to  rise  at  5  A.  M.,  anil  to  work  iu 
t^ummer  for  about  twelve  hours  a  day;  at  reveille  and 
at  8  P.  M.  the  drunis  beat;  at  9  liufhts  Mere  extin- 
ijuislied,  and  at  half-hour  intervals  during  the  niylit 
Ix'Us  were  tolled,  the  sentries  resjxMuling  at  each 
stroke.^^      For  the  hiijher  officials  there  were  card- 

tidii.  Simpson,  who  took  leave  of  Etholin  in  184'2,  remarks:  'Tiie  farcuell 
(liiniLT,  to  wliiuli  alwiit  tliirtyof  us  sat  down,  exceeded  in  suniptuousnessany- 
tliin:.'  that  I  hud  j'et  seen,  even  at  the  Kinie  hospitable  Itoard.  The  glass,  the 
plau-,  and  tlie  appointments  in  general  were  very  costly;  the  viands  were  cx- 
ctllent;  and  (lovomor  Etholine  played  the  part  of  host  to  perfection.'  Xnrr. 
Juin:  round  Wor/il,  ii.  '21'2.  On  festive  occasions,  as  on  tlie  emperor's  liirtli- 
day,  etc.,  the  otticials  ami  native  chiefs  dined  with  the  governor,  after  divine 
service.  All  wore  full  dress  and  decorations.  Wanl's  Thret  ]\'<:ck:i  hi  Si/ka, 
MS.,  -jyet  se(|. 

'"The  Kolosli  supplied  the  market  with  deer,  fish,  clams,  and  berries. 
Wrriiiiull,  Stuti<t.  niitl  Kthiimi.,  \'l-\',\.  IJeef  and  mutton  were  rarely  .seen,  ercn 
c^u  the  tables  of  the  higher  otlicials,  and  as  late  as  1870  could  not  be  had  a:; 
the  one  restaurant  then  open  at  Sitka,  though  according  to  the  Alunkd  T'nms 
of  Oct.  .'{1,  lS(i8,  the  market  price  of  beef  was  1,1  to  30  cents  peril).  At 
the  latter  ilate  eggs  were  selling  at  §1.50  per  doz.,  and  scarce  at  that. 
Milk  was  SI  to  .SI.'K*  per  gal.;  coft'ee  18  to  .'W  cents;  ham  and  fi'e.sii  jvirk 
'Jl  cents;  and  lish  0  cents  per  lb.  In  this  year  speculation  was  rite  at 
>itka.  town  lots  being  held,  says  Whymper,  at  .S10,000.  In  .May  187S  the 
Rev.  John  G.  IJradj-,  writing  from  Sitka  to  the  Kev.  Siicldon  Jackson,  says: 
'This  part  of  Alaska  abounds  in  food.  Yesterday  1  bought  four  codfish  for 
ten  cents,  and  a  string  of  black  Iwiss  for  five  cents.  A  silver  salmon,  weigliiiig 
thirty-eight  to  forty  pounds,  is  sold  for  fifteen  or  twenty  cents.  Lust  week 
I  bought  fifteen  dozen  fresh  clams  for  ten  cents,  and  about  twenty  ivjunds  of 
halibut  for  the  same  price.  Ducks,  geese,  grou.se,  ami  snipe  are  abundant  and 
ilieap.  A  good  luun  of  venison  will  bring  fifty  cents.'  Jucksoii'a  Alaska,  'JOO- 
10. 

"  Wnn/'x  Three  Weik^  in  Sitka,  M.S.,  41.  This  pi'ccaution  was  needed  to 
provide  against  surprise  from  the  Kolosh.  Even  after  the  pui'chasc  they 
Were  admittcil  oidy  at  1)  a.  .M.  in  order  to  exchange  their  peltry  for  other 
wareit,  and  at  ',i  P.  M.  were  driven  out  at  the  point  of  the  Iwiyonet  if  neces- 
sary. About  I  ■)  versts  to  the  south-east  of  8itka  was  the  Ozerskoi  redoubt, 
built  as  a  protection  against  the  Kolosh  at  the  outlet  of  a  lake  seven  miles  in 
length.  In  l8.')3  there  were  six  or  eight  houses,  and  a  dam  with  fish-traps 
had  been  constructed  at  the  mouth  of  the  lake,  the  catch  being  marketed  at 
Sitka.  /(/.;  T'Uiimik/,  lolor,  OLod.,  ii.  332-3. 


LIBRARY  AND  NEWSPAl'KR. 


g:: 


parties,  Jance-partit's,  or  (lrinkiii<^-i)arties  at  tlio  cliil)- 
rooiiis,  varied  occasionally  witli  an  amateur  theatrical 
entertainment,  and  when  there  was  no  other  recour^se 
the  evening  hours  were  passed  at  the  library. 

The  Sitka  library,  which,  it  will  be  remembered, 
Rezanot'  founded  in  180."),  contained  in  18;35  about 
1,700  volumes  in  the  Russian  and  other  langua;^es, 
in  addition  to  400  periodicals  and  pam|)hlets,  and  a 
valuable  collection  of  charts.'-  Of  any  printed  local 
literature  before  the  purchase  we  have  no  records. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  18G8,  the  first  newspaper  con- 
cerning Alaska,  styled  the  Alaska  Iloxild,  was  pub- 
lished in  San  Francisco  by  a  Pole  named  Agapius 
Honcharenko,'^  and  contained  the  first  part  of  a  Rus- 
sian translation  of  the  United  States  constitution. 
It  was  issued  semi-monthly,  ])rinted  in  Russian  and 
English,  and  about  twelve  months  after  its  first  a[)- 
p  arance,  claimed  a  circulation  of  fifteen  hundred 
copies."  During  the  same  year  the  Alaska  Coast  Flint 
was  published  by  the  United  States  Coast  Survey, 
and  also  the  Sitka  Times,  which  was  at  first  issued  in 
manuscript,  and  had  but  an  e[)hemeral  existence.^' 

Near  the  mainland,  a  little  more  than  a  hundred 
miles  to  the  south-east  of  Sitka,  is  Fort  Wrangell, 


'■^  Wminifll,  Sfaflsf.  inul  Ethm;/.,  17.  Of  the  Looks,  (UK)  were  Russian,  .^OO 
Freiicli,  l.SO  Gcrinim,  3r>  English,  .'iO  I^tin,  ami  the  rest  Swedish,  Dutoli, 
S))iiiiish,  und  Italian.  Khkhiiihoj,  Znjii^ki,  in  Mutcnnhii,  lUi. 

'*  Who  gives  his  autobiogrnpiiy  as  follows-  '  I  was  Ijoni  in  the  Lrovernnicnt 
of  KielF  Aug.  10,  IS.'l'J,  and  educated  ';i  K.ii  il'.  In  IS.jT  I  left  Russia  and  was 
npiiointed  to  service  with  the  Rr.soian  end. assy  to  <ireeec.  On  the  "Jd  of  Fell. 
RS(iO,  I  was  arrested  in  Atiieiis  for  advocating  the  lihoratioii  of  serfs,  liut  suc- 
ceeded in  esc4i|)ing  to  England  and  sul)8ei|uently  to  America,  where  1  was  em- 
ployed by  tho  American  IJihle  Society.  I  came  to  San  Francisco  in  ls(i7.  I 
was  much  persecuted  l>y  the  representatives  of  Russia  abroad. '  .1  buhi  11'  ndd, 
Dec.  1"),  18G8. 

"On  May  2,  1808,  the  lirst  nuinljcr  of  Free  Prem  nwl  Ahvbi  IltrdhI  vai 
first  issued,  and  Honchurenko's  name  does  not  appea"  on  the  sliei't.  (  hi  .Iiuie 
Ist  of  the  same  year  tho  Jlmitil  again  appeared  unde;  its  old  name,  with  Hon- 
charenko  as  proprietor,  and  in  ^lay  1S7"2  passed  into  tho  hands  of  A.  A. 
Stickney.  Tho  Russian  articles  were  frequently  repeated  througii  three  or 
four  numbers. 

'^It  was  issued  weekly  in  M.S.  by  T.  G.  Murphy,  and  contiined  advertise- 
ments and  unimportant  local  items.  Tiie  first  ]ninted  number  was  published 
ou  April  2<J,  180l>,  and  the  lost  on  September  13,  1670. 


C7S 


AGRICULTURE,  SHIPBUILDING,  AND  MINING. 


built  OH  an  island  of  the  sarao  name,  and  situated 
al)()ut  a  hundred  and  thirty  miles  north  of  the  lx)uii- 
dary  line  of  British  Columbia,  at  the  head  of  ship 
navii^ation  on  the  route  to  the  Cassiar  raininij  district. 
While  the  mines  were  prosperous,  this  was,  durini^  a 
fow  months  in  the  year,  the  busiest  town  in  Alaska, 
tlie  miners  who  ascended  the  Stikeen^"  each  spring  to 
the  nund)er  of  about  four  thousand,  and  returned  in 
the  autumn,  averaging  in  good  seasons  as  much  as 
fifteen  hundred  dollars  per  capita,  and  leaving  most 
of  their  earnings  among  the  store  and  saloon  keei)ers. 
The  fort  is  now  deserted,  and  the  town  nearly  so,  ex- 
cept by  Indians.  The  government  buildings,  which 
cost  the  United  States  a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  were  sold  in  1877  for  a  few  hundreds.  The 
main  street  is  choked  with  decaying  logs  and  stuni])s, 
and  is  passable  only  by  a  narrow  jilank  sidewalk. 
Most  of  the  habitations  contain  but  one  room,  with 
sleeping-berths  arranged  round  the  walls  and  a  stove 
in  the  centre,  and  many  of  them  have  neither  windows 
nor  openings,  except  for  the  chinniey  and  a  single 
door.  Nevertheless,  in  these  comfortless  abodes  sev- 
eral hundreds  <jf  white  men  were  content  to  pass  the 
long  winter  months  in  former  years,  and  a  few  scoio 
still  remain,  who  have  not  yet  lost  their  faith  in  the 
mines. 

"Fort  Wrangell,"  writes  one  who  visited  that  set- 
tlement  in  1883,  "is  a  fit  introduction  to  Alaska.  It 
is  most  weird  and  wild  of  aspect.  It  is  the  key-note 
to  the  sublime  and  lonely  scenery  of  the  north.  It  is 
situated  at  the  foot  of  conical  hills,  at  the  head  of  a 
gloomy  harbor  filled  with  gloomy  islands.  Frowning 
cliffs,  beetling  crags  stretch  away  on  all  sides  sur- 
rounding it.  Lofty  promontories  guard  it,  backed  by 
range  after  range  of  sharp  volcanic  peaks,  which  in 
turn  are  lost  against  lines  of  snowy  mountains.     It  is 

'"As  far  as  Telegraph  Point,  a  distance  of  about  130  miles.  Tlienco  aland 
journey  awaited  thcni  of  ahout  ISO  miles  to  the  lower  and  240  miles  to  tho 
upper  gold-lields.     This  was  usually  made  on  foot. 


FORT  T0NGAS8  AND  IIARRISBURO. 


879 


the  homo  of  storms.  You  sue  tluit  in  the  hrokou 
j)inos  on  the  chft*  sides,  in  the  nerce,  wuve-swcpt  nx-ks, 
ill  the  lowering  mountains,  and  in  the  sullen  skies. 
There  is  not  a  bri<'ht  touch  in  it — not  in  its  straii-'^liiiif 
lines  of  native  huts,  each  with  its  demon-like  totem 
beside  its  threshold;  nor  in  the  fort,  for  that  is  dilap- 
idated and  fast  sinking  into  decay;  not  even  in  the 
flag,  for  the  blue  is  a  nondescript  tint,  and  the  glory 
of  the  stars  has  long  since  departed."  ''' 

On  a  small  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Portland 
Canal,  and  close  to  the  southern  boundary  of  Alaska, 
is  Fort  Tongass,  the  first  military  post  established  by 
the  United  States  government  after  the  purchase. 
The  site  was  well  chosen,  containing  a  plentiful  supply 
of  timber  and  [lasture,  while  fish  and  game  abound  in 
the  neighborhood. 

At  the  foot  of  a  perpendicular  bluff  fifteen  hundred 
feet  in  height,  and  about  two  hundred  miles  north  of 
Sitka,  is  the  town  of  Harrisburg,  or  Juneau,  the  lat- 
ter name,  and  the  name  now  commonly  in  use,  being 
that  of  one  of  the  discoverers  of  a  mining  district,^^  of 
which  nvention  will  be  made  later.  In  1883  this  was 
l)n>bablythe  most  thriving  settlement  in  Alaska,  con- 
taining in  winter  about  a  thousand  inhabitants,  and 
before  that  date  the  mail  service  between  Port  Towns- 
end,  Wrangell,  and  Sitka  had  been  extended  to  Har- 
risburg, the  last  being  the  most  northerly  point  from 
which  the  United  States  mails  wore  distributed. 

Parsing  from  the  Alexander  Archipelago  westward 
to  Cook  Inlet  and  Kadiak,  we  find  at  the  former  point 
few  remaininij:  traces  of  Russian  civilization.  A  short 
distance  from  Port  Chatham  is  the  settlement  of  Sel- 
dovia/*^  with  about  seventy  native  and  creole  hunters, 


1  i 

If 


^''  Ovrrlaml  MonthUi,  M.arcli,  1S84. 

'8 In  tlie  .S'.  /:  Jj'nlleHii,  Fcl).  1,  1S8.1,  it  is  stated  that  Juno  (Juneau) 
was  one  of  tlii>  liscoverciM  of  the  ilistrict,  and  that  it  was  also  called  Rock- 
well, the  name  of  tlio  actin.;  otiicer  of  the  Jame,<loini. 

'*  lletwocn  Tort  Chatha.n  and  Seldovia  is  Alexandrovsk,  a  settlement  with 
about  40  hunters. 


i 


cso 


AORICULTURE,  SITIP-BUILDINf!,  AND  MINING. 


w 


1  f ' 


and  a  fuw  loaij^uos  nortli  of  it  tlio  village  of  Ninilcliik, 
Avlicii;  (Iwoll  thirty  Russian  and  eroolo  descendants  of 
the  colonial  citizens,  who  subsist  mainly  by  ajjfriculturo 
and  sto<'U-raisin<^.  Close  to  it  is  the  mouth  of  a  small 
livci',  tlu>  waters  of  which  discharsjfe,  or  am  rather 
flltc'ied  into  the  sea  throuii^h  the  bar  that  chokes  its 
outlet.  In  former  years  this  was  a  favorite  spawninijf- 
ground  for  salmon,  which  still  attempt  to  leap  the  bar 
in  vast  numbers,  many  of  them  failinj^  to  gain  the 
stream  beyond,  and  being  gathered  up  by  the  settlers, 
who  select  only  the  choicest.'^ 


20 


i  \ 


Map  of  Kapiak  and  Adjacent  Islands. 

The  islands  of  Kadiak  and  Afognak,  'the  garden 
spots  of  Alaska,'  as  they  are  termed,  enjoy  more  sun- 
shine and  fair  weatl.er  than  any  i)ortion  of  the  terri- 
tory, with  the  exception,  perhaps,  of  some  favored 
localities  on  Cook  Inlet.  Here  are  found,  in  })arts, 
rich  }>astures  dotted  with  woodlands,-^  and  covered, 
during  sununer,  with  a  carpet  of  wild  Howers.  When 
the  Russians  were  compelled  to  remove  their  capital 
fi'om  Saint  Paul  to  Sitka,  they  did  so  with  extreme  re- 

*^  Petroff^s  Pop.  Alaikd,  37,  wlicre  is  a  duscriptioii  of  other  settlements  iu 
Cook  Inlet. 

^' 'I'lio  tiniher  is  nuu'Ii  inferior  to  that  iu  the  neighborhood  of  JSitlia. 
DavhUoiin  Sci.  Exptd.,  473. 


ST  PAUL. 


6fll 


luctanco,  for  tlic  former,  us  Dall  remarks,  "deserves 
far  more  than  Sitku  the  lienor  of  heiniL;  th(.'  capital. '"•' 

The  villa<jfe  of  Saint  Paul,  or  Kadiak,  eontaine*!  in 
1880  al»«  ut  four  luuulred  inhal)itants,-''a  larjj^e  propor- 
tion of  whom  were  Creoles.  Here  were  huilt  the 
stores  and  warehouses  of  the  Alaska  ('onimercitd 
Company,  the  Western  Fur  and  Tradinj^  ( 'onipany,'" 
and  the  harracks  formerly  occupied  hy  the  liiiti'd 
States  troo[)s.  While  a  garrison  was  stationed  at  this 
point,  l)ridi,''es  were  built  across  the  rivulets  that  inter- 
sect the  villaoe,  and  culverts  to  drain  the  neiLj:hl)orin<_r 
lakes  and  marshes;  but  so  little  enterprise  had  the  in- 
habitants that  after  the  withdrawal  of  the  soldii-rs  no 
attempt  was  made  to  keep  them  in  repair.  T\ni  cul- 
verts were  washed  away,  and  the  bridges  allowed  to 
rot,  excc})t  those  which  were  used  for  fire-wood.  The 
houses  are  built  of  Ioljs,  the  crevices  beiuLf  filled  with 
moss,  but  are  clean  and  comfortable.  The  j)eople  arc 
probably  better  circumstanced  than  those  of  their  own 
status  in  other  portions  of  America.  Labor  is  in 
demand  and  fairly  jiaiil;  foo<l  is  chea[)  and  abundant; 
there  are  no  paupers  in  their  miilst,  no  lawyers  or 
tax  collectors;  and  all  are  at  liberty  to  make  use  t)f 
unoccupied  land. 

At  Wood  Island,  opposite  to  Saint  Paul,  is  a  thriv- 
ing settlement,  the  inhabitants  of  which  sui)[H)rt  them- 
selves in  summer  by  hunting,  and  in  winter  by  cutting 

'•'In  1S74  tlio  Icelandic  Society  in  Milwaukee  sent  a  petition  to  the  presi- 
dent of  the  United  Stiites,  Ji.skiii>;  that  lacilitios  be  atlortlod  for  cxiiliiring  por- 
tiona  of  Ahwka,  with  a  view  to  colonization.  Tiiree  coinniis.sioncrs  wcro 
appointed  hy  the  society,  and  a  sloon  of  war  placed  at  their  disposal,  in  whiili 
the  party  was  conveyed  to  Cook  Inlet.  Fiiidinj;  there  no  suitahle  location, 
they  were  taken  to  St  I'aul.  Here  they  fomid  plenty  of  pa-sture  and  tillalilo 
land,  an<l  were  so  well  jilea-Hcd  that  they  made  no  further  search.  Two  of 
them  remained  until  the  t)llowing  sunnncr  to  make  preparations  for  the  recep- 
tion of  their  countrymen,  Imt  a  winter's  resilience  in  their  adopti^d  country 
appears  to  have  disgusted  them.  The  winter  of  ISTJ-.""  was  excci)tionally 
severe,  nn<l  nn  outhreak  of  measles  spread  havoc  among  the  natives.  The 
commissioners  returned  in  July,  and  nothing  came  of  the  matter.  Jlniirrn/t 
Library  ScrujM,  '21V2.  See  also  Sec.  U.  S.  ^'ari/  liept.,  4'kl  Com/.  Jd  .V(.s.s'.,  p. 
14-l.->. 

^'  IVtroff  gives  the  population  at  only  '288,  but  his  estimate  was  made 
Bomewhat  earlier. 

"  Afterward  removed  to  St  Paul  Island. 


c^e 


AOPJCULTUUE,  SIIIP-BUILDINn,  AND  MIXING. 


and  storiiiL''  iee.  In  order  to  develop  the  latter  indus- 
try was  built  the  first  road  eonstruoted  in  Alaska, 
c()inj)i'isi!i<^  the  circuit  of  the  island,  a  distance  of 
about  thirteen  miles. 

A  lew  vcrsts  farther  to  the  north-west  is  Spruce 
Island,  on  which  is  a  villaj^e  containin_sj^  about  eiglity 
Creoles.  "  Hero,"  says  Tikhmenef,  "died  the  last  nieiii- 
ber  of  the  first  clerical  mission,  the  uionk  llerman, 
and  was  buried  side  by  side  with  the  Jlieromonakh 
Joassaf.  DuriniL^  his  lile-tinie  Father  Herman  built 
near  his  dwelliny^  a  school  for  the  dauy;hters  of  the 
natives,  and  also  cultivated  potatoes' 


t 


The  villai^e  of  Three  Saints,  wher  j,  it  will  l)e  reniein- 

1  of  that  nauic  in 


a  vess( 
)necr   colony  in 


R 


ussiaii 


bcred,  Shelikof  landed  from 
1784,  and  founded  the  pi( 
Amei-ica,  now  contains  about  three  hundred  iidialt- 
itants.  There  were  in  Shelikof's  days  the  finest  sea- 
otter  Li^rounds,  and  are  now  perhaps  the  finest  halibut 


L^'ounds  m 


Alask 


The  villa'jfe  of  Afoijnak,  on  the  island  of  the  same 
name,  separated  by  a  narrow  channel  from  the  northern 
thorc!  of  Kadiak,  is  one  of  the  ni«)st  tliriving  settlements 
in  Alaska.  Though  mountainous,  and  in  sonu^  i)arts 
tiiicklv  wooded,  the  cuttin<^  of  timber  and  fire-W(jod 
being  one  of  the  chief  industries,  it  contains  many  spots 
suital)le  for  ]iasture  and  agriculture.  Boat-building 
is  also  a  profitable  occupation.  Many  of  the  inhab- 
itants, who  now  nnister  about  three  hundi-ed  and  <ifty, 
live  in  substantial  frame  houses,  this  i)ein<jf  one  of  the 
few  ])laces  in  the  territt.iy  where  any  consideralilii 
immlx-r  of  dwelliuirs   other  than  loir  huts  are  to  be 


oun( 


23 


The  piinci[>al  ])ort  in  the  Ali'utian  group  is  llliuliuk, 
oi",  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  Unalaska,*"  on  the  island 


•"  l'"ui-  .•>,  short  (Icaenption  uf  tli«  rrniainiiii;  scttlcmt'iits  in  tlio  Kadiak  and 
itlicr  ilistrii'ts  as  tliry  were  at  tlii'  time  of  tin-  last  cciisiis,  se«^  Pilr(\{l"n  I'dji. 
Alitsl'd,  itassiiii.  Want  of  s|)aco  t'oiiiids  my  mentioning'  any  I'Ut  tiiu  more 
]ii'oiiiiiii'nt  auttluinonts,  and  tliose  nlMXit  which  there  is  Huincthing  uf  iutcru'^t 

to  relate. 

'"Sjielt  also  Oonula.slika,  and  otherwiso. 


UN  ALASKA. 


GS3 


of  the  latter  name.  Its  main  reconinicndation  is  tliat 
it  possesses  (mo  of  tlic  best  harbors  in  Alaska,  and  it  is 
probable  that  it  will  always  remain,  as  it  is  to-<l;iy, 
the  ehief  eentro  of  trade  for  this  district.  Nevertheless, 
the  po})ulatioii  of  llhuliuk  is  little  more  than  four  hun- 
dred, and  of  the  i.sland  from  six  to  seven  hundred, 
3.Iost  of  them  are  hunters  i)y  occujiation,  for  so  ruij^Ljrd 
is  the  coast  and  so  deeply  indented  that  there  is  little 
I'ooni  for  other  pursuits.'*''  Brought  frequently  into 
contact  with  foreigners,  and  especially  with  Amer- 
icans, they  are  perhaps  among  the  most  eidightened 


x,^-:^ 


,-Vx 


^,  'AMUKMTA   t.  ,      vuHASK*  ' 


I'T      'a  T<.        .S         .''4       N        '■        -. '*»Ui 


Alkctian'   Ihlanus. 


of  tlieir  race.  More  than  half  of  them  can  read  and 
Nvi'ite,  and  it  is  said  that  <>n  festive  occasions,  ;is  on 
the  4th  of  July,  their  exploits  in  wresthng,  (huiciiig, 
and  foot-racirg  surjtass  anything  that  can  be  witnessed 
elsexvln.'re  in  the  territory. 

Under  the  volcano  of  Makushin,  in  a  small  settle- 
ment (tf  the  same  name  on  the  western  coast  of  Una- 
laska,  lived,  in  1880,  a  man  named  Peter  Kostromitin, 


»■  /'/.,  mill   Til:?:. Ill' III'/,  iMtoi:  0/»oy.,  ii.  303. 
its  vicinity  is  tiicir  ftivoritc  liuutiiig  ground. 


Tliu  islaud  of  Saunuklt  and 


684 


AGRICULTURE,  SHIPBUILDING,  AND  MINING. 


I 


I 


I 


who  witnessed,  about  sixty  years  before  that  date,  a 
volcanic  eruption,  duriui^  which  a  new  island  made  its 
appearancu  to  the  north  of  Ounniak.'""*  On  the  lOtli 
of  ^larch,  18'Jo,  a  violent  disturbance  occurred  at 
Ooniniak,  which  is  thus  described  by  Venianiinof: 
"After  a  proloni^ed  subterraneous  noise,  resembling  a 
cannonade,  which  lasted  almost  an  entire  dav,  and  was 
beard  at  Unalaska,  the  north-eastern  mountain  chain 
of  Ooniniak  opened  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  in  five 
or  more  places,  for  a  considerable  distance,  accomj.i- 
iiied  with  eruptions  of  tlame  and  great  quantities  of 
black  ashes,  which  covered  the  whole  extent  of 
Alaska-'''  to  the  de{)th  of  several  inches.  In  the 
neigiil»<jring  localities  on  the  peninsula  it  was  dark  for 
tlnvc  or  four  hours.  On  this  occasion  the  icg  and 
snow  lying  oi\  the  top  of  the  chain  melted,  and  a  con- 
siderable stream  flowed  from  it  for  several  days,  the 
width  of  which  was  five  to  ten  versts.  These  waters 
ran  down  the  eastern  side  of  the  island  in  such  volume 
that  the  sea  in  the  vicinity  was  of  a  mud  color  until 
late  in  the  autumn."**  Some  of  the  islands  on  the 
coast  of  Alaska  are  unmistakably  of  volcanic  origin, 
and  it  is  the  received  opinion  of  geologists  that  the 
greater  portion  of  tho  Alaskan  peninsula  is  being 
gradually  raised  by  Plutonic  action.  Nevertheless, 
though  between  1700  and  18G7  many  earthquakes 
antl  violent  eruptions  are  reported,^*  none  of  them 
have  proved  very  destructive,  the  last  severe  earth- 
•juake  shock  having  occurred  in  1880,  and  being  se- 
verely felt  at  Sitka,  though  causing  no  damage  worthy 
of  mention. 


**i  have  nn  account  of  this  phenomenon  aa  related  by  Kostromitin  in  lu3 
Enrhj  Tlium,  MS.,  (i-IO,  but  it  will  not  bear  (juot  ig.  There  is  no  ilouljt, 
however,  tliat  iio  witnessed  it. 

''"The  ]X'>niii8ula,  of  couthc. 

*^  Zniiifkl  vh  <M.  Oiniiila.ifik,  i.  .35-6.  In  Id.,  i.  .37-0,  20.')-7,  nro  accounts 
of  other  eruption!)  and  cartliquakes.  See  also  TikhmeiieJ',  tutor.  Ohon.,  ii.  'J95, 
31-2,  Xm,  unit  Whiintpir'a  Aluxka,  105. 

•'  .\  lint  of  tiieiu  iH  given  in  J)airn  Ahdn,  400-470.  Grcwink,  the  Rua- 
Biitii  goigi-iipher,  laid  down  l>etween  Cook  Inlet  and  tho  island  of  Attoo,  48 
at!tive  volcuuoca.     JJiividHUH'n  Sci.  Lxjicd.,  475. 


ST  MICHAEL. 


6S5 


Of  tlic  Innuit  races  that  people  the  neighborhood 
of  Bristol  Bay  and  the  Kuskovkini  Valley,  no  men- 
tion is  required  in  this  chapter.  Sailinj^  in  a  north- 
easterly direction  from  the  Pryhilof  Islands  we  find, 
close  to  the  southern  shore  of  Norton  Sound,  tlie 
old  port  and  trading  post  of  Mikhaielovsk,  or  as  it  is 
now  termed  St  ^lichacl,^^  founded,  as  will  be  remem- 
bered, by  Tebenkof,  during  Wrangell's  administration. 
Here  was  the  chief  mart  of  trade  in  the  district  of 
the  Yukon,  for  no  sea-going  vessel  can  enter  the 
mouth  of  this  vast  river,  the  volume  of  whose  waters 
is  said  to  be  greater  than  that  of  the  Mississippi.  Of 
St  Michael,  Whymper  remarks:  "It  is  not  merely 
the  best  point  for  a  vessel  to  touch  at  in  order  to  land 
goods  for  tlie  interior,  including  that  great  tract  of 
countrv  watered  bv  the  Yukon,  but  it  lias  been  and 
is,  to  a  great  extent,  a  central  port  for  Indian  trade, 
and  for  the  collection  of  furs  from  distant  and  interior 
posts.  The  inhabitants  of  the  fort — all  servants  of 
the  company — were  a  very  mixed  crowd,  including 
pure  Russians  and  Finlanders,  Yakutz  from  Eastern 
Siberia,  Aleuts  from  the  islands,  and  Creoles  from 
all  parts.  They  were  not  a  very  satisfactory  body  of 
men;  in  point  of  fact,  it  is  said  that  some  of  them 
had  been  criminals,  who  had  been  convicted  at  St 
Petersburj;,  and  offered  the  alternative  of  iioino*  to 
]»rison  or  into  the  service  of  the  Russian  American 
Company!  We  found  them — as  did  Zagoskin  years 
before — nuich  given  to  laziness  and  drunkenness. 
Fortunately  their  «)pportunity  for  this  latter  indul- 
gence was  limited,  usually  to  one  bout  a  year,  (»n  the 
arrival  of  the  Russian  ship  from  Sitka  with  their 
su[H)lies;  while  the  '])rovalishik/  j\Ir  Stej)lianofF,  the 
connnander  of  this  fort,  who  had  charge  of  the  wliole 
district,  stood  no  nonsense  with  them,  and  was  ever 
ready  to  make  them  yield  assistance.  His  arguments 
were  of  a   forcible  character.     I    believe  the    knout 

"  F(.i  n  (lescrintion  of   tliis  j)ost  as  it  now   exists,  see  S,  F.  Chronicle, 
June  'JO,  1S8I,  nuJ  S.  /'.  liuUctbi,  Aug.  lU,  18S1. 


CS6 


AGRICULTURE,  SHIPBUILDING,  AND  MIXING. 


formed  no  part  of  his  establishment,  but  he  used  his 
fists  with  groat  effect!"^ 

Since  the  purchase  little  attention  has  been  given 
to  the  Yukon  district,  or  to  the  territory  of  the  In- 
galiks.^  At  St  Michael  and  an  adjoining  Innuit  vil- 
lage, at  Nulato,  and  at  Fort  Yukon,  the  total  popula- 
tion mustered,  in  1879,  only  three  hundred  and  eighty 
souls,  of  whom  all  but  eleven  were  natives.  The  site 
of  Fort  Yukon  on  the  verge  of  the  Arctic  zone, 
where  the  thermometer  sometimes  rises  above  100' 
of  Fahrenheit  in  summer  and  sinks  occasionally'^  to 
55"  below  zero  in  winter,'^  was  in  18G7  one  of  the 
cleanliest  of  the  Russian  settlements.  At  this,  the 
northernmost  point  in  Alaska  inhabited  by  white  muu, 
the  Russians  a[)))ear  to  have  established  friendly  rela- 
tions with  the  natives.  "Each  male,"  sa3's  Whym- 
per,  "on  arrival  at  the  fort,  received  a  present  of  a 
small  cake  of  tobacco  and  a  clay  pipe;  and  those  wlio 
were  out  of  provisions  drew  a  daily  ration  of  moose- 
meat  from  the  connnander,  which  rather  taxed  the 
resources  of  the  establishment."  Game  and  fish  were 
the  principal  diet  of  both  Russians  and  natives,  for 
during  the  greater  j)ortion  of  the  3'ear,  bread  and  veg- 
etables were  seldom  to  be  had,  though  it  has  fre- 
quently been  stated  that  vegetables  can  be  raised 
in  abundance  during  the  brief  hot  sununer  of  the 
Yukon  valley. 


"  J/((.iAvi,  152-4.  Dall,  who  passed  throug'i  this  settlement  about  the  same 
tinii',  siiy.f:  '  Sti']):in()(i'  has  hcen  in  ollice  al)()ut  four  years.  He  is  a  miiUUo- 
ii;^<'4  iimii  of  great  energy  and  iron  will,  witii  the  llusxiiin  fondiioHs  for  strong 
li(|Uor,  iiml  with  ungovcrnahle  [uissioiLS  in  certain  direetions.  Ho  liaa  a  smI- 
dier'M  I'onti'nipt  for  making  money  liy  small  wiiys,  a  certain  code  of  honor  of  hi^^ 
own,  isgencniu.s  in  his  own  way,  and  seldom  does  a  mean  tiling  wlien  ho  is  solar, 
hut  nevertheless  is  a  good  deal  of  a  'i)ruto.  He  will  gamlile  and  drink  in  tlio 
most  deiuiicratic  wiiy  witii  his  workmen,  and  hears  no  malice  for  a  hiack  eyo 
w  lull  received  in  a  drnnhen  hrawl;  hut  woe  to  the  unfortunate  who  infringes 
discipline  while  he  is  soher,  for  he  shall  certainly  receive  his  reward,  and 
Stepanoll'  often  says  of  ids  men,  when  speaking  to  an  American,  "You  can 
expect  nothing  good  of  this  rahhle:  they  left  Russia  hecauso  they  wore  not 
wanted  there. 

"The  natives  that  inhabit  the  far  interior. 

•*l>aira  ligurus  are  112^+  and  OU"-  as  extremes.   Alaska,  i05. 


PRODUCTS  OF  THE  SOIL. 


687 


A  vast  amount  of  nonsense,  as  Whympor  remarks, 
has  been  published  and  republished  in  the  United 
States  on  the  agricultural  resources  of  Alaska.  Dall, 
for  instance,  assures  us  that  potatoes,  turnips,  lettuce, 
and  other  garden  vegetables  were  raised  at  Fort 
Yukon,***  but  his  statement  lacks  confirmation. 

Berries  and  the  hardier  class  of  vegetables  are  the 
only  produce  of  which  the  soil  is  capable,  even  in 
favored  localities,  and  though  numberless  and  patient 
atteni[)ts  were  made  to  raise  cereals,  during  and  after 
tlie  Russian  occupation,  nearly  all  proved  a  failure. 
A  scant  crop  of  barley  may  mature  in  a  few  localities 
in  exceptional  seasons,  and  both  wheat  and  barley  will 
grow  in  many  portions  of  the  territory,  but  barley 
seldom  kernels,  and  wheat  never.^"  Potatoes,  cab- 
bages, turnips,  lettuce,  radishes,  and  horse-radish  are 
produced  in  many  parts  of  the  territory,  but  cabbages 
often  fail  to  head.  On  Kadiak,  Afognak,  and  Princo 
of  Wales  islands,  at  Fort  Wrangell  and  Bristol  Bay, 
potatoes  of  fair  quality  can  be  raised  in  favorable  sea- 
sons, but  are  often  a  partial  or  total  failure,  and  when 
they  mature  are,  in  common  with  other  vegetables, 
for  the  most  part  watery,^^ 

A  fair  crop  of  hay  is  often  secured  at  Kadiak'"  and 
at  some  other  points,  where  cattle  and  sheep  are  raised. 
Live-stock  were  sujiplied  to  some  of  the  Aleuts  free 
of  charge  early  during  the  company's  regime,  but  most 


I  ; 


"  Oats  were  raised  near  Ninilchik  Bay  (between  the  re  Joubt  St  Nikolai  anil 
Kafliokmak  15ay)  in  \8m.  Tikhm<n<J\  htor.  Obox. ,  ii.  S-J-J-.'J.  I'otroll'  says  tliut 
ill  1S80  potatoes  and  turnips,  the  latter  of  excellent  quality,  were  raised 
there.    J'oi>.  Alu/ika,3i'i. 

'"Khlcbnikof,  ZapiiU,  in  Mntcrialn!,  1-0-7,  claims  that  mealy  and  ^ixA- 
flavored  potatoes  were  raise<l  at  Sitka  on  ground  manured  witli  sca-weeil,  tlio 
crop  being  in  some  places  \'2  or  14  to  one,  but  there  is  no  contirmation  of  this 
statement.  Wrangell  states  that  in  lS.'{i,  2,4'24  ptmds  were  raised  at  Sitka. 
Stnii^t.  initl  JClhiiiiij.,  rj-i:i;  but  says  notliing  as  to  their  <iuality.  According 
to  I'ffrojrx  Po/i.  Akmhi,  7(>,  nearly  IIK)  acres  of  potatoes  and  turnips  were 
raised  at  Afognak  in  18S().  Tikhmenef  wiys  that  attempts  to  raise  vegetibleu 
on  the  I'rybilof  islands  usually  failed.  Islur.  Olios.,  ii,  ,310;  but  in  KUiott'sSnil' 
IxI^niiU,  Alusk-ii,  \'l,  it  is  mentioned  that  lettuce,  tuniips,  and  radishes  were 
raised  at  St  I'aul  Island  in  1880. 

*'''(iolo\'nin,  in  Materialiii,  54,  says  that  tho  Aleuts  wore  too  lazy  to  turu 
the  hay  ur  place  it  under  shelter. 


638 


AGRICULTURE,  SHIP-BUILDIXO,  AND  MINING. 


of  them  perished  from  want  of  care.  The  Aleuts,  be- 
ing accustomed  to  a  diet  of  fish,  did  not  reUsh  milk  or 
flesh,  and  regarded  animals  as  a  nuisance.  The  cows 
were  kept  in  corners  used  for  storing  salmon,  and 
knocked  down  with  their  horns  the  poles  on  which  the 
fish  W(!re  suspended,  trampling  them  under  foot;*"  while 
pigs  undermined  the  natives'  huts  by  scratching  out 
the  earth  in  search  of  refuse,  and  goats  climbed  on  the 
roofs  and  tore  away  the  thatch. 

The  cattle  sent  to  Alaska  during  the  Russian  occu- 
pation were  of  the  hardiest  Siberian  stock,  but  even  in 
1883  the  herds  seldom  mustered  more  than  twenty 
head;  though  beef-cattle  are  often  sent  from  San 
Francisco  to  fatten  at  Kadiak  or  the  Aleutian  Islands, 
and  are  slaughtered  in  October.  Horses  and  mules 
are  of  course  little  valued  in  a  territory  where  there 
are  few  roads,  and  where,  as  in  Venice,  travel  is  al- 
most entirely  by  water.  Slieep  thri\'e  well  during  the 
short,  hot  summer,  especially  on  the  nutritious  grasses 
of  the  Kadiak  pastures,  and  at  this  season  their  nmt- 
ton  is  of  choice  quality ;  but  in  winter  they  are  crowded 
together  in  dark,  sheltered  corners,  whence  they  crawl 
out,  in  early  spring,  weak  and  emaciated.'^ 

Among  the  resources  of  the  territory,  timber  will 
probably  bj  an  important  factor  in  the  future,  though 
of  course  in  the  distant  future;  for,  so  long  as  the  im- 
mense forests  of  Oregon,  Washington  Territory,  and 
British  Columbia  are  available,  those  of  Alaska  can 

^'Aa  cnrly  as  1793  there  was  a  small  supply  of  live-stock  in  Alaska,  and  in 
tliat  year  ccnvs  were  sent  from  Kadiuk  to  L  uulaska.  No  butter  was  made  in 
tUe  Russian  colonics  until  1831,  when  20  pouds  were  produced.  Vfitinmiiiof, 
Xniiinki,  (»st.  (tu)ial(uhk,  71.  In  1833  the  Russian  American  Company  had  'i'iO 
head  of  liorned  cattle,  apart  from  those  at  tiie  Ross  colony.  H  raiitjell,  Strit- 
inf.  miilEthiioij.,  18.  In  1823  .^  pair  of  pigs  was  landed  at  Chemolmra  Island 
(lictwecn  Sannakh  and  Deer  islands);  in  I82G  they  had  increased  to  more 
than  a  hundred.  Chickens  were  kept  by  many  Russians  and  Aleuts,  but  in 
small  numlier.  Two  pairs  of  ducks  were  landed  at  Unalaska  in  1833,  and  in 
the  following  year  had  increased  to  100. 

"A  few  years  ago  Falkncr,  Bell  &  Co.  of  San  Francisco  sent  about  150 
sheep  of  the  tiardiest  breed,  in  charge  of  a  Scotch  shepherd,  toColma,  Kadiak, 
a  spot  formerly  selected  by  the  Russians  for  farming  purposes.  The  flock 
thrived  remarliably  in  sunmier,  but  most  of  them  perished  during  winter. 


LUMBER. 


CSd 


have  littlo  comnicrciiil  vahio.  There  arc  at  present  no 
exports  of  lumber,  or  none;  worthy  of  mention,  while 
several  cargoes  are  shipped  yearly  to  the  Aleutian 
Islands  from  Puget  Sound,  and  even  from  San  Fran- 
cisco. ^ 

Forests  clothe  the  valleys  and  mountain  sides  of  the 
Alexander  Archipelago  and  the  mainland  adjacent, 
and  are  found  at  intervals  throughout  the  territory 
between  Cross  Sound  and  the  Kenai  Peninsula. 
Thence  the  timlxT  belt  extends  westward  and  north- 
ward at  a  distance  of  fifty  to  more  than  one  hundred 
miles  from  the  coast,  as  far  as  the  valley  of  the  Yukon. 
A  little  beyond  this  point  the  timber  line  practically 
ceases,  though  clumps  of  stunted  trees  are  met  with 
aloiiir  the  banks  of  rivers  that  discharge  into  Kotzebue 
Sound  and  even  into  the  Arctic. 

Spruce  is  the  most  abundant  timber  in  Alaska,  and 
attains  its  laru^est  ijrowth  in  the  islands  of  the  Alex- 
ander  Archipelago.  On  account  of  the  slow  growth 
of  the  trees,  the  boards,  after  being  put  through  the 
saw-mill,  are  found  to  be  full  of  knots,  and  when  sub- 
jected to  heat,  exude  gum  or  resin.  Hence  they  are 
not  in  demantl  for  cabinet  or  other  woik  where  paint 
or  varnish  is  applied.  The  hendock-s[)ruce  is  j)len- 
tiful,  and  its  baik  may  be  in  denjand  for  tanneries, 
when,  as  is  already  threatened,  the  supplies  of  Cali- 
fornia oak  l)ark  become  exhausted.  The  white  spruce 
abounds  in  the  Yukon  district,  and  for  spars  has  no 
superior,  though  for  masts  most  (»f  it  is  too  slender. 
Houses  built  of  this  material  will  last,  when  the  loijfs 
arc  .seasoned,  for  more  than  tweiitv  years,  and  when 
green  for  about  fifteen  years. 

The  most  valuable  timber  is  yellow  cedar,  which 
IS  found  on  some  of  the  isljinds  in  the  Alexan- 
der Archipelago  and  in  the  neigldtorhood  of  Sitka, 
and  fre(|Uently  attains  a  height  of  one  hundred  feet, 
with  a  diameter  of  five  or  six  feet.'''     This  wood  is  in 

"  Davidson,  Sci.  Kximl.,  471,  Siaya  that  trues  Imvo  l^eeii  fuuud  uuar  Sitka 
17.")  Ic'i't  in  lii'iglit. 

Hlsr.   AL.M1KA.      ik 


■    ^  I 


'  n 


800 


AORicuLTUR!:,  siiirnuiLDixr;,  and  mixing. 


(IoihuikI  byship-lmildiTs  jind  caLiiiet-niakor.s  on  account 
of  its  fint'  texture,  tluraMe  (juality,  and  aromatic  odto-. 
The  clumps  of  hirch,  poplar,  maple,  willow,  and  alder 
fouml  in  some  parts  (►!'  the  territory  have  littU;  valui-, 
tliou<,di  the  imier  Jxirk  of  the  willow  is  used  for  mak- 
iuu:  twine  for  fishintjf-nets,  and  both  willow  and  alder 
bark  are  used  for  colorini'  deer-skins." 

There  were,  in  1880,  only  three  saw-mills  in  opera- 
tion throughout  the  territca'y — one  at  Sitka,  one  near 
the  northern  point  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  an«l  one 
at  Wood  Island.  All  of  them  were  cl«)scd  during  a 
portion  of  the  year.  The  first  two  were  established 
mainly  to  sup[»ly  the  liniited  demand  for  kunber  at 
Fort  Wrangell  and  Sitka,  and  the  last  {)rinci[)a]ly  for 
the  making  of  sawdust  for  use  in  packing  ice.  In  this 
and  other  branches  of  industry,  as  in  the  nianufactun; 
of  bricks,  flour,  leather,  machinery,  an<l  especially  in 
ship-buihling,  there  is  less  activity  in  Alaska  at  the 
present  day  than  there  was  during  the  Russian  occu- 
patiiui." 

During  the  company's  second  term  shii)-building 
was  a  prominent  industry.  In  1821,  the  company's 
fleet,  a[)art  I'rom  a  few  small  craft,  consisted  only  «  1' 
ten  sea-going  vessels,  whose  total  measuremerit  wa;j 


"  For  further  particulars  ns  to  tlio  tiinlKjr  rt'sources  of  Aluskn,  sco  (loh.r- 
tiiii,  in  MaUriiilui,  110;  Murns'ti  Ilvyt.  AUuka,  lOD-lll;  J'elrojfK  I'op.  Alnd-'i, 
5,  T.1'4. 

*'  In  1S33  a  saw-mill  was  ostalilislicd  at  tlio  Ozerskoi  redoubt— the  hocoihI 
that  was  built  on  the  I'acitic  couMt — the  first  having  l)con  erected  by  the  llud- 
Boirs  liny  l'<mi]mnyon  the  Columbia.  Wrauijrll,  Stali.it.  uiidElhnoij.,  II.  Dur- 
ing VoievtHlsky's  administmtioii  it  was  worked  by  steam  power.  Tikhim iifj, 
Isfor.  OhoH.,  ii.  '2'}i'>.  In  lS.'>.'i  there  was  a  saw-mill  at  Sitka,  bnt  it  was  mi 
Itiidly  mana;;e<l  that  lundx.-r  cost  the  comiiany  $'J.'t  to  $H0  per  M,  though  tlw 
fori'Mt  wa.i  I'loBc  at  hand.  Wunt'H  Thri-e  nwks  in  Sitka,  MH.,  \'2.  A  saw-miil 
was  also  erected  on  tho  Kirenskoy  River  near  .Sitka.  Goloviiiu,  in  Afuft  rialni, 
72.  At  Karluck,  Sitka,  and  Ooyak  liay,  on  tho  went  coast  of  Kadiak,  were 
small  tanneries.  /</.,  "4;  Tikhmewf,  I»tor.  Ofion.,  ii.  '_M(i;  J)aritl/iou'/<  S.  i. 
AV/M'(/.,  473.  There  was  also  a  llouring-mill  at  Sitka,  and  sevend  brick-yanlM 
and  uuicliine-sh(i|iH  in  various  parts  of  the  colonies.  With  the  exception  of 
hnnber,  few  of  tliese  branches  of  nianufacturo  arc  now  carried  on.  At  .\tkha 
uratiH  cloth  and  other  articles  manufactured  of  grass  are  produced,  as  iuat:<, 
baskets,  and  cigar-holders,  of  sujK'rior  workmanship.  A  nuinlier  of  Iiiiliau 
carvings  and  manufactures  were  collected  for  the  centennial  exhibition  by 
Mr  J.  C.  Swan,  special  commissioner  for  Indian  aifuira.  A  description  of 
them  is  published  in  his  Alanka  Iml.  Mamif.,  7-8. 


SHIP-BUILDINO. 


C91 


1,370  tons.'"  Betwocn  tliat  <liito  iiiul  1  820,  tlio  l'ru^>, 
ji  fnur-huiulrcd-ton  shi{),  ami  Httvrral  siiKillcr  craft  W(  ro 
built.*"  1m  18;{4  Wraii^i'Il  onlisrod  the  (rolonial  ship- 
yards to  I/O  abandoned,  with  tho  <jxct!|>tion  of  tlu;  oiio 
at  Sitka,  where  all  the  conveniences  coid* I  bt>  obtained, 
and  good  mechanics  were  employed,*'  Al»out  tlie 
year  1839  the  lirij^  Promissil,  and  between  that  date 
and  1842  the  steain«T  A7/tV»Aa"  /.,  of  sixty  horse-j towel', 
and  the  steani-tu<^  Mnir,  ol"  eij^ht  hors(!-j»(»wer,  the  lirst 
vessels  of  the  kin<l  ever  launched  on  colonial  waters, 
were  constructed  at  the  port/"  T\\c  machinery  lor 
tlui  Nikolai  I.  was  imiiortiul  iVom  Boston,  but  every- 
thing^ needed  for  the  iuj^  was  nianui'jictured  at  Novo 
Arkhanjjfelsk,  under  the  sui)erintendenc(!  of  the  ma- 
chinist Muir,  aft(!r  whom  the  craft  was  named/'' 

Althoujjch  other  sea-i;oin<'  craft  wi-re  built  in  tiie 
colonies  between  1821  and  1842,  while  at  least  four 
were  constructed  for  the  comjtany  elsewhere,  and  se\ - 
oral  purchased,  theri;  werv^  at  the  latter  tlate  only 
fifteen  vessels  belonging  to  Alaskan  waters:*'  manv 

''^llctwecn  17!M)  and  IS'Jl  five  vrsscls  were  imrLlmseil  l»y  the  company'H 
ngrIl^!i  at  Kronsidndt,  ci^ht  in  the  coloiiicM,  niid  tiftccn  woro  Imill  at  tli<^  tn!')- 
niul  dock  at  Okhotsk,  louring  tlio  wiine  [n-riod  Kixlicii  M'tTo  wrcukrd,  ti\i' 
were  conduniiicd,  and  three  were  sold.  Tikhnifnij',  iMor.  OIiuk.  ,  i .  'j;t."i.  In  1  s  1 7  - 
I!)  the  schooners  Plato/  ami  Itarnuof  were  hiiiltiit  Novo  Arkliiiiigelik,  luid 
tlie  brigantino  Homamof  amX  brig  lliihldkof  at  l$<«h'ga. 

** Lutkf,  in  Maleriatiii,  iMor.  Rhhh.,  part  iv.  I.'!.');  Tikhmriiel',  iMnr.  Oho*., 
i.  !):)().  The  latter  Ht'ites  that  the  Urii/>  was  a  ^IIMt-ton  nliip,  and  tliat  tiir  n 
other  vessels,  the  fsciiooner  Akkin,  .OO  tons,  the  lirig  Potn/rm,  IS((  tons,  iti'il 
the  sloop  Sitka,  'J.'iO  tons,  were  huilt  for  the  company  at  Okhotsk,  Itotwetu 
l.S-J<Jan<I  1S:{2. 

♦'The  work  was  carrieil  on  under  the  Huperint<-ndence  of  a  native  of  St 
I'aul,  the  Creole  Netzveton",  who  had  learned  his  business  in  St  I'etcrsbnri,'. 
l''or  the  ribs,  a  kind  of  ey]n<'ss  was  nscd,  wliich  was  called  diiKhiinif  iffrim, 
fragrant  W(Mh1,  and  was  mil  adapteil  for  the  ])iiriiose  on  a(;<'onnt  of  its  iK'n- 
sity,  dryness,  and  remarkable  lightness.  'i"he  outsiiif  |ilau!;iii;i  was  i.f  larih, 
and  the  upper  works  of  hend<H;k;  the  latter,  however,  is  not  vi'ry  durable,  ,'n 
it  grows  ill  damp  soil.    W raniji  II,  Slutint.  nnil  L'fhiinij,,  '20, 

'"Simpson,  who  saded  in  the  yikntai  I.  to  Fort  Stikeen  and  back,  stati  s 
that  she  made  six  to  seven  knots  an  hour,  and  hail  most  of  her  ma<!hinery  i>)i 
deck.  Nnrr.  Voy.  roitinl  W'orhl,  ii.  ISt.  liesides  the  alHive-nanied  vessels, 
the  company  caused  to  be  built  at  Abu  the  .siiilin.i,'  whips  Xiko/ni  /.,  lOO  t'ljii, 
and  t'roini  Prinrc  Al<  ittndir,  .'{(K)  tons. 

♦*A  considerable  business  was  also  done  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk  in  re- 
pairing vessels.  During  Wrangell's  administration  an  Anierieaii  vliip  \mii 
retimbercd  at  the  wharf,  and  for  some  years  later  there  was  no  other  dock  ia 
which  vessels  sailing  in  neighlMriiig  waters  could  be  repaired. 

'"A  list  of  i:t  vessels  lying  at  Sitka  in  .April,  IS4'J,  is  given  in  SimpHou'i 
Jour,  round  World,  ii.  HM-'J,     Most  of  tlieni  lieloiiged  to  the  company. 


ro  ** 


ACRirULTrr.K,  SniPBUlLDINO,  AXP  MTXTNO. 


losses  liavinjj^  ocriirrcd  from  shipwreck,''  and  sonic  after 
a  f'ow  veyaj^es  provinnj  worthless  t'xeept  for  store- 
ships.  Tt  was  found  that  vessels  could  he  purchased 
from  foreiji^nerH,  and  csj)ecially  from  Americans,  to 
lu'tter  advantai^e  tluin  they  coidd  he  ')uilt  in  the  col- 
enies,  an<l  it  is  prohahle  that  the  manai^ers  would 
have  saved  money  if  no  attempt  at  ship-huiMiuiif  had 
Iteeii  made  in  Russian  .Vmerica,  except  perhaps  for  in- 
tercolonial tratHc.  ])urinjjf  the  last  term  little  was 
att(>mpted  in  this  dir(>cti(»n.  In  ISTtO  the  ccnnpany's 
jleet  consisted  of  only  three  steamers,  f(»ur  sailiii;^- 
ships,  two  harks,  tw(»  hrij^s,  and  one  schooner,"'^  or 
1  wilve  vessels  in  all.  of  whieh  hut  two  were  constructed 
in  the  colonies.  The  schooner  was  huilt  at  Sitka  in 
1^4S,  at  a  cost  of  more  than  thnv  thousand  rouhles 
]ter  ton;  while  one  of  the  harks,  purchased  in  the>  Saiid- 
wieli  Islands  duriiiL;'  the  same  year,  and  huilt  at  Salem, 
]\rassa«'husetts,  in  1845,  cost  only  about  eighteen  hun- 
dred rouhles  a  t<»n,  and  the  other  sailin-'  craft  were 
jiiu'chased  at  ahout  the  same  rate. 

Since  the  time  of  the  purchase,  (Hily  a  few  snuill 
coastinj^  vessels  have  heen  huilt, ^^  though  attempts 
have  been  made  to  obtain  from  congress  grants  of 
land  and   the  ri<rht  of  cuttin»r  timber  in  certain  locali- 


•"  The  navigation  of  some  portions  of  the  Alabkan  const  is  cxcoodinL'Tv" 
tlanLrtTous,  anil  the  danger  i'  inereascil  liy  the  want  of  ^elia1)lecilal't^4.  At  the 
time  of  the  purchase  the  charts  then  in  existence  were  nu'rely  Hcctional,  iii- 
chiilin^  tiio^se  of  I^i  IVrousc,  Vancouver,  Telienkof,  Liitke,  Kasiievninf, 
Tikhn)en<rf,  and  otliera.  Tehcnkof'M  were  prolialily  tlie  hest,  thoii^'li  far  fniiii 
bein^  complete,  ami  several  others  are  of  conNiiltrahle  value.  Since  the  pur- 
ehasr,  l)ctter  proi^ress  lias  heen  inaile  in  this  tlirection,  Imt  the  work  hasliccn 
of  the  same  fmgnientary  natuie.  We  may  hope,  however,  that  at  no  distant 
day  we  Mhall  have  some  appmach  to  accurate  charts  of  the  entire  Ala.skaii 
coast.  Tlie  coast-survey  chait  of  |S(»S  is  almost  worthless  so  far  as  inlau4 
iiax'i^'ation  is  eoncerncd.  for  few  of  the  shoals  and  rocks  appear  on  it.  In 
Mori  i-'i  Hr/il.,  Al'tsbi,  M,  is  a  |iartial  list  of  the  wrecks  that  have  occurrnl 
in  soutli-eaatern  Alaska  during  recent  years.  'J" wo  V.  S.  ships  of  war  havi' 
also  lieenlost  in  .Alaskan  waters.  In  \S~H  there  was  not  a  hingle  lij,'ht-lioti.se 
in  the  territory.  In  /•/. ,  '21,  several  [loints  are  mentione(l  where  light-hou-cs 
should  Ih)  erected,  and  further  mention  of  this  matter  is  maile  in  U.  S,  J'i- 
KCtiiir  /!c/>t.,  y.SV;.s',  ;i!ll— I,  ami  Sm.  Kr.  Jluc,  ^nih  ('uiiij.  ,t<l  Si/m.,  "nJ. 

•'-'  .\ls()  n  steam-tu;,'  completed  at  Sitka  in  iSfiO.  The  list  is  ;;iven  in  (luhir- 
tihi,  in  .1/"^  rin/iii,  app. ,  1  .">■_'-.'>,  where  the  armament  and  cost  of  each  are  sUited. 

''^.Vnd  a  ismall  stem- wheel  steamer  for  trade  on  the  Yukon  and  otlier  riv- 
cr.i,  built  in  liJtiU. 


COALMIMX 


CO,i 


tii's,'^'  ostt'iislhly  for  slii])-l)uil(liM_iL(  p<ir|)('S('s.  T(t  |)rn- 
(•invat  a  Mdiiiiiial  prifi' a  l"i  w  tli<»usaii<lacri's<)l' tin.-  Iti>t 
tiiiiln'i-laiulrt  ill  Alaska,  on  comlition  nf  ImiUliiii,^  a  \rs- 
sul  or  two,  would  (loiihtlcss  ho  a  profitaMe  .sj)o(.-ulation, 
l»ut  tliiis  far  DO  salt'  or  lease  ot"  timln'r-laiuls  has  l)L't'U 
made.  It  is  not  iiujtroliaitK',  liowovur,  that  at  no  ve»v 
distant  day  ship  l)i;ildin<^  may  a^jain  rank  anionic  the 
i'orcniost  industries  in  Alaska,  loreoal,  iion,  an«.l  suit- 
able tind)er  are  found  in  scveial  portions  of  the  terri- 
tory, within  easy  aecoss  t)f  navigahlo  water. 

Li;jfniti(',  hituniinous,  and  anthraeite  coal/'"  hut  es- 
pecially lii,niite,  are  found  in  many  portions  of  Alaska, 
iVom  Priiiee  of  Wales  Island  to  the  hanks  of  the 
Yukon,  and  even  on  the  shore  of  the  Aietie  Ocean, '^ 
the  best  veins  heiui^  found  in  southern  and  western 
Alaska  and  the  adjacent  islands. 

Coal-miniiiLf  in  Alaska  was  (ii'st  heyun  about  the 
middh'  of  the  j)resent  century  near  thi' mouth  of  Co<»k 
Inlet,  or  Kenai  l>ay,  at  a  point  that  still  ht^ars  the  name 
of  Coal  Ilaibor."''  Machineiy  was  erected  and  ru!i 
by  steam  power;  a  force  of  laborers  was  obtained  iii 
JSiberia;  scvei'al  experienced  ..liners  were  brought  Iroiu 

*' In  1S7I,  Si'iiivt"!'  IlajiiT  pri'sciitfil  a  prtitiim,  si„'iUMl  I'V  Tliom.iM  l!ii!'liri_r. 
W.  I'".  l>:il»'cic'lv,  .loliii  I'iiirotl,  1111(1  "tilers,  asliiii;^  fir  tin  ivilc^r  <pf  i.-uttiu  4 
tiiiiliiT  fi)r  slii|)-liiiil(1in<.'  011  gDViTiiiiii'iit  laiiils  in  tin-  ncinliiMU'liixHl  nt  I'liiRo 
Ivlwanl  Islaiiil,  wlieri;  [liiic  an<l  yilluw  ci'ilar  ari'  ]iliiitilul  Tln'y  (itl'i'ii d  ut 
\K%y  tor  thu  rrivilc^L',  uiul  tn  imrcliaso  i\:v  laml  a.-*  it  was  deari'il.  |)iiiiii;,'  tlnj 
.siiiiiu  your,  lli'invst'iittttivu  I'ipcr  iiitniilucrtl  a  lull,  yrantiii].;  ti>  wTtaiii  pailifM 
till;  right  ttj  piirchaso,  ati?l.-."i  pur  aiii'.  tlic  i.slainl  of  Kon,  imrtli  ui  ( 'larrmti 
strait,  for  Hliip-hiiiliiing  purpo^tcs,  ami  llit>  priviU:),'e  of  tukiiii;  up  ua  iiiiii.'li 
inuiv  laiul  na  might  lie  riMpiircil.  'I'liis  nioilist  ili'iiiaixl,  umlcr  \«lii('ii  all  tlio 
licst  tiiiilM'r-lamls  in  tlio  tfi'iitoi y  iiiii.'ht  lin>«'  ticcn  appropriatiHl,  was  alttr- 
wanl  limitoil  to  100,(K)()  acri's.  .\n  ai'cinint  of  the  siicoinl  Itill  iiilrodiiLcil  liy 
I'lptT,  on  Dec.  20,  rs7<i,  i.s  given  in  Mnrri-'.t  Hi/'t.  Alnnkti,  l(>7-!*. 

•'•'Iron  is  found  in  many  porlion.iot  .Vlask.'i,  Imt  no  defHwit  has  yet  1h'i:» 
diseovereil  that  will  pay  for  workiiij,',  under  present  eonditions. 

^"Dall  remarks  that  the  speeimeiis  of  anthracite  coal  found  in  Alaska  may 
owe  their  ipiality  to  local  iii(taiiior|)liisiii  of  the  rocks  liy  hcut,  rather  than  to 
the  general  character  of  any  lari;e  deposit.    AhiMhi,  4~.'t. 

■''  In  IS7H  II  vein  was  oiHiu'd  liey 1  Cape  l^ishiirn  by  Ca|)t;iin  lloo|)cr  "f 

the  ri'Viiiue  marine,  who  ciaim.s  that  the  coal  mined  easily  anil  was  lit  Im-  tlio 
use  of  steamers.  /'.7/v)//"s  /'../).  AUuLii,  74.  In  iNHi  l)all  inspected  a  cnul 
dcp  isit  near  Niilato,  hut  found  it  to  l>e  of  inconsideralile  extent.  .|/'(>7.'(, 
o(J-7.     In  /'/.,  47H-4,  is  a  list  of  the  principal  coul  diatrictd  known  in  INTO. 

^°0u  the  iiurth  uidu  uf  Kngliuh  Ijiiy. 


liO* 


AOniCULTURE,  .SlIIPBUILDINO,  AXD  MIXIN'O. 


Ot'i'iiirtiiy,  niul  ovory  availuhle  iium  ifi  the  Sil)oriaii 
lino  imttalioii,  then  Htationccl  at  Sitka,  was  sent  to  aid 
in  tlie  work.  The  proHpect  of  turni.shin«^  the  com- 
pany's steamers  with  coal  obtained  in  the  colonies,  and 
of  selling  the  surplus  at  hi«(h  prices  in  San  Francisco 
and  elsewhere,  acted  as  a  powerful  incentive.  In  ISf)? 
shafts  had  been  suiik  and  adrift  run  into  the  vein  for 
ii  ilistance  of  nearly  1,700  feet,  nearly  all  of  which 
was  in  coal.  Durinj^  this  and  the  three  following!; 
years,  over  2,700  tons  were  mined,  the  value  of  which 
was  estimated  at  nearly  40,000  roubles,  but  the  residt 
was  a  net  loss.  The  thickness  of  the  vein  was  found 
to  vary  from  nine  to  twelve  feet,  carryinij  70  per  cent 
of  mineral,  and  its  extent  was  practically  uidimited; 
but  the  coal  was  found  to  be  entirely  untit  for  the  use 
of  steamers,  and  a  shipment  of  500  tons  forwarded  to 
San  Francisco  realized  only  twelve  and  a  half  roubles 
per  ton,  or  considerably  less  than  cost.** 

It  was  hoped  that  as  greater  depth  was  attained 
the  vein  at  Coal  Harbor  would  iinj^rove  in  strength 
u\u\  (piality,  but  there  is  no  sufficient  evidence  th;.  , 
in  this  or  other  portions  of  Alaska,  any  consideral)le 
(juantity  of  marketable  coal  has  yet  been  produced 
except  for  local  consumption.  Nevertheless,  there  is 
little  doubt  that  it  exists,*'  though  whether  in  deposits 
larL'e  enough  to  be  of  connnercial  value  is  a  matter 

^*  Tikhmriff,  hfor.  OhoM.,  ii.  2.")0;  Knstlirlzof,  Hcporl,  29-30;  Dok.  h'vin. 
I^i'uM.  A  liter.  Kot.,  i.  J)4.  Goloniiii,  in  MnUrinlui,  108-0.  Acconliiiy  to  tlic 
lust  of  thcHO  inithoritit"),  it  was  iilroady  known  that  cfwl-vcins  existed  on  tho 
Alaska  iHininaula,  at  Katliak,  the  Huialier  islands  adjoining',  and  elsewhere. 
In  /■'').'/f>-<,  Lrtti'i-",  .MS.,  ii.,  wc  find  the  following,  under  date  .June '20,  ]iS."m: 
'  Liitkc  says:  "On  dit  qn'il  y  a  tlans  Tile  d'Akoun  dos  couches  de  charl>on  ilo 
terro. "  '  tn  the  Sitkn  .1  /•cA/iv.«,  MS.,  18.")7,  ii-  278,  it  is  stated  that  the  work  of 
j^cttin^'  out  coal  was  very  diHiuult  on  account  of  local  ciruunistances. 

""  ( 'aptain  White,  in  Morr'm'g  }tept.  Aliska,  103,  stiitcs  that  C<xjk  Inlet  coal 
'w  well  suited  for  the  use  of  steamers,  that  it  leaves  a  clear,  white  H.sh,  ami 
iliM'.s  not  coke.  In  Dall'n  Alfinkn,  -IT."*,  are  analyses  of  coal  from  Cook  Inlet, 
Nanaimo,  ltellii,;^hnm  IJny,  and  C(x).so  IJay.  The  analysis  of  Alaskan  coul 
was  niaile  liy  I'rol'essJOi  .^  S.  Xewlmrry  of  the  school  of  mines,  Colundiia  Col- 
li'gp,  Xew  York.  It  was  tonnd  to  contain  40.89  per  cent  of  fixed  carlMHi,  SO.fS? 
«>f  volatile  conlmstiltle  mutter,  1.25  of  moisture,  1.20  of  sulphur,  and  7.VJ  of 
ash.  Its  character  was  li<{nitic.  The  professor  remarks:  '  This  coal  is  fully 
eijual  to  any  found  on  the  west  coast,  not  excepting  those  of  Vancouver 
I.ilund  and  Itclliu^liain  lUiy.'  For  a  description  of  the  Nauuimo  mines  (Vauc. 
Isl. ),  see  my  IJint.  lirit.  C'olumth,  5G9  et  scii. 


COALMIXIX 


60o 


tlmt  lias  yt't  to  be  tlotonnined.  l^Fost  of  tlio  ooal  so 
far  (liscovirod  in  the  territory  belon«(H  to  the  tertiary 
system,  and  is  defieient  in  thiekness  of  seam.  North 
of  Coal  Harbor,  deposits  are  found  almost  as  far  as 
Cape  Ninilehik,  but  hero  as  elsewhere  they  sildom 
exceed  seven  feet  of  soliti  coal  in  thickness,  and  are 
more  frequently  less  than  three  feet.  It  is  wi-ll  known 
that  a  vein  of  the  latter  kind,  when  situated  at  a 
distance  from  market,  is  almost  worthless. 

At  Oonga  and  several  other  points  persistent  at- 
tempts have  been  made  to  work  the  mines  at  a  profit, 
but  as  yet  without  success.  The  coal  was  not  in 
demand  except  for  local  consumption.  When  used 
by  steamers,  it  was  found  to  buin  so  rapidly  as  to  eat 
into  the  iron  and  endaui^er  the  boilers,  so  that  many 
vessels  sailing;  for  Alaska  brinjjf  with  them  their  own 
fuel,  or  are  supplied  from  tenders  laden  in  Hritish 
Columbia."* 

It  must  be  admitted,  however,  tin;  miniuLf  pros- 
pect in  Alaska  is  far  fiom  discouraj^iiiLf.  Petroleum 
of  good  quality  has  been  found  Hoatim^  on  the  surl'acc 
of  a  lake  near  Katmai  in  the  Alaska  Peninsula."^ 
Ijong  before  the  purchase  native  copjier  was  obtained 
from  the  Indians  on  the  Atna  or  Copper  River,  be- 
ini^  found  occasionally  in  masses  weighing  more  than 
thirty  pounds.  At  Karta  Pay,  on  l*riiice  of  Wales 
Island,  there  is  a  valuable  C(»pj)er  mine,  which  was 
sold  a  few  years  ago  to  a  San  Prancisco  company.*^ 

"'  In  a  dospiitch  from  Santa  Iliirbiini,  i)ul>lisli<'d  in  tlio  San  Ff<nifiHro  linllitin 
of  June  S,  liS77,  it  is  statiil  that  tint'i'  niik's  from  t\w.  ()<>nj,'a  mine'  is  one  known 
lis  tliu  \\\<i  llonanza  with  a  vein  :{()  fcot  thick,  of  whicli  !.'>  art;  solid  ooul; 
that  .^iO  per  ton  liad  1k'«u  oircrvd  fur  tho  coal  dt'livenil  in  San  Fraiiiiso;  tiial 
it  was  c-onsideiod  ('L|nal  to  the  best  Kn^'lish  and  Si:oteli  eoul;  and  tiiat  tlie  en- 
tire eoal-tields  of  this  district  comprised  l.'JSd  acres,  and  woidd  sullice  to  sup- 
ply Caiifoniia  for  pnierations.  This  may  serve  as  a  specimen  of  tiie  nfinscnse 
wliicii  lias  lieen  published  in  some  uf  the  newspapers  of  this  coast  as  to  Alaskan 
industries,  though  iiiaiiy  valuable  items  have  a])|icared  in  them  ut  intervals 
since  the  purchase.  There  appears  to  be  little  probability  tliat  either  Alaskan 
eoal  or  Alaskan  timber  will  lind  a  more  general  market  on  thu  i'acitic  coiist  so 
long  as  there  remain  nearer  and  better  sources  of  supply. 

"^  In  Miirris'i  Hejit.  Al<i,iku,  IO.S,  it  is  stated  that  largo  deposits  of  petroleum 
have  been  fountl  on  Copper  River. 

**/'/.,  102.  Morris  stites  that  he  saw  sacks  of  the  ore  and  found  it  exceed- 
ingly rich.     Metallic  copper  is  found  ou  Oonga  mid  thu  north  end  of  Adnii- 


1 


606 


AGRICULTURE,  SIIIP-IIUILDIXG,  AND  MINING. 


Ciunaluir  is  known  to  exist  in  tlio  islands  of  the  Alex- 
nndor  Arcliipulaj^o,  but  the  exact  locality  is  as  yet  a 
Hccret.  Load  has  been  found  on  Baranof,  Wrangell, 
an<l  Kadiak  islands,  but  not  in  large  deposits.  Native 
sulphur  is  very  [)lentiful,  and  this  metal  is  nearly  al- 
ways found  in  solution  at  the  mineral  sprin<,^s  with 
which  the  territory  abounds. 

Amonjjf  the  lead  and  coj)per  deposits  is  sonictiiuos 
found  a  snuiU  percentaj^e  of  silver,"*  but  if  tlu^n.'  be 
atiy  valuable  silver  mines  in  the  territory  they  are 
not  yet  discovered. 

From  (lolovnin  Sound  it  was  reported,  in  1H81,  that 
silver  ore,  assayinjif  a  hundred  and  fifty  «lollars  a  t(»n, 
and  easily  worked,  had  been  discovered  so  nciar  to  tide- 
water, and  in  such  abundance,  that  vessels  could  be 
loaded  with  it  as  readily  as  with  ballast.  On  May 
5th  of  that  year  a  schooner  was  desj)atched  to  the 
sound  by  way  of  St  Michael,  and  on  her  return  it  was 
reiioi'ted  that  the  value  of  the  mine  had  been  not  a 
whit  exaggerated,  but  that  it  was  thirty  miles  fi-oin 
ti<le- water.""  Of  the  'mountain  of  silver'  that  was 
supposed  to  exist  in  this  neighborhood  nothing  fur- 
ther has  yet  been  heard. 

(lold-mining  has  been  a  little  more  successful.  Tii 
1880,  a  former  state  i;eolo<;ist  <^f  California  remarked 
that  "the  gold  of  Aiaskawas  still  in  the  ground,  all  save 
a  few  thousand  »)unces  tjathered  here  and  there  from 
the  more  accessible  veins  and  gravel-betls  of  the  islaii(U 
and  the  mountains  alony:  the  c(Kist."""  In  188;}  there 
wer«'  in  operation  several  »|uartz  and  placer  mines, 
which  gave  fair  returns,  and  in  south-eastern  Alaska 


I'iilty  IhIuikIh.  Tlic  hliio  curhonntu  nccnra  on  tlio  KiiMkovkiin  niul  near  Capo 
IlotniiiiKof,  uM(l  Hulpliunitii  on  the  north  cotiHtuf  thu  jicniimuln.  JMITh  AIiimLk, 
477. 

"'  A  pii'cc  of  (ii'c  tiikcn  from  li  niiiio  ni'iir  For  Wraugi'll,  in  IH~',\,  a«Miiyt.'il 
'Jt')  per  cL'Ut  ill  ('((ppiT,  '_M(  \wr  ooiit  in  loiul,  and  (il»out  !J7  Jht  tini  in  hilvcr. 
Thi^  wiiM  of  coiif.it?  II  i:liou'D  Mpt^L'iiiKtn. 

"^v.  /■'.  /Iiilli-liii,  Oi-t.  ;U,  IHNl.  The  truth  npjifars  to  \w  thiit  near  tho 
«oiiiiil  wtM'u  \mm-  iiK't.'il  iiiiiu'H  <'iiiit;tiiiiin{,  in  Hpotx,  a  fair  pviventap^  of  Milvcr. 

"*' l.titti'r  of  .lohn  Mnir,  in  lil.,  .Ian.  10,  lH>SO.  Tho  letter  contninn  an  in- 
terentiug  unil  pruliuhly  ruliuhle  account  of  the  niinuit  iu  Aluukit  ut  tinkt  dale. 


GOLD  AND  SILVER. 


097 


a  trace  of  gokl  cmld  bo  obtuinod  from  the  sands  of 
ahnost  ovory  stream  that  discharges  into  the  Pacific. 

( )f  tlie  Stikeen  River,  or  Cassiar,  mines  brief  men- 
tion will  be  made  in  the  volume  on  British  Columbia, 
to  which  territory  they  l)eloni«^. 

Harrisburj^  was,  in  188J3,  the  minini^  centre  of 
Alaska.  On  r)oUi,das  Island,  s(;|>arated  from  the  t(»\vn 
by  a  channel  two  miles  in  width,  are  several  promisin^^ 
(|uartz  and  surface  mines.  Amo'ig  the  former,  the 
Treailwell  claim,  owned  by  San  Francisco  capitalists, 
was  the  only  one  thoroughly  developed.  Four  tun- 
nels had  been  run  into  the  ledge,  and  a  large  body 
of  low-grade  ore  exposed.  A  Hve-stamp  mill  was  in 
operation,  and  several  bullion  shipments  were  made 
during  the  year. 

( )f  the  Takoo  di.strict,  on  the  Takoo  River,  a  few 
miles  from  Uarrisburg,  great  expectations  were  hekl, 
but  as  yet  they  have  not  boon  realized."' 

On  the  imh  of  January,  1877,  the  Alaska  Gold 
and  Silver  Mining  Company"^  was  incorporatid,  the 
location  beinjj:  about  fourteen  miles  to  the  south-east 
of  Sitka.  In  I  880  rock  was  extracted  from  the  Icjjge 
on  tlirt-e  levels,  averaging  about  $1*J  per  ton,  and  at 
that  date  »  considerable  body  of  oie  had  been  exposed. 
"The  ledge  is  well  <lelined,"  writes  Walter,  a  practi- 
cal mining  engineer,  In  1878,  "runs  east  and  west, 
and  is  alK»ut  IT)  I'eet  wide,  with  a  fissurt;  vein  from 
.'{A  to  4  feet  in  width.     The  rock  is  bluish  uold-bcar- 


ih'r  "piartz.  and  lies  m  a  s 


date  t 


oi'ination. 


A    t 


e'U- 


stainp  water-[)oW('r  mill  was  e:  "cted,"''and  the  returns 
re  for  a  time  satislaetory,  but  tlu;  expense  of  oper- 


Wl 


atnig  a  (|uartz  nnne  undii-  such  conditions  as  jit  pres- 
ent  exist  in    the  ti'rritory    forbids    the    working    of 


1871. 


Mi-iition  of  tliitt  tliHti'ict  in  umiU-  in  Iil.,  .Iiiiiu  '20,  July  7,  and  Aug.  II, 

Their  oluiiii  is  UHUiilly  callnl  tlio  Stcwnrt  tniiiivl. 
'■*  Morrii'ii  h'r/if.  Aliisk'i,  Wi.  \hmujs,  ii  ciiiivci'siitioii  ln'M  at  my  Lilnii-.y 
on  Ki'l).  3,  IS7i),  M.  r.  lU'iry  Htnlnl  tliiit  tiui  mill  iIhI  not  iln  iiiui;li  iii  tliu 
a)4;<iH';^iitc.  'Tiify  liavi!  pltiity  of  roi-k,'  lin  rttnuirked,  'ami  what  uiilliutj 
thvy  "iitl  HhoWfd  pretty  well.  Hut  thu  wlu-ol  ilid  nut  carry  thi-  wutor  u<»r  iho 
water  tho  wheel.'     JJi  nlojuniitlH  in  Aliuku,  M.S.,  11  -I'J, 


Si 


E. 


AGRICULTURB,  SHIP-BUILDING,  AND  MINING. 

veins  that  in  more  favored  localities  would  be  fairly 
jTofitable.  That  valuable  gold  deposits  exist  is  not 
disputed;  but  in  a  mountainous  and  densely  wooded 
territory  such  as  is  Alaska,  and  especially  southern 
Alaska,  where  the  richest  veins  have  been  found, 
mines  are  neglected  which  elsewhere  on  this  coast 
would  not  lack  capital  for  their  development."" 

"  Ainoiin  other  points  gold  has  Iwen  iliscovered  near  the  junction  of  the 
Yukon  and  IVlly  rivei-s.  Some  of  it  was  luistiycd  in  IHS',\  ]>y  II.  (i.  Hanks, 
ptjito  mineralogist  of  California,  who  rejxirted  that  aljout  one  tenth  of  its 
\\  >  i;;lit  consisted  of  a  coating  of  rust,  which  niadu  it  ulmout  iuditl'eruut  to  thu 
action  of  quicksilver. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


CHUltCHES,  SCHOOLS.  AND  HOSPITALS. 

1795-1884. 

TuE  First  CiirRciiKs  in  Rcssian  Amekica— A  Diockse  IIsTAnusnED — 
Veniaminof— The  Sitka  (1\tiiei)ual  — (.'"nvi-.i^skin  ok  tiik  Indians 
— The  Ci-ergy  Heli)  in  Contempt— IMiotestant  Missions— Scii<)oi„s 
— The  Sitka  Seminary — The  (Jenekal  Colonial  Institite— .ME- 
TEouoLCKiifAL— l)isEAst»s— lIosriTAUs— Tue  Co.mi'any's  I'en.sioneus — 

CkKOLES — BlULIOGKAI'lIlCAL. 

Glottof,  it  is  claimed,  one  of  the  discovenrs  of 
the  Aleutian  Islands,  Ijaptized  at  Onnuiak  in  1751) 
the  first  native  admitted  into  the  fold  (if  the  Creek 
church.  He  was  a  chieftain's  son,  and  a  lai-i^e  cross 
was  erected  on  the  s|)ot  where  the  cert nn my  was 
performed;  but  timber  was  scarce  in  those  treeless 
regions,  and  soon  after  the  Russian  occupation  the 
wood  was  u.sod  for  makinj,'  slei<j;hs.*  Until  ntiaily 
half  a  century  after  Glottof's  visit  neitlur  Alt'uts  nor 
KoniaiLjas  received  any  rei^ular  religious  instruction, 
though  Shelikof,  as  will  be  remembered,  atliinicd 
that  he  converted  forty  heathen  soon  ai'ter  the  con- 
quest of  Kadiak. 

The  labors  of  the  first  missionariis  sent  forth  to 
Alaska  have  already  I >ccn  ivlated.  In  17'.)."),  or  per- 
haps a  ytuir  or  two  lati-r,  a  chapel  was  built  at  Saint 
Paul — the  first  in  Russian  .Vmnica.  At  Sitka  no 
church  was  built  until  18 17,  n.'ligious  ceremonies  be- 
ing usually  performed  by  one  of  the  otHiials  of  the 

'  Vi  iiUimhid/,  XdjiiMki,  l.'il-'J.  Tlio  l)ny  was  taken  to  I'lti-oivivlov.tk, 
vhi'i-e  hu  luiirni'il  tliu  Iviiasiau  lun^uugo,  iiixl  rotiuiicJ  with  tliu  dignity  uf 
toyon  uvcr  nil  the  iiiluudd  uiitlor  llie  jurUdictiua  uf  KumcliuJiu. 


!li 


700 


CHURCHES,  SCnOOLS.  AND  HOSPITALS. 


llussiuii  Aiiicricim  ('oiujKUiy,  tlnm^h  iiR'anwliilf  a 
})ric'st  occiisioMally  visil,f«l  this  st'ttleinont,  and  l>aj»- 
tisiiis  wvvi'  Mot  iiilVt'iim-nt.'''  In  this  year  an  (Mtoli'^i- 
ustii-  nauifd  Sokoldf  anivi'd,  and  a  teniporaiy  huiid- 
iiii;'  was  at  tuicc  crccti'd,  the  altar  hoiiijjf  Imilt  of  tini- 
hcis  cast  Jishoit.'  alter  the  wrt'ck  of  tlio  AV/v(,  "ainoii'^ 
whiih, '  wrote    IJaranol',  "slione  thu   iina,^i!  of  Saint 


Al 


Kiiat' 


'Phi'  Vfssi'ls  an(l    utensils   wei'e   of  silvi 


I'a.^hi.tnid  hy  colonial  eral'tsMien,  and   the   rolx's   and 
diaju-ries 


.r  (*1 


iniesc  siiK 


Ik 


In  ISP.)  a  chnrch  named  Saint  Peters  was  Iniilfc 
at  Saint  Paid  Island,  and  one  at  Saint  (jleor^e  nannul 
after  Saint  (ieorLje  {lie  Victor,  in  18.'5:);  at  the  villatf'; 
<»r  I'nalaska  a  church  was  dedicated  in  IH'Jd,"  and  in 
the  same  year  a  c1ia|iel,  nanuMJ  Saint  Nikolai,  was 
huilt  at  Ounuiak,  wln-re,  as  VenianiinoC  would  have 


us 


he] 


leVe 


iicknes.s  attacke<l  the  Kussians,  who  mad. 


sacn!t!Uious   use  <> 


r  ti 


le    ci'oss,  V 


hih 


lor   many  year.s 


lati'r,  the  Aleuts  did   not   dare    to   j^ather  sticks   or 
boards  in  tlu'  nciLfhhorhood  of:'  this  .sanctuary. 

A  clause  in  the  cliartur  <.rranted  to  the  Russian 
American  Company  in  1821  providtjd  that  church 
e;^Lal>li.dunents  should  he  supported  tln'ou^i^diout  tht! 
colonies,"   and   by   o;der  of  the   holy  synod,  in  1840, 

-'  III  till'  Alitukn  A  rdiiiyn,  MS,,  1-1,3,  in  a  lint  ol'  all  th<i  haptisDiA  iK-i-fonm- 1 
lit  Sitkii  liiLVi'tii  IM!."»  .>!«((  1M'.(. 

'  III  I  Mils  u  !<ii;  ('!m|'<1  wtin  liiiilt  ut  I  nulHiku  athi   turn  ilown  in    I.S'J'i. 

'  As  all  illiiatratiiiii  wl  tliti  mii'litioii  (if  tlio  (iili>ni.il  i'!i'rj,'y  ut  tlio  I'ln!  cf 
("liiHiiiikiif  H  iM!iiiiiii-tratii)ii,  tii.'iy  lio  iiiciiiinncd  ili  ■  liiul  t:ii  won'iiy  of  l'\,'iicl(,r 


liii 


ikof. 


u  mTvitiif  II 


t  N 


((••I) 


VrUI 


UM)>i 


\sk   ill   iS'Ji.l.     Ill,,  ciiaiv 


waH  liic- 


<'iri-.ll  liv  ""u  IViulit)  l/'htiiiKiit'  to  till)  »''IV(!t  tli;;t  IViHliiiiakiif,  a.  iiati.i) 
KnlMnh.  iiapti/T'l  at  Ndi-o  A!liliaiigi'l,-.k  iu  N.ivi'niliiT  ISO"),  fdncatcil  at  tlui 
ivtrihli  iiul|i>ijl,  ami  (iihtiitt(«l  to  t\w.  Hiiliorililiiito  [iricHUiuiiii  in  .luiiuary  \>*'2~, 
liiiii  Imh  II  iiii.t.T\"<l  Ity  cmiPiwt'i-t  witiifMm'H  in  lii"  lu^t  <(f  iis-'i,stiiig  at  rt.Ttuin 
|iii);.in  i'it»'>«  iiiti'ii.li'fl  to  ctlin't  till!  I'lri'  of  a  sick  ii'itivc,  anil  liail  luni  umi 
'  lo  JkM  tljro'iv'li  till!  inotimw  uii'l  Htt,'|t.i  of  clianiaiiM  or  Moifoiin^  in  tlie  Hcrviio 
<if  Siiiaii,' mill  .lino  of  iiiiviiij^  at  varioiii*  tiiii;;!*  il'-scvi'iiti'il  un  oithoilox  BJiriuo 
l>y  tul<iiii;  I'livii'i  I'liariii.'i  info  tli<>  lupjy  water  lih's.x'd  liy  fin;  licMi'ilii'tioii  of 
tliu  ji.ii'Ht,  aii<l  of  >ci;fiviii;.^  (layint'iit  in  fiirn  forHiM'li  HacriliTiimw  action.  In 
tiio  (i|<iiiton   of    V'cnia.iiiiiof,   wjiicii   wavi   iiftfiwai'il   aiiinovcil    jiy   tlio    liol 


sj'i 


il,   ISiHliiiiakof  Htniiril  iiioi'i'  from  i^noi'ani'O  than    tioin  iiialio 


W.l.'i  ili.-ti'iiar; 


<l 


Willi   u  Ki-vcro  ri'iiinna 


iiil.     'I'lioni^ii   iiil'oi'iiiL'il  v,.\t  I 


I     ih! 

in    W.IS 


fn<;  to  i"tuiti  to  No\o  .Aikliaii.iji'lsk,  iinsliniukof  Mil'inbirily  iiilricil  tiio 
ooiivii'tof  till!  Ascension  at  Ni  riiiiiink.  Tlio  |iroi'i'ciliii;;o  in  tlii.s  uisc  ili,s. 
jiliiy  u  ri'iiimkaltlo  ilu^cce  o;'  leuicufy  oil  tlui  ii.ut  of  tliu  iiiyluir  RiiHsi.i.t 


lUSHOP  VKNIAMIXOF. 


701 


at  which  daio  tlioro  woro  four  clnirdios  and  cij^ht 
cl»;i|H'l.s  ill  Russian  America,  they  '.vore  toinn-d  into 
fi  (liooosc,  wliicli  inckided  the  Okhotsk  and  Ivani- 
c'hatka  precincts,  the  first  bishof),  al'ttn'waid  nn't- 
ropoiitan  of  ^Moscow,  Ijcinij  Fatlicr  Veniaininof, 
Avlioni  Sir  Edward  liclcher,  writinif  in  1  H;{7,  <l<'scril)t's 
as  "a  very  fonnidaljlc,  athletic  man,  ahoiit  forty-livo 
years  of  ai^e,  and  standiiiLj  in  his  hoots  ahout  six  fi'et 
three  inches;  qnite  iierculean,  and  very  cleaver."" 
'•When  lie  preached  the  word  of  (jrod,"  says  Kostro- 
mitin,  who  was  haptized  hy  Father  .loassaf  in  I  SOI, 
"all  the  peopi','  Hstened.and  listeiM'd  without  nioviniif, 
until  he  stopped.  Nohody  thought  of  lisliiu"^'  oi' 
liuntiniif  while  he  sj)oke,  and  nohiHly  felt  hun'j;Ty  n' 
lliirslv  as  lonrr  as  In.'  was  speakinj^ — not  even  little 
chil.h-en."»      ^  • 

clcrfiy,  and  jiiv  in  rcinarltaMn  eont:":iRt  witli   tho  tfiluiiiiilpi  nf  tlio   Hoinan 


{\'.th 


Awirh 


nilar  imsch.     it  is  iluiihttiil,   liow 


CVlM 


MilltluM- 


i: 


iiiiiUiif's  fi'fii'i'uit'iit  tit  (iia'  <»f    tlie    must  tK\i(il  itc   I'Diiviiits   iu 
t:ilii"'.!ly  <'i  V( limit, uj'  act.   li'ii>hiivik<ij\  Sinrerj  Tiiitl,  M.S. 


.Si  I 


tuna  WiU 


*  Surr.    Voir  nt'inl  Wmltl,  '.>S. 


l.v  tl 


'  A'<i-!;i  TiiiKM  i.i  Alcnl.  Itlan'ln,  MS.,  C\.     Miracles  wort!  iiscrilicil  tn  liiii: 


ic   .sii|iiT8li lion's,  ninon;'  whuni  Wiis 


Koht 


I'llUlltlll. 


'11 


nvn:   IS  nil   ilnilif, 


liiiu'c-vir,  that  tlm  lii>\li<i|)  hvu.4  a  true  ami  tulLlitiil  I'a.stor,  tliiiti;.;lt  his  wri.jngH 


aliiiv.'  thi; 


\K^  h 


If  »li 


lari'il  (ho  Kuiicrnition  c mimoii 


t<i  his  I'hmch.     In  his 


/f((/)i  /.(  iih  Otlmrnkh  < niii'iliuhkiunh'iro  iHilinln  Sniltir/eiiiiiiiH,  <ir  l.iHfis  rmi- 
ciriiiiiij  Ihf  I^/diidi  'tf  tfii'  I'liu/itnLn  Di'^tri't,  iinlilishnl  at  thi' ».'.\|>cnso  ol'  t!io 
lOis.siiDi  AnuTJcini  <.'oin|)aii.y,  .St  I'l'tiTslnu:.;,  ."I  vols.,  ISK),  N'mianiinof  sh'.wu 
t'.iiifc  he  hail  licemiiu  tlionm.Jtly  .-U'liuainli'd  \v;tii  tliu  Aleuts,  their  lau^^iaicc, 
cu-i'iiini^,  and  liistoiy,  and  his  witrk  is  tiiu  ni'iMt  reliahle  Ixiuk  mi  the  Hulije't. 
lii  iluhidcs  luHtmy,  iiu;t.e(i|(il()j,'y,  ^;e(>f,'rinihy,  natural  liistory.  and  elhnul.i'y; 
but  histiirieul  tiiaf.rial  M'eins  to  have  Ihmji  s'.'arce,  or  was  jierliaiis  Hli;,'ht('i', 
liy  tliu  nutliiir.  Ihu  Hei'mid  voliinn^  is  devoted  pi  iiieipally  to  llio  nianni''  i  i::id 
ciiNtoms  of  the  .'ineieiit  and  iiio.lern  Aleuts,  to  h%'eiids  and  tales  jir>'->(  r. <■  I 
jiniDim  them  liy  tradition,  and  lo  their  rel.it.ions  with  tins  I'MSMi.'.n  Anieiieim 
Coniiiany.aiid  enntaiima  nunilieruf  nii'teorohi>.'ical  and  stati.slie.il  tallies,     'i  \w 


urd  \oluiiKi  IS  ennliiH 
.o!  is!i,  am 


.1  l^ 


I  a,  review  o 


f  the  Ahiitsof  the  .Vthha  l>istiiet,  t!.. 


It! 


ir  fe.-'iiioti 


i.'ileets.     The  work  on  the  Aleutian  Jslaiids  w.is 


j^ariinliy  rejtr.xliie  d  in  <  ieinian,  in  hrvii 


Anh'ir  I't 


rfi/lt'tlii-fif  I.: 


lliisn'fiiiil,  ii.  4."i!l,   \^A1.      His  ()i>iiil  HfiiniiliLi  Ah  :ihki>-  l,ixnn  r>l,iir  i  )'it- 
Attimiit  lit  II.  (I  r'l  III  mil  r  of  tin'  l/n<mi  r-Aliiiti<iit  J.iiii'iiiiuir,  St   {'eterc- 


titiki 

liaiL.   ISKi,   is   etiMlilled    t( 


dialeit  of  l!ie  Aleutian  lanj,'ii;i-:e,  spukei)  on 


t!ie    Lissiev  >,'rf>up.  eoniprisiu;^  tho  is'amis  lietwieii   l."i!)'  nml    Kill 

vitli  a  populatiii;i  of  alioiit  •J.OiM)  kouIs.      i'he  work  is  elalmriite.  thou;.'h  ii 

Bohje  ca.-.es  tlio  au'.iior  seeiiiM  to  have  iii.ide  more  of  the  laiu'U.ijii;  than  tlnii 


d 


ivally 


WHS,  uni!  iiiiiile  inlht.tions  of  whivhthe  Ahnts  liad  pfv  ioiisly  kiinw  n 


Jiothing.  To  indii'a'i-  the  proninu  ia'.ion,  llu-  eharaiters  of  the  t'iryllie  alpha- 
hot  are  ll  ed.  The  \im  almiiry  ann.'Xed  to  the  volume  is  eouip'c  te  'mt  not 
conveiiuiitiv  at  r;iii,u'ed.  as  the  !{iissi(iu  wovds  refer  onlv  in  iiuinliei  t  to  tho 


other  iiortioii.     Tiie  Oiiki 


.'('   Puti  i>   T:.'.ii:ilrir  Srhc- 


/'. 


'o-oiii'-hi  .lie  wt 


^UnitsUi-'Liiiiiiiiuluin  i'lr.iiikit  H.'okh'uivnnok  Scvtchvunikuin  luaiiiii'in   I'otium- 


'  r  * 


■\  ! 


702 


ciiuRcnEs,  SCHOOLS,  and  hospitals. 


Durin<(  Voniaminors  adinini.stratioii  a  LuUuraii 
ok'i''vmaii  was  wuIooiirmI  at  Sitka,"  and  tho  saiiui 
spirit  of  toleration  was  oxtontlef'i  later  to  tho  Jesuits, 
several  Poles  of  that  onliT  heinif  transferred  from 
Cannda.  On  the  l.^th  of  October,  1807,  the  first 
st;rvi(e  at  which  an  American  oHiciated*  was  held 
at  Sitka,  tho  consj^reLjatioti  being  composed  of  Kus- 
.sians,  Finns,  and  Kolosh. 

In  iHOI  there  were  in  tho  Russian  Atncrican  col- 
onies seven  churches  anul  thirty-five  chapels,  several 
of  tht>ni,  inchidin^jj  the  cathedral,  beinjjf  built  anil  kept 
iii  repair  by  the  Russian  American  Company.  All 
Were  maintaiiied  by  the  contrilujtions  of  parishioners 
and  the  sale  of  candles  and  tapers."  About  this  vlato 
rei^ate  capital   of  the  churches  exceedi'd   two 


le  a<'''' 


tl 

hundred  and  fifty ••fi\e  thousand  roubles,  the  furuls  In- 
in<jf   held   by   the  com[>iUiy's  treasurer    and    interc'st 
allmved  at  live  jK.'rcent.'" 

The  Sitka  catlndral  contained  three  altars,  whicli 
were  separati'd  iVom  the  body  of  the  church  by  a  par- 
tition, the  doors  of  which  were  oilt,  and  the  j)ilastei'.s 
mounted  with  gold  capitals.  There  were  eight  silver 
candlesticks  more  than  four  feet  in  heiixht,  and  a  sil- 
vor  chandelier  hanLrinL;  from  the  centre  of  the  dome 


xniivaim^  or  (iunlc  on  Ihf  lininl  to  the  Uritvrnh/  l\iii')ih»»,j'(/r  inntnirlinii  in  llie. 
l/ixs'ievAlvut  Ldiiijuitiit',  < '•iiniilinl  In/ llif  I'rint,  l.iitiiii  i'niidmhioj',  was  |>nl)- 
lislied  l)y  tim  holy  MyniMi  of  ItiiNHiu,  and  was  a  tntiislutitxi  fi-oiu  tho  UnMwiuii 
into  Aleut  liy  N'cnianiiiiof,  nniliiriiitid  in  ('liurt'li-ShiviccliuracUTii,  which  aru 
iiftt4;i' ihlitptt'il  tofxpri'sa  Aicutiai)  Vinnls. 

"' SiwuH'ii'H  A'«;T.  Jourin'ii  roiiiitl  H'orld,  ii.  193.  In  IHoV  Mr  Wintci', 
fKMtor  (it  the  Ltitiierau  I'liiiivli  at  Sitka,  ruccivi'd  a  fift  of  l.'.JO<)  nmhlcjj  iVoin 
till'  UiixKiaii  AiiK'fii'an  ruinpaiiy,  iiiid  "hiiiny;  tlic  naino  year  wan  n'<'ii;;u!.'f"l 
at  u  Hillary  of  •.',()()()  roublen  u  j-car.  Silbi  AfhiirH,  IS.>7,  i.  ;U(t,  .T.»t.  lii 
iS/i.'J  iiiH  lliK-k  iimntxTcil  I'JO  to  l.->0  hi>u1h.  Wanl'ii  Thm-  Wa'i.i  in  Hilka, 
MS.,  70. 

*  Mr  llayiHT,  nii  army  clinplain. 

'"  troll, mill,  m  Md'- niiliii,  7">.  In />()il'.  A'<»)m.  Riifif.  Anifr.  Kol.,  7^,  and  in 
Tikhniriiij\  Inior,  t>h(  h.,  ii.  '.^70,  nine  thurolu-K  arc  nu'ntioiu'd. 

'"'I'lii' i;iintiil)tilriinH  wciv  niado  luirtly  in  n»ui;cy  uiul  j.aftj^  in  fiirx,  tlio 
C(iin|>any  allowing  tlu'  ■■Imn'li  "  ronlifru,  1 1  ki)|u-kH,  to  14  i<nil>l<"i,  .'!»  kopi'k.-^, 
for  Hi'a-ottiT  nkinH.  'I'hr  revcniui  troni  ojindlcs  ainon:tl<'d  to  .'»,."><)()  'ouMi's  .i 
yt'iir.  'i'lio  rutiipany  ini'urrcii  an  cxpfnK.i!  of  .'i'J.DHS  ronljlcs  a  yi-'ai"  or  chiiri  li 
acL-oiuit.  St  I'  Uolovii'f.  7'>,  ivln'ro  urn  i^ivcn  tin;  HaJariesi  of  th<'  M^'liop  and 
oliiuiuU.  'I'iu'  r''Hiil«'ii.  I'  of  the  hinhup  was  bnilt  by  tho  coniiMiny  ut  iiu  fxiK'!i*> 
of  ;iO,l)00  rouMuH.    TikkiHeni  f,  /.^tor.  ObM.,u.  266, 


CONVERSION  OF  NATIVES. 


703 


^vl^K•h  was  supported  by  a  Jiiiinhcr  of  eolmnns  of  tlio 
Uyzaiitine  order.  On  the  altur  was  a  miuiaturo  tomh 
of  tlio  saviour  in  gold  and  silver.  The  vestments  and 
implements  were  also  rieh  in  gold  and  jewels.  The 
l)ooks  were  hound  in  gold  and  crimson  velvet,  and 
adorned  with  miniatures  of  the  evanm^lists  set  in  dia- 
monds.  The  communion  cup  was  of  gold,  and  similarly 
end)ellished;  the  mitre  was  covered  with  pearls,  rubies, 
emeralds,  and  dianu)nds.  The  building  was  dedicateel 
to  Saint  Michail." 

Veniaminof,  after  acquiring  the  Aleutian  language, 
translated  into  it  a  number  of  books  touching  on  the 
doctrines  of  his  church;  but  with  this  exception  few  of 
the  ecclesiastics  understood  the  native  dialects,  while 
the  interpreters  had  little  knowledge  of  Russian. 
]iet\veen  ISil  and  1800,  4,700  Indians  were  ba})- 
ti/e<l,''^  and  if  sve  can  lu'lieve  Veniaminof,  some  of 
them  Were  converted.  "  I  <lo  not  mean,"  he  writes, 
"that  they  knew  how  to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross, 
and  to  bow, and  nmttersome  j)rayer.  No!  Some  of 
them  can  jnay  from  tluiir  soul,  not  exhibiting  them- 
st.'lves  in  the  chui-ch  and  before  the  people,  but  ol'tcii 
in  the  seclusion  nf  their  cliiimber,  with  dose'd  d(tors."  '"' 
The  l>ishn[),  who  on  his  appointnuiut  adopted  the  title 
of  Imiokentv,  acc<trding  to  the  (!Ustom  of  his  church, 
lad)ored  with  markc'd  success  ainonj;  the  Kolosh.  JJe- 
foi't'  his  arj'ival  they  had  resisted  all  efforts  nt  (^)n- 
version,  tliost;  who  wen;  baptiztnl  submitting  to  tlio 
cerenndiy  only  because  they  received  presents  of  moro 
or  loss  value.'* 

>'  Wurd\  Thrre  Wnh  i„  Silka,  MS.,  'Jft-.'U,  35-37.  Tlio  catlicdral  wi.s 
roofnl  with  iron,  nml  tlir  Ixlfry  mi'l  <liiiin's  I'ust  .s,riiH)  roiihlcH  in  sil\<T.  TiUt- 
iiiriuf,  htiir.  itlion.,  ii.  'JOS.  'JIid  cliiiich  at  St  rinil,  Kiulsak,  is  built  of  lu^wii 
tinil)iT,  tli<!  inttT8tii'i'n  licinif  tillril  «itli  uiohh.  Tlio  interior  is  well  but 
|il;iinly  funiislird.   (Itiili/i'ii'.^  Triii  tit  AUiKka,  MS.,  I,'{. 

'^A  li-.t  i<l  t'ai  ci)nv('rtH  i;.  },'iven  in  (•oliiniiii,  in  Mnlfrinlu'i,  147-l.'i<'. 
rik!iin<Mief  claim!  tlmt  in  IS'J7  tin  ;■"  v.cri:  i".  t!:"  colonii.'H  ^,WA'l  CliiistiuuH,  nf 
whom  more  tiian  7,0(M)  wen)  liicliann.   ittnr.  OIhm.,  i.  2!M5. 

'••  Ah  n  j^roof  Jin  j  tho  tciicliinj^  of  tlio  priests  ■wiw  not  without  cflpct,  it  is 
Ktatcil  in  111.,  .'Ui;*,  „hut  in  ISL'7  tlio  niunlicr  of  illcgitiniatu  births  anion;,'  tlio 
Ak'iits  was  81'vcn,  wliilo  fi.    i  that  yoar  till  18.TO  it  nvoragcil  only  one. 

'•In  tho  rr<'or(l  of  baptisiim  at  Sitku,  in  tho  AlnuLa  Anhiim,  .M.S.,  l-|,'t, 
tnuibluted  fixiin  original  clouuinuutii  in  thu  Hitka  Vhiinh  Archicts,  M8,,  niou- 


iS 


704 


cnuRciiEs,  srnooLs,  and  iiosimtal'5». 


It  must  be  adiiiittt'd  that  the  riritok  clmrcli  was  a 
failure  tlirouirliout  llussiaii  Anu-nca.  We  have  Hceii 
ill  what  disrespeet  th(i  priests  WiTe  held  hy  their  own 
eouiitrynien  in  the  tiuie  of  IJaranof,  and  it  is  nowhere 
reeordetl,  except  hy  tlie  priests  thcnuselves,  that,  with 
the  single  exception  of  Venianiinof,  the  teachiiii^  «ti' 
the  ecclesiastics  made  much  impression  on  Ww  natives. 
They  s(juatte<l  and  smoked  (hirin<;  service,  hstenel, 
howed,  crossed  themselves, and  lauj^hed  so  uproariously 
tiiat  the  ofliciatinjj;  priest  was  ol'tiju  intiTrupti-d  in  liis 
soK'um  duty.     They  care<l  xuti  for  relij^ion,  <»r  at  least 


not   tor  tile  doctrines    of   the    (Jreek    <'ler<_rv 


If. 


writes  (Jolovnin,  "the  ohject  of  a  missionai'v  he  only 
the  haptizinj^  of  a  few  natives  yearly,  to  show  tli" 
eountrv  that  tlu;  mnnher  of  conversions  increases,  and 


in  visit inLf  so 


manv  times  a  vear  such  of  the  vilhi'^es 


as  aie    situated  in  <'l(»se  |)ro\imlty  to   ndouhts  and 
tradin!L(  posts,  then  the  colonial   missionai'ies  perloiin 


th 


leir  duiv  with  mori;  or  less  zeal;  hut  if  the  mission- 


ary's duty  is  to  spread  anions^  the  paj^ans  tlu;  teachin'^s 
of  an  evani^elist,  and  to  strive  hy  word  and  examp!  ' 
to  soften  their  hearts,  to  helj)  tlnMii  in  their  ncM^H,  to 
administer  to  theii*  physical  and  moral  diseases,  to 
p(,'rsuade  them  ni-adually  to  lead  a  settled  and  indn- 
trious  life,  and  ahove  all  to  labor  for  the  education  (.f 
the  children,  and  at  last  make  the  savaiLjes  themselves 
wish  for  convj'i'sion,  then  not  one  of  our  former  or 
present  missionaries  has  I'ullilled  his  duty."'' 

In  IS(SOthe  llussian  clmreh  claimed  10, '.)")()  mem- 
luirs,  hut,  this  numher  is  pi-ohahly  at  least  'J,r)(M)  in  ex- 
cess of  the  actual  lij^au'es.     The  hishop  of  the  diocese 


tion  is  made  nf  tlitvc  prcsi'iits,  wliii'h  roiiHistcil  iisimUy  "f  tolmcco,  calii-n, 
kiiivcM,  cutlasscH,  mill  lilitiiUctM.  Suini'tiiiifs  a  rilli.'  wan  jiivcii.  C.iro  w.n 
taki'ii  that  llii'  ('(invert  iliil  nut  prcHcnt  liiiiiHt'lf  a  hciiiiiiI  tiinr  l<>r  liaptisiii. 

■'If  wo  can  lu'licvf  Siiii|iM()ii,  Dali,  and  (itliciH  vlut  IniM'llnl  in  Ala.skii, 
ncj;li^;i'ni'o  wiih  not  tliu  only  taiiltof  wliirli  tlin  inisMinnarifM  wrio  (jiiilty.  Tlio 
l.ittcr  ivuiarks  that  all  wliuiM  ho  mot  in  Alaxk;i  woio  i'lvotorato  t-'piTH,  aii'l 
nii'iitioui  tlio  CMS!)  of  ono  w  ln>  had  liooii  on}^afj;fd  for  hovi  a  yca.s  m  ii  nii.s>(ioii- 
nry  on  the  Viduui,  and  wiio  liiankod  (■  )4l  that  lio  tiioii  had  an  opnortunity  of 
r>  tnrnini;  to  JtiisHia,  w  horo  a  uki!4h<  o:'  mm  oonid  ho  hud  for  '^'i  kopoKH.  AliixLa, 


MODERN'  KFFORTS. 


705 


iiHuallv  rt'sides  in  8an  Francisco,  whence  he  controls 
iiH'uirH  and  supplies  the  lundn  needed  l>y  the  various 
parishcH.'"  Service  is  at  present  conducted  in  Alaska 
both  in  the  Russian  and  Aleutian  languages,  but  the 
nioM'  distant  settlements  are  visited  only  once  a  year 
hy  a  regularly  ordained  priest,  l>y  wiioni  baptisms  and 
marriages  are  celebrated  and  the  sacrament  adminis- 
tered to  those  who  desire  it. 

When  Alaska  wjis  transferred  to  the  lTnite<l  States, 
it  was  expected  that  the  religions  training  of  the  Ind- 
ians would  not  be  neglected,  but  ten  years  passed  by 
and  little  was  done.  In  I H77,  however,  a  pre.sbyte- 
rian  mission  was  established  at  Sitka.  Two  years 
later  a  catholic  mission  was  established  at  Forfc 
Wrangell,''  but  met  with  little  success.  Credit  is  also 
due  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society  of  London  and 
to  the  methodist  church  of  Canada,  both  of  which 
have  their  representatives  ()n  the  borders  of  Alaska.** 
.  For  several  years  protestant  missio!iaries  of  several 
denominations,  and  especially  the  presbyterians,  have, 
amid  great  discouragement,  labored  earne.stly,  and  not 
in  vain,  to  introduce  their  faith  among  the  natives  of 
Alaska.  Meanwhile  their  efibrts  in  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation have  been  no  less  persistent. 

"On  the  I'Jtli  of  July,  IHH'J,  tlic  biHhop  (tf  tl»o  Greek  church  was  drowned 
within  twelve  miles  of  Fort  .St  Michael,  either  by  accident  or  while  under 
temporary  aherrutioii.  The  Ixxly  was  found.  S.  r.  Chronklf,  Auj{.  15,  Oct. 
30,  l88l>. 

^^JarUxoii'/i  Alduku,  'J*J7.  'The  catholicH  lire  invading  our  ^'rouiid,'  writes 
Mr  MeFiirlund  from  Fort  Wrungell  in  Muy  I87tl.  '  Anionjjtiio  paNHeugei-N  on 
the  (>h/iiii>i(i  a  week  ago  wan  ii  i*<imiMh  liishop  and  j)rieHt.  They  at  onco  en- 
tahliMhed  a  miHsinn.  The  liisjioii  uimIv  an  attaek  on  Mr  ^'oung  the  follnw  ing 
Nalihath  morning,  lie  was  trying  to  gi't  tiic  peoplr  to  make  the  HJgn  (»f  the 
croHH,  lint  none  Would  ienj>on(l  save  .Shustak!*,  the  wicked  ciiicf.  'i'liis  made 
the  bishop  angry,  and  liu  broke  out  n»  follows:  "  Why  don't  you  do  ns  I  tcild 
you?  .Arc  you  afrai<l  of  Mr  Voung?  \<<n  arc  not  Mr  VoungV  Hlaves.  He 
i.s  not  a  true  minister,  anyway.  No  man  can  be  a  true  minister  and  havif  :■. 
wife.  Look  at  me;  1  am  a  true  minister;  I  am  till  tiie  sanu'  as  .lesUH  ( 'In'iKt, 
ami  r  don't  have  any  wife."  '  Id.  Tiie  rcadci-  u  ill  lind  m.iuy  instances  of  hUih 
uUHeemly  HijuabbleH  in  my  ffinti)n/<t//lriii^h  ('nhntiliid,  passim. 

'"  ^^'illiam  hunean,  of  IheChuich  Missionary  Society  of  London,  of  whose 
complicity  in  Kuniggling  opemtions  mention  lias  been  made,  iiiiilt  up  thn 
Indian  \  illage  of  NJetiaiiKatlali.  .\bont  IS77  it  contained  l,(i«N)  inhabitants. 
The    Ifcv.   Thonni.s  Crosby  laliorcd  princiiially  at  Fort  Simpson.     I'liurches 

iKith  ^luintH.  Jarii>uii''<  Alankii, 'M4, 


ami  HoliiHils  were  of  course'  established  ut 

•IllT.   Ak4IKA.      48 


:(()•.',  <;t  seq. 


706 


CHURCHES,  SCHOOLS,  AND  HOSl'ITALS. 


Of  the  moinbers  of  the  Greek  church  only  a  siiuill 
proportion  anionjj  the  natives  can  read  and  write, 
thouffh  in  villa«(es  where  parish  cliurches  liave  heeii 
establisheil,  perlians  thirty  per  cent  of  the  inhal)i- 
tants  have  acquired  the  rudiments  of  an  education.  It 
was  ehrnned  bv  Veniaininof  tliat  in  some  htcahties  all 
the  Aleuts  except  young  chihh'en  couKl  read  Huently, 
but  there  is  no  evidence  to  support  thisstatenient.  It 
was  not  until  1848  that  printed  books  wen?  issued  in 
theKadiak  lani^uaj^e,  and  for  several  years  later  none 
were  circulated  amon<;  the  Kolosh.  Those  which 
afterward  made  their  appearance  contained  oidy  trans- 
lations of  prayers,  hymns,  anthems,  of  two  of  the  i^os- 
pols,  the  decalo«jfue,  and  a  small  collection  «>f  words 
and  conversational  phrases." 

For  half  a  century  after  the  Russian  occupation, 
educational  nmtters  were  little  more  advanced  than  in 
the  days  of  Shelikof,  who  established  at  Three  Saints, 
in  1785,  the  lirst  school  in  Russian  America,  and  him- 
self instructed  the  pupils,  in  his  own  lantjurt<je,  in  arith- 
metic and  the  precepts  ot  Christianity.  The  labors 
of  Fathers  Juvenal  and  (ierman  in  this  comiectitui 
have  already  been  mentioned.  In  1817,  and  probably 
for  some  yi'ars  later,  the  latter  was  still  in  charj^e  of  a 
mission  school  at  Yclovoi  Island.  In  1805  Rezanof 
established  a  sdiool  for  boys  at  Saint  Raul,  and  dui- 
iiig  his  visit  a  gills'  school  was  opened  at  this  scttle- 
ment,"""  but  both  fell  into  decay  after  the  envoy's  ile- 
parture,  and  were  linally  clo.sed. 

A  lew  years  later  a  school  was  opened  at  Sitka  by 
Rarannf,  but  the  instruction  wa„s  very  inefticient  until 
1H;^;{,  when  Etholin  took  charge  of  it  and  somewhat 
improved  its  <-ondition.  At  the  end  of  tlieir  course, 
the  pupils  served  the  company  in  various  capacities.  ' 

'•On  till-  l.'iOi  of  April,  1H,')7,  Voicvo(l»ky  promises  tu  huihI  vcR'iilmliirii's 
frnin  nil  tlio  sUitiuiiH  of  tliu  liusMiun  Aiiicricun  CoiniNiny.  Sitlu  Airhirn, 
MS..  18.-.7,  i.  IN. 

'"In  churgt;  of  Mrs  Itiiniicr.  It  oiM^nod  with  10  creolo  fiMn,  four  of  wlioiii 
were  Bcnt  to  St  ri-tiTHliui'j,'  for  furtlii-r  iiiHtnii'tiun.    Tikhimuif,  lulnr.  o/i«.., 

i.  no. 

-'Of  those  wlio  loft  ill  IS,17,  four  Itconnm  •uitlors,  four  clorks,  (Ivo  nuichitti- 
ii'H,  tt'iil  thrci!  iipprfiitiiTs  on  luiunl  sthip.  Uohrnhi,  in  MiUi  rialiii,  S<)-). 


EDUCATIDM. 


707 


III  I  s;]0  nil  iiistituli'Hi  was  I'staldislii'd  at  Sitka  at 
Nvliicli  tilt!  nrpliaii  (laiiLjIitcrs  ttf"  tlii^  (••iiii|»i»iiy'.s  l-iii- 
plovrs  wt'ii!  »'(!ncatt'(l  at  the  coinpaiiy's  ('\|K'nsc.  In 
18(i()  tluTc  wove  'J*J  imiiatiTH,  and  (lio  oxju'uso  for  that 
yoar  was  (»,;j(»4  rouMcs.-"  Alutiit  tiKisainc  dato  a  simi- 
laf  iiisfituti«»ii  was  opened  lor  hoys,  to  which  wiic 
a(hiiiltfd  orjiliaiis,  aii<l  the  ciiildreii  of  lahoreis  and  <>{' 
iiileiiur  ollifials.  All  wer"  taUL;ht  to  I'l-ail  and  writt-. 
and  there  was  a  small  elass  in  arithineti<"  and  iLjrani- 
inar.  'I'lieir  traininn"  ol"  coiirse  inchuled  n-lii^ious  in 
st  met  ion.  in  I  SCO  there  were  '27  pniiils,  most  ol" 
whom  uci-e  intende(|  joi-  mccjiaiiical  pursuits."'^ 

It  was  not  until  is.||  that  any  atteni|>t  was  made, 
even  at  Sitka,  to  pi'ovide  the  means  lor  a  higher  class 
of  edni'ation.  Jn  that  year  a  ehnreh  school  was 
opened,  which,  in  is  t."),  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  a 
si.niinary.     "'I'his  institution  was  kept  in  <,''o(hI  order," 


w 


riles   Ward    in    I.S.).i,   "tin;   dormitories    aiitl    cla.- 


rooins  hein;^  plainly  hut  neatly  furnished.     One  i i:i 

contained  y;ood  philosophical  apparatus,  iiichidinLf  air- 
ei'ies,  pulleys,  li'Vi'i's,  etc.,  and   another   a 


SI 


iiirai'v  ol  riia\onic  and  liussian  itoou.s 


I  IJ 


■■.'I 


])Uinps,  h:;tt 
eood-.sj/ed    1 

The  course  included  the  Itussiaii  and  lOnurliNh  lan- 
j^nia'ies,  tli(!  ('kiineiits  of  th(3  pure  mathematics,  me- 
chanics and  astronomy,  naviu^ation,  liistory,  i^eo^ra- 

I'l'.V 


and 


l)00 


k-k 


ei 


pint,'. 


In    IS.')M,  Nvlu'ti  the  seat  of  the  hishopric  of   Kain- 
<hatka  was  transtV'i-ri'd  to  Vakoutsk.a  vicariate  heiii'.r 


es 


tahlishe<l  foi-  the  coloni(.'s,  tin;  seininarv  was  als(>  r( 


moved  to  Yakoutsk.     Soon  after 


wan 


a  sc 


hool 


was 


".\|iai't  fi'iiiii  fiicl  iiiid  li;.'Iits,  wliii'ii  wi'i'i!  fiiniiHlii;il  in  kiiiil.  T!i'' iiisti- 
tutii'it  hail  a  spi'i'lal  tiiiiil  i)l>:.'iliiri|  tioiii  tlu'sulcuf  tlio  |in|>il'<' liiiiiiiiuin !;, 
IVdiu  w  liii'ii  ciu'Ii  oiiu  i°«'(.'(.'iv('<l  (III  iiiiirriiigu  l.'K)  to  .ilHI  rtmhlcs  ior  licr  troua- 
hi'llll.    /'/.,  ,sl. 

■^ Oil  till-  Istiif  Mav,  ls."i;t,  iliirt  Hcliool  liail  ;i.'l  jiiipilM,  and  a  yonr  luttT'Jd. 
Sitka  .\rr/,i,;-,  MS..  rs.Vl,  li.  III. 

■^'  '/'A/-..'  U'm/.-.  in  .S('/(.  MS,,  •_'-).  On  t!i.-  •J!lt!i  <.f  O.'tr.lHM-,  1S.-|7.  Voicvo.!- 
Bky  a('kii(>\vliMlj;i':<  tlm  i-fci'lpt  I'imiii  tlic  <'.|ii>  alioiial  l(iii''aii  mi'  tlin  Imly  MViiinl 
of  7, "7 1  luiililcH,  ."ill  koiH'ks,  Ml  silviT,  t'l  III' iiiYoMtfil  furtlir  iiiamU'Uaiici' III  tlm 
BL'iniiu  ry.  S.t.'n  Arclii-'  ^,  .MS.,  l,S,"t7,  i.  ;M-. 

'•' W.inl  alsi)  statr.4  til  it  tlii' lii;;licr  cl.'i.sscs  Htmlicil  Litiii  aiuH  Jrork,  Imt 
tltui'u  in  iiu  itit'Utiuit  uf  tliis  ill  tlio  iltiatiiaii  uu.ituiiiic:). 


^h 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


«45 

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IM  mil  2.5 


lltt    Hill  2.2 


I.I 


2.0 


1.8 


1.25 

1.4      1.6 

■* 6"     

► 

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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

V/EBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-45  j3 


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cnunciiEs,  schools,  axd  hospitals. 


estal^lished  under  the  name  of  the  General  Colonial 
Institute,  for  tlie  sons  of  ot!icia]s  who  liad  rendered 
faithful  service  to  the  company,  all  who  could  rend 
and  write  tlie  Russian  languaoe  and  understood  the 
tirst  four  rules  of  arithmetic  beinix  admitted  free  to 
lectures  on  the  governor's  reconnnendation.  The 
course  of  instruction  was  almost  identical  with  that 
of  the  three-class  graduating  schools  in  Siberia,  and 
differed  little  I'rom  the  curriculum  of  the  academy.'-'^ 
Navigation,  commercial  branches,  and  the  English 
lanti'uao'e  were  tauLjlit  bv  naval  officers  and  others  se- 
locted  from  the  company's  emj)lo3'es.  The  children 
of  officials  were  usually  supported  at  the  company's 
expense,  in  which  case  the}'^  were  required,  after  grad- 
uating, to  enter  its  service  for  a  term  of  ten  years, 
receiving  a  small  salary,-"  500  roubles  for  outfit,  and 
honorable  rank  at  the  end  of  six  years'  service.  In- 
struction in  theology  and  the  Church-Slavic  language 
was  also  given  to  those  destined  for  the  church,  their 
expenses  being  paid  from  the  church  funds.  Though 
the  sum  disbursed  by  the  company  for  the  support  of 
this  school  exceeded  24,000  roubles  a  year,-^  in  addi- 
tion to  3,750  roubles  contributed  by  the  holy  synod, 
there  were  at  its  opening  but  12  pupils,  and  in  18G2 
the  number  was  only  27.  It  would  ap[)ear  indeed  to 
have  been  lounded  mainlv  for  the  benefit  of  the 
teachers,  who  received  1 3,450  roubles  out  of  the  funds 
furnished  by  the  com[)any,  the  sum  expended  for  all 
other  pur[)oses  being  less  that  11,000  roubles. 

The  most  successiul  school  in  other  portions  of  the 
colonies  was  the  one  founded  at  Unalasha,  by  Veni- 
aminof     In  18(J0,  after  it  had  been  in  existence  for 

^*  A  pl.in  of  tlio  studies  for  each  of  the  three  classes  is  given  in  KoatUr/znf, 
lioport,  IH()(),  iiiip.,  ;W. 

'■"Only  ]()<»  in  Xt()  rouMcs  (scri]))  a  year  acconling  to  Drill,  Alusk-a,  '.i.)'2; 
but  as  I  liuve  liL'forc  niuntioiicil,  iJall's  historical  summary  ianot  very  reliabli'. 
He  states,  for  instance,  that  the  compulsory  term  of  service  was  1.}  year.s, 
while  lOai'o  meutioueil  by  Golovmn,  in  Matertulin,  81,  and  Tikhmencf,  Intor. 
OboK.,  ii.  27"i. 

^"Tho  exact  amount,  according  to  Golovnin,  was  24,.S77  roubles  and  77 
kopeks.  Tiklimcuof,  whonc  work  was  publisijicd  in  the  same  year,  gives 
it  ut  7,000  roubles  silver,  which  would  be  'J(j,230  roubles  in  scrip. 


EDUCATION. 


To;> 


35  years,  there  were  03  pupils  <if  both  sexes.  x\t  the 
same  date  one  of  the  Kadiak  schools  was  re-opencd, 
and  there  were  prinuuT  schools  on  the  island  of  Auila, 
in  tlie  Atkha  district,  at  the  Nushau'ak  and  Kvikh- 
pak  missions,  and  at  l^orino-  Island,  but  all  with  a 
meagre  attendance.  There  was  also  a  school-house  on 
the  lower  Yukon,  but  with  no  i)upils.^'^ 

After  the  purchase,  even  the  few  traces  of  enlight- 
enment which  the  Russians  had  left  i)e]iind  wej-e  in 
danger  of  being  obliterated,  for  the  Russian  schools 
were  closed,  and  for  years  there  were  none  to  talvc 
their  place.  In  1809,  Vincent  Col3'or,  secretary  of 
the  board  of  Indian  commissioners,  visited  Alaska,  and 
mainly  through  his  exertions  the  sum  of  .^50,000  was 
appropriated  by  congress  for  school  purposes;  but 
there  was  no  one  to  administer  the  fund,  and  it  re- 
mained intact.  According  to  the  terms  of  the  contract, 
two  schools  were  maintained  among  the  Aleuts,  but 
they  existed  tmly  in  name,  and  no  further  ])r<jvision 
was  made  by  the  United  States  government.  It  is 
somewhat  remarkable  that  a  nation  which  i-anlss 
among  the  foremost  in  wealth,  culture,  an<l  chai-ity,  a 
nation  whose  boast  it  is  that  education  is  free  to  all 
her  children,  should  have  left  the  inhabitants  of  this 
territory  for  more  than  half  a  generation  in  outer 
dai-kness.  To  quote  the  words  of  the  liev.  Shel- 
don Jackson,  superintendent  of  presbyterian  missions 
in  the  territories,  "Russia  gave  tliem  government, 
schools,  and  the  Greek  religion,  but  when  the  country 
passed  i'rom  their  possession  they  withdrew  their  rul- 
ers, [)riests,  and  teachers,  while  the  United  States  did 
not  send  any  others  to  take  their  places.    Alaska,  to- 

^'Astotlio  (lisciplino  and  hours  of  study  enforced  in  these  scliools,  we 
linvc  few  records,  it  is  jirohalile,  liowever,  tlint  in  tlie  institute  they  were 
iihout  the  siune  us  in  the  naval  school  at  I'etrojiavlovsk,  wheii- tlie  ])ui)ils  rose 
at  .").H()  and  retired  at  I).  At  (l..'>>)  there  was  iiispeetioii,  after  which  eanie 
breakfast  and  preparation  for  eiasses,  which  histed  from  H  to  11.  'J'hen  <lrill 
anil  play  till  noon — the  <linner  hour,  which  was  followed  hy  two  more  hours 
of  play,  and  three  of  lectures  or  recitations.  .At  "»  a  meal  of  hreail  and  milk 
was  starved,  and  at  H  supper,  the  interval  being  t,iken  up  with  lessons  and 
drill.  Mor-^koi  Slioriiil;  xxi.  44,  lo'J-04,  In  the  colonies  the  principal  food  of 
the  Btudeuta  was  salt  lisli. 


\ 


i     : 


no 


CHURCHES,  SCHOOLS,  AND  HOSPITALS. 


day,  lias  neither  courts,  rulers,  ministers,  nor  teachers. 
The  only  thiiiiiftlie  United  States  have  done  for  them 
has  been  to  introduce  whiskey."  ^^ 

Under  the  auspices  of  the  presbytcrian  mission,  a 
school  Avas  established  at  Fort  Wranijjel],  which  iu 
1877  had  about  30  pupils,  and  a  home  for  the  rescue 
of  younof  girls  who  would  else  have  been  sold  into 
prostitution  by  their  parents;  while  at  Sitka  a  school 
was  opened  on  the  17th  of  April,  1878,  50  scholars 
being  present  the  first  day,  and  GO  the  following  year."^ 
All  this  was  accomplished  with  very  slender  1'unds. 
About  tlie  same  date  there  were  twenty-two  cliildreii 
in  attendance  at  the  two  schools  which  the  United 
States  government  promised  to  support,  but  which 
are  in  fact  supported  at  the  expense  of  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company.^^ 

During  infanc}^,  the  natives  of  Alaska  receive  little 
care  or  supervision  from  their  parents.  Until  seven 
or  eight  years  of  age  the}'  are  more  frequently  naked 
tlian  clad  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  often  sleeping 
almost  without  shelter  and  with  insufficient  covering. 
Under  these  conditions,  living,  as  they  do,  in  a  coun- 
try where  snow  is  perpetually  in  sight,  and  where  rain, 
sleet,  and  fog  are  almost  incessant,  they  grow  up  for 
the  most  part  a  weakly  and  puny  race.  Even  where 
the  skies  are  less  inclement,  this  is  still  the  case.  The 
climate  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  does  not  differ  essen- 
tially from  that  of  some  portions  of  northern  Scot- 
land,^^  and  ^''ot  there  are  few  more  effeminate  speci- 

'"  U.  S.  Ediir.  Rept.,  1S77,  p.  xxxii.  The  above  ia  an  extract  from  a  let- 
ter publishutl  ia  t!io  repoi't. 

2'  JacLmx'.^  A/a.sLa,  -JlKi,  2\ri,  217,  228,  251.  In  this  work  will  bo  fouml  ;i 
full  and  interesting  necount  of  tlic  operations  of  the  presbytcrian  misaion. 
The  homo  liiiil  at  first  a  sore  struggle  for  existence. 

^-  There  were  also  seliools  at  Unalaska  and  Uelkovsky,  bnt  the  attendance 
was  less  tlian  tea  of  both  sexes.  There  were  no  schools  at  tlic  missions  of  tho 
Yukon,  Nusliagak,  and  Ivcnni.  In  a  village  snrrounding  tho  first  of  tiieao 
KL'ttleincnts,  I'etrofT  states  tliat,  apart  from  t!io  attadies  of  tjiu  cliureli,  lie 
found  but  one  man  wlio  conhl  [ipeak  the  Russian  language.  J'op.  Ahuka,  70. 

•"' '{'lie  mean  annual  temiieraturo  of  northern  Scotland  varies  from  42' to 
48,  and  of  tiie  Aleutian  district  from  HO'  to  40^.  Tho  average  rainfall  ia 
Unalaska  is  probably  little  more  tlii.a  40  inches,  while  ia  Stirlingshire  it  ia 


POPULATION". 


m 


mens  of  humanitv  tlian  the  Aleut,  and  none  more 
hardy  than  the  Scotch  highlander. 

At  Sitka,  though  the  rains  are  excessive,  averaging 
nearly  83  inches  in  the  year,''*  the  days  on  which  snow 
falls  are  seldom  more  than  thirty;  and,  remarks  Dall, 
"the  average  of  many  years'  observations  places  the 
mean  winter  temperature  about  33  Fahrenheit,  which 
is  nearly  that  of  Mannheim  on  the  lihiiie,  and 
warmer  than  Munich,  Vienna,  or  Berlin.  It  is  about 
the  same  as  that  of  Washington,  1,0'J5  miles  farther 
south,  and  warmer  than  New  York,  Philadelphia,  or 
Ijaltimorc.  At  Nulato  the  mean  winter  temperature 
is  14  below  zero,  at  Fort  Yukon  about  17,  while  at 
both  points  the  thermometer  reaches  100  in  sununer." 

The  census  of  1880  gives  the  population  of  Alaska 
at  33,420,^"'  and  this  is  probably  little  more  than  half 
the  number  of  inhabitants  living  during  the  early  period 
of  the  Russian  occupation.  Many  causes  were  at  work 
to  produce  this  result.  Slavery  in  its  worst  form  ex- 
isted among  the  Alaskans.  "A  full  third  of  the  large 
population  of  tliis  coast,"  writes  Simjison,  "are  slaves 
of  tlie  most  helpless  and  abject  description.  Some  of 
tlieni  are  prisoners  taken  in  war,  but  the  majority 
have  been  born  in  bcmdage.  These  wretches  are  the 
constant  victims  of  cruelty,  and  often  the  instruments 
of  malice  or  revenge.  If  ordered  to  kill  a  man,  they 
must  do  it  or  lose  their  own  life."^"  The  earth  huts 
oi"  the  Aleuts  were  without  ovens.  There  was  always 
a  scarcity  of  wood  and  often  of  food.     Sometimes 

411  inches,  in  Bute  about  40,  and  in  tlic  town  of  Invemeaa,  in  the  same  lati- 
tiiilu  as  Kadiak,  it  was  4!t.'J  in  lS:il  and  47.59  in  IS'2'2.  Dal('a  Alaska, 
44,")-(;. 

^'  The  average  of  twelve  years,  as  piven  in  Davidson's  Sci.  Expcd.,  481-2. 
The  {greatest  rainfall  during  this  period  was  ().").H  inciics  in  ISGl,  and  the  least 
5S.0U  ill  18."»3.  During  August,  Septeniher,  and  October,  1807,  there  were  52 
inohos. 

'■'Of  whom  24,1G1  lived  west  of  Prince  William  Sound,  SOO  near  the 
sound,  and  oJAI  in  scmth-oastern  Alaska.  Petrqir.i Pop.  Alaska,  S."). 

'•"'Shiip'ioii'.i  Xarr.  Jour,  round  World,  i.  211.  The  custom  of  killing  slavoa 
at  the  <lcath  of  a  chief  provaila  among  the  Kulosh,  and  in  late  years  the  llus- 
tiuns  hail  bfc:t  in  tlie  habit  of  ]iurehasing  the  victims  selected  for  sacrilico. 
Lloodijood,  ill  Uvcrlaiid  Jlouthli/,  I'eb.  ISiJi). 


\ 


m 


CHURCHES,  SCHOOLS,  AND  HOSPITALS. 


their  only  diet  was  rotten  fisli,  but  tlioso  employ ed  by 
the  coniijan}'  were  well  fed,  housed,  and  clad. 

Amonir  the  most  fatal  diseases  were  consumption, 
f^astric,  bilious,  typhus,  and  other  fevers,  syj)hilis,  and 
scrofula.^'  For  the  sick  there  were  hospitals  at  Sitka 
and  Saint  Paul.  In  18G0  the  forn^er  acconnnodated 
1,400  patients,  and  was  maintained  at  an  expense  of 
about  45,000  roubles;  the  latter  had  550  patients,  and 
the  outlay  was  in  a  _i>Teater  ratio. ^^  There  was  also  a 
hospital  for  the  treatment  of  skin  diseases  at  the  sul- 
phur springs  near  Sitka.^''     The  steam  bath  was  the 


^"  'In  former  times  syphilitic  diseases  were  very  general  among  the  Aleuts, 
l)ut  now  tiiey  hardly  exist  on  tlio  iiilauds.  Now  and  then  the  <lisciisc  ia 
brought  to  Kadiak  by  crews  of  tlio  company's  vessels  which  winter  theie,  Imt 
it  is  met  witli  more  and  more  rarely,  beeauso  now  tlie  commanders  of  vessels 
are  strictlj'  enjoined  to  inspect  their  crew  on  arrival  in  port.  At  Novo  Arkh- 
angelsk, on  the  contrary,  this  disease  is  yet  very  connnon  in  spite  of  all  yav- 
ventive  measures  taken  by  the  colonial  government.  It  is  conmiunicated 
to  the  Rnssians  by  the  Kolosh,  wlio  in  their  turn  are  infected  by  their  coun- 
trymen who  live  ahmg  the  sounds,  wlicre  it  is  carried  by  foreign  sliips  \\  hi<  li 
carry  on  a.  contiaband  trade  with  the  Kolosh.  The  Kolosh  look  at  tliis  dis- 
ease with  great  indifFerence;  they  l)elievc  it  to  be  an  unavoi(hd)le  evil,  and 
take  no  measiu'es  whatever  for  its  cure.  Nearly  all  tlie  women  wlio  jjiactisu 
prostitution  in  secret  arotnul  the  environs  of  Novo  Arkhaiigel.sk  are  atl'ected 
by  this  disease.  At  one  time  tlie  syphilitic  disease  prevailed  to  such  an  ex- 
tent among  the  soldiers  and  hiborers  at  Novo  Arkhangelsk,  that  for  its  possi- 
ble prevention  the  then  newly  arrived  administrator  general  (governoi')  elt 
compelled  to  resoi't  to  the  strongest  measures.  He  caused  to  ))e  torn  down 
at  once  all  huts  erected  near  the  harbor,  on  the  beach  as  well  as  in  tiie  woods, 
where  tlie  trailicof  prostitution  was  secretly  carried  on.'  Guloriiiii,  h\  Malirhi- 
liii,  87.  'After  consumption,  perhaps  the  largest  list  of  death  causes  will  l:o 
laid  at  the  door  of  scrofulous  diseases,  taking  the  form  of  malignant  ulcers, 
which  eat  into  the  vitals  and  destroy  them.  It  renders  whole  settlenu'uts 
sometimes  lepers  in  tlie  eyes  of  the  civilized  visitor;  and  it  is  hard  to  liiul  a 
settlement  in  the  whole  country  where  at  least  one  or  more  of  the  families 
therein  have  not  got  tiic  singularly  prominent  scars  peculiar  to  tiie  disease.' 
/V/ro//'',s  /'()j>.  Aloxka,  K\.  In  lSl.'{-4,  there  was  anotiier  ontbreak  of  small- 
pox among  the  Aleuts,  but  as  most  of  them  had  been  vaccinated,  it  was  not 
very  destructive.  Simpson  states  that  ha;moptysis  was  a  common  complaint. 
Jouv.  round  World,  ii-  IIX). 

^^  JJoh:  Koin.  I'nxn.  Amer.  Koh,  ii.  1,30;  Konllivfzof,  in  Mntfrialiii,t\i)\\, 
41-2.  'In  its  wards,'  writes  Simpson,  'and,  in  short,  in  all  the  requisite  ap- 
pointments, the  Sitka  hospital  would  bo  no  disgrace  to  England.'  It  had  10 
beds.  Near  each  was  a  table  on  which  glasses  and  medicines  were  placed. 
The  diet  was  usually  sjJt  beef  or  fish,  the  soup  made  from  tliem,  musli  of 
rice  or  groats,  bread,  and  tea.  Of  1,400  patients  admitted  into  the  Sitka 
hospitiil  in  1800,  only  '2'2  died. 

•'•There  were  three  large  springs  cJv/aO  to  each  other.  The  tempi  raturo 
was  between  oO  and  52'  of  l!(''anmer.  Gilovnhi,  in  Mati  rhdui,  J)2-.'t.  1  )all  gives 
it  at  122"  of  Fahrenheit,  which  would  bo  only  40  of  ]{i''auiiiui\  AInsbi,  '.]y,i. 
The  waters  were  impregnated  with  sulpiiur.  iron,  manganese,  and  chli>niie, 
07  per  cent  of  the  imneral  matter  being  sulphur.     During  u  visit  to  Atklm  in 


CARI-:  OF  THE  SICi:  AND  POOR. 


ri.'{ 


grcjit  panacea  of  the  natives,  wlio  before  tlie  Russian 
occupation  had  no  uietHcine,  nor  even  knew  ot  any 
niethcinal  herb. 

Sick,  aged,  and  disabled  servants  were  provided  for 
by  the  company,  one  half  per  cent  of  its  iiroiits  being 
appropriated  i'or  this  j)urposc  after  1 802.  In  later  years 
a  tax  of  ten  roubles  was  levied  on  each  keg  of  li(juor, 
and  of  one  rouble  on  each  ])ound  of  tea  sold  by  the 
company.  From  the  funds  thus  raised  the  deserving 
poor  were  pensioned  by  the  government,  and  in  IHIJO 
there  were  375  persons  in  the  receipt  of  pensions,  the 
aggregate  amount  of  which  was  '50,000  roubles  a  year. 
The  pensioners  were  lodgetl  at  the  company's  ex[)ense, 
and  the  needy  were  also  supplied  with  food  from  the 
public  kitchen.  Those  who  wished  it  were  made  colo- 
nial citizens,  a  class  composed  mainly  of  Russians  and 
Creoles.  They  were  exempt  from  taxation,  and  had 
the  privilege  of  rei3ntering  the  company's  service  at 
will.'^ 

Creoles — Iw  w'hich  term  is  always  meant  the  off- 
spring of  Russians  or  Siberians  and  native  Momen, 
none  beiiig  the  children  of  natives  and  of  Russian 
women — had  all  the  rights  of  Russian  subjects,  and 
were  exempt  from  taxation  or  enforced  service.  ^lany 
were  educated  at  the  company's  expense,  and  were 
afterward  eni})loyed  in  various  capacities,  somc^  of 
them,  among  whom  was  Veniaminof,  being  trained  for 
the  ])riesthood." 

The  churches,  schools,  and  hospitals  of  Alaska  under 
the  Russian  regime  were  supported  mainly  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  Russian  American  Company.  At  j)res- 
ent  they  exist  on  charity — charity  so  cold,  that  when 

1873,  Dall  ohscrvod  spriiiirs  thore  the;  tcinpiTiitiiro  of  which  was  1!)'2\  Xcar 
them  were  tlic  ruins  of  ik'sci'tcfl  ))atii-iioiis«'s.   Hijif.  <'iiii'<l  Siirrr;/  (IST-'!),  I  It. 

^''Tlicrc  were  no  hcgiiars  ill  Alasiiiii  until  after  the  i)urcha.sc.  'l'h(?  Aleuts 
supported  their  own  poor.  On  returuiui,'  from  tlieir  expeditious,  the  hiiutera 
always  gave  a  part  of  theirspoils  to  tlie  younj,',  sick,  and  ai^ed,  who  wciu  told 
to  go  and  help  themselves  from  tlie  hidarka,  the  owner  of  whieli  was  content 
with  what  remained.  It  was  a  rare  thinjf  among  "hem  for  any  one  to  iisk  as- 
sistjinee.     Ho  received  it  as  his  right.  (Iidovniii,  in  Mittcriabii,  1)3-4. 

■"  Tik/iwi lie/,  Istor.  olion.,  app.  part  i.  5.");  iJo':.  Koiii.  linns.  Avier.  KoL, 
i.  lOS-U;   YernwldJ',  L'Ameriijiic  JtiMac,  1)5. 


714 


CHURcnEs,  scnooLF;,  aot)  hospitals. 


the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  was  voted  by  congress 
for  educational  jMirposes,  there  were  found  none  to  ad- 
minister it.  What  shall  we  do  with  the  people  of 
Alaska  now  that  they  are  manumitted?  Let  them  sit 
and  oaze  sea^^'ard  with  a  steadfast  stare,  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  steamer  which,  bearing;  the  United  States 
Hag,  brings  to  them  month  by  month  their  supply  of 
hootchenoo! 

"Thirteen  governments,"  wrote  John  Adams,  in 
178G,  "founded  on  the  natural  authority  of  the  people 
alone,  without  a  pretence  of  miracle  or  mystery,  and 
which  are  destined  to  spread  over  the  northern  part  of 
that  whole  quarter  of  the  globe,  are  a  great  point  gained 
in  favor  of  the  rights  of  mankind."  "Your  best  work 
and  most  important  endowment,"  said  Charles  Sum- 
ner, addressing  the  United  States  senate  in  18(j7, 
"will  be  the  republican  government,  which,  looking  to 
a  long  future,  you  will  organize  with  schools  free  to  all, 
and  with  equal  laws,  before  which  every  citizen  will 
stand  erect  in  the  consciousness  of  manhood.  Here 
will  be  a  motive  power,  without  which  coal  itself  will 
be  insufficient.  Here  will  be  a  source  of  wealth  more 
inexhaustible  than  any  fisheries.  Bestow  such  a  gov- 
ernment, and  you  will  bestow  what  is  better  than  all 
you  can  receive,  whether  quintals  of  fish,  sands  of 
gold,  choicest  fur,  or  most  beautiful  ivory."*" 

*-  'If,'  remarks  J.  Ross  Browne,  '  Mr  Secretary  Seward  had  accomplished 
nothing  more  in  the  course  of  his  oflici;d  carcor  than  the  acqui.sition  of 
Ahiaka,  he  woiihl  for  that  act  alone  be  entitled  not  only  to  the  thanks  of 
every  citizen  of  the  Pacillc  coast,  already  awarded  him,  but  to  the  gratitude 
of  millions  yet  iniborn,  by  whom  the  boundless  domain  of  the  west  is 
destined  to  bo  peopled.'  Report  on  the  Mint  nil  J'eKoui-ce>i  of  I  he  Siati-i  end 
Territories  \Ve.<t  of  the  lloekij  Mountains,  't'JS.  It  would  bo  diliicult,  at  thij 
juncture,  to  fnnl  out  in  what  respect  the  millions  born,  or  to  be  born,  have 
tliut!  far  been  .so  greatly  benefited  by  the  transfer. 

Elsewhere  I  have  given  a  brief  bibliography  of  Alaska  up  to  the  year 
1 807.  After  the  purchase  there  are  no  complete  records.  The  United  Stales 
govennnent  documents  and  a  number  of  publications  have  been  ( o.i'iull  ed  for 
the  closing  chapters  of  this  volume.  Among  the  newsp.ipers,  th-^  San  Fran- 
f/.fro  Bulletin,  Call,  Chronicle,  and  AII(T,  the  Portland  Wext  Shr.-e,  Bee,  Her- 
ald, Oreijoiiiaii,  and  JJeutehe  Zdtumj,  and  the  Alaska  IIer<dd  may  lie  specially 
mentioned.  Among  the  government  documents  that  fumiali  ii  formation 
is  the  report  of  William  Gonvcrneur  Morrin,  late  collector  at  Siika.  The 
report  is  somevvdiat  biased,  and  contains  many  errors,  of  whieii  I  w  ill  quote 
cue.     'The  llussiaus   c.\ercised  over  the    inhabitants  of    Alaska   despotic 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


715 


sway,  and  lu'ld  them  in  alisoluto  subjectiou.  They  treated  them  as  Unites, 
and  Hogged  then)  unmercifully  for  tJicft  and  petty  misdemeanors.  They 
jv.mi.-ihfd  crime  promptly  ■with  severe  corp<jral  chastisement  or  imprison- 
mi'iit,  and  regarded  the  Indians  as  not  moie  than  one  degree  removed  from 
dumi)  hcasts.  They  held  the  povcr  of  life  and  death  over  their  Bid>jeets. 
'J  hey  had  over  two  thmsand  soldiers,  employes,  and  retainers  ready  to  do 
the  liidding  of  the  local  supremo  authority.  Ships  of  war  were  idways  at 
hand  to  hombard  the  villages  into  submission.'  p.  lUl'i.  The  reader  v.ill  re- 
member that  no  Russian  vessel  of  war  appeareil  in  Alaskan  waters  until  the 
year  1S.")0.  p.  584,  this  vol.  Motwithstanding  error.;,  the  report  is  very  able 
and  many  were  sorry  to  hear  that  the  decease  of  William  Gouvcnicur  ilorris 
occurred  early  in  1884.  The  report  of  Vinaxt  L'(,lij(:r  on  the  Indian  Tribes 
and  thcii'  Stirroiuidimis  ia  Ala-<ka  Tfrritar;/  furnishes  valuable  information, 
aa  do  tliose  of  J..  A.  Uiarddce  on  the.  Condition  of  Ajf'uirn  in  Alunhi,  in  Sen. 
Ex.  JJdc,  .y/lhConij.  iJd  Sri^s.,  105,  and  of  Bryant  and  McLtt'jre,  in  >>«.  Kx. 
Doc.,  .'iUt  Cun<j.  L'd  ScsH.,  ',i2.  Ihnry  IT.  EiliolCn  Hip'irt  oh  the  Svul  J-land-t  ot 
Alu.-il.ii  in  the  Tenth  t'ensus  of  the  United  Sitiha  iii  probably  the  most  relLible 
publicatiiin  on  the  Pribylof  Islands,  notwithstanding  the  abuse  that  has  l.iceu 
freely  bestowed  on  that  gentleman.  From  JJai-idnun'x  L'oust  PUot  of  Ala.-:ha, 
Shehlon  Jachon'n  Alaska,  and  Missions  on  the  North  J'acijic  (Joaxt,  and  JJii- 
tell's  Commerce  and  Industries  of  the  Paeijlc  Count,  items  of  interest  have  also 
been  gathered.  Among  the  most  valuable  works  publi-shed  on  Alaska  during 
recent  years  are  those  of  Alphouso  L.  Pinart,  incluiling  the  Voyujeti  d  !;i 
Cute  Nord-Ouetit  de  VAmirique;  Voyaye  (I  la  COte  Nord-Ouent  d'Ami!ri'jue 
d'Oiinulanhhi  a  Kadiak;  and  Notes  stir  les  Kolochca.  As  their  contents 
are  of  a  scientific  nature,  no  use  has  Ijcen  made  of  them  in  this  volume. 

For  further  references  to  authorities  consulted  for  the  last  live  chapters, 
see  J/o?v(<'  ncpt.  Alaska,  4-7,  10-19,  '21-30,  30-41,  uo-O,  nO-G.H,  83-4,  <M-i, 
103-3-2;  Colyera  llept.  Ind.  Aff.,  537-9,  54-2.  5.")4,  550,  503-9,  572,  ."/JO; 
lln/unt  and  Me/nti/re's  liept.  Alaska,  2-41;  Elliott\-<  Seal  Islawls,  Alaska, 
'2[)--2,  24-7,  105-8;  '(I.  S.  Sen.  Doc.,  40th  Cony.,  Jd  S-ss.,  Nos.  42,  53;  41si 
Cony.,  „'!',  .S'cs.t.,  07,  OS;  4--'i  Cony.,  1st  Sess. ^  12;  //.ph  <'ony.,  ht  Si-.ss.,  12,  ,'i3, 
48;  '.yjh  Com/.,  2(1  Sess.,  14;  Jlome  Ex.  Doc.,  .',iJth  Con'/.,  'Jd  Se.fs.,  80,  105; 
4ht<on^l.,  L'd  Sess.,  30;  41st  Comj.,  3d  Sess.,  108,  122;  '4Jd  Con<i.,  J.-t  Scsi., 
5;  4:.'d  Cony.,  M  Sess.,  20,  197:  44th  Cony.,  1st  Sess.,  43,  83;  4j'th  Cony.,  2d 
Scxs.,  155,  217;  4^^^  Cony.,  Sd  Sess.,  140;  Senate  Jour.,  4')th  Com/.,  2d  Sess., 
pp.  1007,  1221 ;  Jfid  Cony.,  2d  Sess.,  1224;  4JdCony.,  Isf  Sess.,  9:i3:  44lh  Cony., 
1.4  >(.'.>•.<.,  1047;  Jfoitse  Jour.,  4lst  Con'/.,  2d  S<ss.,  13.'{4-5;  42d,  Cony.,  ,.'d 
Srss.,  1100:  43d  Cony.,  1st  Sess.,  1302,  1427;  441  h  Cony.,  Isl  Sess.,  irXA;  451  h 
Cony.,  2d  Sess.,  1508-9;  Sen.  liepts.,4lst  Cony.,  2d  Sess.,  No.  47,  pp.  228-:i0; 
Utilise  Comm.  liept-i.,  40th  Cony.,  2d  S':is.,  a\o.  37;  40th  Cony.,  3d  .SV.«.,  3"; 
44lh  Con;/.,  1st  Se.'is.,  023;  JJouse  Misc.  Doc.,  40th  Cony.,  2d  Sess.,  Nos.  1.10-1, 
101;  4,.'il  Com/.,  1st  Sess.,  5;  J/ess.  and  Doc,  1807,  i.  pp.  47.J-S8;  i;>0S-9 
(abridgmcnt),'8.V2-8;  Coast  Survey  I!ept.,  1807-8,  pp.  41,  187,  204;  1872,  49; 
ie73,  59-00,  122;  1874,  42;  1875,5-0,04-0,78;  Ayr.  n<j>t.,  1808,  pp.  172-89; 
Fin.  l>e])t.,  ISOS,  pp.  391— f;  Sec.  Int.  lt<j>t.,44ih  Cony.,  Isl  Srss.,  i.  ]  p.  701-7; 
Post.  J.'ept. ,44th  Com/.,  2d  Srss.,  p.  41;  Land  Oy.  Ue/.t.,  1S09,  pp.  201-7; 
Peyt.  on  Ind.  Aff.,  1808,  jip.  308-17;  1800,  41-2,  105-9;  Educ.  P.e/.t.,  41st 
Cony.,  3d  SesK.,  pp.  S3G-7.  345;  43d  Cony.,  IstSe^s.,  424;  4.Hh  Cony.,  1.4  Siss., 
403-0;  Cony.  Clobe,  1807-8,  app.,  pp.  507-8;  1S08-9,  i.  100,  .340-^:!;  1S09-70, 
app.  558-9,  075;  1871-2,  app.  005;  1872-.3,  app.  274;  Hansard's  Purl.  Ihh., 
c-.'xv.  1487-8,  ecxvi.  1157;  Sumner'.f  Ciks.  L'n:;s.  Avier.,H-]",  28-48;  Srirard's 
Onr  N.  Pac.  States,  3-10;  Zahriskie,  Land  l.an-s,  874-84,  887;  /'(^q/z'-v  /^o/>. 
Alaska,  15-80;  Davidson  Scient.  Ex/trd.,  471-7,  481-2;  Smithmtian  Ile/il., 
18()7,  43-4;  Whym/ter's  Alaska,  80-8,  103-0;  2.53,  258,  274-5;  J. ickson's  Alaska, 
15-24,41-0,49-50,  129-30,  140-327;  PatCs  Alaska,  50-7;  102-.'),  1n1-2,  102-3, 
201.  220,251;  llittell's  Com.  and  Ind.  Pac.  Co'i>t,  .330-0,  375-0;  Drome's 
Mineral  Ilea.,  ,')97-004;  Uouhaud,  Les  J'/yion-i  Nouvfllis,  0;  Erorblt's  Our 
Western  Empire,  1271-5,  1277,  1270,  P-Si;  M'-tJaU's  (Jnr  Country  and  Its 
Jtes.,  1081-2;  PierrcponCs  Fifth  Avenue  to  Alaska,  149-217;  NitOauiii's  State- 


'i 


718 


CnURClIKS,  SCHOOLS,  AND  HOSPITALS. 


mnil,  MS.,  3-18,  i;?--.,  44-C.l;  /iVw/V  D'rcl.  in  Ahibt,  MS.,  '2-13.  1(1-17; 
J^uiirro/t's  l.iln-dni  Sinipi-,  l!t--2l,  'J,')-!),  .Si>-7,  .J.Vli:i,  (i.Vli,  7--3,  80,  rj.'i.  I-S, 
i;!4-4:>,  l'.)l-'J,  I'.Hi,  li)8,  -Jll.  •_'■_''.(,  'IWl,  'J«)(i-V:  Ilr,i<-!,iu;nLo,  Sr rap- hod;  i. 
10,  14,  2(i,  ;i4,  43,  45,  47,  r>l-4,  W»,  74-(i,  80-1,  8(^-8,  )»!»-10l,  14.">;  ii.  -J,  8, 
10-14,  '2:\  4,  :;_'  7,  ll'-'-i:J,  lir>;  Armi/  <nid  Aan/  Ji^i/nmf,  Muy  I,  l8(J!t;  l/,i,: 
].<i-'n  Mil, I.,  .hilv,  1807,  170-85;  X.  Y.  Fonul  ami  Slvoim,  .]\\\yl\,  Aul'.  H, 
1>('U.  18,  I87!»,  Mill-.  4,  IS,  Aiir.  '-"J,  May  13,  June  -24,  July  8,  Aug.  •_>;),  ISHO, 
Jim.  0,  L'O,  Ti,  1881-  A/iida  Ihralil,  June  I,  15,  Aug.  1,  15,  Sept.  1.  X(.v.  1, 
I'eir.  I,  '."„  1808,  i'tl).  l,Miir.  l,June  15,  July  1,  15,  Sept.  l,Oit.  1,'JJ,  Nov. 
20,  180!»,  IVl).  1,  Oct.  1,  1870,  Jnly  15.  Aug.  IS,  Oct.  '20,  Nov.  1,  1871,  Fel..  15, 
July24,  187-2,  Oct.  '24,  Nov.  '25,  1873,  Mar.  1,  May  '28,  1874,  Jan.  15,  Mar. 
15,  Apr.  1,  Oct.  1,  1875;  Sitka  Thnrn,  Ai)r.  30,  May  14,  June  4,  July  30,  Aug. 
13,  Sept.  I,  11,  25,  Oct,  -23,  Nov.  13,  Dec.  4,  1809,  Jan.  13,  ^lar.  5,  A\>\:  10, 
June  11.  1870;  S.  F.  Overland  Moiithli/  (ISO!)),  ii.  175-80,  (1870)  v.  •2!»7-3()l; 
('.;,,/.  //,,-,(/(/,  Apr.  14,  1808,  Jan.  30,  Apr.  .30,  1800,  Apr.  '22,  •20,  1870,  Nov. 
5,  1874;  Minimi  and  ,Sci.  Pnux,  Ajir.  '20,  1872,  .Jan.  IS,  June  "28,  Aug.  '2, 
Sept.  -20,  '27,  1873,  July '27,  1878;  Al/a,  Juno  1,  27.  July '2,  14,  '20,  AuL'.  1, 
Get.  18,  Nov.  3,  14,  10,  2:>,  '20,  1807,  Jan.  14,  Mar.  27,  Aug.  9,  Oet.  '20,  Dec. 
18,  1808,  I'll).  '25,  27,  Mar.  1!»,  Sept.  1,  Nov.  17,  1800,  Mar.  '22,  '24,  Oet.  0, 
1870.  July  3,  1871,  Aug.  0,  Sept.  5,  1873;  Fob.  '2,  1874,  June  21,  1875;  /j/z/.V- 
tiii,  July  1.3,  18(i7,  May '2,  18,  Aug.  1,  '27,  1808,  Jan.  30,  Feb.  '2,  Apr.  13, 
Dec.  10,  21.  18(iil,  Jan.  0,  1870,  .Ian.  '20,  Feb.  '20,  June  15,  Oct.  5,  12,  1871, 
Aug.  I,  1872,  Nov.  'A,  1873,  Feb.  10,  1875,  June  *22.  1877,  Sept.  5,  1878,  Mar. 
18,  A],x:  10,  Oct.  30,  1870,  Jan.  10,  Feb.  '2,  Mar.  23,  1880,  July  13,  21.  '2.5, 
Aug.  11,  10,  '20,  Sept.  '23.  '20,  '27,  Oct.  1,  '2.5,  '27,  31,  Nov.  '20,  Dee.  21,  1881, 
]\lay  11,  23,  '24,  27,  1882,  Apr.  '20,  May  3,  Aug.  1,  2.  Oct.  0,  Nov.  'IS,  Dee.  '20, 
1883;  Call,  Nov.  14,  1807,  Mar.  10,  Aug.  17,  Sept.  '2.5,  Oet.  17,  1809,  Feb.  10, 
1870,  Mar.  2,5,  1871,  June  0,  Sept.  "25,  1877;  f-'AroM/Wc,  Sept.  '2,  Nov. '2.5.  ISOS, 
Aus,'.  0,  1872,  July  21.  1873,  Nov.  10,  1874,  Seiit.  15,  1875,  Sept.  28,  Dec.  14, 
1877,  Jan.  20,  1878,  Dec.  31,  187!»,  Nov.  17,  Dee.  21,  1880,  June  20,  1881,  Oct. 
30,  1882;  J'o-<l,  yUiv.  13,  1872,  May  2,  0,  '24,  28,  July  1,  1873,  Jan.  2,  Sept. 
24,  Nov.  18.  1874,  Feb.  20,  Apr.  22,  1876,  Feb.  14,  Oet.  31,  1877;  Sa<-rani,'ulo 
Union,  May  0,  Nov.  '25,  1807,  July  17,  1808,  Mar.  '27,  Apr.  14,  Oct.  18,  ISOO, 
JulyO,  I>s70,  Sept.  0,  Oct.  5,  '24,  1871,  Apr.  11,  1870;  Sacramento  IW,  Feb. 
2,  1874,  Kb.  '22,  1870,  Aug.  21,  1880;  Portland  WeM  Shore,  May,  June,  187ti, 
June.  1878,  Oct.,  Nov.,  1870,  Jan.,  1880;  Ih  titche  Zeitumi,  Feb.  0,  1875,  IVb. 
22,  Mar.  1,  1870;  <)n'<jonian,  Sept.  '28,  1877,  Feb.  '22,  Mar.  '22,  Apr.  10,  .Inly 
10,  Aug.  '23,  1870.  Dec.  3.  1883;  Tdeqruin,  Feb.  C,  :Mar.  17,  20,  May  5,  .luiy 
0,  10,  If),  1870;  Olynipia  Courier,  M.ir.  '24,  M.iy  20,  Aug.  11,  18,  1882;  Sf'm'l- 
ard,  .Ian.  0,  Nov.  '24,  1877;  Seattle  Intelliijeneer,  Feb.  7,  Apr.  '24,  Dec.  4,  1880; 
Port  Towiisend  AnfiiK,  Mar.  13,  May '22,  July  31,  Sept.  4,  1879;  Victoria 
Uritiah  Coluiiist,  Jan.  8,  29,  Feb.  12,  1879. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 

1883-1885. 
The  OnnAxic  Act— A  Pii.vniom  of  Civil  Govkrn-mf.nt— Proposed  Indiaw 

ItKSKKVATlONS — KnrCATIONAL      MaTTEKS  —  AlTOINTMENT      OF     U.NITED 

States  Officials — Uki-okt  of  (Joveuxob  Kinkkau — IIis  Siicc?:ssor 
Ai'i'itiN'TKi) — Sciiwatka's   VoYA(iK  ON  A   Kaft — I'Ivkueite's  Exvlora- 

TION— STONEY'S   KXI'EDITION — MlNlNO   ON  THE  VlKON  AND  ITS  ThTCUTA- 

RiEs — The   Takoo  Mines — The  Tkeadwell  Lode— Fisiiekies — Com- 

MERCK  AND  NAVIGATION. 


The  little  that  is  to  be  said  as  to  the  action  of  con- 
gress conceriiin<»'  Alaska  during  the  opening  years  of 
the  present  decade,  and  for  several  previous  years, 
may  be  summed  up  almost  in  ten  v  ords.  Appropria- 
tions were  made  for  the  salaries  and  ox[)enscs  of  agents 
at  the  fur-seal  grounds,^  and,  as  will  presently  appear, 
these  salaries  and  expenses  were  voted  with  no  nig- 
gar<l  hand.  Yet,  during  the  long  period  that  had 
now  elapsed  since  the  purchase  of  Russian  America, 
petitions  without  number  had  been  presented  to  con- 
gress, asking  for  some  form  of  civil  government.  At 
one  time  the  few  Russian  residents  still  remainino-  in 
Alaska  were  al)out  to  petition  the  tzar  to  secure  for 
them  the  privileges  and  immunities  of  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  as  guaranteed  by  the  treaty.  On 
another  occasion  the  connnander  of  a  Russian  man-of- 

'On  the  3d  of  March,  1881,  the  snin  of  $8,000  was  appropriated  for  the 
repair  and  preservation  of  public  buildings.  U.  S.  Stat.,  4^ilh  Coiiij.  il<l  Sesn., 
430.  In  1882  a  few  postal  routes  were  established,  as  will  bo  nioutioncd 
presently.  With  tliesu  exceptions,  nothing  was  done  in  congress  concerning 
Alaska,  the  salaries  of  the  agents  jiassing  among  the  ai^ropriations  for  tlio 
miscellaneous  civil  expenses  of  each  year. 

( 717 ) 


m 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DI.STIcICT. 


war,  r.tati()nctl  on  tlio  Pacific  coast,  had  dctcrniiiit'd 
to  visit  Sitka  in  order  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of 
liis  countrymen,  to  wliom  had  been  granted  neither 
})roteotion  nor  civil  rights  of  any  description.  Each 
year  the  president  of  the  United  States  called  atten- 
tion to  the  n)atter,  and  almost  every  year  resolutions 
and  bills  were  introduced  in  the  senate  for  this  pur- 
pose, but  without  result.  Most  of  them  were  tabled; 
a  few  were  |)assed  to  committee,  and  all  were  rejected. 
It  was  admitted  that,  as  an  abstract  proposition,  the 
Ilussiansand  Creoles  of  this  Ultima  Thule  were  entitled 
to  protection;  but  abstract  justice  was  now  somewhat 
out  of  date  in  congressional  circles.  jMoreover,  there 
were  manv  conilictinsj  interests  to  be  considered,  sonu; 
parties  desiringf  that  settlement  should  be  encoura<>'ed, 
and  others  wishing  to  retain  as  much  of  themainlaiul 
as  possible  for  a  stock-farm,  and  being  therefore  op- 
posed to  any  legislation  that  would  cause  an  inilux  of 
settlers,  as  was  the  case  some  thirt}'  years  ago  witli 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  in  Vancouver  Island  and 
Xew  Caledonia.  Meanwhile  the  outside  world  knew 
nothing  of  Alaska.  During  this  interregnum,  if  we  may 
believe  IMajor  Morris,  dozens  of  letters  were  addressed 
to  the  "  United  States  Consul  at  Sitka,"  and  many  gov- 
ernors of  states  and  territories  sent  copies  of  their 
thanksgiving  proclamations  to  the  "Governor  of 
Alaska  Territory,"  ye?  .s  before  that  country  enjoyed 
the  presence  of  any  such  official.^ 

At  length,  on  the  4th  of  December,  1883,  Senator 
Harrison  introduced  a  bill  to  provide  a  civil  govern- 
ment for  Alaska,  which,  with  some  amendments, 
passed  both  houses,  receiving  the  president's  signa- 
ture on  the  17th  of  May,  1884.  Thus,  after  many 
years  of  waiting,  this  long-mooted  measure  took  eifect. 

By  the  provisions  of  what  we  will  call  the  organic 
act,  Alaska  was  organized  as  a  civil  and  judicial  dis- 
trict, its  seat  being  temporarily  established  at  Sitka. 
A  governor  \vas  to  be  appointed,  who  should  perform 

^Scidmore's  Alaska,  22Z. 


CIVIL  GOVERNMENT. 


719 


generally  such  duties  as  belonged  to  the  chief  magis- 
trate of  a  territory',  and  make  an  annual  report  to  the 
prcHideut  of  his  official  acts,  of  the  condition  of  the 
district  with  reference  to  its  resources,  industries,  and 
population,  and  of  the  administration  of  civil  govern- 
ment therein,  the  president  having  the  power  to  con- 
firm or  annul  any  of  his  proceedings.*  A  district 
court  was  to  be  established,  with  the  civil  and  crimi- 
nal jurisdiction  of  United  States  district  and  circuit 
courts,  the  judge  to  hold  at  least  two  terms  in  each 
year — one  «at  Sitka,  beginning  the  first  Monday  in 
May,  and  the  other  at  Wrangell,  beginning  the  first 
Monday  in  November — together  witli  special  sessions 
as  they  might  be  required  for  the  do,  Match  of  busi- 
ness, at  such  times  and  places  as  were  deemed  neces- 
sary. The  clerk  of  the  court  ".  is  U>  be  ox  officio 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  district,  recorder  of 
dt  jds,  mortgages,  certificates  of  mini"^  claims,  and 
contracts  relating  to  real  estate,  and  also  registrar 
of  wills.*  A  marshal  wa?.  to  be  appointed,  having  the 
general  authority  and  powers  of  United  State  mar- 
shals, with  the  right  of  appointing  four  deputies,  who 
wero  to  reside  respectively  in  the  towns  of  Sitka, 
Wrangell,  Unalaska,  and  Juneau,  and  to  perform  the 
duties  of  constables  under  the  laws  of  Oregon. 

There  were  also  to  be  appointed  four  commission- 
ers, one  to  reside  in  each  of  the  four  towns  above 
mentioned,  and  having  the  jurisdiction  and  powers  of 

'  It  was  also  a  part  of  the  governor's  duties  to  inquire  from  time  to  time  into 
the  operations  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Co.,  reporting  tliereon  to  congress, 
and  mentioning  all  violations  of  the  contract  existing  between  the  company 
and  the  United  States.  How  tlie  governor  was  to  inquire  from  time  to  time 
is  not  explained  in  the  text  of  the  act,  but  on  this  matter  he  remarks  in  his 
report  to  the  president:  'The  fur-seal  islands  are  1,500  miles  to  the  westward 
of  Sitka.  To  reach  them  the  government  must  furnish  transportation  to 
enable  the  governor  to  make  such  inquiries. .  i. .  The  United  States  ship 
now  at  this  station  might  be  detailed  for  the  purpose,  carrying  such  officers 
of  the  civil  government  as  might  be  necessary  to  gain  the  required  informa- 
tion.' S.  F.  Bulletin,  Dec.  18,  1884. 

*  He  must  establish  offices  at  Sitka  and  Wrangell  for  the  safekeeping  of 
all  ofScial  records.  Separate  offices  might  also  be  established,  at  the  discre- 
tion of  the  court,  at  M'rangell,  Unalaska,  and  Juneau,  for  the  recording  of 
such  instruments  ascertained  to  the  °veral  natural  divisions  of  the  districts 
their  limits  to  be  defined  by  the  court. 


720 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


commissioners  of  United  States  circuit  courts,  to- 
gether With  those  conferred  on  justices  of  the  peace 
under  the  laws  of  Oregon.  They  were  also  to  have 
jurisdiction,  subject  to  the  supervision  of  the  district 
judge,  in  all  testamentary  and  probate  matters,  and 
for  this  purpose  their  courts  were  to  be  opened  at  stated 
terms  as  courts  of  record."^  The  general  laws  of  Ore- 
gon, as  they  were  then  in  force,  were  to  be  the  law  of 
the  district,  so  far  as  they  were  applicable,  and  did 
not  conflict  with  the  provisions  of  the  act  or  with  the 
laws  of  the  United  States.  But  the  district  court 
was  to  have  exclusive  jurisdiction  in  all  equity  suits, 
in  all  capital  criminal  cases,  and  in  those  involving 
questions  of  title  to  land  or  mining  rights.  In  civil 
cases,  issues  of  fact  might  be  determined  by  a  jury  at 
the  request  of  either  party,  and  appeal  lay  from  the 
decision  of  the  commissioners  to  the  district  court, 
in  cases  where  the  amount  involved  was  $200  or 
more,  and  in  criminal  cases  where  the  sentence  was 
imprisonment,^  or  a  fine  exceeding  $100. 

Alaska  was  created  a  land  district,  with  a  United 
States  land-office,  to  be  located  at  Sitka.  The  com- 
missioner residing  at  that  point,  the  clerk,  and  the 
marshal  were  to  hold  office  respectively  as  registrar, 
receiver  of  public  moneys,  and  surveyor-general  of  the 
district.  The  laws  of  the  United  States  relating  to 
mining  claims,  and  the  rights  incident  thereto,  were  to 
be  in  full  force,  subject  to  such  regulations  as  might 
be  made  by  the  secretar}'^  for  the  interior."     Nothing 

*Thcy  had  power  to  grant  writs  of  habeas  corpus,  the  writs  being  return- 
able before  the  district  judge,  and  like  proceedings  could  be  taken  thereon  u 
though  they  had  been  granted  by  said  judge.  They  had,  moreover,  the 
powers  of  notaries  public,  and  must  keep  a  record  of  all  deeds  and  other  in- 
struments acknowledged  before  them,  relating  to  the  title  to  or  transfer  of 
property  within  their  district,  this  record  to  oe  open  to  public  inspection. 
They  must  also  keep  a  list  of  all  fines  and  forfeitures  received  by  them,  paying 
over  the  amount  quarterly  to  die  clerk  of  the  district  court. 

*Thc  jail  in  the  town  of  Sitka  was  to  be  repaired  and  made  suitable  for  a 
penitentiary.  For  this  purpose  $1,000  was  appropriated.  U,  S.  Stat.,  4^th 
Cong.  lstSe,^s.,  179. 

^  Provided  that  person )  then  in  possession  should  not  be  disturbed  in  the 
use  or  occupation  of  their  lands,  though  the  terms  under  which  they  mighi 
acquire  title  were  reserved  for  future  legislation.     Persons  who  had  located 


TROVISIOXS  OF  Till::  ORGANIC  ACT. 


721 


■J. 


containod  in  the  act,  however,  was  to  be  so  consti 

ucne 


uccl 


as  ti)  })ut  in  for(;e  witliin  the  district  the  general  hind 
laws  of  the  United  States. 

The  governor,  judge,  district  attorney,  clerk,  mar- 
shal, and  commissioners  were  to  be  appointed  by  the 
})re:sident,  and  to  hold  office  for  four  years,  or  until 
their  successors  were  appointed.  The  salaries  of  the 
governor  and  judge  were  to  be  each  83,000  a  year,  ami 
of  the  district  attorney,  clerk,  and  marshal  each  .^2,500 
a  3'ear.  The  commissioners  were  to  receive  the  fees 
usually  pertaining  totlieir  office,  and  tojusticcsof  the 
])eace  in  Oregon,  together  with  such  fees  for  record- 
ing instruments  as  ai'e  allowed  by  that  state,  and,  in 
adiiilion,  a  fixed  salary  of  81 ,000  a  year.*^  The  dejaity 
marshals  were  to  receive  salai'ies  of  8750  a  year,  be- 
sides the  usual  fees  of  constables  in  Oreo-on. 

The  attorney-general  was  directed  at  once  to  com- 
])ile  and  cause  to  be  ])riuted,  in  itamphlet  Ibrm,  so 
much  of  the  laws  of  the  United  States  as  was  a[)pli- 
cable  to  the  duties  of  the  several  officials.'^  The  secre- 
tary for  the  interior  was  ordered  to  select  two  of  the 
officials  to  be  a])pointed  under  the  act,  who,  with  the 
governor,  should  constitute  a  connnission  "to  examine 
into  and  report  u]ion  the  condition  of  the  Indians  re- 
siding in  said  territory,  what  lands,  if  any,  should  l)e 
reserved  for  their  use,  what  provision  shall  be  made 
ibr  their  education,  what  rights  of  occupation  by  set- 
tlers should  be  recognized,"  and  other  matters  that 
might  enable  congress  to  detei'mine  the  limitations  and 
coudilions  to  be  imposed  when  the  land  laws  of  the 
United  States  should  be  extended  to  the  district,  lie 
was  also  recjuired  t(j  make  temporary  provision  for  the 

mines  (II-  iniiioral  privileges  uink'r  tlio  liiM.s  of  the  U.  S.,  or  wliohad  occujiied, 
iiiipriiviil,  ur  oxercisc'il  ligiits  oi  dwin  r.-liip  uvir  siicli  liiiids,  were  to  be  ul- 
1  iwed  to  [K^rfeot  their  tilles.  J.Minls  (.(•■.upicd  as  missionary  stations,  not 
e\eeoilin;4  li4()  acres  to  each  station,  witli  tlic  imiiroxenunts  tliereon,  were  also 
to  lie  C'  ntinuiil  in  tlic  occupancy  of  the  societies  lioldini,'  them. 

■"  Kach  of  tile  commissioners  was  re(|uired  to  lile  a  hond  in  the  penal  sum 
of  8:S,()i!0,  r.nd  liie  clerk  in  tlie  sum  of  l:<iO.WO. 

"the  sum  if  .■?,")()!)  was  afterward  appropriated  for  the  purpose  of  jirinting 
'JUO  copies  of  t)ie  compiled  laws,  to  be  diatribuled  among  tlie  oUicials.  U,  S, 
:Slat.,  .',-;ih  Cniii).  IM  Svxx.,  'l'1'.i. 


1  p 


I  J 
I 


722 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


education  of  all  cliildrcii  of  school  ago  without  ic';.;'ar<l 
to  race,  until  a  pernianont  school  system  should  ho 
established,  and  ibr  this  jiurpose  the  sum  of  .$25,000 
was  appropriated.  Finally  the  manufacture,  impor- 
tation, and  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors,  except  for 
nic'licinal,  mechanical,  and  scientific  purposes,  were 
lbrl)idden,  under  the  penalties  provided  in  the  revised 
statutes  of  the  United  States.^'^' 

As  a  land  jnirchase,  Alaska  had  thus  far  proved  a  paj-- 
ing  iiivestmeut,'^  tliough  still  undeveloped;  and  yet  it 
was  but  a  phantom  of  a  government  which  congress  now 
somewhat  reluctantly  i)Cstowed  upon  it,  a  government 
without  representative  institutions,  or  the  privilege 
of  sending  a  delegate  to  congress.  Meanwhile  ]^us- 
sians,  Creoles,  and  Americans,  who,  year  by  yeai-,  had 
l)e('onu>  more  dissatistied  with  the  shadow  of  repub- 
lican administration,  expressed  their  contempt  in  no 
measured  phrase  Wn-  the  dilatory  action  of  the  national 
legislature.  Thaidcful  for  small  mercies,  however,  tlu'V 
still  waited  and  hoped,  believing  that  south-eastern 
Alaska  would,  even  in  their  generation,  contain  set- 
tlers enough  to  warrant  the  erection  f)f  a  territory', 
though  jihantom  rule  might  yet  prevail  in  the  unj>eo- 
pled  solitudes  of  the  north.  At  least  one  step  was 
iJCained.  now  that  the  drear  interregnum  of  militarv 
occupation  or  revenue-cutter  rule,  in  the  land  Mliicli 
the  attorney-general  declared  to  be  Indian  terrilorv, 
had  giv^en  place  to  the  semblance  of  civil  law. 

As  to  the  condition,  training,  and  pro[)osed  reserva- 
tions foi"  Indians  mentioned  somewhat  neatly  in  the 
text  of  the  act,  it  is  probable  that  the  natives  would 
be  only  too  glad  to  be  left  alone  as  severely  in  the  i"u- 
turc  as  they  have  been  in  the  past.  Considering  that 
they  received  no  portion  of  the  purchase  money  of  tlieir 
native  soil,  and,  as  yet,  have  reaped  no  benefit  from  that 

'"Section  19")").  For  text  of  the  act  proviiling  a  civil  government  for 
•laskii,  si'o  (I.  S.  Stat.,  4Sfh  Coiuf.  Ist  Sr.'.s..  '24-8;  Scidmnir\t  Ahinhi,'A2:\-:i]. 

"  Tlie  interest  on  .??, 21)0,00:)  invested  in  U.  S.  fonr-pcr-cent  bonduat  SLi'.'J 
would  1)0  nbont  S-n"),00!).  Tiie  Alaska  Commercial  Company  paya  for  ita 
lea.ic  and  royalty  r.bout  i~!317iOOO  a  year. 


IXDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


723 


purchase,  save  the  art  of  manufacturing'  liootcliciioo, 
it  would  appear  tiiat  this  favor  mi^ht  at  least  l)o  cuii- 
cedecl.  After  the  close  of  the  military  occupati'iu, 
Indian  outbreaks  were  of  rare  occurrence,  as  J.  have 
already  mentioned,  and  in  almost  every  instance  we;  e 
])r(»voked  by  the  misconduct  of  the  white  population. '"' 
What  will  be  the  result  should  they  be  placed  uu 
resei'vations,  and  under  such  treatment  as  seems  i,i 
store  for  them,  is  a  question  that  the  future  may  soIvl". 
At  present  they  are  the  most  contented  of  all  the 
native  tribes  under  iVmerican  domination.*^ 

'■-Soc  pp.  ClS-24,  this  vol.  Tlic  latest  instniicp  of  iuiy  soriaiis  tronlile  with 
the  natives  occuireil  in  Ootol)or  lS^i•J.  On  the  '-'IM  of  tli;it  niontli  tiic  Miipui- 
iiiU'iidcut  of  .1  flsliing  station  at  Killisiioo,  Ijulonging  to  thi;  Nort!i\vc:st  Tni  1- 
ing  (Company,  anivud  at  Sitka  and  requested  protection  from  ('apt.  iloni- 
nian,  the.  commander  of  the  U.  S.  steamer  Adtinifi.  ]fo  rei)orted  that  oa  t!ij 
previou.s  night,  while  the  company's  whaling-l>oat  was  li.-;iiing  at  ilootsnoo 
(Kootzenoo)  lagoon,  .i  bomb,  shot  from  the  boat  at  a  wliale,  aec;i(lental!y  Icillo  I 
one  of  the  native  crew,  who  happened  to  l)e  a  shaman.  Fur  this  the  Indiana 
demanded  L'OO  blankets,  and  at  tlic  same  time  .seized  the  brat,  nets,  wiiali:ig 
gear,  and  Ktoain-launch  belonging  to  tiie  eomiiany,  ovcrpiiV/ering  the  t\'.o 
white  men  in  the  boat,  whom  they  held  as  prisoners.  'J'he  trilie  of  llood.d- 
no<j.s,  to  which  the  Bhaman  belon;;cd,  then  threatened,  if  iiayment  was  n  ■•; 
made,  to  burn  the  company's  store  and  buildings,  destroy  all  tiieii'  boats,  !i;i  I 
put  to  death  their  captives.  As  the  Adams  was  too  large  for  such  servie..', 
tile  ('orwiii  was  despatched  to  tiie  scene  of  the  disturbance  with  Meiriman  on 
board;  whereupon  the  prisoners  and  property  were  at  once  sun eiidered  aa  I 
some  of  tiie  ringleaders  captured.  iJut  in  addition,  Merriman  deuianiled 
4U0  blankets  as  a  punishment,  and  al.io  as  a  guarantee  for  future  good  I  e- 
havior.  This  being  refused,  their  canoes  were  destroyed;  and  tiie  trilie  bei:ig 
wtill  I'efractory,  their  sui'inier  camp  at  Killisiioo  was  burned.  Tiie  cutter  tii-ii 
steamed  out  of  the  Kootzenoo  lagoon,  and  a  fi.'W  hours  later sliellnl  tlieir  mai.i 
vill.ige,  a  party  of  marines  landing  under  cover  of  the  guns  and  setting  iire  to 
the  liouses,  e.'cce]iling  tiiosu  of  frii'iidly  Indians.  I'ep  u't.i  of  Lieut  M.  A. 
Ib-aly,  coiinnaiiding  the  Conriii,  and  Collector  Win  (.'.  Morris,  in  ll'mxc  J.'.r. 
JjO(\,  !),  parts  'J-4,  4''lh  t'onij.  Jif  Sin>:.,  (I.  Witii  tliis  exception,  I  lind  no  men- 
tion of  any  si'riouM  Indian  (.listui-laiii.'e  during  recent  years.  In  the  s;iiirii.'  of 
I'SS,")  a  partyof  HO  milling  juMispectors.  bound  forsome  pointon  the  Yukon,  was 
stopped  by  tiie  ( 'liiikals,  \\  ho  deniamled  toll  for  admission  into  their  eonntiy. 
>S'.  ./■',  < '/iroiiir/t\  .^^ay  '.V),  ]'<•,'>.     11. it  no  troubu;  aro-e  out  of  tiiis  nntter. 

'^'Tliey  arc  very  cluierfnl  and  fond  of  daiicing,'  remarkrt  .1.  C  (iliilden,  win 
in  the  winter  of  lfi70-l  was  in  charge  of  a  vessel  bouiicl  f.ir  Kadiak  a::  I 
Afuguak,  'esjieeially  when  tliey  have  plenty  of  kvass.  More  than  hall  a 
century  has  elapsed  without  a  murder  being  comuiit'.ed  on  these  islands,  and 
wlieii  tPiie  was  coinmitted,  the  inhabitanls  were  iKirrilied  r.t  the  died.  A  vi  it 
to  Some  of  our  cities  would  cause  tiieiii  to  regard  sueii  deeds  with  the  e.ji.a- 
niinity  of  civilized  communities.' 

Jna  TrijitoA'iid-n,  by.l.  C.  (Hidden,  MS.,  I  have  been  supplied  with  a  very 
interesting  manuscript,  though  one  wiiieli  I  cannot  use  to  advantage  in  tliis 
volume,  as  the  subject-matter  refi  rs  mainly  to  topics  of  w  liieli  I  have  treated 
in  iiiv  Xdfirr  li'iC'H.     l)uriiig  his  visit  liie  author  atteiideil  divine  service  at 


hapel  at  Si,   I'aiil,  Kadiak.  built,  as  tile  reader  will  reni?nib,'r,  abouij  tl 


year 


II.!,  an 


I  the  first  ill  ilussiaii  Aiii-'ricv.      His  olj.:'erv.itionj  arc  worthy  of 


7-n  ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AXD  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 

Ill  consiilorlufT  th(^  other  jiroA-isioiis  of  the  Plarrison 
hill,  it  must  he  admitted  that  in  oiu;  j-espeet  they  were 
most  liheral.  For  the  .salaries  of  the  ^overnineiit  offi- 
cials of  Alaska,  with  its  liaiulful  of  white  i^diahitants, 
there  was  ajipropriatcd,  in  1884,  the  sum  of  820,500, 
while  for  eaeli  of  the  territories  of  Washington,  Wy- 
omiiiL>-,  Idaho,  ^tontana,  and  New  jNIexieo  the  ap[)ro- 
])riation  for  the  same  purpose  was  less  than  814,000.'^ 
]Moreover,  there  were  appointed,  ostensibly  for  the  |)r(^- 
tection  of  the  seal  fisheries  of  Alaska,  four  government 
agents,  whose  joint  salaries  and  expenses  amounted 
for  this  year  to  613,;?50,  the  chief  agent  receiving  a 
larger  sti}>end  than  fell  to  the  share  of  the  governor;''^ 
nud  to  enable  the  socretarv  of  the  treasurv  to  use 
revenue  steamers  "for  the  protection  of  the  interests 
of  gDvernment,"  was  voti'd  a  further  sum  of  .$15,000. 
]]ut  outside  of  the  seal  islands  the  government  had 
no  interests  to  protect,  for,  as  we  have  seen,  a})art  fi'oui 
the  rent  and  rovaltv  l^aid  for  these  islands,  the  inconu^ 
dei'ived  from  the  entire  district  was  altogether  ina[)- 
precial)le. 

Thus  we  have,  as  the  expenses  of  the  so-called 
govermnent  of  this  district,  an  appropriation  foi-  the 
vear  of  1884  of  about  850,000,  or  nearlv  four  times 
the  amount  voted  for  anv  territorv  in  the  union,  and 
this  tn'  tlie  salaries  and  allowances  of  less  than  a 
score  v"^:  otiicials,  four  of  whom  receivt^  the  licMi's  share 
for  keepiii<»:  watch  over  the  Prvl)ilof  Islands,  and 
whose  opiM'ations  have  as  yet  resulted  merely  in  the 


iintf.      'It  is  linilt  of  licwii  tiinl) 

IIKISS.       Tl 


K'  snv^ 


'the  iiitLM-stioes  boiii''  (illoil  \\  itii 


K!  iiitciior  was  well  Imt  ])lainly  linislu'il.  Tlicro  witc  im  M'ats,  all 
lilt'  aiulicnco  standing  during;  tlii!  stM'vicos,  which  wire  cor.ductod  in  Jlussiau 
l>y  a  inirst  wlinni  wo  tcnied  "tlio  i^econd  mate  df  the  cluirch."  Tho  utmost 
n  iii<vailoil.     Kacli  individual,  upon  L'nteiing,  wont  down  on  the  hands 


an 


1  l.nros,  |)ulting  the  top  of  the  head  on  the  tin 


This  was  ii'peated  a 


mimin  r  ol' tiiius.     Upon  rising'  ant 


I  dm 


tl 


ley   iTDS.sei 


Itl 


pe; 

I'.'niM'lvcs 


fre(nu'ntl,v.     AU  were  <lr('ssed  in  their  lust  apparel,  tluitof  the  yoiin^jehildrei 
lieiiij,'  elaborately  ornamented  with  glass  Ijtacls.     Near  the  elose  of  tin;  serviee 


the   I'l'iest  1 
metallic  eross. 


t  placed  !i  la 


All  th 


rsl 


ik  upon  a  desk,  on  the 


cover  o 


10  worshippers  reveroi 


itly  k 


d  th 


f   vl; 
1 


icU  was  a 


I'  saereil  svi 


mhol 


they  llled  past  it  in   line;  those  wlio  were  not  tall  enough  to  reach  it  beii 
lifted  to  the  requisite  height  by  their  ]ian.'nts  or  friends.' 


/'.  .v.  .s'^r^,  ,;.s7/(  Vow\.  /.if  Si 


ITS  ;i. 


Thr 


ee  llioilsand  six  hundred  and  lii'iv  dollars.   /'/.,  '?00. 


OFFICIALS  AND  SCHOOLS. 


findiiij^  of  one  fc-Iight  discrepancy  in  the  tulo  of  skins, 
and  that  due  to  the  mistake  ot"  one  of  the  aj^ents."^ 
After  all,  it  is  a  far-away  country,  and  government 
could  Weil  enough  alford  to  be  liberal.  Nevertheless, 
Nvhy  it  is  that  the  services  of  four  highly  paid  agents 
and  of  a  revenue-cutter  should  be  at  all  needed  in 
counting  the  tale  of  skins  has  never  yet  been  explained. 
It  Would  ap[)ear  that  such  surveillance  is  wasted  on 
a  conn)any  which  has  paid  within  the  past  tifteuu 
years  about  the  sum  of  i?."), 000, 000  into  the  United 
States  treasury,  and  that,  too,  when  it  is  directly 
against  the  interests  of  the  company  to  slaugiiter 
more  than  the  prescribed  nund)er  of  fur-seals.  Con- 
cerning the  duties  of  these  agents,  however,  the 
statute  is  singularly  reticent.  Alaska  has  been  usu- 
ally regarded  by  government  servants  as  a  jilacc  in 
which  to  save  money,  wear  out  old  clothes,  and  as  there 
were  no  anmsements,  no  news[)apers,  and  but  a,  slngL^ 
monthly  mail/'^  to  study  fortitude  in  the  endurance  of 
their  high  lienors,  and  to  si,. .w  themselves  indeed 
patriots  on  small  pay. 

The  a])pro})riativ)n  of  $'25,000  for  educational  pur- 
poses has  thus  far  been  of  no  practical  benefit,  for,  as 
with  the  one  of  double  that  amount  made  some  years 
before,  it  seemed  no  one's  business  to  administer  it. 
Xo  ])ublic  schools  were  established  as  contemplated 
by  the  provisions  of  the  act,  and  up  to  the  close  of 
1 88  i  neither  rep(»rts  nor  suggestions  had  been  made 
as  to  the  disj)osition  of  the  fund.  In  July  IHS-l  a 
further  sum  of  .Si5;000  was  ai)[)ropriated  by  congre.-^s 

""'Si'o  p.  G.")l,  tlii.s  vol. 

'' In  ;iii  act  mill-  Ml;  ;i|)i>r()priiitioii3  for  tlio  postal  service,  .approved  ■Tvi'y 
,i,  ISSl,  it  is  pro\iik'il  that  fur  tlin  llsoal  yi'ar  ciuliii:^' .fune  liO.  KSM."!,  tin'  pn^t- 
ina.stiTguneral  may  contract  iiinlcr  a  niiscrliaiKMiiisadvertisoiiK'nt  for  tlic  mail 
service  of  Alaska,  as  no  newspapers  arc  pul)Uslicil  in  that  territory.  /'.  S.  S'">., 
^■■^Ih.  ('oiiij.  Jxl  Sin.-:.,  \'u.  Iiy  act  of  Aug.  7,  ISS'J,  jiostal  rontes  were  estah- 
lisheil  fi'oiii  Wilhinl  to  ■luneau,  from  Uomyah  to  .Inneaii,  from  .laclisun  to 
Wrangell,  from  Haines  to  .luneau,  from  U'ly-l  to  .Juneau,  ai»il  from  .iacksi.n 
via  Jvoberls  to  Wiangell.  /'/.,  47th  '  o;/;/.  l.<l  .V'si.,  iiol.  In  I8Si  there  wero 
only  tlircc  post-oflices  in  .\hiska,  ami  those  of  the  fourth  class.  In  l?i"ii)  tho 
total  iimnlier  of  letters  mniieil  was  (i,,sr_',  ami  tho  total  numlierof  )iii'eesiif 
mail  mutter  of  all  descriptions  7. •"•'.'-.  I'lin'inn.^ft  r-<M  luraCs  Ii( pt.,  in  JJoa.se 
Ex.  Doi\,  1,  pt  4,  -i^Ui  L'oiiij.  ldlit..is.,  pp.  60-1,  SS. 


I 


7'2G 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


for  tlio  support  and  c(lucati(Mi  of  Indian  childron  of 
botli  sexes  at  industrial  schools.  In  tlii.s  inattLT  ac- 
tion was  at  loiiLiith  taken,  thoufjli  of  a  somewhat  necr- 
alive  character.  Through  Mr  Kendall,  the  presby- 
terian  board  of  missions  at  Sitka  aj)[)lied  for  a  portion 
of  tlie  fund.  On  the  reconnuendation  of  the  com- 
missioner for  Indian  affairs,  the  application  was 
j^i-anted,^'^  and  a  conti'act  was  made  with  the  society 
tit  jirovide  for  and  educate  one  hundred  cliildrcn  at 
the  rate  of  $120  a  year  per  capita,  such  contract  to 
be  aniHilled  at  two  nionths'  notice.'" 

Within  less  than  a  decade  more  has  been  done  by 
this  society  to  advance  the  cause  of  education  in 
Alaska  than  was  otherwise  accomplished  during  all 
the   years  of  American  domination.^*     Were  it  not 

''In  his  letter,  the  commissioner  states  that  iu  consequence  of  the  tnt;>l 
iicglect  of  government  to  provide  for  tlic  education  of  tiie  Alaska  Indians, 
tliey  have  Ijeen  solely  iiulebted  for  such  schools  as  exist  to  relij;ious  societies, 
i.ud  f.ir  most  of  them  to  the  society  represented  l)y  Mr  Kendall.  For  tlic 
0  talilishment  and  support  of  its  schools,  that  society  had  expended  duiinc; 
t'::e  past  year  over  g2U,000,  and  for  mission  work  J.5,000.  It  Jiad,  therefore, 
tae  liist  claim  to  assistance  from  the  appropriation.  SrJdinore\i  Atn^kn,  'Z'.W. 

''••/(/.,'_';!.").  It  was  the  original  intention  to  estalilish  a  goverunieut  in- 
dustrial school  after  the  model  of  the  institution  at  Carlisle,  I'a. 

'•'"  la  his  letter  to  the  c</mmissioner,  dated  New  York,  Dec.  ',\\,  1SS2,  Shel- 
don Jacki^on  states  tliat  there  were  seven  good  En^dish  schools  in  the  Akx- 
r.uiler  Arcliipela'^'o,  six  of  v.-jiicli  were  maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  l)oard, 
tiiree  of  them  having  Iwarding  and  industrial  departments.  At  llaincs,  iu 
t'u;  C'liilkat  country,  near  the  head  of  the  Lynn  canal,  a  sciiool  was  e.-itab- 
lislied  iu  I860,  a  boarding  department  being  added  two  ycai-s  later,  when  the 
tiit;il  attendance  was  about  To.  At  Willard,  30  miles  up  the  Chilkat  llivcr, 
V  brancii  school  was  opened  with  native  teachers,  and  an  average  atien<lance 
of  00.  Amouff  the  lloonid  tribe,  a  school  was  o[)enod  iu  IbSi,  at  a  station 
i.auied  Jjoyd,  100  miles  south  of  llaincs.  Among  the  Auks,  at  tlie  uoriheru 
portion  of  Admiralty  Island,  and  at  'i'sekuuksanky,  on  tlu'  maiidaud  nearliy, 
.sehools  were  opened  Ijctween  I8S0  and  1SS"2.  At  .Jackson,  in  the  southern 
]i,i!  t  of  Prince  of  ^Vales  Island,  a  school  was  opened  'n  the  spring  of  ISSiJ, 
w  ilh  an  attendance  of  GO  to  90.  The  institution  established  at  Fort  Wrangell 
in  lti77,  as  already  mcncioned,  had  in  18S2  from  73  to  90  pupils,  of  whom  oO 
v.ere  you:ig  girls  i)roviilc(l  for  at  the  expense  of  tlio  mission,  and  thus  res- 
cued from  a  life  of  prostitution,  into  which  they  would  otherwise  have  been 
sold  by  their  parenis.  The  Sitka  school,  opened  in  1878,  had,  in  1880,  1,'iO 
])Upils.  In  July  of  this  year  the  school  Mas  moved  to  the  old  huspital  build- 
ing. In  Xovembor  some  of  the  jjupils  ai'plied  to  the  teacher  for  permission 
to  live  at  the  school-house,  for  at  home,  they  said,  there  was  so  mucli  carous- 
ing and  disturliance  that  vhey  could  not  studj'.  The  teacher  answered  t'.iat 
tlicre  was  neither  footl,  indding,  nor  accomiiiodatiou  for  them.  Still  they 
pcrsioteil,  and  leave  being  granted,  seven  Indian  boys,  about  l.'i  or  14  years 
cf  age,  bringing  each  his  b'anket,  look  up  their  (piarter.-i  in  a  vacant  roonr 

i)roviiied  I'^r  them.     Tlii'i  was  the  origin  of  the  boarding-school  at  .Sitka,     Ju 
.'Vbruary  1881  Capt.  Glass  tstablL-jhed  a  rule  making'  uticadauce  at  the  day- 


GOVERNOR  KIXIvI:AD. 


727 


for  tlio  efforts  of  the  board  of  missions,  there  would 
l)robab]y  have  boon  no  efficient  school,  and  jjcrhaps 
no  school  of  an}'  kind,  in  the  territory,  apart  from 
those  maintained  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company. 
It  is  claimed  that  the  natives  are  quick  to  learn  and 
ca^er  to  be  taught,  not  from  any  moral  sense,  for,  cx- 
ceijting  perhaps  the  Chinese,  there  is  no  living  nation 
in  which  the  moral  idea  is  so  utterly  dormant,  but 
because  they  ap))reciate  the  ])ractical  benetit  of  an 
education.  At  the  school  maintained  by  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  at  St  Paul  Island,"^  one  of  the 
})Upils  displayed  such  zeal  and  ability  that  he  was  sent 
at  the  expense  of  the  company  to  complete  Ids  educa- 
tion at  the  state  normal  academy  in  ^Massachusetts, 
and  after  completing  his  five  years' course  with  credit, 
was  placed  in  charge  of  the  schools  at  the  Seal  Islands. 

Ill  the  autunm  of  1884  the  officials  who  had  been 
appointed  by  the  president  reached  their  several  sta- 
tions. Jolin  II.  Kinkcad,  ex-governor  of  Nevada, 
v.lio  liad  formerly  resided  at  Sitka  as  mercliant  and 
postmaster,  was  cluef  magistrate;-^  Ward   McAllis- 

bi'!i(iol  compulsory.  Foivinc,'  the  natives  to  cleanse,  drain,  whitewash,  and 
n;iiiil»Lr  the  duollin','s  in  their  villaije,  ho  took  an  accurate  ccnHus  of  the  in- 
liiates.  lie  then  caused  a  tin  label  to  lie  tied  rt)uiid  the  neck  of  each  child, 
on  which  were  two  lUiniljcr.s,  one  of  the  house  where  he  lived,  and  the  otiier 
of  tlie  child.  If  a  pupil  was  fouml  on  the  street-i  during  school  hours,  the 
luunliers  on  liis  tug  were  re))orti;d  to  the  teaclier  hy  a  native  policeman,  ap- 
pointed for  the  purpose;  anil  uules.s  his  absence  was  satisfactoiily  explained, 
tlie  parent,  or  chief  Indian  of  that  house,  was  fined.  In  a  few  weeks  the 
utteai-lanco  ran  up  to  "JoO. 

'•''  In  1881,  4')  pu[>ils  wore  cnrollc  1  at  tliis  school,  with  an  average  ntteiid- 
nnce  of  4'2.  Schools  were  also  maintained  by  the  company  at  Unalaska  and 
Kadiak.  Jlousa  Ex.  Dor.,  1,  pt ."),  /fUh(  '<(»;/.  Jil  ."sV.ss.,  pp.  '_'78,  "isJ. 

'^-.John  Henry  Kinkead,  a  native  of  l''ayctte  co.,  I'enn.,  where  ho  was 
horn  in  18"JG.  crossed  the  jiiiins  from  St  Louis  to  Salt  Lake>  City  in  IS  lit,  and 
tliere  'Mijiaged  in  business  for  several  years,  proceeding  to  California  in  18.'i4, 
aftc.-  Avliich  date  he  had  oceasinn  to  travel  extensively  over  the  I'acilic  coast. 
In  ISbO  we  lind  him  in  ( 'ai'son  City,  on  the  eve  of  the  admission  of  Nevada 
as  a  territory.  Of  tliu  part  that  he  playe  I  in  connection  witii  tlu;  political 
annals  of  that  state,  mention  ii  made  in  its  place.  In  I8(i7  Kinkeail  was  a 
member  of  the  expedition  wiiich  sailed  for  Sitka  on  board  the  Jo/iii  L. 
S/ii'li(:iis  a  few  weeks  after  the  purchase.  My  description  of  the  transfer, 
afi;er  tlie  arrival  of  tlie  f/v.'*/;/((',  though  written  ])revious  to  my  interview 
with  (tov.  Kinkcad,  coincides  witii  the  account  he  i.'ave  me.  In  l!s7l  ho 
rciurned  to  Nevada,  residing  at  Unionville,  Hnmboldc  co.,  until  1878,  when 
he  w;is  elected  governor  of  tlui  s'.atc. 

in  Kiidectd'/i  Xccada  and  Alcuk  i,  ilS. ,  the  author  has  furnished  mc  with 


I  :   ■ 

.MM 


7-2S 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


teiy'' district  judL;-e;  E.  W.  Haskell,  district  attorney; 
Andrew  T.  Lewis,  clerk  of  court;  M.  C.  Ilillyer,-' 
marshal;  and  as  coniniissioners,  John  G.  Brady  at 
Sitka,  Henry  States  at  Juneau,  George  P.  Ihrie  at 
Wrangell,  and  Chester  Seeber  at  Unalaska. 

On  the  1st  of  October,  1884,  some  three  weeks 
after  liis  arrival,  Governor  Kiiikead  made  his  report 
to  the  ])resident."^  On  the  15th  of  Sej)tember  the 
commander  of  the  United  States  naval  forces-*'  relin- 


a  tiumuscript  which,  when  compared  with  other  sources  of  informiitioii, 
vniii.'S  so  little  tliiit  his  statement.-!  eauiiot  but  be  aeeepted  as  true.  Ani')rig 
olhor  to]iies,  he  touches  on  eilucatioii,  iiiiuiug,  ai^riculture,  ami  tlic  present 
conilitiou  ()f  the  native  tribes  in  Alaska.  'The  Indians  a]ipeared  to  have  a 
very  j^'ood  idea  of  business,'  he  rcmaiks.  'The  women  were  in  a  better  con- 
dition and  better  treated  than  those  of  r),ny  otlicr  tribes  of  the  United  States 
that  I  ha\  e  seen,  the  men  j^enerally  carrying  tiie  cliihlrcu  and  otiicr  Ininlens, 
luid  appai'ently  aireetionate  to  their  wives  and  children,  tin;  women  mostly 
doin;,'  the  tra'i-ng  with  the  whites.'  As  to  the  future  of  Alaska,  ho  is 'if 
opinion  that  the  south-eastern  portion  of  the  territory  is  1  letter  adapted  to  tlie 
supjiort  of  a  modciate  white  popul.ition  than  X(ir\vay  or  Sv/eilen. 

i)urin,!,'  the  ]ieriod  of  the  occupation  of  Sitka  by  U.  S.  troops,  all  the  wood 
snp|)lied  the  garri.son  was  cut  and  delivered  by  Indian  labor. 

'^  Formerly  assistiint  U.  S.  attorney,  a  resident  of  San  Francisco,  and  a 
relative  of  Hall  McAllister,  one  of  tlie  most  promiaent  and  highly  respected 
attorneys  in  that  city. 

^'  Munson  C.  Ilillyer,  a  native  of  Granville,  Ohio,  was  brother  of  Curtis 
J.  Hillyer  and  Edgar  W.  Ilillyer,  the  former  an  eminent  lawyer,  and  the 
latter,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  U.  S.  judi,'e  in  Nevada.  ^lun.son  caino  to 
Cal.  in  early  times  and  became  a  (lour  merchant,  and  later  a  nnning  superin- 
tendent— a  man  of  broad  experience,  warm  heart,  and  having  many  friends. 

'■'^The  report  was  presented  at  Washington  on  the  17th  of  Dec.  S.  I'.  Hal- 
Iftin,  Dec.  IS,  1S84. 

'•"'Lieut  11.  E.  Nichols,  commanding  the  U.  S.  steamer  Piiifn,  her  comple- 
ment consisting  of  7  odlcers,  40  seamen,  ami  .'lO  marines  for  shore  duty  at 
Sitka.  Nichols  had  for  several  years  done  good  service  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  Alexander  Archipelago,  while  in  command  of  the  IIa«dir,  his  surveys 
having  been  made  the  basis  for  several  of  the  new  charts  publislied  in  tlij 
Alnsku  Coiisl  I'ilot  of  18SU,  and  compiled  l)y  William  II.  Dall.  The  P'uit'i  i3 
somewhat  famous  in  the  annals  of  the  U.  S.  navy,  tliough  her  fau'.c  is  a  little 
unsavory.  One  of  fifteen  despatch-boats  liuilt  during  the  'war,  she  was  sta- 
tioned for  several  years  at  the  IJrooklyn  navy  yard.  In  ISS'2,  after  an  uncon- 
.scional)le  sum  had  l)een  si)ent  in  repairing  her  at  Norfolk,  a  board  of  olliceis 
eondemne<l  tlie  work,  and  pronounced  the  boat  unseaworthy.  A  second  sur- 
vey was  then  called,  and  a  trial  trip  being  ordered,  it  was  found  that  she 
coidil  make  but  four  knots  an  hour.  Soon  afterward  the  I'iiifd  was  sent  to 
Uoston,  where  she  distinguisiied  herself  by  runiung  tlown  the  brig  TfiUii-IL^, 
her  otlicers  licing  in  conse(juenee  brought  before  a  board  of  incpliry.  Finally 
a  man  was  fonn<l  daring  enough  to  peril  his  life  by  taking  her  round  Cape 
Horn,  her  armanu-nt  l)eing  sent  ashoi'c  until  slu!  readied  California.  Airiv- 
iag  at  the  .Mare  Island  navy-yard  after  a  six  montiis'  voyage,  she  was  again 
I'cpaired,  and  her  guns  lieing  mountetl,  this  mueli-tinkered  vessel  w.\s  ordered 
to  Sitka.  Among  the  naval  oliicers  in  command  at  Sitka  before  the  Jipp.oint- 
meut  of  Nichols  may  be  mentioned  Captain  lieardsh  e,  who,  in  cliaige  of  t!ie 
Jaiiusiuivii,  cruised  in  all  parts  of  the  Alexander  Archipelago,  kept  the  ludiaus 


THE  GOVERNOR'S  SUG(;ESTIOXS, 


7S0 


qnislicd  to  him  nil  civil  authority,  liis  duties  in  that 
direction  beinij  now  at  an  end.  The  complete  orijan- 
ization  of  the  civil  <(overnment  was  delayed  tor  a  time 
b}'  the  absence  of  the  district  judi^e  and  the  cninmi.s- 
sioiier  for  Sitka,  the  former  beinij  detained  at  San 
Francisco  through  illness.  Meanwhile  the  board  of 
Indian  commissioners  assumed  judicial  authoritv,  set- 
tlin-^-  disi)utes  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  parties  inter- 
ested.'^' The  governor  expressed  the  opinitm  that 
mining  bade  fair  to  rank  foremost  amoni;  the  resources 

•  •  •  » 

of  the  territory,  and  that  within  the  next  decade  the 
output  of  precious  metals  in  Alaska  would  foi'in  no 
unimportant  factor  in  the  finances  of  the  geiu'i-al  gov- 
ernment. This  industry  has  languished,  he  says, 
maiidy  for  tlie  reason  that  n<j  title  to  uiining  lands, 
other  than  that  of  force,  has  thus  far  been  recognized. 
For  the  same  reason  the  grazinsr  and  agricultural  ca- 
pabilities  of  the  territory,  which  he  considered  full 
of  promise,  were  yet  undevelo[)ed.  He  urged  that 
timber  tracts,  building-lots,  agricultural  areas,  and 
mining  lands  be  made  sul)ject  to  legal  titles,  for,  with- 
out such  titles,  the  progress  of  settlement  must  be 
slow  and  uncertain. 

He  recommended,  also,  that  mail  facilitie?'  be 
increased.     There  should  be    at  least  semi-monthly 

in  subjection,  and  afterward  made  a  valual)lc  official  report,  which  has  already 
been  (|Uotod  iu  these  jiages.  To  liiin  succeeded  Cajitaiii  (ila.ss,  an  olLcer  of 
marked  ability,  who  l)y  liis  iirnmcss  and  humanity  won  the  resjirct  of  tlio 
natives,  and  made  .several  treaties  of  peace  between  liostile  Indian  tribes, 
maintaining  a  protectorate  over  the  various  settlements  until  relieved,  in 
1881,  l;y  C(jniniander  Lull  in  the  steamer  Wm-hundi.  In  the  autuuni  of  18S2 
Captain  ^lerriman,  in  cli;u<,'e  of  the  Adams,  was  detjiiled  for  the  Alaska  sta- 
tion, and  dischai'ged  his  manifold  duties  as  umpire,  judge,  leferee,  and  pre- 
server of  the  peace,  with  considerable  tact  and  discretion.  Not  inlrecjuently 
he  Mas  called  upon  to  save  the  lives  of  persons  doomed  to  death  for  witcii- 
craft,  and  to  prevent  the  slaughter  of  slave*  at  funerals  and  |K)tlatciies.  Mcr- 
rinian  was  superf^cilcd  in  command  of  the  Ailaiii"  In'  C'apt.  .J.  15.  Coghlan, 
wlio,  finding  the  Indians  peaceable,  devoted  his  leisure  to  a  survey  of  tlie 
most  freipiented  channels  uf  the  inside  p;iss;ige,  marking  off  with  b.uoj-s  tlio 
channel  through  Wrangell  Nairows  and  I'eril  Straits,  and  designating  un- 
known rocks  in  Saginaw  ('hannel  and  Neva  Strait.  In  August  I.ssl  tlie 
Adnma  was  I'eplaceil  by  the  Pin/a.  Sci<lmon'»  Alcmku,  '2l'.)-'2'.i;  Sivramenlo 
Union,  May  -JO,  18S1. 

'^' The  governor  also  reinstated  the  Indian  police,  di.seharged  by  Captain 
Nichols,  after  being  carried  for  some  ye.irs  on  the  pay-rolls  of  the  navy,  aa 
he  considered  them  necessary  to  inspire  due  respect  lor  the  civil  auihonty. 


730 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICLVL  DLSTRICT. 


commuulcatioii  with  Port  Towiisond,  and  a  inonthly 
inail-steaincr  should  run  between  Sitka  and  Unalaska, 
toucliini;  at  several  intervening  ports.  The  distance 
Ix'tween  these  j)orts  is  twelve  hundred  miles,  hut  a^ 
tliere  is  no  direct  communication,  persons  wisliinjjf  to 
avail  tliemselves  of  the  district  court  tiibunal  estab- 
lished at  the  ca[)ital  must  travel  by  way  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  return  by  tlic  same  nnite,  the  entire 
journey  being  nearly  eight  thousand  miles.  The  dis- 
tricts of  Kadiak  and  Kenai,  which  were  altog«-tl)er 
ignored  in  the  organic  act,  should  be  [ilaced  undi  r  the 
protection  of  the  civil  authority;  for  in  those  districts 
Were  several  hundred  Russians  and  Creoles,  who  were 
])oaceable,  industrious,  and  eager  to  shai'e  in  tlie 
benelits  of  Americ  n  progress. 

The  customs  service  could  not  bo  efficiently  carried 
on  with  the  means  then  at  command.  For  this  puiposc 
it  was  necessary  that  at  least  one  revenue-cutter  should 
be  constantly  employed  in  cruising  among  the  chan- 
nels and  inlets  of  the  coast.  At  this  time  illicit  tralHc 
])rcvailed  in  many  portions  of  the  teri'itory.  The 
bouiuhuy  line  between  tlie  Portland  canal  and  ?.I(»unt 
St  Julias  sliould  be  sj)ee(Hly  and  definitely  settled  by 
a  joint  survey  of  the  British  and  American  govern- 
ments, for  several  of  the  hiufhwavs  leadinLr  into  Brit- 
i.^h  C(;lumbia  lie  partly  within  the  limits  of  Alaska, 
amoni>-  them  bein!*-  the  one  leading  to  the  Stikeen 
lliver  mines. 

On  the  subject  of  education  the  governor  remarked 
tliat  Alaska  was  entirely  without  schools  for  white 
cliildren,  the  missionary  schools  being  attended  only 
by  natives.  The  former  were  growing  up  in  total 
ignorance,  though  their  parents  were  most  anxious  to 
give  them  education,  and  would  gladly  pay  for  the 
services  of  teachers. 

Finally,  with  regard  to  traffic  in  spirituous  liquor, 
lie  stated  that  the  military  connnander  of  the  division 
of  the  Paciiic  had  the  right  to  grant  permits  for  its 
introduction  into  the  territory.     Whether,  or  to  what 


SALE  OF  LIQUORS. 


731 


extent, tlio  commander  oxerci.sed  tliat  |)o\vcr,he  wa.s  not 
aware;  but,  with  or  without  jjormission,  a  very  large 
quantity  of  hquor  found  its  way  into  AUiska.  Tliu  law 
foil);ule  its  introduction,  except  for  certain  purj)oses, 
hut  (hd  not  forbid  its  sale  after  it  was  introduced,  and 
liijuor  was  openly  sold  in  all  the  princij)al  settlements; 
tIiou!^'h,  on  account  of  the  severe  penalties  enforced  by 
the  naval  and  customs  authorities,  little  of  it  was  dis- 
posctl  of  amoriLj  the  natives,^"*  The  utmost  vigilance 
on  the  part  of  oilicials  could  not  entirel}'  [)revent  this 
traffic,  for  countless  devices  were  practised  whereby  the 
law  was  evaded;  but  in  order  to  regulate  it,  the  gov- 
ernor suggested  the  appointn)ent  of  an  exei.'utivt!  c(»un- 
cil,  with  full  power  to  act  in  the  matter.  He  also 
reconnnended  that  saloon-keepers,  tradesmen,  and 
others  should  contribute,  by  a  license,  tax,  or  other- 
wise, to  the  su])port  of  government,  paying  at  least 
enough  to  maintain  the  police  and  to  keep  the  streets 
and  sidewalks  in  repair.^ 

It  will  be  observed  that,  while  the  governor  made 
some  excellent  suggestions  as  to  what  congress  ought 
to  do,  he  said  nothincT  about  what  he  Iiimself  intended 
to  do.  A,  ruler  of  a  country  so  vast  in  extent,  and 
containing  such  varied  and  conflicting  interests,  he  was 
necessarily  intrusted  with  discretionary  j)owers.  lie 
appears  to  have  fully  understi)od  the  needs  of  the 
country,  and  had  he  continued  in  power,  it  is  not  im- 
probable that  he  might  have  made  some  effort  to  sup- 
j.'ly  them.  He  did  not  remain  long  enough  in  the  terri- 
tv)ry,  however,  to  frame  any  important  measures,  or 
at  least  to  carry  them  into  elfect,  altliough  it  was  })ro- 
vided  in  the  organic  act  that  lie  should  reside  within 
the  district  durini:!:  his  term  of  office. 

xV  few  weeks  after  the  inauguration  of  President 
Cleveland,  Kinkead  was  requested  to  send  in  his  resig- 

"^Thc  governor  stated  that,  through  the  efforts  of  the  same  aiithoriiii's,  the 
niamifticturo  of  hootchciioo  had  bcoii  ahiiost  iiitirely  broken  up  iu  the  uuigh- 
borlio;)d  oi  Sitka  and  other  parts  of  the  arehipelago. 

^''I'iio  text  of  the  gov('riior's  report,  with  tioiuu  slight  omissious,  will  bo 
found  in  the  ,S.  F.  Dulkiin,  Dee.  18,  1884. 


J 


7r.2  ALA-SKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTIUCT. 

nation,  A.  P.  Swincford  of  Mii-hiu-mj  buin^  a[)i)()IntLj 
ill  hi.s  stciid  on  tlio  Olli  of  Muv,  I88j. 

III  the  exploration  of  the  interior  of  Alaska  and 
tlio  survey  of  its  coasts,  bays,  and  I'ivors,  considerable 
proLjress  has  been  made  during'  recent  years,  coiisider- 
iii,H'  tile  iinnieiise  area  to  be  exjilored.  Xuiuenjiis 
expeditions  have  been  undertaken  in  addition  to  those 
ineiitioned  in  a  previous  chapter,""'  and  many  charts 
have  been  published,  some  of  them  valuable,  and 
(jthei'S  so  utterly  Nvorthlcss  that  the  ca[)taiii  who 
should  follow  them  would  run  his  vessel  at  various 
points  into  the  mountains  of  the  mainland.  Reports 
without  number  have  been  made  by  navigatitrs  as  to 
the  difficulties  encountered  anioiii,^  these  intricate 
channels  and  dangerous  harbors,"*  but  no  nlial^le 
charts  of  the  entire  coast  have  as  yet  been  made. 

In  the  summer  of  1883  Lieutenant  Schwatka  and 
•six  others  ^^  traversed  the  up})er  Yukon  Ijy  raft  from 
its  source  to  Fort  Selkirk,  a  distance  of  about  five 
hundred  miles,  their  object  being  to  gather  inlnrma- 
tion  as  to  the  Indian  tribes  of  that  region,  and  for 
geographical  exploration.  The  middle  Yukon,  as  far 
as  the  junction  of  that  river  witli  the  Porcupine,  and 
the  lower  Yukon,  extending  from  this  point  to  the 
delta,  had  already  been  explored,  as  we  have  seen,  by 
the  servants  of  the  Ilussian  American  Company,  who 
occasionally  ascended  the  stream  from  the  direction 
of  St  ]\[ichael  sometimes  possibly  as  far  as  the  present 
site  of  Fort  Ilel lance,  and  thence  made  their  way 
]xirtly  overland  to  the  Lynn  canal.  In  the  suninier 
of  1883  the  lieutenant  set  fi^rtli  to  explore  the  river 

soRecpp.  (   S-0,  this  vol. 

'*  Among  t.  era  may  Ijo  mentioned  the  case  of  .J.  C.  GliiUltu,  who,  in  the 
summer  of  IS',  was  in  command  of  a  vcsscd  voya{,'!,ig  to  tlio  gulf  of  ><'usha- 
gak,  between  \  parallels  of  oS"  'I'i  and  oU'  2'  N.  and  tiio  meridians  of  1,"')S^ 
5'  and  l.'iS^  4;V  ',  according  to  Itussian  surveys.  He  rejiorts  its  entrance  oh- 
strncted  by  ban  nd  quicksands,  which  rendered  its  na\  igatiou  difiicult  and 
dangerous,  thou  i  a  pilot  could  usually  be  obtained  at  Cape  Konstantin. 
Ti-ip  It)  Ala-iha,    /S,,  1,(5-7. 

'''n>r  Wilson,  .'opographical  assistant  Homan,  Sergeant  Oloster,  Corporal 
Shircliir,  Private  Iloth,  and  a  Mr  iiciiitosh.  L'cnluiy  21wj.,  IStiJ,  "L^'J,  !j1'J. 


SniWATKA'S  FATFDITIOX. 


m 


from  its  source  to  its  nioutli,  tlu'  Itasin  of  the  njipor 
Yukon  lu'iiin^,  lis  lie  tlioui^lit,  a  tfira  iiu-ogiiita. 

LtMviii'L;-  diilkat  on  the  7tli  «»t'  Juiu!  with  thirto(ni 
Cannes  towed  hy  a  steam-launch  helonj^inn"  tn  tlie 
Northwest  Tradini"'  Company,  ho  pass/d  throULi^h  the 
]jynn  canal  and  the  Chilk(»<)t  Inlet,  arriviuL;'  at  tho 
mouth  <»f  a  swit't-rumiinL,'  stream,  some  ninety  feet 
in  wi(Uli,  eall(;d  bv  tht;  Indians  the  Davav.  Here  ho 
took  leave  of  the  launch,  and  at  this  ]»(»int,  as  he 
claims,  his  ex|)loration  conuncnced,  tlioUL''Ii  in  fact  ho 
Avas  on  rffound  perfectly  familiar  to  tlie  Ivussians,  wen 
in  the  days  of  ilaranof.  Reachinjx  the  head  of  navi- 
pition  on  the  lOth,  the  cano(.'s  wore  unloaded  and 
their  three  or  four  tons  of  I'rei^ht  packed  on  th<>l)acl 


vS 


of  seventy  luuians,  the  parts'  reaching,  the  sauiu 
uiyht,  the  head  waters  of  the  stream,  under  banks  (»f 
snow,  and  at  the  foot  of  a  pass  about  three  thousand 
feet  in  heiLfht,  which  the  lieuttMiant  named  Perrier 
where,  he  savs,  "lon<^  lin<j-er-like  elaciers 
of  clear  blue  ice  extended  down  the  j>Tanite  •••ulches  to 
our  very  level." 

The  ascent  was  a  difficult  one  and  not  unattended 
with  danger.  In  places  the  mountain  side  ai)])eared 
almost  perpendicular,  and  a  lew  stmited  jimi[)er  roots 
■protruding  thi-ough  a  thin  covering  of  snow  allbrded 
the  only  support.  The  footsteps  of  the  guides  were 
turned  inward  and  planted  deep,  thus  giving  a  tinu 
liold,  and  the  remainder  followed  in  their  tracks,  ,s(»me 
of  them  using  rough  alpcn-stocks,  lor  the  least  slip 
^vould  have  dashed  them  down  the  precij)itous  slope 
hundreds  of  feet  into  the  vallev  lu>lo\v.     ArriviuLj  at 

*-■  ij 

the  summit  without  mishap,  the  party  found  them- 
selves in  a  driiring  log,  such  as  many  of  mv  readers 
inav  liave  observed  hanging  in  sunnner  for  davs  at  a 
time  (jver  Snowdon  or  Jjvw  Xevis,  both  of  which 
mountains  are  but  three  or  f  )ur  degrees  south  of  the 

^■'  \Vliy  he  so  called  it  he  does  not  state.  I  do  not  find  tho  pass  named  or 
even  iimrkcd  ill  any  of  the  maps  imblish.^d  before  ISt,;!,  Uiongh  it  i.s  ocrtaiii 
that  the  lieutenant  nas  not  the  lirst  white  man  who  made  the  ascent  of  tho 
Dayay  ilivor  or  iiortt-ge. 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


\)()\ut  where  they  now  stood.  Doscciidinrr  the  yv>:<, 
the  lieutenant  afterward  came  in  sight  of  two  lar^j 
hikes  connected  by  a  channel  about  a  mile  in  lengt'i, 
and  v.liiih  ho  named  lakes  Lindermaim  and  Bennett.-'* 

On  the  shore  of  the  latter  he  built  his  raft,  sonio 
fifteen  by  forty  feet,  witli  decks  fore  and  aft,  space 
being  left  for  oars  at  the  bow,  stern,  and  sides,  so  that 
when  laden  it  could  be  pulled  in  still  water  at  a  rate 
of  nioie  than  half  a  mile  an  hour.  Behind  tlic  for- 
ward deck  was  lioisted  a  nine-foot  mast,  a  wall-tent 
serving  for  a  sail,  and  for  a  yard  its  ridge-pole,  while 
the  projecting  logs  that  supported  the  deck  were  used 
as  belaying-[)ins.  In  tliis  strange  cral't,  built  in  tlie 
ice-cold  water  of  the  lake,  the  Heutenant  launclied 
forth  on  tlie  n)orning  of  the  19th  of  Juno  on  liis  ex- 
pl()r'<'.ion  of  tlio  ui)[)er  Yukon. 

liie  outset  of  the  vo3'ago  was  by  no  means  propi- 
tious. The  wind  at  first  blew  gently  from  the  south, 
and  hoisting  sail,  he  made  from  two  to  three  miles  an 
hour;  but  the  wind  freshened  into  a  gale  and  the  gale 
increased  to  a  cyclone,  threatening  to  carr3'  awaj'  the 
mast,  while  the  waves  swept  the  frail  bark  fore  and 
aft,  deluging  all  on  Ixxxrd,  so  tliat  rowing  became  im- 
possible. 

On  the  following  afternoon  the  party  reached  the 
northern  end  of  Lake  Bennett,  and  thence,  without 
special  ailventuro,  made  their  wa}',  by  the  route  known 
as  the  Indian  portage,  to  a  point  which  Schwatka 
terms  the  grand  caiion  of  the  Yukon,  where  arc 
raoids  some  five  miles  in  length,  in  })laces  shoal 
and  dangerous  even  for  the  navigation  of  a  canoe. 
At  first  the  watei's  pour  in  troubletl  foam  between 
basaltic  pillars,  about  seventy  feet  apart,  then  widei 
into  a  basin  filled  with  eddies  and  whirl})ools,  and 
again  pass  through  a  second  cafion,  almost  the  coun- 
terpart of  the  first.  Thus  the  river  llows  onward  for 
scv^eral  miles,  after  which  it  narrows  almost  into  a 

'*  Bota  of  these  lakes,  which  form  a  part  of  the  Iiidiaii  portage,  arc  luarkcl 
on  tlio  U.  S.  Coast  Survey  ur.tp  of  IbviU. 


DOWN  THE  YUKOX, 


735 


cascade',  less  than  thirty  foot  M'ido,  and  wltli  waves 
runniiiu:  five  feet  liigh.  So  swift  and  turbulent  is  the 
stream  at  this  point,  that,  as  tlie  lieutenant  relates, 
its  waters  dash  up  the  banks  on  either  side,  fallini^ 
back  in  solid  sheets  into  tho  seething  caldron  bt;lov,'. 

Stationincr  a  few  men  below  the  cascade  to  render 
assistance,  as  the  raft  shot  past  them,  Schwatka 
turned  its  head  toward  the  outlet  of  the  grand  canon 
of  the  Yukon,  through  which  he  passed.^^ 

The  party  had  now  overcome  their  greatest  difii'^ul- 
ties.  llepairing  the  raft,  on  the  5th  of  'July  they 
passed  the  mouth  of  tho  Tahkeena  Riv^er,^"and  thence, 
without  further  incident  wortliy  of  note,  vovan'cd 
down  the  stream  to  Fort  Selkirk,  completing  tho 
journey  mainly  by  raft  down  the  middle  and  lower 
Yukon,  and  thence  proceeded  to  St  Michael,  where 
they  were  met  by  the  revenue-cutter  Cunrln.^' 

In  1884  and  1885  several  expeditions  were  under- 
taken by  order  of  General  Miles,  then  in  charge  of 
the  department  of  the  Coluinl)ia,  which  includes 
Alaska.  In  February  of  the  former  year  Doctor 
Everette  set  forth  from  Vancouver  Barracks  for  the 
purpose  of  ex[)loring  a  portion  of  the  Yukon,  and  tho 
section  of  territory  near  the  head  of  Copper  River. 
Procuring  Indian  guides  at  Juneau,  he  proceeded  to 
Chilkat,  and  tliere  remained  for  three  montlis,  stutly- 
ing  tlie  language  of  the  tribe.  Thence,  reacliing  tho 
head  waters  oi'  the  Yukon  by  wa}'^  of  the  Lynn  canal 
and  tlie  Dayay  River,  following  about  the  same  I'outo 
as  wa  taken  by  Schwatka's  party  in  1883,  h(^  voyagcMl 
down  the  stream,  in  a  boat  of  his  own  construction, 
as  far  as  tho  first  fur-tradin<x  station.  Here  ho 
awaited  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  fron)  the  B(.'ring 
Sea,  and  being  abandoned  b}'  his  pack  Lidians,  aiul 
unable  to  obtain  a  su})ply  of  provisions  for  winter  use, 
he  had  no  alternative  but  to  complete  his  journey  on 
board  that  vessel,  arriving  at  St  Michael  during  the 

'■'Tho  lieut  christened  his  crnft  the  Ihxolute, 

•"Now  usually  o;ill(.!il  tho  Tahk. 

«  CudiuijM'i.,  Supt.  Oct.lbSJ,  739-51,  819-29;  Sc'uhmre's  Alaskn,  \\  I'JO. 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


aiitnimi,  and  reaching  San  Francisco  on  the  29tli  of 
Auo-ust,  1885. 

Tlius,  as  ho  claims,  I>octor  Evorctto  made  a  running 
survey  of  tlie  entire  stream,  from  which,  and  from  the 
information  furnislied  b}^  fur-traders,  he  prepared 
charts  of  the  river,  of  his  route,  extending  over 
twenty-six  liundred  miles,  of  the  Yukoi"  Lake  system, 
of  the  greater  portion  of  the  Tcnnanah  River,  of  the 
entire  Kuskolivim  River,  and  t)f  many  smaller  streams 
in  a  region  which  had  not  yet  been  explored  exce])t  by 
fur-trad(M's,  toL^'ether  with  itineraries  on  a  tabulated 
scale,  accompanying  the  charts  and  showing  every 
]M)int  of  interest  between  Chilkat  and  St  Michael. 
The  doctor  also  states  that  he  collected  statistics 
ct)ncerning  all  the  exj)lorations  made  on  the  Yukon 
sin(;e  the  year  18G5,  tosrether  with  a  mass  of  in- 
formation  setting  forth  the  name,  occupation,  date  of 
arrival  and  de[)arture  of  every  missionary,  miner,  and 
trader  who  had  been  on  the  Yukon  since  the  date  of 
the  transfer.  Finally,  he  collected  the  dialects  of  all 
the  leading  tribes  in  Alaska,  from  Chilkat  throuuli 
the  Ulterior  to  St  jMichael,  thence  north  to  Kotzebue 
Sound,  and  from  that  point  southward  to  the  Aleutian 
Archipelago.'^'^ 

In  the  sununer  of  1885  the  Corwiii  was  again  em- 
ployed in  explorations  on  the  Alaskan  coast,  and  it 
was  pro})osed  that  her  trip  should  extend  as  far  north- 
ward as  Kotzebue  Sound.  At  Chatham  Inlet  Lieu- 
tenant Caldwell  was  sent  to  ex])lore  the  Kowak  River 
as  far,  if  i)0ssible,  as  its  head  waters,  and  a  second 
expedititm,  in  charge  of  Engineer  Lonegan,  was  or- 
dered to  explore  the  Noyataz.  In  the  spring  of  1885 
Lieutenant  Stoney,  Ensign  Purcell,  Engineer  Zane, 
Surgeon  Nash,  and  some  ten  others,  set  forth  to 
explore  the  Putnam  River  on  board  the  schooner 
Vlkiiig,  a  steam-launch,  having  been  built  for  that 
purpose  at  Mare  Island.     Procuring   Indian  guitU's 

'■'^S.  F.  Chrmnch,  Aug.  30,  1885.  The  fitatement  published  in  this  issue 
\va:i  iiniiiDUiiced  to  be  coiTcct  by  Dr  E\'erctti',  wlio  called  at  my  Library  a  lew 
days  later. 


LATE  EXPLORATIONS. 


737 


and  dogs  at  St  Michael,  whore  they  arrived  after  a 
tedious  voyage  caused  by  light  and  contrary  winds, 
they  proceeded  to  St  Lawrence  Bay,  and  there  ob- 
tained a  supply  of  furs  and  warm  clothing.  The 
season  was  an  open  one,  St  Michael  being  clear  of  ice 
at  the  end  of  May,  and  it  was  hoped  that  at  least  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  the  stream  could  be  ex- 
plored before  the  expedition  went  into  winter  quarters 
about  the  1st  of  October,  after  which  the  work  of 
exploration  was  to  be  carried  on  by  means  of  sledges. 
When  the  launch  could  proceed  no  farther  she  was  to 
bo  employed  in  conveying  j)rovisi()ns  for  the  winter 
c;amp,  and  lier  engines  and  b(jilers  were  afterward  to 
be  used  in  running  a  saw-mill,  by  which  timber  could 
be  cut  lor  the  construction  of  frame  houses.  In  May 
188G  Captain  Stoncy  proposed  to  descend  the  river, 
returninir  to  San  Francisco  in  the  autumn  of  that 
year 


39 


During  recent  years  frequent  explorations  of  the 
interior  liave  been  made  by  mining  [)ro,spectors,  espe- 
cially in  the  direction  of  tlie  Yukon  Kiver  and  its 
tributaries.  In  1878  and  1880  ])arties  left  for  tlie 
head  waters  of  that  stream,  and  through  the  influence 
brought  to  bear  by  Captain  ]]ear(lsloe  of  the  James- 
town were  kindly  received  by  tlie  Cliilkats,  wlio,  being 
assured  that  they  would  not  interfere  with  their  fur 
trade,  guided  them  through  their  territory,  indica- 
tions of  gold  and  large  gravel  deposits  being  dis- 
covered. In  188:2  a  band  of  forty-five  prosi)ectors 
from  Arizona  left  Juneau  for  the  same  point,  and 
returning  in  the  autumn,  reported  discoveries  of  gold, 
silver,  nickel,  copper,  and  coal  in  the  district  be- 
tween the  Lewis  and  Copper  rivers,  louring  this 
year  three  ])r(jsi)ect()rs  jn'oceeded  to  the  mouth  of 
Stewart  Kiver,  which  they  ascended  in  canoes  for 
two  hundred  miles.     They  i'ound  navigation  somewhat 

»».9.  /'.  Vhronirle,  Fi»).  .'),   LSS.');  S.   /•'.  Call,  Aug.  20,  1885.    Nows  of  the 

firngrosM  of  tliin  cxpoditiDu  wjis  bnm^'lit  by  l^iciit  Piirci'll,  who  rutunied  co 
km  Fnuicisco  Au;:,'.  'l'.\,  188,),  being  dioubk'il  thruugli  sickucss. 
Ulsi.  Alakea.    il 


m 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JLT)ICIAL  DISTRICT. 


easy,  there  being  stretches  of  100  miles  where  no 
portaj^e  was  needed,  and  none  of  tlie  portages  exceed- 
ing half  a  mile.  During  their  trip  they  examimid 
more  than  a  hundred  streams,  in  all  of  which  gold 
was  discovered,  though  the  ground  and  even  the  bo. Is 
of  streams  where  was  running  water  were  frozen. 
Hence,  they  said,  it  was  impossible  to  work  the 
deposits;  but  the  fact  that  one  of  the  party  proceeded 
to  San  Francisco  to  purchase  a  schooner  and  load  it 
with  miners'  su])[)lios  ibr  that  quarter  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  this  was  not  the  case.  Between  18bO 
and  1883  more  than  two  hundred  prospectors  visited 
the  Yukon  district,  the  Chilkats  kee])ing  control  of 
the  travel,  and  charging  six  to  ten  dollars  for  each 
hundred  pounds  of  baggage  conveyed  over  the  port- 
age between  the  river  and  the  lakes.*" 

The  maps  of  the  upper  Yukon  district  made  since 
the  purchase  have  not  changed  materially  the  charts 
made  by  the  Russians.  Among  them  is  one  prepared 
by  a  native  named  Kloh-Kutz*'  for  Professor  David- 
son,  which  has  been  made  the  basis  for  an  official 
chart.  From  the  maps  and  publications  of  two  doc- 
tors of  the  names  of  Krause,  belonixing  to  the  geo- 
graphical  society  of  Bremen,  who  recently  explored 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Yukon  portages,  the  coast 
survey  lias  gathered  information  of  considerable  value. 

The  Takoo  mir'os,  and  especially  those  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Harrisburg,  or  Juneau,"  and  the  quartz 

*°  Dr  Evercttc's  opinion  as  to  the  mining  outlook  in  the  Yukon  district 
was  unfiivorablo.  First,  he  believed  that  no  mother  vein  exists  in  that  rcL'ion, 
while  tlic  jilaeei' di,i.';,'ings  eontain  only  iino  Hour  t;o!d  wiiieh  it  is  very  dillicult 
to  .save.  One  Jiarty  inmi  Juneau  obtained  about  S-.^OO  from  a  bar  on  the 
upper  Yukon  in  KSS4,  but  they  exhausted  tlie  dig^'iiigs,  and  wore  hiter  pros- 
peciing  on  the  \Vhit(!  and  Stewart  Rivers.  Seeond,  tiie  ground  only  partially 
tliawH  during  the  brief  suunnerof  interior  Alaska,  the  ieo  opening  in  May  and 
closing  in  again  during  Oetober.  Tliird,  it  is  impossible  to  procure  provisions 
sulUcient  for  the  winter  at  the  fur-trading  post.s,  wliilc  freight  via  Chilkat  t(j 
tlie  head  of  the  Yukon  is  §l*0  per  hundred  pounds.  »S'.  F.  Chronicle,  Aug.  IV), 
188').  The  doetor  elainis  to  be  versed  in  mineralogy,  and  to  liavo  had  praoii- 
cal  (experience  iu  tiio  placer  mines  of  tlio  Black  Hills  and  the  quartz  mines  ot 
New  .Mexico. 

"  'i'iie  fatlier  of  Klohkutz,  a  chief  fur-trader,  was  among  the  band  of 
Chilkals  who  burned  J'\)rt  Selkirk  in  IS.'il,  iu  eonseiiuence  of  the  intorfeienee 
of  the  IIiulsou's  Hay  t'omi)any  with  tlieir  trade.  Sciil/nore's  Alaska,  I'-'l. 

*^  The  name  J  uueuu  was  formally  adopted  at  u  meetiug  of  miners  held  iu 


ALASKA  GOLD  MINES. 


739 


veins  on  Dou!Tla8  Island,  have  attracted  tlic  most  at- 
tention  within  recent  years,  and  are  the  only  districts 
that  require  further  mention.  The  bars  and  shores 
of  Takoo  River  have  been  searched  for  miles  beyond 
the  Takoo  Inlet,  and  in  most  of  the  adjacent  streams 
fine  gold  has  been  discovered,  carried  down  by  the 
glaciers  that  now  lie  amid  the  ravines  and  fiords  of 
this  region. 

In  1879  Professor  Muir  expressed  h's  belief  that 
valuable  quartz  leads  would  be  found  on  the  mainland 
east  of  Bai'anof  Island,  and  that  the  true  mineral  belt 
would  follow  the  trend  of  the  shore.  His  })rediction 
was  soon  vei'ifit'd.  In  the  following  autunm  a  pros- 
pecting party  ]v\'t  Sitka  in  charge  of  Joseph  Juneau 
and  Ilichard  lian-is,  and  encamping  on  the  present 
site  of  the  town  of  Juneau,  followed  up  a  large  creek 
which  discharges  into  the  channel  near  that  point. 
Here  they  found  rich  placers  and  several  |)romisin'4- 
ledges.  On  their  return  to  Sitka,  with  sacks  full  of 
specimens,  a  rush  was  made  for  this  district,  and  dur- 
ing the  winter  a  camp  was  established,  which  after- 
ward developed  into  a  town,  among  its  inhabitants 
being  a  iuunl)er  of  minors  from  Arizona  and  l)riti>li 
Columbia.  From  the  placers  in  this  neighborhood  it 
is  estimated  that  about  §300,000  had  been  obtaiiieil 
up  to  the  close  of  1883.*^  The  correct  iigures,  how- 
ever, cannot  be  ascertained  even  approximately,  foi-, 
on  account  of  the  heavy  express  charges,  many  of  the 
miners,  proceeding  to  Wi'ang'll,  Victoria,  San  Fran- 
cisco, or   wherever  the}''  pass  the  winter,  carry  with 

Way  ISS'J,  tlioiicjli  hotli  arc  still  nsod.     In  18S1  tlio  town  contained  nljout .').) 
lioiiscs,  ami  Hilic  was  an  Indian  villa!,'uon  both  sides  of  it.  Scidmorc's  AUt.i/.'i, 

8-2-:^. 

*'As  an  instance  of  tlic  little  that  is  known  in  Wasliiiigton  cnneernin!,' tlie 
rcsomccs  of  Alaska,  it  may  lie  nientinnud  that  for  the  tiscal  year  rn(iin.;.)i:ni' 
3U,  ItSSi),  the  ti)t;'.l  Imllion  proihiet  of  Alaska,  was  estimated  by  the  director  cl 
the  mint  ut  .S(J,0<)0,  and  for  the  onsning  year  at  .S7,(X)().  Jloiim'  Er.  l>or.,  ,;;^'^ 
CoiKj.  l^t  Si'ss.,  xiv.,  p.  '2(i0.  In  Sriihnoir'.^  Ahirtkd,  S."*,  the  produet  of  the 
placer  mines  in  the  Takoo  district  alone  is  given  for  1S81  at.Sl;i."),0()0,  for  IS^-J 
lit  S-'.")0,OUO,  and  for  I8S:{  at  .S4(K),0(M).  These  figures  are  dOuhtlcsa  too  hi-h. 
Duiiiig  the  seasons  of  lS)Sl-;t  tlicrc  were  probalily  some  'JOO  miners  at  work 
in  this  district,  and  estimating  their  aver.'ige earnings  iitSsOOeaeh  per  season, 
we  have  a  totiil  of  about  $500,000  for  the  three  years. 


740 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


them  their  own  gokl-dust.  In  1884  the  surface 
tle})osits  .showed  signs  of  exhaustion,  and  many  of 
the  claims  were  aban -.oned,  though  some  that  were 
still  partially  worked  yielded  fair  returns.  !Mean- 
while  prospecting  was  continued,  and  tunnels,  run 
a  short  distance  into  several  quartz  ledges,  disclosed 
a  moderate  amount  of  low-grade  gold  ore,  but  noth- 
ing that,  under  existing  conditions,  would  pay  for 
working. 

In  1885  the  most  prominent  mine  in  Alaska,  and 
one  of  the  most  prominent  on  the  Pacific  coast,  was 
the  Treadwell,  or  as  it  is  now  usually  termed,  the 
Paris  lode,  at  Douglas  Island,  discovered''*  and  re- 
corded in  May  1881,  and  deeded  in  November  of 
that  3^ear  to  Mr  John  Treadwell.  The  pro[)ert.y  was 
afterward  transferred  to  an  incorporation  styled  the 
Alaska  ]\[ill  and  Mining  Company,  of  which,  in  1885, 
Mr  Treadwell  was  superintendent,*'  and  under  whoso 
direction  $400,000  had  been  expended  on  the  develop- 
ment of  the  projjerty.*®  The  results,  however,  fully 
justified  the  outlay.*' 

A  short  time  alter  the  company  took  possession  of 
its  pro})erty  two  tunnels  were  run  into  the  ledge,  and 
thence  and  from  the  surface  ore  was  extracted  and 
worked  in  a  five-stamj)  mill,  for  th .  purpose  of  thor- 
oughly testing  the  mine.  The  returns  being  satisfac- 
tory, a  third  tunnel  was  run,  at  a  vertical  de})th  of  2;}0 
feet.  An  uprise  of  275  feet  at  the  foot-wall,  having 
been  made  to  the  surface,  is  now  used  for  an  ore  chute. 
The  width  of  the  ledge  was  found  to  be  450  feet,  the 

**By  Pierre  Joseph  Ernsara.  FireJiora'n  AlcicLa  Mill  and  Minhxi  Co., 
MS. 

''Receiving  this  appointment  under  the  first  organization,  whun  James 
Freeborn  was  chosen  president,  the  directors  being  J.  J).  Fry,  K.  SI.  Fry.  II. 
L.  Hill,  and  ][.  H.  Shinn.  In  October  ISS.j  the  proprietoi's  M'cre  Senator  J. 
P.  Jones,  Messrs  Freeboni,  Treadwell,  Hill,  Shinn,  ,].  1).  Fry,  and  1"!  M. 
Fry,  all  of  these  gentlemen,  with  tiic  exception  of  the  lirst,  w  ho  held  a  sixth 
interest  in  tlio  property,  being  still  oUicers  of  the  company.  /'/. 

^^  By  the  company.  Id.  In  Kinkead's  Nrvitda  and  Alaxka,  MS.,  1.1,  the 
total  outlay,  including  what  was  expended  before  the  transfer  of  the  property 
by  Mr  Treadwell,  is  given  at  §.")00,000. 

"  In  the  S.  F.  Chroiiklc,  Nov.  17,  1884,  it  is  stated  that  there  was  at  this 
date  §12,000,000  in  sight.     I  give  the  statement  for  what  it  is  worth. 


GOLD  YIELD. 


7*1 


oro-body  averaging  88.50  per  ton  in  free  gold  and  ilvc 
per  cent  of  sul[)liurets,  with  an  assay  value  of  $100  ])er 
ton.  Thereupon  the  company  decided  to  erect  a  120- 
stanip  mill,  with  a  capacity  of  300  tons  per  day,  and 
^vith  48  True  concentrators  and  24  Challenge  ore- 
feeders,  the  mill  being  coni[)leted  in  the  summer  of 
1885.  Between  June  19th  and  Septen)ber  19th  of 
that  year  the  aggregate  yield  amounted  to  $150,000,*^ 
though  for  various  reasons,  the  principal  one  being  an 
unusually  dry  season,  and  the  fact  that  during  the  sum- 
mer the  snow  and  ice  disappeared  altogether  from  the 
neighboring  mountains,  the  mill  stood  idle  for  one  third 
of  this  period.'*''  About  the  close  of  1885,  or  early  in 
the  following  year,  the  superintendent  proposed  to 
erect  two  additional  furnaces,  and  to  j>laee  electric 
lights  in  the  mine,  inill,  and  surrounding  works.^' 

Adjoining  the  Paris  ledge,  and  a  continuation  of 
the  same  vein,  was  the  Bear  ledge,^^  believed  to  be 

••'For  tlic  month  ending  July  19th,  .?")o,000,  .and  for  the  otlicr  two  montlis 
$1)0, 000  mill  !?tl,000  I'cspcctivoly,  the  yield  lioing  ciitiiely  from  fVio  gold  and 
apart  from  siilplniicts.  Fniborn'tt  Ahixka  Mill  anil  Miniii'/  Co.,  MS. 

''■'Sodii  afterward  a  dcspatcli  was  received  from  tiiu  siiperintendcnt,  stat- 
ing that  tlie.'i;  was  a  plentiful  suiiply  of  water,  that  the  works  were  all  iii 
running  onier,  ami  that  the  next  bullion  shipment  would  probably  Ijo  ilie 
largest  yet  made  from  the  mine.   /tl. 

^"Tlic  frame-work  of  the  mill  was  built  of  lundxT  cut  by  the  compallv';^ 
Baw-mill,  which,  up  to  Septemlier  hSSo,  had  turned  out  sonic  'J,'2.')0,0(K)  feet, 
the  I'emaiuder  being  used  for  chloriuatii.n-works  and  the  usual  buildings 
nccde<l  for  a  mine  of  this  description,  amt'Ug  them  being  boarding-houses  for 
the  men,  of  whom  nearly  ."iOO  were  employed  at  good  wages,  the  Indians 
receiving  §00  per  month,  and  M'hito  men  in  proportion.  A  tramway  had 
been  constructed  for  hauling  ore  from  the  chute  to  the  mill,  and  hydraulic 
lunchiucry  has  been  forwarded  for  that  jiurpose,  which  has  greatly  reihiccd 
the  cost  of  transporting  the  ore.  The  mine,  some  1(10  miles  north-east  from 
Sitka,  is  H,"iO  yards  from  the  .shore  of  (Jastiiu'aux  (Jhaiuiel,  ai'd  the  mill  SiiO 
feet  from  the  foot  of  the  chute.  The  ]iresident  states  tiiat  chiring  two  s"asi>ns 
tiie  company  was  robbed  at  least  to  the  ■•unount  nf  .^1 -i),(KfO  by  Hurfaee-mincis, 
who  waalied  oil"  the  top  of  tlie  ledge,  and  as  there  were  no  laws,  or  none  in 
force,  did  very  nuicii  as  they  pleased. 

In  Frriborn'n  Ala^hi  Mill  (tnil  Miiiiii;/  Co.,  MS.,  I  have  been  furnish<:»l 
by  the  president  of  tiic  company  with  a  terse  and  reliable  statement  as  to  the 
condition  and  working  oi  this  mine,  from  which  the  above  facts  and  figures 
are  tfdvcn. 

In  tins  connection  may  1)C  mentioned  recent  ad vice.s  from  Kadiak,  'indcr 
date  Sept.  22,  188,"),  according  to  which  this  section  of  Alaska  had  been 
totally  neglected  by  the  Unite<l  States  and  district  authorities.  Fiom  the 
civil  goverunicut  at  Sitka  nothing  had  been  lieai'd,  and  the  people  were  still 
without  oilicial  notification  of  its  existence  IS  months  after  the  passage  of  the 
act  creating  Alaska  a  civil  au<l  judicial  district.  S.  F,  Bulklin,  Oct.  5,  1885. 

'•Owned  iii  1884  by  Carroll  and  lii,s  partners. 


742 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AXD  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


also  a  valuable  property,  though  as  yet  the  latter 
has  been  but  little  dovcloiiecl.  Elsewhere  anionsjf 
the  mountains  that  ridge  Douglas  Island  from  end 
to  end  are  quartz  lodes  innumerable,  some  of  which 
seem  promising  enough  to  warrant  the  investment 
of  capital.  That  the  most  permanent  mines  so  far 
discovered  in  Alaska  should  be  found  on  an  island 
—  the  island  surveyed  by  Vancouver  more  than 
ninety  years  ago — is  somewliat  of  an  anomaly  in  min- 
ing annals;  but  Alaska,  with  her  inland  seas,  her 
glaciers,  her  midnight  suns  in  midsummer,  her  phantom 
auroras  in  midwinter,  and  her  phantom  government 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  is  the  land  of  anomalies. 

At  present  it  maybe  said  tliat  the  mining  interests 
of  Alaska  are  mainly  centred  in  Douglas  Island. 
Elsewhere  there  may  be  large  deposits  of  ore,  but  none 
of  them  have  yet  been  extensively  worked.  Those  in 
northern  and  central  Alaska  are  too  remote  to  be  made 
available,  and  the  lodes  discovered  near  Sitka  have 
proved  of  little  value,  the  gold-bearing  ore  being  of  low 
grade  and  the  veins  broken  in  formation.  In  a  country 
\\here  travel  is  difficult  and  the  cost  of  transportation 
excessive,  only  those  mines  can  be  made  to  pay  which 
are  situated  near  the  coast,  nnless  they  be  exception- 
ally rich.  Moreover,  on  account  of  the  forests  and 
the  dense  growth  of  moss  which  hide  the  surface, 
Alaska  is  a  very  difficult  country  to  prospect.  As  a 
rule,  outcroppings  are  rarely  Ibund,  and  leads  are 
usuallv  discovered  bv  following  float  ore  and  tracing  it 
up  stream  to  the  main  body.  That  the  territory  will, 
however,  at  some  future  date,  contain  a  not  inconsider- 
able mining  population,  is  almost  beyond  a  peradven- 
ture.  Provisions  are  much  cheaper  than  in  most  of 
the  raining  districts  of  British  Columbia,  and  fish  and 
game  can  be  had  for  nothing.  The  main  drawback 
appears  to  be  that  in  Alaska  miners  are  not  content 
with  such  earnings  as  would  elsewhere  be  considered 
a  reasonable  return  for  their  labor. 


FISIIERirs. 


r43 


Conccrniiiiif  the  fisheries  ol'  Al:isl<a,  a  few  items  re- 
main to  be  acL.ed  to  those  whit-Ii  have  heen  alroatly 
mentioned.  The  cannery  established  by  Cuttinj^  and 
Company,  at  Kasih)ft'  liiver,  on  Cook  Inlet,  in  1882, 
has  been  fairly  successful,  consitlerin;;"  the  difTiculty  in 
establishing  a  new  enterprise  «)f  this  descrij)tion,  the 
jtack,  after  the  first  year,  averai^ini,^  some  20, 000  cases. 
The  vitrieties  packed  are  the  k'uii;  salmon,  the  silver 
sahnon,  and  what  is  known  as  the  reil  fish,  the  last 
l.eiiiijf  similar  to  the  red  salmon  of  the  Fraser  ]liver. 
The  Kasiloffis  not  a  navii^able  stream,  its  source  beinjjf 
a  lake  about  twenty  miles  Irom  its  outlet.  A'essels 
freij^hted  with  ^'oods  for  the  cannery,  or  waiting  for 
the  season's  pack,  arc  compelled  to  lie  in  an  o[)en  road- 
stead, where  there  is  a  heavy  fall  and  lisr  of  the  tide. 
Notwithstanding  this  drawback,  however,  the  firm  is 
satisfied  with  results  so  far,  considering  the  depressed 
condition  of  the  market.  The  Alaska  Sahnon  l*ack- 
iiiLi-  and  Fur  Companv,  at  Nah.a  I'av,  has  also  been 
measurably  successful,  though  in  1885  the  pack  was 
only  of  salt  salmon.  At'  that  date  there  were  two 
other  canneries  in  operation,  one  at  Jiristol  Bay,  nanuid 
the  Arctic  Packini;  Comiianv,  and  tlu;  other  at  Karluk 

O  It/' 

on  Kadiak  Island,  the  pack  of  the  latter  for  1885  being 
about  30,000  cases. 

The  total  pack  of  Alaska  salmon  was  estimated  for 
the  year  1885  at  about  05,000  cases,  and  the  iact 
that,  in  the  face  of  extremely  low  juices,  this  in<lustry 
has  not  only  held  its  own,  but  increased  considerably, 
while  on  the  Cohnnbia  there  has  been  a  considerable 
decrease  in  the  output,  is  significant  of  its  future  suc- 
cess. Thus  far,  however,  profits  have  been  very  light. 
The  amount  of  capital  needed  to  establish  and  con- 
duct the  business  is  disproportionately  large.  l*ay- 
ments  for  material  must  be  made  at  least  four  or  five 
months  before  the  ])roduct  is  laid  down  in  San  Fran- 
cisco or  in  other  markets,  and  it  is  I'ound  necessary  to 
carry  a  large  surplus  stock  of  stores.  The  cost  of  tlie 
passage  of  employes  is  paid  at  all  the  Alaska  canneries, 


fU 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


tog(!tlicr  witli  their  wajj^os  wliile  jounieylnL,'  to  ami  fro; 
and  tlio  roj)air  of  iiiacliincry  is  an  unusually  «.'Xj)eii.s- 
ivo  item.  Tho  prospects  of  the  business  ticpeiul,  ot' 
course,  mainly  on  tlio  continuance  of  heavy  runs  of  lish 
on  the  Columbia  Kiver,  and  it  is  stated  that  the  enor- 
mous catch  year  by  year  has  already  begun  to  ttll 
very  seriously  on  the  run.''"  Tho  supply  of  sahnon  in 
th(.>  waters  of  Alaska  is  practically  unlimited,  and  it 
is  [)robable  that  the  take  is  more  than  offset  l»y  tho 
destruction  of  fur-seals,  which  devour  the  food-fish 
that  frequent  her  shores,  as  salmon,  smelt,  and  mack- 
erel, eaeh  one  consuming,  it  is  said,  no  less  than  sixty 
jxninds  a  day. 

At  Kiliisnoo,  on  the  island  of  Kcnashoo,  oriujinally 
a  whaling-station,  the  Northwfst  'J'rading  Com[);my 
had,  in  1885,  a  large  establishment  where  codfish 
Avere  (hied,  and  herrinuf  antl  doii-iish  oil,  and  fish  i»uano 
manufactured.  J^arge  warehouses  anil  works  were 
built,  near  which  was  a  vilhige  of  Indians  emjtloyed 
as  fishermen,  and  receiving  two  cents  apiece  for  the 
catch  of  codfish,  boats  being  provided  by  the  com- 
]iany.  About  .$100,000  was  invested  in  this  enter- 
prise, the  oil-works  alone  having  cost  $70,000.  The 
cod  in  these  waters  average  about  four  pounds  in 
weight,  and  as  many  as  eight  thousand  are  sometimes 
taken  in  a  single  day,  producing  about  fifteen  hun- 
dred boxes  of  the  dried  fish.  Of  herring,  as  many 
as  five  hundred  barrels  are  occasionally  caught  at  a 
single  haul  of  tho  seine,  each  barrel  yielding  about 
three  sjfallons  of  oil. 

Thus  it  would  appear  that  the  fisheries  of  Alaska 
alone  might  furnish  the  basis  of  a  considerable  com- 
merce; but  under  such  conditions  as  now  exist  in  that 
district,  there  is  little  field  for  commercial  or  in- 
dustrial enterprise,  and  it  may  be  said  that  com- 
merce, in  its  legitimate  sense,  does  not  exist.  Im- 
ports of  duty-paying  goods,  which,  as  I  have  said, 

^'^Ciittinrj  and  Co.'s  Alasl-a  Salmon  FishcHi's.  MS.  In  this  manuscript  I 
have  been  furnislieil  with  a  brief  and  impartial  account  of  the  couditiou  auJ 
pi'ospccta  of  the  Alaska  canneries. 


COMMERCE. 


743 


for  tho  twelve  inoiitlis  I'lidinL,'  ^[arcli  1,  1878,  were 
$.'5,1'!);),  amounted,  tor  tlie  tiseul  year  eiidiiifj^  Jiiiit*  ;}0, 
1882,  to  $8,484;  juid  nieanwliile  domestic  ex|)orts 
showed  a  slight  inci'ease."'^  For  the  latter  year,  it'A\e 
can  Ix'lieve  otlieial  reports,  tho  entire  foreiiifii  trath" 
was  with  British  Cohnubia,  thon,<;]i,  durinjjf  tliat  yeai', 
liiteeii  American  vessels,  with  an  a^j^iH^oate  measun^- 
ment  of  9,4(51  tons,  and  twenty-nin(3  foreii,'n  vessels 
of  8,073  tons,  entered  Alaskan  ]K)rts,  while  tho  clear- 
ances were  twelve  American  vessels  of  8,9!)3  tons, 
and  twenty-nine  foreij^n  vessels  of  8,150  tons." 
JNleanwhile  tho  ship-huilding  industry  had  fallen  some- 
Avhat  into  decadence.  In  1882  there  was  huilt  a 
.single  vessel,  probably  a  iishing-smack,  with  a  meas- 
uri'ment  of  (».4;5  tons — somewhat  of  a  contrast,  com- 
pared with  the  days  of  the  ]lussian  American  Com- 
pany, when,  as  we  have  seen,  a  tleet  of  sea-going 
{ships  was  launched  in  Alaskan  waters. 

A  country  where  there  is  no  commei'ce,  where  there 
are  few  industries,  where  there  are  no  scliools  (;xcept 
those  supjiorted  by  charity,  where  no  title  can  be  had 
to  land,  where  there  are  no  representative  institutions 
and  no  settled  administration,  and  where  the  rainfall 
is  from  five  to  eight  feet  a  year,  does  not,  of  course,  hold 
out  any  very  strong  inducements  to  settlers.  Of  (Jl)O 
persons  who  arrived  at  Alaskan  ports  during  tho  year 
ending  June  30,  1880,  533  were  merely  passengers,  the 
remaining  107  being  miners  from  l^ritish  Columbia. 
For  tho  year  ending  Juno  30,  1882,  matters  were 
still  worse,  the  total  arrivals  mustering  only  27,  of 
"whom  17  were  miners,  while  the  departures  for  that 
year  wore  387.''"  These,  however,  are  merely  the  re- 
turns forwanled  from  the  customs  di.stricts,  and  I  give 
them  for  what  they  are  worth. 

"In  tho  report  on  commerce  and  navigation,  in  Home.  Ex.  Doc,  7,  ^7<A 
Conq.  "il  SesK.,  24,  doniostio  exports  for  tho  year  ending  June  .'{0,  1882,  are 
Bt-itiTi  at  $38,520;  and  in  Id.,  7,  4'^th  (Jomj.  3d  Sess.,  xvi.  24,  for  tiie  year  end- 
ing June  30,  1880,  at  §:n.r)43. 

^*Id.,  7,  47th  Con;/,  u'd  .SVss.,  7.30,  739. 

*^lleporton  connneiee  and  navigation,  in  Home  Ex.  Doc,  7,  .^<A  Cong. 
SdSesa.,  088,  703;  47th  Cowj.  2d  Sesis.,  Id.,  7,  078,  000,  730. 


740 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AXD  JUDICIAL  DISTniCT, 


While  Alnska  remains,  as  it  is  to-day,  littlo  more 
tlian  a  custoiiis  dis^trict,  thoui^h  in  naiiio  a  civil  ami 
judicial  district,  no  better  results  need  he  alitici[)ated. 
J  f  it  should  happen  that  in  the  year  181)0,  when  the 
lease  of  the  Alaska  Connnercial  Company  e.\])ires,  its 
l)rivileges  be  divided,  then  there  would  doubtless  be  a 
considerable  inilux  of  population;  but  wliether  such 
inliux  would,  under  present  conditions,  be  of  benelit 
to  the  territory  or  to  the  United  States  is  a  somewhat 
doubtful  question.  Layin<{  aside,  however,  the  com- 
ments of  the  press,  and  of  disappointed  political  adven- 
turers, it  would  seem  to  an  impartial  observer  that  the 
claims  of  the  company  are  not  altogether  unwortliy  of 
recognition.  Leasing  a  few  leagues  of  rock,  hanging 
almost  midwaybetween  thecontinents,they  have,while 
making  larger  returns  to  stockholders  year  by  year 
than  were  made  by  the  Russian  American  Conij)any 
in  a  decade,  paid  over  to  the  United  States  almost  the 
face  of  the  })urchase  mono}',  and  by  their  forethought 
and  business  tact  furnished,  though  perhaps  incident- 
ally, means  for  wasteful  extravagance  in  other  sections 
of  the  territory.  It  is  [jrobablc  that  the  lessees  of 
the  Prybilof  Islands  were  at  first  no  less  sorely  dis- 
appointed with  tlieir  bargain  than  were  the  purchasers 
of  tlie  Treadwcll  lode,  and  it  is  almost  certain  that  in 
neither  instance  did  the  parties  foresee  the  difficulties 
that  la}'  before  them.  The  fact  that  they  have  con- 
fronted and  overcome  those  difficulties,  and  while 
doing  so  have  laid  bare  some  of  the  resources  of 
Alaska,  is  one  that  needs  not  be  pleaded  against  them. 

What  there  is  to  bo  nleaded  against  them,  save 
perhaps  their  success  as  a  business  association — the 
fact  that  in  1885  they  gathered  nine  tenths  of  the 
world's  supply  of  sea-otter  skins  and  three  fourths  of 
its  supply  of  fur-seal  skins,  their  chain  of  posts  ex- 
tending from  Kamchatka^*  far  inland  to  the  wilder- 
ness  on  the  i)urchase  of  which  the  secretary  of  state 

^^  Where  they  collect  a  few  sea-otter  skins,  a  large  number  of  sables,  and 
from  1,500  to  3,000  blue  fox  skins,  tlic  fur  or  the  last,  though  of  a  dingy 
slate  color,  being  considered  almost  as  valuable  as  that  of  the  white  fox. 


A  OOOD  r.ARflAIX. 


W 


was  nccuscd  of  wastinjjf  67,200,000;  tliat  when  tliey 
t'nt(M'(;(l  upon  this  husiiiuss  .scal-wkins  wero  Itai'cly  sula- 
blu  at  a  dollar,  and  have  shico  tbuiul  a  ready  market 
at  from  twelve  to  twenty  dollars — the  reader  will 
JLid^a;  for  himself  from  the  statements  that  1  have 
laid  before  him." 

Exee[)ting,  perhaps,  Mr  Seward,  none  whoso  namos 
are  known  in  Alaskan  annals  provoked  ahout  the 
year  1870  so  mueh  of  cheap  ridicule  as  did  the  iirm 
that  now  controls  the  seal  islands.  "What,  ^Fr 
Seward,"  asked  a  friend,  "do  you  consider  the  most 
imjioi'tant  measure  of  your  political  career?"  "The 
purchase  of  Alaska,"  he  re[)lied;  "  hut  it  will  take  tho 
peojile  a  generation  to  find  it  out.""* 

"  Of  land  peltry  tho  bulk  was  still  gathered  in  1 885  by  tho  Hudson's 
Miiy  (Jo.,  which  collected  'J.W.OOU  to  .'100,000  iiiiiik  Hkins,  aj^aiiist  inrliapa 
l.i.OiW  or  "iO.OOO  imrelirtscd  by  tlio  Ala'ika  Commercial  Co.,  tlio  latter  also 
gr.th'ring  '-,000  or  10,000  beaver,  ,3,000  or  4,000  marten,  2,000  bear,  and  "),0U0 
or  0,000  lox  skins. 

■'''Presenting  to  the  reader  tho  facts  now  laid  before  him  anil  tlin  con- 
clusions at  vliich  I  have  arrived,  it  remains  only  to  be  8aid  tl'at  botli  liavu 
been  stated  not  without  researeli  ami  liesitiition.  Wlictlier  tliest;  tacts  ami 
conclusions  are  such  as  lie  will  indorse  is  a  matter  now  submitted  to  liis  coii- 
sidcration.  Concerning  the  iinnals  of  Alaska  after  the  transfer,  there  are  m:uiy 
conllicting  opinions,  and  even  as  to  the  military  occupation  there  is  some  lit- 
tle conflict  of  opinion.  Sriys  Capt.  .1.  W.  Wliito  of  tiie  revenue  ser'ico,  who 
was  ordered  to  Alaska  in  1807,  in  conunand  of  tlio  cutter  Liurolii,  lieariu.; 
Professor  Davidson,  senior  coast  survey  odicer,  and  in  charge  of  the  party: 
'As  I  understood  at  the  time  from  my  own  observations,  and  fi'oin  intercourse 
with  tiie  Russians  wlio  could  speak  luiglish  and  understood  tho  language, 
the  trouble  there  was  caused  by  the  fact  that  I'rince  Maksntof  did  not  hap- 
pen to  be  vcrseil  in  tho  English  language,  and  there  being  no  trustwortliy 
interpreter  present,  did  not  knov/  what  he  transferred  to  the  United  States 
authorities.  His  people  would  go  to  hiui  and  say:  "Tins  was  my  house;  tlie 
llussiau  American  Cumi)anj'  donated  it  to  me.  I  am  informed  it  Ixlougs  to 
the  American  government,  and  am  ordered  out  olhiially."'  lie  would  icply: 
"Go  out  officially,  then."  Who  tho  parties  wore  that  took  possession  of  the 
houses  I  don't  know.  They  might  have  lieen  goverinnent  oliicials,  (jr  per- 
haps mere  adventurers;  many  were  renegades  from  all  parts  of  the  world.' 
Wliih'H  Sfatnnnit,  MS.,  o-G. 

Captain  J.  W.  White,  a  native  of  old  Virginia,  and  by  profession  a  sea-f.ir- 
hig  man,  though  hrst  emidoyed  as  a  surveyiji-  on  the  uorthcru  boundaiy  com- 
mission, entered  the  governiMeut  service  in  IS.'r>,  being  then  in  his  "iiiili  year. 
During  the  civil  war  his  vessel  was  stationed  at  tlu^  mouth  of  the  rotomac, 
and,  as  he  relates,  'would  drop  inside  the  cnemy'.i  lines  at  night  and  juck  up 
the  mail-bags.'  In  connnand  of  the  U.  S.  stoamer  Lincoln  ho  voyaged  rmuid 
the  Horn  in  1805,  and  rctuniing  to  California,  superintended  the  l)uild- 
iug  of  all  the  life-boat  stations  on  the  Pacific  coast,  .  !so  the  construction  of 
nine  steamers  for  the  government.  Ordered  to  Alaska  in  1SG7,  it  reuiains 
only  to  bo  said  of  this  well-known  ofliccr  that,  arriving  at  the  Prybilof  Islands 
at  a  somewhat  critical  juncture,  he  interfered  very  reluctantly,  tiioagh  at 
length  decisively,  to  8to|>  all  sealing  then  and  there,  only  granting  the  natives 


748 


ALASKA  AS  A  CIVIL  AN"D  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 


t'le  privilege  of  killing  what  they  neeiic;!  for  f(jO(l,  and  rccrnnnicndeil  tliat  St 
(icorgc  and  St  I'uul  bo  nuule  a  gos'ernnieut  reserve,  whieli  was  aeeurdingly 
done. 

As  with  the  five  preceding  chapters,  I  have  been  coinpelled  to  rely  mainly 
on  the  reports  of  congress,  magazines,  newspapers,  and  in  tliis  instance  tlie 
United  States  statute  relating  to  Alaska,  in  presenting  to  the  reader  the  re- 
cent annals  of  the  tc.Titory 

With  the  exception  of  Alaska,  Its  Southern  Coast  awl  the  Sitkan  Archipel- 
ar,'o,  Inj  E.  Ititliavah  Scidmore,  I  am  not  aware  of  any  work,  apiirt  from  those  of 
a  scientific  nature,  published  witliin  the  last  t'.voor  three  years,  that  contributes 
anything  worthy  of  note  to  the  small  stock  of  information  which  the  Ameri- 
can public  now  possess  concerning  their  possessions  in  the  far  north-west, 
^lost  of  th'j  above  work  was  first  ])ublislied  in  serial  form  in  the  columns  of 
the  St  Louis  Globe- D(»wcrat  and  the  Kew  York  Tawx,  during  the  ye:irs 
lSS;)-4;  to  which  are  added  the  author's  notes  of  a  trip  made  to  the  Sitkan 
Archipelago  during  the  summer  of  the  latter  year,  with  brief  paragraphs 
containing  information  to  a  later  date. 

Subjoined  I  give  a  more  complete  list  of  the  authorities  consulted  in  tlie 
closing  chapter:  //.  E.v.  Doc.,  7,  .'fith  Cong.  3d  Sesx.,  pt  1,  1-25,  8u-llU), 
.3--'0-4'l,  GSS-OO.  T0:J,  710,  713,  8:?4,  842;  lit.,  1,  pt  2,  47th  Confj.  lit  Se.ss., 
l!l()-:{,  rm,  7(iS-Si);  id.,  7,  pt  4,  8O-I,  SS;  /(/.,  1,  ptn,  278,  .SOl;  Id.,  2,  2(i!t; 
/'/.,  1,  pt ;-),  //7lh  Coii'j.  i?d  Ses.i.,  84,  212;  Id.,  pt  5,  27S-S2;  Id  ,  7,  pt  4,  4-2f, 
OO-i;}.-),  222-77,  GSO, '(;01-G,  7:;0,  84(5,  888;  //.  Misc.  Doc.,  42,  47th  Cow/.  .:d 
-S'.'.vs.,  1-80,  9;!-f),  124-77;  I/.  Cow.  l!<plx,  41th  Coii'j.  1st  Sess.,  ZU],  IKKI; 
//.  Jour.,  4S/h  Co»;i.  1st  Scsx.,  1282;  S.  E.v.  Doc,  4i;ih  Coii'j.  3d  .SV.m.,  no.  12, 
p.  45,  ()7;  Id.,  4sih  Cow/.  1st  .SV.vs.,  .SO;  U.  S.  Slut,  at  Lar<ie,  1882-3,  C12; 
Id.,  188;?-4,  24.  20,  01,  io7,  170,  200,  22.'^;  U.  S.  lOlh  Census,  i.  095-9;  Clr- 
cidar  Bureau  Educ.,  no.  2,  ISS2,  01-75;  Kinkead'.-t  Nevada  and  Alaska, 
IMS.,  5,  15;  Bnrehnrd,  Iteport,  etc.,  1881,  100-71;  /'/.,  1882,  184;  Id.,  1SS3, 
17-35;  licpnrt  Direc.  of  the  Mint,  1881,  10;  /(/.,  1SS2,  14;  Contemporaneous 
L'ioii.,  ii.  3;i3-5;  ScUbn'ore,  Alaska,  81  .tse<|.,  O^etscq.,  104-5,  240-7,  200, 
307;  The  Minco,  Minns,  etc.,  507;  Elliott  <(•  Co.  Hist.  Ariz.,  1,  200;  N.  M.v. 
I,\r!sila  Cat.,  1883,  270;  Twson,  Fronterizo,  Jan.  27,  1882;  Salt  Lake  Tribune, 
Juno  ,5,  1883;  San  Frannseo  Al!a,  Mar.  24,  ISSl,  Sept.  25,  Nov.  12,  1882; 
lUdU'iin,  1881,  Mar.  12,  30.  May  11,  21,  June  2,  13,  17;  1882,  Apr.  24;  1S8I, 
June  3,  July  20.  Aug.  19,  Dec.  l"8;  Cfdl,  1884,  ^lay  14,  July  30,  Oct.  28;  Post, 
May  5,  1885;  Chronicle.  1882,  Jan.  17;  1884,  June  .30,  Oct.  28,  29,  Nov.  5.  10, 
17,  2:!;  188.5,  .Tan.  22,  20,  Feb.  5,  May  8,  30;  Sacramento  Uei-ord- Union,  1831, 
Way  20,  21,  Aug.  2G;  18S3,  Dec.  31;  1884,  Feb.  IS,  June  28, 


INDEX. 


Ab",  whaling  established  at,  584. 

"Abram,"  sliip,  114. 

Acapulco,  Malaspina  at,  274. 

Acbakoo  Island,  Isniailof  at,  '2C8. 

Adakli  Island,  natives  of,  72;  Tolstykh 
at,  iL'S;  expedt.  at,  131. 

"Adams,"  U.  8.  steamer,  723. 

Ali'anassic,  missionary,  300. 

AUleck  Canal,  277. 

Atoi^nak,  settlement,  208,  228,  229, 
GS2;  Ageio  at,  (j!37,  ()S8. 

Afognak  Island,  settlement  at,  230, 
287;  trees  on,  32!l;  eliief  of,  34<J; 
fort  on,  414;  loeality  favored,  G80. 

Agaton,  Ininting  exiiedt.  at,  102;  na- 
tives attaeked,  103. 

Aglegnutes,  natives,  144,  320;  fight 
Willi,  320,  34(). 

Agiienlturc,  soil,  3;  experiments,  300, 
3oo;  settlements  for,  352,  333,  300; 
at  lioss  Colony,  48.3-"). 

Aguirre,  Juan  Bautibla,  in  Spanish 
expedt.,  218. 

Aiakhtalik,  villa'_'.',  113,  308. 

Ai;dihtalik  Island,  expetit.  at,  140;  vil- 
lage at,  230. 

Akamok  Island,  278. 

Aknn,  200. 

Akiui  Island,  villa.;-s  on,  502 

Akutan,  expedt.  at,  l.)4;  attaek  on, 
10"). 

Aluitan  Pass,  :?J3. 

Alaska,  geiig.  (iiv'.sioii,  1,  2;  elimate, 
2-5;  diseoMied  J7I0  I,  03-74; 
Spanish  at,  lOV  202;  old  e.\]iloia- 
tions,  203-20;  eul-niis,  2Li4-;!2, 
350-01,  400-.",01t;  fur  tradr,  232- 
54;  misfion  wchk,  300-71;  as  a  U. 
S.  eolony,  500-020;  eoiiimcree,  030- 
50;  lisiieries,  000-70;  settlements, 
071  Mi;  a-rie.  resourees,  GvS7-0; 
mining,  003  8;  as  a  eivil  and  jn 
dieial  distiiet,  717  4S;  j)rolits  of 
pnrcliase,  722;  intei'ior  ex[)lored, 
/32-0. 


Alaska  Commercial  Co.,  actions  of, 
1800-84,  030-50;  charges  against, 
incjuiry  into,  043-51 ;  lease  granted 
to,  044;  stores  of,  081;  payments  to 
govmt,  722;  claims  of,  740,  747. 

Alaska  Mill  and  Mining  Co.,  opera- 
tions of,  740-1. 

Alaska  Salmon  Packing  and  Fur  Co., 
743. 

Alaskan  Mts,  doscrip.,  2,  3. 

Alaska  Traders'  Protective  Assoctn, 
actions  of,  040. 

Alava  Point,  origin  of  name,  277. 

"All;atross,"  voy.  of,  480. 

"Alert,"  ship,  at  Sitka.  400. 

Aleut,  origin  of  word,  100. 

Alieutian  Islands,  vegetation  of.  4; 
visitors  at.  111;  cx])edts  at,  130, 
137;  shipments  fioiii,  242;  ma), 
297,  083;  discovered,  375:  industries 
of,  027;  surveyed,  029;  vhaliiig- 
ground,  008. 

Aleuts,  hunting  cxpcdls,  235,  236, 
280;  desjiondeney  of,  2s0;  treat- 
ment of,  291.  310,  313,  003;  trilnito 
])aitl,  297,  039-41;  character  of, 
042. 

Alexander  I.,  visits  Kruscnstern.  423. 

Alexander  Archipelago,  foreign  traders 
in,  .321,  32.-. 

"Ahxandr,"  ship,  420,  414;  wrecked, 
494. 

"Alexandr\evski,'"ship,  18.->,  187. 

Alexandrovsk.  tradin;,'  p  ist.  202.  321, 
079;  .Shelikuf  ("j.  at.  334,:;;!5;  liar- 
aiiof  at,  395;  Pussians  at,  5J2. 

Alexaiiiirovsk  Fort,  named,  522. 

Alexeief,  I'etlot,  expedt.,  tlualii  of, 
22-4. 

Alexeief,  Ivan,  at  I'lialask.i,  291. 

Alin,  Luka,  partnership  with  .^iiili- 
ktif,  182. 

A liseia  region,  Cossacks  subdue,  1040, 
21. 

Aliseia  River,  .10. 

Alit.ik  15ay,  145. 

AliuiiL  Ca[M',  114,  145. 

(  719 ) 


760 


INDEX. 


Allegretti,  Peter,  in  Billings'  expedt., 
'288,  291,  *2!)4. 

Alinirantc,  Boca  del,  named,  '21 S. 

Altliorj),  Port,  Vaiioouvfr,  at,  •27'J. 

Ainchitka  Island,  181,  '2815. 

American  Russ.  Coiiiiner.  Co.  with- 
draws bid,  G4-1. 

Americana  in  Alexander  Archipelago, 
3'2I;  forestall  Baranof,  384;  en- 
croachments of,  398,  399. 

"Amethyst,"  voy.  of,  481. 

Amik  Island,  191. 

AminaU,  Arsenti,  deposition  of,  144-7. 

Amla  Island,  sciionl  on,  709. 

Andag  Island,  1'28. 

Amli.-i  Island,  1'22,  128,  200. 

Amoor  Iliver,  silver  mines  on,  20. 

Ainossof,  expodt.  of  1723-4.  .'JO,  31. 

Amukhta  Island,  expedt.  at,  1(14. 

Anadir  River,  expedt.  at,  1048,  1728, 
22-4,  37;  Spanherg  at,  41;  Cos- 
sacks of,  292;  Haranof  at,  314;  trad- 
ing post  on,  310. 

Anadirsli,  expedt.  from  1G09,  24. 

Anadirskoi,  Pavhitzki  at,  1730,  41. 

Aiianli,  trilje,  23. 

Anchor  Point,  Cook  names,  '208. 

Anchiigof,  exjjedt.  of,  90. 

"Andreiiin  i  Natdia,"  ship,  wreck  of, 
117,  127-9. 

"Andreian  i  Natalia,"  new  shin,  140; 
voy.  of,  KiS. 

Aiidreianof  Island,  r)7G. 

Aiidreianovski  Islands,  ori^'in  of  name, 
129,  181,  r)30. 

Andreiet'  station  destroyed,  57.'). 

Andreief,  Vassili,  in  cxiie.U.,  93. 

Angarka  river,  Billings  at,  '29.1. 

Ankudinof,  (ierassini,  expedt.,  death 
of,  1808,  22-4. 

Aiili-moMopoly  Assoctn  of  Pac.  Coast, 
actions  of,  049. 

Anvik  river,  expeilt.  at,  DO. 

"Apollon."  ,><loo|nif  wai',  Ti^O. 

Apraxiii,  Count,  iniructious  to,  30. 

"Arali,"  voy.  of,  ri3S. 

"Aranzazu,"'  shiii.  27.'). 

Arhusof,  Lieut,  attack  on  Kolosh, 
429-30. 

Arguello,  Alf.,  Ross  Colony  olFcred 
to,  4.<>S. 

Argiiello,  Concepcion  de,  (juarrcl  with 
Rezanuf,  4.">7. 

"Arkhangel  Mikhail,"  ship,  00,  97; 
voy.  of,  170,  171. 

Armenus,  Moritz,  in  exp  ilt..  94. 

Art'agi,  Ign.icio,  expedt.  nf,  1770, 
217  21 ;  takes  possession  of  latitude 
.-|9  de,'.  8  niin.,  •220. 

"Arthur,"  ship,  '2S0. 


Ashley,  .Tamos  M.,  introduces  bill  to 

organize  ter.,  020. 
Asiak  Islam!,  548. 

.kolkof,  Afanassiy,  in  hunting  ex- 
pedt., 17.')9,  123. 
Astolahe,  ship,  "255. 
Astor,  sends  expedt.  to  Alaska,  468- 

71. 
Astrakhan,  English  at,  1.573,  0. 
Asuncion,  puerto  dc  la,  named,  218. 
Atach  Island,  1'28. 

"Atahnalpa,"  Baranof  purchases,  472. 
Atchu  Island,  128. 
Atklia  Island  discovered,  1 12. 
Atkha,  manufacture  at,  090. 
Atkha  Island,   expedt.  at,  121,  123; 

outbreak  of   natives,   122;  Slielikof 

at,  223;  agent's  crutdty,  448. 
Atlassof,    cou(iuest    of    Kamchatka, 

1700,  '24-0. 
Atnah  Iliver.     See  Co[iper  River. 
"Atrevid.i,"  shiji,  274. 
Attoo  Island,   73,  9.3,  IIG,  1'27,   131. 

170,  173;  fight  at,  102,  104,  105. 
"Aurora,"  frigate,  571. 
Avataiiok  Island,  village  on,  50'2. 
Avatclia  Bay,  expedts  at,  04,  G5,  67, 

74,    93,    131,    290,   205;    coast  ex- 

jilored,  95. 
Ayres  t!eo.,  expedt.  to  Cal,,  470-80; 

purchases  from,  529. 


B 


Bahcock,  petition  of,  1874,  G93. 
I'.alUr  i^iy,  '203,210,  3.")4. 
Bagial,  puerto  del,  named,  21S. 
r>aginei  Alexei.  in  hunting  expedt,  112. 
Bnkal  Lake,  llussiana  at,  '20. 
Braiiibridge,  Port,  named,  278. 
I>akcr  Point,  277. 
Bakof,  Aianassi,  in  expedts,  109,  283, 

2.14,  '290. 
r.idadin,  in  expedt,  294.  290. 
r>:i'uitun,  native  chief,  12S. 
r>iUac!i(f,  Ivan,  in  expedf.,  549. 
Uidlcman,  Cmint,  at  St  Hrlc:ia,  502. 
B.ilin,  \'a.ssili,  liU'iting  expedt.,  108, 

117. 
ll.-dtimore,  Benyovski,  at,  182. 
i],.lushin,    Amos,    in    expidt.,    330; 

ti-eatmrnt  of  natives,  .'ilO;  in  con- 

til)!,  .'142;  eominu.,  ".45. 
B.uieas,  la.^,  Bav,  named,  274. 
Banks,  I'dint.  'ioO,  '2i)S. 
Iliiiks,  I'oit,  named,  259,  '205. 
iJaiiner,  Ivan  Ivanovieh.  biog.  of,  410; 

at    .'^t    Paul,    425,    448;  liaranof'a 

treatment  of,  515. 


INDEX. 


751 


Riinner,  Mrs,  in  charge  of  school,  TOG. 

"Baranof,"  ship,  voy.  of,  540. 

Uarunof,  AlexaiK'-^r,  Aleuts  in  pcrvice 
of,  '238,-2;i9:  conHdcncoof,'2'jn;  treat- 
ment of,  .S02;  on  the  Anadir,  314; 
career  and  tvaita  of,  .Sl.VIW;  paoitio 
attitude,  337,  338:  policv,  340-4; 
olll  acts  of,  30-2-74,  413-20,  4."!;;- 
7,  401-3,  504-9;  troubles  with  mis- 
sionaries, 300-74;  founds  Sitka, 
384—100;  sicknes:j,  384;  desires  re- 
lief. 394,  493;  tour  of  colonies,  304- 
8;  instructions  to,  414;  promoted, 
410,  402;  narrow  escape,  420,  427; 
defeat  of,  4130;  conspiracy  against, 
403-5;  contracts  fjr  C'al.  furs,  477- 
80;  founds  lloss  Colony,  4S1;  dis- 
pute with  Lozarcf,  504;  close  of  ad- 
ministration, 510-29;  deatii,  514; 
ciiaracter,  514-20. 

Baranof  Island,  map  of,  070;  lead 
found  on,  090. 

Barher,  Cai)t.,  at  I'ort  Althorp,  2S0. 

Barclay,  Capt.,  visit  of,  244,  295,  2!)(!. 

Iku'i'ntz,  Willom,  in  cxpedt.,  death, 
11-13. 

Baranovich,  Charles  V., smuggling  by, 
035. 

Barber,  Capt.,  conduct  at  Kadiak,  413; 
at  St  Paul,  401;  wrecked,  402. 

"  llarfolomei  i  Varnabas,"  ship,  voy- 
agt!  of,  is;<. 

Barnabas,  Caiie,  208. 

Barnard,  Lieut,  fate  of,  572— J. 

Baniaslief,  in  e.vpcdt.,  130;  deatii  of, 
148. 

Barren  Island,  208,  287. 

Barton,  Anier.  whaler  at  Novo 
hangelsk,  583. 

Baslimakof,    Feodor,    trial    of, 
701. 

Bashnakof,  Petr,  in  hunting  expedt., 
115;   wrecked,  110. 

Baskakof,  I)i;iitri,  in  cxjicdt.,  04. 

IJa'JSof,  voyage  ot,  1743,99,  102;  death 
of,  101. 

Ilatako.,  in  expe.lts,  23:!,  293. 

Batavia,  llagemeister  at,  527. 

Baturin,  Col,  m  cons[iirai'y,  175,  178; 
escapes,  405. 

Baylio  Hazan,  harbor  named,  275. 

Beach  Cape,  2(55. 

Beardslec, Capt.,  cruise  of,  728;  cliarts 
of,  029. 

Bear  ledge,  acet  of,  741. 

Bears,  bhuk,  scarcity  of,  254. 

Beaton  Island.  277. 

"I{c:ivcr,"bliip,  472. 

Beaver  Bay,  Mcarca  at,  260;  Rczanof 
ut,  445. 


Ark- 
700, 


Ik-avers,  on  Cook  Inlet,  254;  ship- 
ment (il  furs,  059. 

Bcchevin,  expedt.  of,  122,  105. 

Ik'de,  Point,  Cook  names,  208. 

lieeciiey  Cape,  553. 

ik'cchev,  Capt.,  visit  of,  547,  572. 

llelim  Canal,  270.  277. 

Beiim,  ^lagnus  Carl  von,  comdt  of 
Kamchatka  1772,  118,  182;  Cook's 
visit,  21.3. 

Beketof,  Ostrog  built,  1().32,  18. 

Beliaief,  Alexe'i,  exi>loris  Attoo,  101; 
attacks  natives,  105,  100. 

Beliaief,  Larion,  in  hunting  expedt,, 
102. 

Belkovisky,  school  at,  10. 

Belui',  Ivan  in  expe<)t.,  93. 

P.ennet,  Capt.,  expedt.  of,  50.3,  504. 

Bennett  Lake  named,  734. 

Benijovski,  Count,  conspiracy  of,  153, 
175-182,  3!S;  fate  of,  182. 

l>crensen,  William,  in  expedt,  93. 

Bcrczof,  natives  of,  tribute  from,  2.')2. 

Brrezovsky  reveals  conspiracy,  404. 

Bergman,  Isaac,  councilman  of  Sitka, 
001. 

Berg,  Vnssili,  authority,  99. 

Bciing  Bay,  2Ul,  2."i0,  548. 

Bering,  Lt  C,  in  expedt.,  2S.3,  29t. 

Bering  Island,  named,  92;  expedt<  at, 
109,  114,  no,  120,  121,  127,  13;1, 
140,  104,  lOS,  173,  181,  l;n),  223; 
wreck  at,  114. 

Bering  Sea,  pass  into,  209;  survey  of, 
547. 

Bering  Strait,  157,  210,  292,  47:!,  5,32, 
5;i0,  .51 S,  553,  .">70. 

Bering,  Vitus,  vov.  and  expeiU.-scf,  1.3. 
.30-02,01,  75-98;  <locs  of,  43;  char- 
acter, 40,  4S,  07;  family  of,  IS;  r'lar 
acterinvestii,'ated.  59;  separates  from 
Cherikof.  08;   dcatli,  S!». 

Bcrklnm,  Joliaim,  in  expedt.,  94. 

Berrer's  Bay  named,  279. 

IJcrrv,  -Major,  recpiest  for  U.  S.  ship, 
Olil. 

Bctge,  Matthias,  incxpi'dt.,  01,  90,  94. 

ili.it/iiiin,  Andni,  in  conspiracy,  179. 

liielski,  Kasimir,  in  con  piracy,    179. 

Ihllinu's,  Capt.,  voy.,  and  expcdts  (jf, 
13,  42.  190,27.3,  2S2-.304;  iirornotion, 
2^S,  291 ;  result  of  ex]i<dt,,  290-299. 

Biref,  Ivan,  in  expedt,  93, 

Blake,  survey  of,  ,"i70. 

Blaiii'liard,  hunting  cxpedt.  to  Cal. 
iSli,  4S1. 

Blas-idie.  Dr,  medical  sirvicei/f  501-2. 

Bli-iliic  Idand,  in  .Aikli.a  district,  530. 

Blishni,  Island  group,  192. 

" Blossom, "ship,  547. 


r 


752 


ITfDEX. 


Bobrovoi  Bay,   Billings'  expedt.  at, 

280. 
Bocas  de  Quadra,  277. 
Bocliarof,  oxplor.  cxpedts,  230,  20(5- 

70,  318-20,  324,  340,  385. 
Bodega  Bay,  Ayres  at,  480;  Kuskof 

at,  482. 
BoLsherctsk,  ships  wrecked  at,  Gl,  102; 

school  at,  02;  expcdts  at,  04,   103, 

170,   230,    290;  coast  explored,  95; 

conspirators  at,  177,  181. 
"Bolshcrct.sk,".ship,  07. 
Bolsiitretsk,  Ivan,  iu  trading  co.,  ISO. 
"Bordclais,"   French   ship,    voy.    of, 

Bord''.  Boutervilliers  do  la,  death  of, 

Bor(''    '  '       '  ■'nville  dc  la,  death  of. 


"ship,  112,  114. 
Counsellor,    drowning 


' '  Boris  I 
Bornovoloiv 

of,  493. 
Borrowc,  Lt,  actions  at  Fort  Wran- 

gell,  014,  015. 
"  Boston,"  sliip,  voy.  of,  478,  502. 
Boston,  tnulc  with,  440,  454. 
"B')nssole,"  .shi|),  255. 
Boutwell,  Geo.  S.,  testimony  of,  C43, 

045. 
]5owIos,  Capt.,  in  N.  \V.  trade,  400. 
Bradlield  (anal,  277. 
Brady,   John    G.,    Connnr   at  Sitka, 

7-28. 
Brau'in,  in  expedt.,    131-5;    map   of, 

Bnuidorp,  Jiilien,  in  conspiracy,  179. 
Brant,  .Mikliail,  inexi>edt.,  114. 
Brauner,  I'eter,  in  oxjieilt.,  93. 
Brest,  La  I'erouse  leaves,  255. 
Bristol   Bay,   2li;»,  2S7,  521,  530,  502, 

085;  .surveyed,   540;  agric.   at,  087; 

cainiei'v  at,  743. 
Bristow,  B.  II.,  exaniinutiou  of,  043; 

testimony  of,  047,  0.")(;. 
"Brutus,"  .Anier.  ship.  .)25. 
Bnuiuikof,  Sergei, in  liillings'expedt., 

283;  (h'ath  of,  290. 
Brook  Cove,  20.3,  207. 
Brougliton,  \V.  K.,  Lieut,  in  Vancou- 
ver's expedt.,  270. 
Brown,  Capt.,   expedt.   of,  2.39,  277, 

;27'.l,  34S,  319. 
lUiaclie,  defence  of  Mahlonado,  274. 
BuliMof,  Hhii)l)nilder,  L")0.  ' 

Bucareli  Sound,  201,  217. 
I'.iieureli  Tort,  250,  2."p!I,  275,  277. 
Budishelief,  Peter,  in  trading  eo.,  ISO. 
Buuor.  \assill,  at  the  Lena,  1028,  18. 
Bulilakof,     Mikliail,    dirt'clor     Buss. 

Auier.  Co.,  410. 


Bulkley,    C.    S.,   Capt.,   expedt.    of, 

1805,  577. 
Bulldir  Island,  128. 
Bullion,  production,  739. 
Burakof,    Spiridon,    iu    trading    co., 

180. 
Burcnin,  owned  ship,  171. 
Burling  Thomas,  petition  of,  093. 
Burrougli  Bay,  277. 
Busa,  at  the  Vania  1038,  19. 
Busii,  voyjigo  to  Kamchatka,  1710,  31. 
Butzovski,  William,  iu  expedt.,  93. 


Caaniano  Cape,  explored,  277. 

Caamauo,  Jacinto,  voyage  of,  1792, 
275. 

Caldcra,  pncrto  de  la,  namerl,  2 18. 

Caldwell,  Lt,  explor.  expedt.  of,  730. 

California,  explor.  of  coast,  44;  coast 
N.W.  of  explored,  195;  Vancouver 
at,  277;  trade  with,  453,  587; 
"Ji  no"  sent  to,  450. 

Calif(  rnia,  fur-hunting  iu,  478-88; 
crc  (1  failure,  18J9,  537-8;  trado 
wi\n  .Siberia,  0.30. 

Calhio,  Loz^ircf  at,  505. 

Camacho  Island,  named,  273. 

Caniacho,  Jose,  in  Spanish  expedt., 
218. 

Camacho,  Teniente,  expedt.  pre- 
vented, 270. 

Canulen,  I'ort,  named,  280. 

Cunipheli,  Capt.,  exiiedt.  of,  410,  4li2, 
•'•  ,  490-L'. 

Canada,  furs  from,  242. 

C/mdlo-lish,  description  of,  Olii;-7. 

Canning-Stratford,  Lord,  at  conven- 
tion, 1825,  513. 

Canton,  Lisiansky  at,  439. 

('aiitaiu  Bay  surveyed,  290. 

Captain  llarhor,  exiVMlt,  at,  lli4-5, 
190;  Ledyard  at,  212. 

"Captain  Cook,"siiip,  voyage  of ,  243, 
20O. 

Carmen  Island  named,  219. 

"(laroline,"  ship,  388. 

Caspian,  rol)hers  infesting,  9. 

"Catherine,"  voy.  of,  4SI. 

Catlicriue  I.,  tsar's  instruetious  to, 
30. 

Catiierinc  II.,  ord  ■;•"  of.  252-3;  peti- 
tion to,  352;  <'..ath,  377. 

Catherinelii.ig  arsenal,  37. 

Cedar,  yellu\v,  valuer  of,  089  90. 

Cenotapiie,  L'lsle  dii,  named,  250. 

(Census  188!),  7n. 

(,'hageluk  Iviver,  natives  troni,  .'yM. 


INDEX. 


753 


Chaglokof,  in  cxpcdt.,  1740,  04. 

Clialincrs,  I'ort,  27H. 

C'liaiuistio,  iiciuutist  with  Kotzebuc, 
494. 

Cliainisso  Island  iliscovereil,  495. 

C'lianctillor,  Kiciiard,  iu  Hiissia,  8. 

Chapliu  at  Okliotsk,  97.  ' 

"Ciiaron,"  voy.  of,  4S1. 

Chart,  Uvozdef'sland,  39. 

"Chatham."  siiip,  -270,  348. 

Cliatiiani,  Tort,  G79. 

( 'iuithani  Strait,  279.  ^^OQ,  437. 

Chfbaievskoi,  Afanussi,  permit  to, 
101. 

Cliebaievski,  Tercntiy,  at  Attoo  Isl- 
and, rJ8;  liuntiiig  expedt.,  1700, 
1.30;  built  sliip,  140. 

dicbykin,  Ssava,  in  trading  co.,  180. 

Checherir.  Dennis  Ivauovich,  ciu- 
pri'ss'  ()r>i>>r  to,  130. 

Chekin,  Xikii,  •.  in  expedt.,  94. 

Chehii.sken,  Semen,  iu  exi)edt.,  93. 

Cheredof,  Capt.,  iu  eommd  of  Kam- 
cliatka,  111. 

Clierepanof,  Stepan,  hunting  expedt., 
17.VJ,  1-23. 

"Ciieruni  Orel."  shi^i,  29.3,  29.1. 

Cheruuf,  expedt.  of,  TmS. 

CiiernolF,    Ivan,  Kolosh   liost.igc,  438. 

Clieri'ysbcf,  Count,  examines  furtrade, 
308. 

"  Ciiichagof,"  voy.  of,  .547-8. 

Chicliagof  Island,  200,  279. 

(Jl)icli:ig()f,  Lieut,  expedt.  of,  ICO,  194. 

Chieherin,  Gov.,  expedt.  arranged  liy, 
158. 

Cliikiiachef,  Ivan,  iu  expedt.,  1740,  04, 
93;  lUatli,  73. 

Cliile,  fur.  I'roui,  245. 

CliiHiat  mds.,  liostility  of,  1809,  012. 

CIdlkut  Hiver,  exploration  of,  0:^!9. 

Cliinii,  trade  with,  241-3,  409;  trade 
with  Okhot.sk,  422. 

Cliiui'.se,  sea-otter  trade,  88. 

CiiiiKiioi,  iu  expedt.,  100. 

Ciiiniuk.  tiiidiug  post  at,  230 

Cliiiiiat.sk  Capo,  208. 

Chiiiiatz,  native  from,  404. 

Ciiirik(jf,  Alexi'i,  cxpedts  of,  30,  48, 
4!),  .".',),  01,  08,  74,  79,  93,  94;  dis- 
covers Alaska.  07-74;  character,  07; 
sick,  73;  ia  Siberia,  90:  mishap  to, 
190. 

Chirikof  I?ay,  258. 

Cliirikipf  Cape,  259. 

Chirikof  Island  named,  278. 

Chistiakof,  l.ieiit,  voy.  of,  537;  ap- 
pointed gfiveruor,  539;  rule  of,  539- 
4.S,  5,V.'  3. 

Choglokof,  Agafou,  in  expedt,  93. 

UlST.  .\LASliA.     -la 


Cholchek.t,  trouble  with,  600-11. 

Cholmondeley  Sound,  277. 

Clioris,  artist  with  Kotzeliuo,  494. 

Christian  Sound  nam('<l,  2.")9. 

Chugachuik  Gulf,  300;  Barauof  on, 
325. 

ChuLTatsebes,  attack  of,  187;  natives, 
228,  3i;!;  station  in  cnuutry  "f, 
2.'K);  in  hunting  (.'XpediliDii'^,  230  7; 
treachery  of,  208;  dread  of  Itiissiaii-^, 
325;  feud  with,  343;  in  Vakiitat  e\- 
jtedt,  345;  trailing  with  Leljeiluf 
Co.,  .340;  submission  of,  3.">7;  forts 
in  territory  of,  414;  with  Haranol, 
438. 

(Jhugatach  Mts,  3.")0. 

Chugatz  Gulf,  .345,  570;  decrease  of 
fur  yield,  528;  in  Kadiak  district, 
530. 

Chukchi,  land  of,  described,  21;  fight 
with,  1048,  23;  refuse  to  jiay  trili- 
ute,  1711,  27;  lights  of,  17.30-1, 
41-2. 

Chukchi,  country  of,  283,  291;  treach- 
ery of,  29,')-7,  315. 

Chukotcha  lliver,  30. 

Chukotsk  C'ape  surveyed,  547. 

Chukotskoi  Noss,  capo,  27;  battle  at, 
1730,  42. 

Chuprof,  Nikolai,  in  hunting  expeilt., 
174.5,  102-5;  iu  expedition,  175b, 
119. 

Chujirof,  Yakof,  iu  hunting  expedt., 
101-5;  (juliages  on  natives,  119. 

Churches,  liist  liuilt.  (!99,  diocese  es- 
tablished, 701;  cathedral,  702-3. 

Churin,  I  van,  iu  conspiracy,  179. 

Cinnabar,  090. 

Civil  government,  phantom  of,  71S- 
20. 

Clarke,  ("apt.,  journey,  death,  21-1-10. 

Clark  l>ay,  Dixon  at,  2i!5. 

Clark  Island,  Cook  names,  211. 

Clear  Cape,  207. 

(^leivy,  condition  of,  700-1. 

Cleveland,  Capt.,  at  Norfolk  Sound, 
3S8. 

Climate,  rainfall,  711. 

('.lal  fdiiiid  in  ter.,  093-.5. 

Coal  JIailior  iiaiiieil,  202;  Kidalgo 
•visits,  273;  mining  at,  (i93-4. 

Codtiaiiks,  extent  of,  003,  004. 

Cod-fi.'ihery,  003-5. 

Coglilan,  (Japt. ,  I.  ]?.,  services  of,  729. 

Cole,  Senator,  ell'oits  of,  .")9.3. 

Collins,  .Major,  project  nf,  ,')70. 

Colonization,  1783-7,  222-31;  1794-0, 
351  -OO. 

Columbia  lUver,  277;  Alitor  abandons 
post,  472. 


784 


l^TDEX. 


Colyer,  Vincent,  visit  of,  700. 
Coiiimiindur  Island,  expcdt.  at,  1740, 

lOS;    cxpcdt.    at,    I'Jl;    in    Atklia 

district,  5;{0. 
CKiiiiianies,    strife    between,    1791-4, 

Comptroller  Bay,  204;  Thlinkecta  of, 
'J.'W;  adai)ted  to  agriculture,  390. 

Conclusion  Island,  277. 

Conclusion  Port,  Vancouver  at,  280. 

Conde  Island,  273. 

Congress,  measures  of,  603-4. 

Coihitantino  and  Helen,  fort,  414. 

Cook,  interpreter  at  riandwicli  Island, 
4'.I8. 

Cook,  Capt.,  voyage  of,  1778-9,  190, 
202-14,  219,  2t7,  498;  speculations, 
240;  opinions,  2.")];  at  Unalaska, 
2S(J;  at  .Montague  Island,  288;  sur- 
veys of,  2i)0. 

Cook  Inlet,  206,  230,  240,  262-3,  273, 
27S,  2'll.  301,  31"),  5.30,  562;  attack 
ol  natives,  137;  station  established, 
228;  fort  abandoned,  229;  Meares 
at,  260;  settlement  at,  271 ;  Spanish 
s'lip  :vt,  2^7;  sea-otters  in,  .■!I4;  ex- 
pod  t.  to,  ,,21,  681 ;  permanent  estab- 
lislnnt  in,  334;  hostilities  in,  336-9; 
Eussians  at,  .")22;  leading  industry 
of,  627;  cannery  remo%'cd  to,  662; 
settlement  at,  671. 

Cook  river,  256. 

Copenliageu,  Krusenstern's  cxpedt. 
at,  424^ 

Cojiper,  (;95-6. 

Copper  Island,  128;  abundance  of  fur, 
100;  exjieJ  tion  at,  108;  (ilottofat, 
140;  visits  to  forbidden,  141;  hunt- 
ers nt,  168;  expediti(m  at,  170; 
Shelikof  at,  22.3. 

Copi)er  Uiver,  187,  191,208,  210,  278, 
.326,  315,  346,  384,  451,  525,  576; 
copper  obtained  on,  695. 

Coronation  Island,  277. 

"Corwin,"'  U.  fs.  ship,  voy.  of,  610, 
736,  737. 

Cossacks,  attack  of,  1573,  9;  century- 
march,  1578-1724, 14-34;  character, 
16-17. 

Cowan.  Lt,  shooting  of,  017. 

Coxe,  Cai)t.,  at  -Vleutian  Islands,  285; 
with  Trybiiof,  298,  299. 

Cross,  Cape.  2(14,  279. 

Cross  Sound.  204,  220,  230,  259,  204, 
26.5,  274,  279. 

Croyore,  Use  de  la,  named,  2")9. 

Croy6re,  Louis,  in  expedts,  52-61,  04- 
0,  94;  m.ips  of,  65,  76;  death,  74; 
widow  miirries,  90. 

"Cruiser, "  frigate,  539, 


Cruzof  Island,  570. 

Cryniakoo,  visit  to  Hagemeister,  491. 

Cu.-idiay  IJodega,  expedt.  of,  197-202, 

204,  217-21;  map  of  voy.,  198. 
Cuadra  Island,  nauiol,  273. 
Currency  among  Inds,  635. 
Custom  service,  gov.  report,  730. 
Cutting  &  Co.,  canneries,  662,  743. 


D 


Dall,  W.  H.,  Alaska,  574  ct  seq.;  ap- 
pointment of,  577;  survey  of,  629; 
statement,  687. 

Daslikof,  advice  to  Astor,  468. 

liauerkin,  in  cxpedt.,  292,  293. 

Davidof,  Lt,  in  lluss.  Amer.  Co.,  303; 
instructions  to,  450;  fate  of,  458, 
459. 

Davidson,  Geo.,  report  of,  629. 

Davidson,  I'rofessor,  survey  of,  C12, 
61.3. 

D.ivis,  expedt.  of,  481,  529. 

Davis,  Gen.,  comd  of  troops,  009; 
trouble  with  Inds,  009-12. 

Dealarof,  Eustrate,  director  lluss. 
Amer.  Co.,  416. 

De  Fonte,  diseovi  ries  of,  277. 

Do  Fuea,  discoveries  of,  277. 

De  Lauj^le,  in  La  I'erouie's  expedt., 
2.55. 

Delarof,  Eustrate,  exjicdt.  of,  185, 
187-90,  228;  ontertaiuii  .Meare?, 
260;  interview  with  Spanish,  271- 
3;  comd  of  colony,  2.S6;  couti- 
dcnce  of,  299;  character  of,  320, 
321;  biog.,  314.  315. 

Delnrof,  Port,  fort  at,  414. 

De  Le.sseps,  with  La  IVrouse,  312. 

"Delphin,"ship,  .3.3.3,  .3.-)5, 

Delusive  Island,  search  for,  102. 

Demcutief,  in  expeilts,  64,  93;  capture 
of,  69-71. 

Demianenkof,  disaster  of,  455,  450, 
515. 

De  Montarnal,  death  of,  259. 

De  Monti  Hay,  named,  2.50. 

Denbigh,  Cape,  Cook  names,  210. 

Dennis,  I.  C,  deputy  collector,  020, 
025. 

Denniaon,  W.  H.,  Col.,  narrow  escape 
of.  617. 

De  Pierrevcrt,  death  of,  259. 

Derby.  Cape,  Cook  names,  210. 

Deriabin,  fate  of,  572-4. 

Dershabin,  Vassili,  in  cxpedt.,  549. 

'■Deficubierta,"  ship,  274. 

D'Escures,  de.ith  of,  259. 

Deseugauo,  Port,  named,  274. 


INDEX. 


$55 


Dealmef,  Simeon,  expcilt.  of  1G4S-50, 

12,  '2-2-4. 
I)c.sliuriu!ikoi,  Grigor,  iii  trading  co., 

ISO. 
Despotism,  benefits  of,  113. 
Destruction,Strait,  origin  of  name,  390. 
Desty,  Ilobert,  charges  against  Alaska 

Cummer.  Co.,  048-".t;  retracts,  GoU. 
Deviere,    comJr   at    Olchotsk,    1741, 

61-2;  biog.,  61. 
Diakonof,    Vassily,    in    Billings'  cx- 

l.edt.,  283. 
"Diana,"  Rus.sloopof  war, 400-9,571. 
Diomede  Islands,  38,  41. 
"  Discovery,"  tiliip,  202,  270. 
Dixon,  Capt.,  voy.  of  17iS.V0,  210,  2.'jl, 

201-5;  furs  collected  by,  214. 
Dixon  .Sound,  190,  5.S0. 
Dixon  Strait,  275. 

"Dobraia  Namareuia,"  tliip,  285,  520. 
Dodge,  first  mayor  of  Sitka,  (iOl ;  ncct 

of  mil.  occupation,  000,  007. 
Dokliturof,   Lieut,  seut  from  Batavia 

to  colonies,  527. 
Dolores,  puerto  do  los,  named,  218. 
Donskoi,  Vivssili,  in  exiiedt.,  549. 
Douglas,  Cape,  200,  208. 
Douglas,  Capt.,   mistake  of,  248;   at 

Spring  Corner  Cove,  207. 
Douglas  Island,  named,  280;  mining 

at,  097,  740-2. 
Douglas,  Sir  J.ames,  actions  of,  5.57-8. 
Drake,   landing  of,  at    I'oint  Bcycs, 

1589,  481. 
Drunkard's  Bay,  Lisiansky's  visit  to, 

434. 
Drushinniu  Alexci,  voy.  and  expedt., 

114,  121,  131-3;  death,  I.Tl. 
Dudin  (1st),  in  expedt.,  100. 
Dudiu  (2d),  in  expedt.,  100. 
Duko  of  Clarence  Strait,  270,  277. 
Duke  of  York  Island,  277. 
Duncan  Canal,  277. 
Duncan,    Rev.  Wm,    smuggling    by, 

035. 
Duriief,  Radion,  hunting  expedt.  1757, 

114. 
Durygin,  in  trading  co.,  ISO. 
Dusliakof,  Mikhail,  in  trading  co.,  180. 


E 


East,  Cape,  210. 

East  India  Co.,  ship  of,  230;  privi- 
leges to,  245. 

Ebbcts,  Capt.,  voy.  of,  408-171. 

"  Kilipsc,"'   ship,  478;  wrecked,  470. 

Edu.combe,  Cape,  204,  259,  274,  275, 
350,  570. 


Edgecombe,   Mount,   265,    437,    49.1, 

074. 
Education,  advance   of,    700-10;   ap- 
propriation for,   725;    iiiiss.    work, 

720,  727;  gov.  rept  on,  730. 
K'_;ooclishac  Bay,  Cook  na;iii's,  211. 
"  Ekaterina,"   sliip,    3.j2,    ,3.50,    404, 

420. 
"  Elena,"  ship,  voy.  of,  537,  530. 
Kleonof,   Major,    conult    at    Nishne- 

kamtchatsk,  .312. 
Eliot,  voy.  toCal.,  493.497;  captivity, 

494;  at  .Sandwieh  Isls,  499. 
"Eliza,"  ship,  389. 
I'^lizabeth,  Cape,  200,  208,  220,  271, 
^  273,  278.  ^ 
I'^Iizabetli,   Empress,    iiisti'tu'tions   to, 

30;  orders  oi,   107;  ri-yort  to,   127. 
"Elizaveta,"  ship.  97.  I'si,  3S5,  414, 

44,3;  voy.  of,    530,   5.'>7;  wreck   iif, 

455,  515. 
Elliott,   11.   W.,  statement    of,    052, 

0.53. 
Endogarof,  Lieut,  in  expedt..  52,  1)3. 
Kiigano,  Cabo  de,  1911,  204,  2.59. 
Kiigland,  Ivotzcbuo's  re  jcption  in,  iWi; 

war  with  Russia,  570-2. 
English,    cxpodtH   of,    8-10,    259-05, 

321,  .348.  .349;  in  Russ.  employ,  31 !, 

342;  aggres-ivene!<s    of,    247,    248, 

384,  3!Ki;  claims  of,  40v). 
"  Enterprise,"  sliii>,  3S9,  409,  572. 
Hrling,  left  at  lllii'iliuk  liay,  21)4. 
Esehscholtz  Bay,  named,   190. 
Esc'hscholtz,  Dr,  with  Kotzeliuc,  494; 

discovery  of,  43(). 
Esoll)erg,  Andreian,  in    expedt,, 

93. 

Eskimos,  hostility  of,  553. 
Esipuvel,  lialiia  de,  named,  21S. 
I'lstrclla,  jiuerto  ile  !a,  named,  213. 
Etclies,  I'ort.  named.  203;  Rortlocknt, 

201;  station  at,  .339. 
Etolin,   Lieut,    voy.    of,    538,    ,540-8; 

apptd  gov.,  .559;  ofll  .acts  of,   502- 

5,  583. 
Ivulokia  Island,  discovered,  82. 
I'^verette,  Dr,  explor.  of,  735,  736;  on 

mining  outlook,  738. 
"  Experiment,  '  ship,  243,  200. 
Explorations,  olllcial,  1773-9,  194-221. 


Fairwcather,  Cape,  2.56. 
Fairweath.'r,  .Mt,  204,  204. 
Falkland  Islanils,  furs  from,  215. 
Fahiiouth,  Krusensteru'a  expedt.  at, 
424. 


C4, 


J 


756 


INDEX. 


F;\rallones,  hunting-post  established, 
487-8. 

raniuin,  Rnst^cl,  journey  of,  47'2-;{. 

Fedor,  attncic  on  KuHsians,  451. 

Fedoiof,  Ivan,  in  exiu'dt.,  17-7-30,37 
-40;  liioj^.,  40;  cx])lor.  of,  44. 

Feich,  (Jiispar,  in  expcdt.,  1740,  G4-03. 

"  Fcnika,"  ship,  .'{(Jo;  wrecked,  394, 
3!ir). 

Fidalij'o  Volcano,  273. 

FkLiIj^o  Inlet  named,  278. 

Fididgo,  Salvador,  explor.  expedt.  of, 
273-4. 

Figil.  coast  explored  1742,  95. 

Figucrna,  Gov.,  demands  of,  554. 

Filevski,  missionary,  58. 

"  Finland,"  Anicr.  sldp,  .■j25. 

Fischer,  Johann,  in  expedt.,  94. 

Fish,  aliuudance  of,  4;  salmon,  228. 

Fisher,  in  expedt..  ">2. 

Fisheries  lS(i7-84,  0(50-70;  canneries, 
744;  salmon  siipjilv,  745. 

Flassan.  dtiath  of,  2.V.). 

Florcs,  Viceroy,  comnm.  to  king,  272, 
273. 

Florcs,  Canal  de,  named,  271. 

Florcs,  I'ticrto  d(!,  named,  271. 

Fhjrida  Klanca  named,  271. 

FoL"-'y  Island  discovered,  82;  Cook  at, 
20S. 

Fomin,  at  Bristol  Hay,  5(12. 

Forrester  Island,  l!)U,  201. 

"  Fortuna,"  ship,  30,  38,  97;  wrecked, 
GO. 

Fox,  blank,  catch  of,  f).")0. 

Fox,  blue,  catch  of,  (I.")!). 

Fox  Island,  115,  145,  101. 

Fox.  ailver-graj-,  catch  of,  C50, 

FramN-us,  I'ort  des,  243,  250,  257,  270. 

IVaiiklin,  .Sir  ,Iolin,  search  for,  572. 

Frederick,  I'ort,  named,  270. 

Freelnirn,  James,  presdt  of  mining 
c().,  740;  statement  of,  740-1. 

French,  int.  in  N.  W.,  255,  275,  270; 
at  I'etropavlovsk,  200;  in  Alcxan- 
aniler  Archipelago,  321;  visit  Nor- 
folk Sound,  522;  conduct  of,  1854, 
571. 

Frv,  K.  M.,  director  of  mining  co., 
740. 

Fry,  J.  1).,  director  of  mining  eo., 
740. 

Fuclis,  st.ate  counsellor,  picture  of, 
440. 

Fugitive,  village,  434. 

Fuller,  I.  A.,  couucilmiin,  GOl;  sur- 
veyor. 00 1. 

Furj,   Kuss.   trade,  7-10;  yield,  581, 

Fur  Seal  Islands,  discovery,  185,  101. 


Fur-trade,  skins  collected,  100,  lOG- 
12,  115-25;  ut  Copper  Isl.,  100;  on 
Olutorsk  Uiver,  100;  first  monopoly, 
110;  shares  (f  crew,  114;  first  liiack 
fox  skins,  120;  statement  of  Push- 
karef,  121;  end  of  private  cxpedts, 
15(J;  sea-otter  prices,  210;  1783-7, 
231-.54;  exam,  into,  308;  expedt.  of 
Lukhainin,  314;  prices  paid  U.  S., 
638;  in  London,  051;  skins  collected 
1885,  747. 

Furuhelm  elected  gov..  585. 


0 


Gagarin,    Prince    Matvei    Petrovich, 

governor  of  Yakutsk,  27. 
Cagariii,  Vassili  ivanovich,  at  Yakutsk, 

27. 
(lalaktianof,  party  of  attacked,  340. 
CJali,  Francisco,  discovery  claimed,  79. 
Gania,  land  of,  (iO. 

Garcia,  .Tuan,  in  Spanish  expedt.,  21S. 
Gardebol,  Simon,  inexiKjdt.,  94. 
Garliehl,  Dele-ate,  bill  of,  020. 
(iaatou  Island,  named,  273. 
"(lavril,"  ship,  voy.   of,   37,   33,00, 

122,  123,  102. 
Geographical    result   of    liillings'  ex- 
pedt., 2;»(i-8. 
(iennan.  Father,  at  Pavlovsk,  3'.;0,."G7. 
Gibson,  Lieut,  exploration  of,  570. 
Gideon,  Fathci',  .SOO. 
Gideon,  native,  fate  of,  402. 
(ji.t,'edo,  Kevilla,  viceroy  of  ilex.,  105. 
(lileicf,  iidaiid  expedt.,  293. 
Glacier  Hay,  279. 

Glass,  Caj)!. ,  ticiitmcnt  of  Iiids,  72?. 
Glass  factory  at  Irkutsk,  310,  394. 
(iiazachcf  establishes  iron-wurk-*,  1  IS. 
Glazanof,  Audrei,  expedt.  of,  549-52. 
(ila/.of,  O.ssip,  in  <  xpedt.,  93. 
Glidden,  J.  C,  Trip   to  Alnska,  723; 

report  of,  732. 
(}lostcr,Sergt,inSeh\vatkaexpedt,732. 
Glottof,  Ivan,  Aleut  interpreter,  141, 

iiiex[iedt.,  149. 
Glottof,     Stepan,    hunting     expedt., 

1758-02,  120;  voy.  of,    1702-5,  131, 

140-9. 
Gmelin,  .lohann,  in  expedt.,  52-5,  94; 

biog.,  53. 
Gold  discoveries,  09G-8,  737-10. 
Goldstone,   Louis,   exam,  of,  043;  bi'I 

of,  044-0;  letter  of,  047. 
({olikof,  Ivan  L.,  collector  at  Irkutsk, 

184;  fits  out  expedt.,  IS4.  185,  2J3; 

at  court,  300,  .307;  rewards  to,  309; 

request  for  missionaries,  352. 


INDEX. 


w 


Goloilof,  Xikofor,  in  linnliug  expeilt., 

IT.V.t,  !•->;!;  fate  of,  1-J4. 
(loloni  Buy.  'JIO. 
(Joliivin,  MiiiLo,  in  expedt.,  03. 
Goloviu,  C^ount.of  Admiralty  College, 

45. 
"(Jolovnin,"  ship,  540. 
Oolovnia,     Capt.,    inspects    cnlonies 

IS  18,  30();  report  of,  X,H,  Xi'J,  XM. 

5.'!'J;    advice  to   Biiranof,  51."i,  514; 

invcatigationa  (jf,  578,  579. 
Golovniu  Soiuul,  silver  found,  C'JO. 
Goose  Islands,  145. 
Goro,    Capt.,    takes    Cook's    exiwdt. 

home,  'JHJ. 
Goro  Island,  Cook  names,  211. 
Gorlanof,  in  expedt.,  1740,  04. 
Gorlonof,  Alexui,  in  expedt.,  04. 
Gortsciiakof,  Prince,  despatch  of,  59'2. 
(ioviatskoi.  Cape,  icnanied,  300. 
(iialiani  liay,  named,  "2(52. 
"(id  Duke  Konstantin,"  voy.  of,  5.59. 
Gravina  Hay,  named,  '273. 
Gravina  Island,  '277. 
Gray    Harbor,     "Nikolai"    wrecked, 

4S1. 
Gray,  Thomas,  acct  of  Famum's  jour- 
ney, 473. 
(Jrekof  Island,  Yakntat expedt.  at, 345. 
(!ren,  Sim,  in  expedt.,  03. 
Grindall,  Port,  277. 
Ground-squirrel.     See  Fur-trade. 
Gieville,  Cape,  '208,  300. 
Guadalupe  Buy,  discovered,  109. 
Guise,  Capt.,  vovage  of,  2()0. 
Guibett,  1  ort,  '259. 
(iiintlier,  Flias,  in  expedt.,  04. 
(tvozdcf  Mikiiail,  in  cxpedts,  37-40, 

44,  70,94;  chart,  .30;  l)iog.,40. 
Gwin,  Senator,  interviews  with  Kuss. 

miu.,  592. 


H 


Ilaenke  Island,  named,  271. 
llageuieister,  at  Novo    -Vrkhancrcl'^k. 

402;    at   Sandwich    Inlands,  4'i()-2, 

408;    receives    Rnqueleud,    523-5; 

sails   for   llu.ssia,  52(>-27;   succeeds 

Baranof,    510-12.   .■)34;    exiiedt.   of, 

5i7;  praise  of,  ."(31. 
IIai,'cnieister  Islaml.  named,  547. 
Ilaitir,  Senator,  petition  presented  by, 

003. 
Ilaidcn,  Port,  named,  547. 
"  Halcyon,"  ship,  '20.'). 
Haliiiut,  range  of  lisiiery.  005. 
Haliljut  Island,  natives  of,  '209. 
Hall,  Lieut,  in  Billings'  expe  It.,  28-2-  ! 

9;  etforta  agaiuat  scurvy,  '298.  | 


'.  Hamond,  rajK!.  named,  279. 
i  Manna,  Cajit.,  txpidt.  of,  242-3. 
liunsc,  tlie,  in  Ikiitif.  8. 
Har^).  Gonz:iio   l»ptz  <le,  vovage  of, 

1788,  270-2. 
Harris,    liich,    prospecting   i>arty  of, 

739. 
Harrisburg.  descript.  of,  070;  mining 

centre,  007. 
Ifjiskell.  K   \V..  <li^tatty,  728. 
Hawaiian  I.-lamls.  ('(K>k  at,  214;  Port- 
lock  at,  '2(i:>-2li4:  N'ancouver  at,  277; 

Krnsenstern  at,  424;  O'Caiu  at,  478; 

Kotzelnie  at.  407. 
Hawkins  Islaml.  named,  278. 
Havward,  with  I'oitlock,  2(^4. 
Hazy  Islands,  259. 
IleU'l,  H'-nrich.  in  expedt.,  94. 
Heeeta,  Bruno,  expedt.  oi,   107. 
Hector,  <aiK',  •2.50. 
Hoeinskerk,  in  exjM-dt.,  1595.  11. 
He<r,  Andreas,  in  expedt.,  94. 
Helsteilt,    J.,    counciliuan    of    Sitk.i, 

001. 
Hens,  .Jacob,  in  expedt.,  17'27-.30,  37, 

40.  44. 
"  Hcral.l,"  ship.  .572. 
Herdebal,  in  expe.lt.,  1727-30,  37. 
Herm.in,  monk,  ileath  of,  OS'2. 
Hern)Ogen,  i'apc.  nanu>d,  300. 
Herring  lisherv,  0(i5-(i. 
Hill.  II.  L.,  director  of    mining  CO., 

740. 
Hillyer,  M.  C,  niarslial,  biog.,  728. 
Hineiiinbrf>ok   Island,    natives   from, 

187. 
Hindi inbriKtk,  Cape,  named,  205. 
Hiuchinbnx.k   Island,  210,  '207,  27S; 

cross  on.  '281. 
HotTman,  \)v,  in  conspiracy,  175;  fate 

of.  170. 
Ilolkiiam  Bay  named,  2S0. 
Holland,  exiK-.lt.  of.  1504  7,  !<V1'2. 
Holndterg,  researciies  of,  144. 
Homan,  in  .Schwatka  ex)>eilt.,  732. 
Hoiicliarenko,   A.,  ajitation   of,   ()02; 

|iul>lishes  iiews])aper,  077. 
Houtslinofj,  villai'e,  437. 
H<^«1  Ikiy.  named,  270. 
Hooper,  Capt..  visit  of,  5'2G,  019;  opens 

coal  mine,  003. 
HfK»tchen.x>.  village.  019,  024. 
Hiirticnlturt   at   Ross  Colony,  48.5-0. 
Honfihton,  Port,  naniecl,  '2S0, 
Hvvins,  Heinricli,  in  expedt..  03. 
Howard,    Gen.,    recomuiendation   of, 

020. 
Hudson,  voyage  of.  1008-9.  12. 
Hudson   Bay,   jia.ssage   into,  '203;    fur 
shipments,  242. 


'•18 


INDEX. 


Hudsfiii'a  Hay  Co.,  post  of,  190;  Ross 
(Ji)lipiiyolicreilto,4bt>;  (ii.spu  tea  with, 
rio.V-dO;  contract  witii,  Tid,");  leiiso 
P'antc'd,  !'t'X\;  surrcnilcr  i)osse8sioii, 
G,"!;!;  fur  sliiimeiits,  (>j1». 

Hunt,  Wilson  H.,  at  Novo  Ai-ldian- 
f,'cKk,  47-;  on  liaranof  's  cliar:\cter, 
517. 

Hunting,  iiictli-)dofcon(liictiiig,232-0. 

lliitchins,  ('apt.,  at  Spring  Corner 
Cove,  '_'()7. 

Ilutuhinson,  at  Sitka,  0:?fi. 

lliitcliinsiin,  Kohl,  &  Co.,  linssian 
lirotiorty  sold  to,  GMt);  interest  sold 
Alaska  Commer.  Co. ,  G37,  GG-t. 


Icy  Bay,  Yakutat  cxpedt.  at,  347. 

I-y  Cape,  -JIO,  -JIG. 

I:,'ak,  l^isiunsky  visit  to,  4:>3. 

]L,'natii'f,  l.sju,  ivory  .search  of,  21. 

liiri<,',  (ioo.  P.,  coinnir  at  Wrangell, 
7ii8. 

Ili.imna  Lake,  228. 

liianma,  volcano,  20S,  220. 

Liihak.  Thliiikeet  chief.  2(59. 

liliiiliiik,  Ledyard  at,  212;  IJezanof  at, 
44.-.. 

Illiiiliuk  ]5ay,  cxpodt.  at,  1G."(. 

lilinliiik,  har!)or,  ISilHuu.s'  cxpedt.  at, 
2!»l.  •_".»:!:  snrvevcd.  2i)G. 

llliiiliiik,  I'ort,  GS2,  G8:!. 

'•Union,"  ship,  4'Xi,  oOO. 

Ilyainna,  village,  IJJO;  natives  of,  .SG9; 
massacre  at,  392-4;  cxpedt.  at, 
.521. 

Iniporiiil  elforts  and  failures,  1704-79, 
l.;.7-74. 

Indian  reservation,  proposed,  722-3. 

Indigirkaltiver,  19;  Cossacks  at,  1G40, 
20-1;  island  on,  30. 

Innuit,  natives,  207. 

"  Intrepid,"  ship,  182. 

"Investigator,"  at  Kotzebuo  Sound, 
572. 

"  I.>a  Krestitel,"  packet-boat,  97. 

"  Iphiirenia,"  ship,  207. 

Irbit,  fair  at,  242. 

Irkutsk,  founded,  17;  native  educa- 
tion, 230;  Shelikof  at.  231,  310,  377; 
shipments  to,  242;  Billings  at,  283, 
285,  298;  glass  factory,  310,  394. 

Iron,  works,  118;  attempt  to  extract, 
330. 

Irtish  River,  ship  Vmilt  on,  56. 

Irving,  Washington,  on  liaranof's char- 
acter, 517,  518. 

"  Isabella,"  voy.  of,  481,  COG. 


Ishig,  Baranof's  brother  at,  51.1. 

Isliinik,  native  warrior,  145,  14G. 

Islands,  Bay  c>f.  named,  204. 

Isniailof,  GerrassiniC,  orders  to,  I'li'-, 
at  Kurile  lil.,  lS2;  expedt.  of,  183, 
200-70,  278,  .•(25;  visits  Capt.  C.'ok, 
213,  214;  in  Shelikof's  voy.,  2-23;  at 
Trckh  Sviatitcli,  2SG. 

Tssaiuf,  Mikhail,  in  trailing  coy,  ISG. 

Issanakii  Strait,  liaranof  at,  'S'2i). 

Itcha  River.  32. 

Ivanof,  Sotnik,  at  source  of  the  Yaina, 
19. 

Ivanof,  A.,  in  expedt.,  G4,  94;  pro- 
moted, 90. 

Ivanof,  Ignatiy,  fur-trade  monopoly, 
110. 

Ivanof,  Luka,  in  expedt.,  94. 

Ivashcning,  .Stepan,  in  expedt.,  93. 

Ivory,  deposits  of,  21, 


".Jaekall,"  ship,  279,  348-9. 

lacobi,  Ivan  B.,  report  of,  252;  in- 
structions, 200;  medal  sent  by,  ^208; 
ap[)rovc3  Shelikof's  scheme,  303-8. 

"Jamestown,"  siiip,  G^20. 

.Jansen,  Niels,  in  expedt.,  G4,  93. 

Japan,  OCain'a  voy.  to,  478,  479;  re- 
ception of  embassy,  444,  445. 

Japan  current,  elFcct  on  climate,  4. 

Jaiianeso  in  Kamchatka,  '^o. 

.lapanovsky,  settlement,  450. 

"Jenny,"  shi]),  at  Norfolk  Sound,  40S. 

"  loann  Oustioushki,"  ship.  I.VJ. 

"loann  Predtech.a,"  ship,  1.50. 

loassaf,  Bishop,  snptd.  of  missions, 
301;  mediations  of,  3i:{;  olil  acts, 
300-5;  fato  of,  305,  414;  in  Buss. - 
Amer.  Co.,  459. 

Johnstone,  ]\laster,  at  Prince  Freder- 
ick Sound,  280. 

.Jones,  J.  P.,  mine-owner,  740. 

Judicial  dists,  to  be  estiljlisiied,  719. 

Juneau,  Josepli,  prospecting  party  of, 
(7.39. 

"Juno,"  ship,  443,  454,  45G;  wrecked, 
473-5. 

Juvenal,  missionary,  300;  career  and 
death,  305-74. 


Kabanof,  death  of,  403-5. 

Kaboi'of,  Lieut,   conidt  at  Petropav- 

lovsk,  3P2. 
Kachikof,  in  expedt.,  1740,  04;  death, 

73. 


INDEX. 


7o9 


"Ka(liak,"^!iip,   ^0,2.    IRl,  -IS-^,  .W-i. 

Kudiiik  Islaml,  I'JS,  •.•()!),  -JJS,  •J;U1,  -271, 
l{0(i,  oTiJ;  as  a  t;razing  ciiiiiitry,  l{, 
4;    iliscoviTV    of,    111;   cxpcdts    at, 

lai,  171,  i«i.  -Ji:!,  -JiiO,  i;7.<,  'J7.s. 
:!i  I,  .'ijo,  .sM-_\  :{;;4,  ;{;{7,  37(1,  4j:., 

4:i-_',  V.)-2.  r)-2-2,  547;  conllict  witli 
iialivc'.-t,  JS7,  142,  14.S;  on  CooU'a 
ihi'.rt,  '.'OS;  settkineiit  at,  224,  28(i, 
2!).'.,  :!0.'),  as.');  climate.  .SOO;  natives 
of,  .'{02,  31.'t,34o;  trees  on,  .'i2'J;agric. 
at,  a.")!,  GS7,  OSS;  exiles  at,  'X)'>;  jxip- 
tilation,  liM;  nia.ssacrc  at,  3!r2;  ice 
trade,  ,")S7;  sea-otter  catch,  iio'J;  map 
of,  GSO;  le.id  found.  00(j. 

Kaillikfjf,  Capt,  report  of,  .IS.S. 

M.4iln,  native  witli  Kotzebuc,  501. 

KiiKuiak  Uay,  208. 

J'^ali;an,  Capo,  259. 

Kaigans,  treacliery  of,  52.1-!^. 

lv;di<!  Imlians,  trouliles  M'itli,  (511-12. 

Kaknu  Kiver,  ;i35,  342,  305. 

Kalatclicva  I>ay,  expedt.  at,  125. 

Kulekhtaii  ]5ay,  211. 

Kalekhtali,  expedt.  at,  1.34. 

Kal;_;iii  I.sland,  seal  hunt  on,  3f!8. 

Kalinin,  pilot  of  tlic  "Neva," 
drowned,  403. 

Kalistrat,  native,  fate  of,  402. 

Kaljiislies,  native  hunters,  101,  238, 
.'"!i7;  intercourse  with  traders,  240, 
211;  trouble  with,  320,  327,  34'J-t, 
340. 

Kamchatka,  occupation  of,  1700,  24- 
20;  oxpedts  at,  31-2.  3.')-02,  01, 
0.">,  112,  114,  127,  100,  303,  402; 
Aleut  baptized  at,  142;  small-pox 
ravages,  l(i4;  siiipinents  from,  242; 
tradiuj,'  post,  310;  coast  of,  377; 
conspirators  at,  405. 

Kanich.'inieha,  native  king,  401,  402, 
407-0. 

Kamuishak  Bay,  trading  post  at,  230; 
sliip  driven  into,  3.">7. 

K.uiaga  Island,  128,  120. 

Kaniak  Island,  expedt.  at,  MQ. 

Kaniat  Bay,  145. 

Ivanislichef,  Fedor,  in  expedt.,  03. 

Kapitan  Bay,  expedt.  at,  135,  154. 

'■Kapiton."\ship,  118. 

Karabelnikof,  I'avel,  in  hunting  ex- 
pedt., 102. 

Karnghinski,  hunting  expedt.  at,  100. 

Karagin  Island,  157. 

Karluk,  tr.iding  post,  230,  3.")7;  tan- 
nery at,  090. 

Karniauof,  Lazar,  in  hunting  expedt. 
102. 

Karpof,  Feodor,  in  Billings'  expedt. 
283. 


Karta  Bay,  copper  mine  at,  005. 

KuHheli  f,  Ivan,  iu  expedt.,  03. 

Kaslii'vaiof,  Alixan.liT,  on  lii'luvnin'.s 
report,  531;  ex])edt.  of  530.  X>'2, 
553;  exposes  abuses,  570;  chartn  of, 
092. 

Ka.<hinia,  meaning  of,  145. 

Kasliniak,  inter[)reter,  1!;S. 

Kashiinok,  moii'.ii  of  ^'uklln,  .Vil. 

Kassilof  liiver,  establishment  on,  334, 
3.35;   cannery  on,  743. 

Kataief  Krcst,  cross  erected,  29. 

Katlean.     .See  Katleut. 

Katletit,  Sitkan  chief.  .387-8. 

Katlewah,  native,  3(i'.l;  bapti/od,  372. 

Katniai,  Kus-i.ins  at,  .')22;  potroloum 
found  at,,  0!15. 

Katinak,  trading  jiost  at,  230. 

Katiiiala  Hay,  trading  j.ost,  230. 

Kanai  Island,  king  ot,  oOiJ. 

Kayak,  I'oast  of,  ;{80. 

Kayo  Island,  187,  204,  210,  288.  2S9. 

Kixinieriif,  Lev,  in  ex(ieclt.,  03. 

Kenai,  natives  of,  207,  228,  .300,  345; 
station  ill,  230;  attaciv  on,  M04. 

Kenai  l>,iy,  3!)4,  414,  570;  coal-niiu- 
iag  at.  003. 

Kenai,  Ca)ic,  fort  at,  414. 

Kenai  Gulf,  3.:1.  .328,  :i34,  .3.3S,  307, 
5.30;  trouble  with  native.^  .305;  Kn  ;- 
lisli  claim  to,  400;  decrease  of  fur 
yield,  .52'i. 

Kenai  Mtn,  350. 

Kenai  I'.iver,  .Invenal  at.  3';S. 

Kcnidcott,  journey  of,  .'170. 

Khah/,of,  .Masti.'r,  at  Novo  Arkhan- 
gelsk, 5.30. 

Khaiinzoi)!;a  lliver,  32. 

Kharinzdf  liiver,  expedt.  at,  157. 

Kliitrof,  in  expedt. ,  1740,04,80;  jour- 
nal, 07;  in  expedt.,  1741-2.  02,  03. 

Khlebnikol',  version  of  massacre,  410- 
12;  with  Barauof,  420;  ranclio  at 
Bodega,  480;  of  Hnss.  Atner.  Co., 
512;  oiiinion  of  Baninof,  514,  515. 

KInnetevski,  Vassili,  in  expedt.,  03; 
wrecked,  07. 

Khok-lievnikof,  Ivan,  in  hunting  ex- 
pel t.,  102. 

Kholodilof,  Feodor,  expedt.,  1740, 108; 
17.5.3-4,  11.5-110. 

Khotiaintzof,  ni-tte.    '  r.*;!!,  00. 

Khotiaintzof,  Nik'  ..  ;  ex[)edt.,  04, 
03. 

Khotumzevskoi,  baptizes  native  of 
Attoo,  105. 

Khramchemka,  mate  with  Kotzebuo, 
494. 

Khramchcnko,  expedt.  of,  540 

Khronia  1U\  er,  20.  • 


7G0 


INDEX. 


Klita-nluk  Island.  SecNiichck  Island. 
Kiiu'li.iUof,  c'xpc'dt.  of,  i;i'_'-4. 
Kiiv{jaii>f,  Iviuut,  ill  iiiiHH.  Amor.  Co., 

:{(i;i,  414;  faU',  4r)S,  4Ji). 
KiiiUlila,  Shelikof  luavos,   18"J;  over- 

IukI  tiatli^  to,  '^42,  aOC;  trade  with 

(  liiiia,  4J2. 
Kii;iltlit<>wik,  expe<lt.  at,  .'>49. 
\\  I  111", a  l!ay,  llijpat,  l.V.)7,  12. 
ICi'iiula,  native  fiMiii,  404. 
r.iiliidii  liiiy.  l^lsianHky"a  visit  to,  4.14. 
;Ii::iia.s,  iialivca,  l!(l. 
Kinkaid,  C  A.,  cuuiiuiliuan  of  8itka, 

i;;)i. 

]CiiiUe:id,.J.  lf.,.ipptdgov.,  l)iog.,727; 

report  of,  72S-.T2. 
Kiudiarof,  Ivan,  in  t'xpcdt.,  94. 
Kin;,',   <'aiit.,\vith  Cook,  20S;  cxain- 

iius  NorLoii  Hay,  211. 
"  i\iii,;  Ccjorj^u,"  sliii),  244,  2(i2— 4. 
Kin;,'  Ciorge  Island,  27'.>. 
King  (Jeorge  Sourd,  furs  colk'Cted  at, 

242.  24;{. 
King  Island,  discovered,  210. 
Kiiuk  liivcr,  Cook  at,  207. 
Kirl^y,  journey  of,  r)7li. 
Kinn-k(iy  Itiver,  saw-mill  on,  (190. 
Kiriiof,  supports  expedt.,  17;»l,  -io. 
ivi^;iel('f,   at   Aleutian    Isles,   ;}21;   at 

Pi-inco  William  Sound,  .■)44. 
Kislika  Island,  S.'i. 
Kiiwlakovsky,  acting  master,  voy.  of, 

'>;MJ-1. 
Kitlitz,  \^on,  report  of,  547. 
"  Kliinent,"  ship,  voyage  of,  184;   at 

Kadiak,  221. 
Kllinolisky,  Andrei,  Kolosh  hostage, 

4:!S. 
Kloli,  Kutz,  native  map-maker,  "i'.iS. 
Klokachef  .Sound,   entrance   to,   200, 

;W4. 
Kiotchof,  Master,  voy.  of,  530-7. 
Klov.ak,  cannery  built  at,  002. 
Khiehevskaia,    eruption  of    volcano, 

101. 
Ki:;'.g.','e,  .Tacol),  in  expedt.,  549. 
Kol)e!el,  ill  IJillings' expedt.,  292,  293. 
Koch,  death  of,  hiog.,  492-3. 
Kodichef,  wrecked,  01. 
Koiyehak  river,  325. 
Kokovin,  in  expedt.,  1.3.3-5;  with  So- 
lo vief,  151. 
Koliina,.  Cossack   subdue,    1040,    21; 

expedts    from,    ISOS,     1711,    22-4, 

28   29. 
Koiima  River,  19,  2S.3. 
Kolniakof,  ,\lexaii<ler,  in  expedt.,  547. 
Koloniin,     I'eredovehik,    at    Kadiak, 

314;   ex])edt.  of,  334-8;   conitnn  to 
■    Purtof,  345. 


Koloshcs,  natives,  144;  attack  expcf' 
380,  387;  friendly,  400;  revolt 
401;  ma.-isaere  their  children,  4..  , 
treaty  with,  438,  4.39;  tn.ublo  with, 
40."!,  47.3,  574;  trade  with,  528;  re- 
moval of,  535;  li(|Uor  trallic  among, 
559,  500;  sma!l-pox  among,  500; 
education  of,  70(i. 

Kolyehef,  Fedor,  in  expedt.,  93. 

Koinjwkooa  Kiver,  32. 

Koiidakof,  Geraasin,  Kolosh  hostage. 

_  4:;8. 

Koniagas,   natives,    191;  attack  Rus- 
sians, 225,  220. 

Kunnygiii,  Ivan,  statement,  574. 

Konovalof,   (i rigor,  hunting  expedt., 
c  Jiiduct  of,  335-42. 

"  K<uistantin,"  sloop,  at  Kadiak,  380. 

Konstautiiie,  Fort,  .357,  522. 

K(jn;;tatilinov:;k,  redoubt   built, 
Koloshes  attack,  451,  452. 

Kooskoir,  with  Lisiansky,  42S. 

K()[p;ii,  p.'.y  trilnite,  1724,  30,  31. 

Kopilof,  Andrei',  at  Pacific,   lOIV.t, 

Koiasakov.^ky,  expedt.  of,  521-2. 

K.or',iin,  Stc|ian,    rescue   of,    131; 
expedt.,   132-13."). 

Korenef,  in  expedt.,  150. 

Kariaka,  treatment  of  expedt 

Koro.stlcf,  Dmitri,  in  expedt. 

Korotaief,  Ivan,  in  trading  eo. 

KoiMvin,    expedt.    of,     131.    '' 


320; 


0. 


100. 
04,  9.3. 
'SO. 
). 


148-9;  with  Solovief,   151; 

132. 
Korzakof,    Alexander,    Prince,    con- 
duets  inquiry  against  Pechevin,  IJfi. 
Koshigin  Hay,  Haranof  wrecked,  318. 
Koshigin,  Yelini,  in  expedt.,  1.32. 
lv(jstroinitin,  Peter,  statement  of,  G03, 

083-4. 
Kotclnikof,  party  o^    captured,  340. 
Kotovchikof,  death  of,  328. 
Kotzebue,  Otto  von,  expedt.  of,  494- 

■")02;  rcturn.s  to  Russia,  502;  family 

of,  503;  sf.coud expedt.,  1823-0, 540, 

541. 
Kotzebue  Sound,  553,  572;    map  of, 

495. 
Kou   Island,  Gen.  Davis  expedt.  to, 

012. 
Kovinia  River,    283,  284,    292,   295, 

290. 
Koj'ukans.  outbreak  of,  572-4. 
Koyukuk  River,  explored,  5.J3. 
Kozantzof,  accusations  of,  58,  59. 
Kozlof,   Feodor,  ship-builder,  47;  in 

expedt.,  9.3. 
Kozlof,  Kiril,  in  hunting  expedt.,  102. 
Kozlof- Ugrcuin,    Grigor,     coindt     of 

Okhotsk,  orders  of,  310-12. 


INDi:X. 


m 


Knzmii),  sliip-hiiildpr,  07. 
Ki'Z.niuj^.  Andrei,  in  cxpedt,  93. 
Kinslieiir.iUuf,  Htudeiit,  (Jl ;  in  uxpcdt., 

(M,  100. 
KnisMoyarsk,  Kfianof's  death  at,  4G0. 
Ki'ii.siiiliiikof,  Ahdifi,  in  cxpi-dt.,  114, 

J»4. 
KniHsilnikof,  S.,  in  liunting  cxpedts, 

I !.')-! 7, 1  •-'(),  i-j:j.  lo.J. 

Ivicnitzin,  IVtr  Kuniich,  exyiedt.  of, 

1704-71,  l.')U-(J7;  duatb  of,  1(17. 
KiH'stovsky  Hay,  expi'ilt.  at,  4l'S. 
Ki'iijsio  l»lanii,  in  .\tUiia  district,  'liW. 
Ki'ivishin,  Vassili,  in  tiadinj,' cci.,  180. 
Krivorotdf,  lits  out  oxjiodt.,  lb.). 
Kronotzkoi,    Cape,    coast    explored, 

]74->, 'J-->. 
Kronstadt,  return  of  cxpedt.  to,  440; 

Kotzohiie  li^aTus,  4!)4;  suppliua  seut 

from,  u.'jO;  oxpedta  from,   1821-40, 

50."). 
"  Krotky,"  voy.  of,  .•)17. 
KniiUot,  orders  to,  !jOi. 
Krusoustern,  Cape,  iK'.med,  490. 
Knisenstern,  Lieut,  ex|)edt.  and  pro- 
ject of,  4'_'i-r);  return  to  .St  I'eters- 

burj,',  440--_'. 
Krustief,  in  conspiracy,  178. 
Krutogorova  Kiver,  .'J2. 
Kriizot  laluud,  "JOO,  4:57,  074;  map  of, 

070. 
Kucliekinak  Bay,  trading  post  at,  340. 
Kuicliak  River,  Koraaakov.sky  expedt. 

on,  .j^l. 
Kuikhtak  Island,  discovery  of,  300. 
Kulikatof,   in   expedt.,   344;    punish- 

niciit  of,  448. 
Kulkof,  hunting  expedt.,  17">9,    123; 

ship-owner,  l.'il;  rewarded,  loo;  in 

trading  co. ,  180. 
Kunien,  Afanassiy,in  conspiracy,  179. 
Kuprianof,  Gov.,  appt.  govr,  u.)4. 
Kuprianof  Island,  280. 
Kurile,  district,  Si'M. 
Kurile  Islands,   'M,  44,  97,  181,  223, 

307,  310,  35.-),   377,  410,  445,  494, 

532,  545;  map,  545. 
Kurile  Straits,  570. 
Kuskof,    at  Kadiak,  hiog.,   .3.50;    ex- 

pedts,  .387,  481,  483:   eonul  at  ,St 

Konstautin,  395;slii[i-building,  4JJ; 

comd    at  Novo  Arklian  ,'clsk,  401; 

promoted,  402;  I'ouuds  Ross  Colony, 

482. 
Kuskokvim,  expedt.  at,  522. 
Kuskokvini   Kiver,  5,  209,  211,  530, 

540,  547,  553. 
Kuskovkim  Valley,  085. 
Kiistatan,  (Jook  at,  207. 
"Kutusof,"  ship,  504,  510,  511,  514. 


Ktizuetzof,  Ar.senins,  expedt.  of,  1S4; 

in  trailing  eo.,  180. 
Ku/iietzof,  Dniitri,  in  conspiracy,  17'.). 
Knznetzof,  Yeluii,  with  IJa-soi,  101. 
Kvaas,  descpt.  of,  233. 
Kviclmk  River,  in   Mikailnf  district, 

530. 
Kvigin  River,  547. 
Kviklipak,  school  at,  709. 
Kvigym  I'ainiigiiinte,  exju'dt.  at.  HoQ. 
Kvo.sdof,  Lt,  iiistruotion.s  to,  4."(). 
Kvosdiif,    Rczanof's    instructions   to, 

450. 
Kyak  Island,  78,  208;  map,  21i/. 
Kyginik,  native,  152. 


L,ickn).an,  partner  of  Baranof,  394. 

"Ladoga,"  .'doop  of  war,  53'.). 

I^diiigidn,  .Steiiau,  trader,  303. 

"  Lady,"  ship,  -172. 

"La  Flavia,"ship,  209. 

Laguiiof,  in  (■x[)udt.,  1740,  04. 

Lakhaniit,  natives,  191. 

Land  (list  created,  720. 

LangsdorfT,  (J.   H.    von,  in    expedt., 

41  ;,  424,  443;  voyages  and  travels, 

4  a -2. 
La    I'erousc,    meets     Pryhilof,     lO;*; 

voyage  of,   1785-0,   213,211,   2,55- 

9,   282,  312;    instructions  to,    2.50; 

charts  of,  092. 
Lapin,  Ivan,  statement  of,  121 ;  oukaz 

issued  to,  120',  expedt.  of,  1702,  130; 

forms  CO.,  153,  180;  lits  out  exijeclt., 

109;  at  St  Petersburg,  174. 
I^aptief,  Lt  Dmitri,  in  expedt.,  52,  93. 
Laptief,    Lt  Ilariton,  in  expedt.,   52, 

93. 
Lariou,  attack  ou  Nulato,  573-4. 
Lai'ionof,     Ivan,     petition     of,     302; 

troubles  of,  390;  agent  at  Uiuilaska, 

417,  447,  448. 
"Lark,"  shii),  wrecked,  231,  472. 
Lassonius,  Lt,  in  expedt.,  .")1,  93;  a;)- 

pointment  of,  52;  on  Lena  Uiver,  5  i. 
La.ssef,  Anton  Ivanovich,  at  Irkusk, 

1770,  120. 
Lau,  Joiianu,  in  expedt.,  04,  94. 
Lavaslief,  expeilt.  ot,   194. 
L;iw  and  protection,  country  without, 

004-0. 
Lazaref,  Maxim,  in  expedt.,  115,  127, 
F-icad  discovered,  090. 
Lebedef,   Capt.,   voy.    of,    174.5,    101. 

conidr  of  Kamchatka,  1 10. 
Lel)cdcf,    Ekateriua,    testimony     of, 

407-10. 


7C2 


IXPEX. 


Lfbcdef,  Lastoohkin,  fits  out  cxpedt., 
IS.-). 

LeIiciUf  Co.,  .>r<;nnizwl,  180;  transac- 
tions of,  'Jiio.  fill,  :«4-:h:5'.>,  :«.■>,  :i.".7: 

troulilifs   witli   .Sliflikoir  Co.,  339- 

4-2,  37<>,  :!:).■>;  fall  of,  343. 
Lf  (Ha IK  if  Si  Ml  ml,  420. 
l.iiilyiiid,  ('(ivj)!,  oxjiedt.  of,  18.1. 
Lijdy.ird,  .lnlni,  joiiini-y  of,  il'^- 1,}. 
li'inan,  in  land  rxpedt., 'jy.'l, 
1,(!  Mt'siuiur  I'oiiit,  277. 
l.oiia  Itivcr,  Cossack's  rottcdi,  1G28,  IS. 
J^i'oiitiff,  killrd  liy  conspiiators,  17'.'. 
1-r.slioliiut.ky,  revtals  consijiracy,  404- 

Leskin,  Agapius,  in  cx['cdt.,  1)4. 

Lo.stiiikof,  'IVrt'uty,  charge  prffenvd 
by,  700. 

Lcvasluf,  Cajit.,  expcdt.  of,  l.-)4,  1.59- 
07;  siitlcriijL,3  of,  294. 

Luwisi,  Andrew  T.,  clerk  of  court, 
728. 

Library  at  Sitka,  077. 

Lima,  llaLjfiut'ister  at,  511;  Roque- 
foi.d  at,V)22 

"  Lincoln,"'  ship,  028. 

Lindorniiain  Lake  named,  734. 

J^in.sclioU'n,  in  cxpedt.,  I.j',)4  ■"),  10,  11. 

Liipuir  tratlic,  gov.  report.  730,  7."tl. 

Litjljurnc,  L'ajic,  210. 

]^isian.^ky,  Capt.,  cxpedt.  of,  422-42; 
Inog.,  441. 

L'isli!,  Jo.seph  de,  compiles  map.  Til. 

JiiKsiev  It<land,  in  Uiialaska  district, 
oDO. 

Live-stock,  088. 

Lliaum  I  Lake,  287,  .Tr>. 

lioliaskliet',  I'rokop,  in  hunting  ex- 
ludt,  17.')!),  123;  fate  of,  121. 

Lolichof,  (irii^or,  in  eonspnacy.  170. 

liondon,  11.  1).  Co.  furs  at,  242;  lie- 
zatiof,  4.'i2;  fur-dyeing  industry, 
0.-)S. 

Loiic'.'an,  cxplor.  expedt.  of,  7.'J0. 

Li)|ialka,  Cape,  04. 

L.iroli'u,  Dmitri,  in  trading  co. .  180. 

Los  Itemed ios,  I'oi't,  2.-)0. 

Losscf,  in  Konovalof  ex[iedt.  337. 

Lo'.ieks,  Lt,  actions  at  t'ort  Wran- 
gejl,  013. 

Loutlian,  Frank  K.,  experiences  of, 
012. 

l^owcr  Volga,  robbers  infesting,  9. 

]/)\viy,  Capt.,  voyage  of,  200. 

Lozilref,  Cant.,  voy.  of,  504-5;  dis- 
putes with  Ikranof,  504. 

Ltua,  natives  fi'om,  230,  348. 

Ltua  liay,  Li  I'erou.se  .at,  'M3;  de- 
scribed, 2.-)0,  2.")7;  sea-otter  hunting 
at,  3.")7;  Knyiisli  claim  to,  400. 


Lukanin,  orders  io,  126;  with  Ismai- 
Iwf,  183;  tr.-atnu'nt  of  natnes,  201. 

Lukin,  in  oxpedt.,  551-2. 

Liinsenino,  Joliann,  in  expedt.,  04, 

JiUNliin,  Fedor,  mission  of,  1710-21, 
32,  44. 

Liitke,  Capt.  von,  cxpedt.  of,  1820, 
5U;-7;  chart  of,  002. 

Lynn  Canal,  explored,  270. 

Lynx.     See  Fur-trade. 


M 

Maagor,  fate  of,  1800,  011-12. 
.Macao,   conspirators    arrive    at,    182; 

sale  of  fui'.-i,  244;  Marcliuud  at,  215. 
Miukercl  fishery,  000. 
Madagascar,  Ucnyovski  at,  182. 
.Madrc  de  Dios,  named,  2IS. 
Mahoiiey,  Frank,  councilman  of  Sitka 

1807,  001. 
-Mails,  gov.  report  on,  720. 
Main,  John,  in  expedts,  283,  29.3. 
Makar,  ■Icmmouakli,  mis.sionary,  .300; 

acts  in  Unalaska,  .304-5. 
^Ldvaria,  furs  sent  to,  242. 
.Maksheicf,  Alexei,  in  expcdt.,  04. 
M.-iksutof,  Prince,  in  charge  of  ali'airs, 

57l'-80;  ne5^)tiations  with,  O.Ui. 
M;i'ivusliin,   expedt.   at,    135;    village, 

l.VJ. 
.Makushin,  volcano,  083. 
Malacca,  Meares  sails  from,  2('0. 
.Malakhof,  cxpedt.  of.  .">2,">-0,  553. 
Malakliof,  Vassdi,  agent,  ',\X>. 
Malaspin.'i,      Alejandro,    voyage 


1701, 


of, 


Malilonado,  passage  explored,  274. 
Malevinskoi,     Yakof,      expedt.      and 

death,  140. 
Malmesl)ury,  I'ort,  named,  280. 
Maltzof,    I'etr,  fur-trado    inonopoly, 

no. 

-Malygin,  Stepan,  Lieut,  in  expedt. ,93. 

Maps,  Fasterii  .Siberia.  10;  ( rvozdi  f's 
Land,  39;  Kyak  Island,  78;  sci'iie  of 
conllict,  1.37;  of  IJraL'ins,  172;  Cua- 
.Iri's  voy.,  108;  Cook's  voy.,  21.'), 
210;  Yakutat  set'himeiit,  3ill;  Kot- 
zebue  Sound,  405;  Koi'asako\s!iy 
cxpedt.,  521;  Kurilc  Islnnl,  545; 
(ilazanof'sexiiedt.,  551 ;  Nidato,  572; 
Baranof  Island,  073;  Kadiak  Isl- 
ands, 080;  Aleutian  Islands.  083. 

Marclianil,  Kticnnc,  voy.  of,  1701,  245, 
275,  270. 

"Maria,"  ship,  443,  492;  wrecked, 
505. 

Markof,  cxperieuces  of,  509,  570. 


IXDEX. 


768 


Marmot  Island,  206. 

Marsiillus,  Marchuiid  leaves,  27;"). 

Miirtiiu'Z,  E.   Josi5,  voyage  of,  17S8, 

270-2. 
Mashin,  Lt,  coniluct  of,  4ii8;  at  Novo 

Arkhangelsk,  ;":«). 
JIaurollo,  Alf.,  expedt,  prevented,  270. 
Maurelle,  Antonio,  in  'Xjiudt.,  107. 
Maurc'llo,    Francisco,   in   Spanish  ex- 

pcdt.,  218. 
Mazarredo  15a,v,  named,  273. 
:McAllister,  W'anl,  district  judge,  727, 

728. 
Jlcliitosii,  trader,  313. 
Mcintosh,  in  Schwatka  expedt.,  732. 
Melvniglit,  G.  K.,  coiincilnian,  001. 
McLoughlui,  I.,  conid  atlStikeun,  557; 

fate  of,  558. 
Mearos,  Capt.,  expedt.  of,  190;  collects 

furs,  211;  iiustnictions  to,  217;  treat- 
ment of   natives,   248;  voyage   of, 

200-2. 
Mecliauios  arrive  at  I'avlovsk,  3.">2. 
Meder,  .Magnus,  in  consiiiracy,  170. 
^Medvedef,  expeclt.,    I'M,    \'M;   letters 

from,  1:12;  searcl"  for,  ll!',)   1-10;  fate 

of,  140;  remains  of  party  discovered, 

147. 
^ledvedef,  Z.ikar,  in  expedt.,  04. 
Mcdvednikof,   Vassili,  late  of,  402-3, 

407-11. 
Meek,  hunting  expedt.  to  ("al.,  1811, 

481. 
jMeklar,  missionary,  ,'^oO. 
Mendocino,  Cape,  Arteaga  sails  for, 

2::0. 
Menendez  liay  named,  273. 
Merek,  iJr,  in  expcdts.  2s:t,  2!);i. 
'■  Mercury,"  slop,  285,  2!W,  470,  480. 
iMcrtcn.s,  report  of,  547. 
Merriiiuin,Capt.,ex;>edt.  of,  1882,  010; 

attack  on  natives,  723. 
!Metlahkatlali,  papulation,  705. 
^Icygin,  Lieut,  uppointment  of,  52. 
!Miatlef,  ^ov.of  Siiniia,  1751,  43. 
!Micliael,  fort  erected,  300. 
Middleton  Island,  208. 
MikaiehiVsk,   trading  jtost,  551,  085. 
Mikhaielovsk  Island  n.imeil,  ,548. 
Mdiailof  distiict,  5  iU. 
Miles,  (.Jen.,  orders  expedts,  7.">5. 
Military  occupation,  evil   ell'cets    of, 

000-0. 
Miller,  (icn.  John  F.,  presilt  Alaska 

Com.    Co.,    examined,    043;    testi- 
mony, 015,  Otii,  050. 
Minin,  Fedor,  in  expedt.,  52,  0.?. 
Mining  Co.,  incorporateil    IS77.   007. 
Mintoiiii  Lake,   munlcr  of  party  ;-.t, 

572. 


Minukhin,    Ivan,    hunting      expedt 

l7.')0-2.  112. 
Miranda,  vidcano,  220,  271. 
Missionaries,  fur  Kamchatka,  57,  58; 

efforts  of,  .303,    304;   at   Tavlov-.k, 

3.)2;  re|>ort  on,  4.50. 
Miteliell,  Senator,  hill  of,   1H75,  ()20. 
Moira  Sound,  277. 

Molef,  Alexander,  attack  on,  318-10, 
'•Moller,"  voy.  of,  547. 
MoUer,  portn.inied,  547 
Molvec,  supercargo  vi;Ii  I.ozaref,  .504. 
Monoply,  inception  of,  2ii!l;  organized, 

1797-95,  305 -:!.•{. 
Montague  Lsland.   ISO.  lOO.  2(12,  207, 

271,  278,  288,  .320,  VA:,.  :;'.t|. 
Montagu  Soun  I  named,  2(!5. 
Monterey,    Martinez    at,    272;    trade 

witii,  o40. 
Moore,    Capt.,    meets     I'.araii.if,    325, 

32(i. 
Moore,  Joseph  .S,,  t"stiniooy  <if,  047. 
Morai,  sanctuary,  400. 
M<H'dviiiof,  .Vdniiral.  aL-'itatiui  of,  544. 
.Morolief.      Ser  Von.l.ief.  I  I.'. 
.Morosko,   Luka,  left  AikuIidIi,  llKiO, 

24. 
Morris,  Will  C,  rei|uest  for  U.  S.  ship, 

010;  death  of,  715. 
riloscow,  furs  sent  to,  242. 
.Moss,  .Mora. I.,  contract  of,  587,  nego- 
tiations of,  030. 
.Motora,  on  the  Anadir,  185,),  23. 
Moukliin,  Ndiolai,  sent  ;.s  IJaianof'a 

suliiitilute,  .300. 
Muihiikof,  entiTjiri.se  of,  377. 
"Muir,"  Hteam-tiiL',  Ouilt,  I8i2,  091. 
.Mulgrave,  Cape,  210. 
.Mulgrave,   I'ort,  250,  21)5,  274. 
Midler,  (ierliaril,  in  ixpedt. .  ,'2  5.  05, 

Of;  l.iog.  .53;  at  SI.   I'etersl.iux',  OS. 
.Mulov^-ki,  Ca[it.  proposeil  ex|>edt.  of. 

3:)7. 
Muravief,    \.     N.,    gov. -general    E. 

SOxM-ia,  43. 
.Muravief,  .Stepan,   Lieut,  in  exp.'dt., 

52,  03. 
Mni'iiliy,  T.  (J.,  newspaper  of,  (;77. 
.Minva,    ISotelia,  er  ated   prince,  231. 
"  Myi'tl.,"  shi[>,  4l)l. 


w 


Xaeaa,  Lisiansky  joins  Kiusenstern 
at,  UO. 

"  Nadeslida,"  shiii,  vovai;e  ol.  00,  !l7, 
422  4,443-5,4.1. 

Nag.-iief,  .\diniral,  chart  of,  101;  dis- 
covers Copper  lli\ir,  l>i7-8. 


764 


INDEX. 


Nagaief,  Leontiy,  312. 

Nalia  Harlwr,  camieiy  at,  CG2. 

Is'akvjis.siii,  death  of,  403. 

NuiKiiino,  coal  at,  G94. 

Jsaiiyusiiki,  llezanof  at,  444. 

Nuoiuii'if,  wrecked,  !(7. 

Naj)l:ivkof,  conspiracy  of,  463-5. 

NurisJikiii,  Capt.,  of  navul  ttcat.emy, 
\lS,i,  45. 

Nush,  hurgeou,  in  cxpedt,  736. 

Natch ik  IJtiy,  native  name,  347. 

Native!*,  tniiute  paid  by,  11'2;  im- 
perial oukoz  on  treatment,  1-6;  of 
Niithek  Bay,  '205;  abuse  of,  'J47-51. 

Nauinof,  Stepau,  buried  at  East  Cape, 
520. 

"Navariu,"  corvette,  571. 

Nay,  Cornclis,  expedt.  of,  1504, 10,  11. 

Nazigak  Island,  '208. 

Neiker,  Port,  '259. 

Nerodof,  survivor  from  "Neva"  wreck, 
404. 

Nerstof,  Koania,  hunting  expedt.,  108. 

NetzvetolF,  native  ship-builder,  OUl. 

Neuo  Nachrichten,  131. 

"  Neva,"  ship,  leaves  Kronstadt,  4'2'2- 
4;  ^■(>yage8  of,  46'2,  4'JO,  510;  wreck 
of,  4!i;{. 

Neviashin,  Vassili,  in  trading  co. , 
ISO. 

Nevodchikof,  Mikliail,  in  hunting  ex- 
pedt., 102, 104;  appoiutmeutof,  107; 
visits  Aleutian  Islands,  111. 

Nevodchikof,  I'avul,  baptism  of  Tem- 
nak,  105. 

New  Albion,  trade  with,  453;  aigniti 
canoe  of  term,  481;  Kaskof  on  coast, 
481-3. 

New  Itedford,  ship  purchased  at,  537. 

New  Columbia  Island,  named,  1881, 
CIO. 

New  Cornwall,  '277. 

Now  Ktldystuno  Uook,  '277. 

Newouliam,  Capi-,  •200,  ."i22,  546. 

Now  (Juorgia,  furs  from,  '245, 

Now  llonover,  '277. 

Nowspiijier,  077. 

Now  Vo;ir  Islaiul  namod,  409. 

•Niasuikh,  in  oxpodt.,  I31-'2. 

Niohols,  Lt  H.  E.,  services  of,  7'28, 
720. 

"  Nieinen,"  transport,  .">71. 

Nikihnicli,  .Mikliail,  liunting  expedt., 
108. 

Nikita  boy  baptized,  309. 

Nikoloiof,  liuntingoxpodt.,  1'20;  ves- 
sel of,  at  Uninak,  123;  rowarda  to, 
155. 

Nikolai,  Russians  at,  5'2'2. 

"Nikolai,"  wreck  of,  481. 


"Nikolai  I.,"  voy.  of,  559;  steamer 

built,  1842,  001. 
Nikolaievsk,  expedt.  from,  5"25. 
Nikolai,  I'avlovitoh,  (irandduke,  Kot- 

zebuo  rood  by,  502. 
Nikuliuakoi,  i'eodor,  in  trading  co., 

180. 
Nilof,   Afanassia,    betrothed    to  lieu- 

yovski,  ISO. 
Niluf,  Capt.,  C(jmdt  of  Okliot.-ik,  IllJ, 

153;    conidt   of    Kanicliaika,     177; 

treatment  of  conspirators,    177-8J; 

fate  of,  ISO. 
Ninilchik,  village,  080. 
Ninilchik,  Cape,  coal  at,  G'.)."). 
Nishnekamscliatak,  40,   07,   105,  108, 

111,    11(1,   118,   120,    15S,   103,    171, 

183,  101,  •2;J5,  200,  .St -2. 
Nisluiekovima,   liilliugs'   expedt.    at, 

•284. 
Nizovtzof, (irigor, huntingexpcdt,  111. 
"Nootka,"  sliip,  "201. 
Nootka,    stiition    at,     271;    Spanisli 

occupy,    273;    Malaspiua    at,    274; 

'"aamafia   leaves,    275;     Vancouvor 

at,  277,  '281 ;  ceded  to  Engli-^h,  400. 
Nootka  Sound,  Portlock  at,  "203;  Uiia- 

siau  claim  to,  414;  sea-ottor  plenti- 
ful, 5-28. 
Nordenskjiild,  voyage  of,  1870,  13. 
NordivinolF,     Admin'l,     minister    of 

marine,  422, 
Norfolk  Sound,  240,  '250,  '201-5,  275, 

.•1.-.8,  ;!85-y0,  408,  437,  4.55,  522. 
Norsiievoi,  settlement  of,  124. 
North  American  (.'o.,  354. 
Nortli,  (."ape.  C(jck  names.  210. 
Nortli  Pacific,  Htorm  in,  .500,  501. 
Nortliundjcriand,  Cape,  277. 
Northwest  1  railing  Co.,  establishment 

of,  704. 
Norton  Day,  570. 
Ni.Tton  Sound,  dosorpt.  of,  41;  Cook 

at,  210;  in  .Miklui'ilof  district,  530; 

explored,  54i>-8. 
Noshkof,  explor.  of,  07. 
Nouravief,  M.  N.,  elected  chief  man- 
ager 1S2I,  534;  actions  of,  534-11. 
Novgorod,  decline  of,  8. 
Novikof,      Ivan,     hunting     expedt., 

1747  9,    100;  exnedt.  of,  1772,   171. 
Novo    Arkhangelsk,    4.32,    4.'i7.    443, 

4,V2,    4.54-0,   401,    403,   400  8.  478, 

402-3,  504,  511-2,  5'22-3,  52S,  5.34, 

537,  539,  54'J,  500-1,  507,  571,  575, 

.587,  509,  601. 
Nuchek  Itev,  Panof  Co.  at,  188;  Cook 

at,  '205;  I'ortlock  at,  203. 
Nuohek  Island,  187,  '205.  '207,  3'20-7, 

339,  342,  357,  380,  3U5,  414,  451. 


INDEX. 


765 


Nulato,  fort  built  at,  5.13;  map  of, 
iu'2i  massacre  at,  IS")!,  r>7--4;  pop- 
ulation of,  G8(J;  mean  temptTature, 
711. 

Nuniv.ik  Wand,  211. 

Is'ii.sliagiik,  village  of,  .340;  liusaians 
at,  u'J'J;  school  at,  709. 

Kushagak  Kiver,  fort  built  on,  521; 
in  Kadiak  district,  H'M;  expedt.  to, 
547. 

Nye,  Capt.,  trouble  with  Kolosh,  525. 


0 


Oahu,  Kotzcbue  at,  .")02. 

01)  Hi vor,  Cossacks  at,  1578,  15;  ships 

built  on,  5G. 
Obiukhof,  Venedict,  in  expedt.  175G- 

8,  117. 
Observatory  Inlet,  277. 
O'C'ain,    expudt.  to  C'al.  and   .Japan, 

477-D. 
"O'Ciiin,"  ship,  471;  voyage  of,  480. 
Ocliek  Island,  208. 
Ocheredin,     Afauassiy,     expedt.    of. 

154. 
Ocheredin,  Boris,  fate  of,  1,")4. 
Ocliotskoi,  exjicdt.  from,  I5S. 
Odintzof,  Dmitri,  in  exix'dt..  94. 
Otter,  sea,  catch  of,  and  value,  G5S, 

g:.!). 

Okliotin,  Cupt.,  meets  Benyovski, 
ISI. 

Okhotsk,  founded  1S39,  17,  20;  ex- 
podta  and  visitors  .it,  3ii,  ;}->,  5li, 
.07,  \'M,  1.".7,  Kill,  IG!).  I7G,  ISJ, 
2;{l.  2G(i,  28:i,  2S8,  205,  ;!:5:i,  4.V.t, 
5(17;  troulih;s  at,  G5;  imprtus  t's 
Itil;  ship-budding  at,  Oii,  !»7,  2.'{.'), 
3.V2;  gnviiit  of,  I5.'i;  education  at, 
2.'t0,  ;il;i;  prisoners  . it,  .■>()!,  .S."!.'!;  in- 
surrci^tion  at,  1771,  IH.S;  tiial  of 
K<JUovidof,  ."{12;  CliiiH'se  tracie,  4'.!_'; 
value  1)1  furs  <'Xp(jrteil,  477;  c!  sed 
as  naval  .station,  571,  whauug- 
^1  .:'"(1m.  ()(i,S. 

"Okhotsk,"  gdiot,  !)7,  IIG. 

Okiiotsk  iSoa,  new  route,  5.'i;  rocou- 
noissani't;  in  1740,  ',)5. 

Okosliinikof,  owiu.l  f-hip,  IGD. 

"Oktruitie,"  ship,  .")0G. 

Ola,  river,  32. 

Olosaof  .lcp<ised.  229. 

"Olga,".ship,  333,  3.-)G,  417. 

Olutorskoi  Islands,  I2.H. 

Olutorsk  {{iver,  Deshu'f  .it,  1048,  23; 
trdie  on,  lOG,  107;  ;'ur-trade,  lOti. 

Olutorski,  the,  attack  Russians,  1727, 
lOG,  107. 


Ommanoy  Capo  named,  259,  57G. 

Onslow  I'oint,  277. 

Ontok    Kiver,     Krenitzen     wrecked, 

1G2. 
Oojak  Hay,  171. 
Ookamok  Islands,   Hussiaus  at,  522; 

in  Kadiak  district,  530. 
Ookivok  Island,  548. 
Ooniniak,    volcanic    di»turb;i.iico    at, 

084. 
Oonga,  coal  at,  G05. 
Ooj-ak  Day,  tannery  at,  GOO. 
Orekhof,  oukaz  issued  to,  120;  forms 

CO.,     153;     rewards    to,     155;     de- 
spatches   expedition,     l(!9;     at    St 

Petersburg,    174;   on   AltMitian    Isl- 

amls,  321. 
Orekhof    Co.,     at     Prince     William 

.Sound,  .339,  344. 
"Orel,"sInp,  32S,  .341. 
Organic  Act,  jirovisions  of,  718,  719. 
Orlof  at  Bristol  Hay,  ."»(J2. 
Orlova,  settlement,  171. 
"Osprey,"  Eng.  man-of-war  at  .Sitka, 

G20. 
Ostrogin,    Feodor,    bravery    of,    328; 

agent  at  Alexandroflsk,  '.','Xk 
'•  Otlirytie,".s!iip,  budt,  4t!l. 
Otter-hunting  in  Cal.,  478  S4. 
Otter  iJay,  8e;i-otter  plentiful, 
Oiida  Kiver,  wreck  at,  1G9. 
(Jildsk,  siiip.s  biult  at,  97. 
Ouka  Kiver,  exf) .dt.  at,    1.57. 
Oidedovski,  expc'     of,  149. 
Ounniak,     vule.iuic     eruption, 

tkS4;  native  liapti/cd  at,   IT 

chaj-el  built  at,  1S20,  70!>. 
"Oiin.i!!.  ■•  lv_'!),  sinp  built,  G9I. 
Oiirun.ii  ir  1,  land,  Ueiiyn',  .via  at,  181. 
(hu'uiia,  M<ttienient  bontbarde  I,  571. 
"  Oiirui'a,"  vuy.  of,  .')4">. 
Onruiia  Island,  532,  ,'i45.  .">7(i. 
Oiisliakif,    Moisaei,    explorations 

9t  ,">. 
Ouvarof,  actii>ns  of,  451   2. 
Ovsiannikiif,  Stepan,   in    expedt. 
Ovtzin,   blent,    52,  ."lO,   01,   92-3, 
Ouhyee,   l»e  Sehetl'e:-  at,  499. 
Ozerskoi,  atUick  of  Koln.-ih,  ."i71-5. 
O/.orskoi  redoubt,  saw-mill  ut,  0>J0, 


528. 


182.5, 

.'.9,  099; 


of, 

94. 
IMi. 


P.xikf)f,  Dnutri,  hunting  expedt.,  17.58, 

120-4. 
"  Pallas,"  ship,  284. 
Palliscr,  II.,  20.3. 
Panldof,  Creole  interpreter,  14i. 
I'unkuf,  reward  from  einpcrur,  44S. 


786 


INDEX. 


ranof,  IT).-),  175,  ITS,  321. 

I'aiK.t  liros,  tit  out  t'Xiieilt.,  18.V5. 

I'auot  (.'(I.,  liglit  Willi  iiativi's,  ISS,  9; 
sliw]!  owned  I'V,  '221;  AUnits  search 
fur,  'JMi;  on  I'rince  William  .Sound, 
•Ml. 

rantojii,  .Juan,  in  Spanish  expedt., 
•J  IS. 

I'araiic'liin,  put  nsliore  on  Kurile  Isl- 
ands, l>H2. 

J'ans  ludgts  aect  of,  740,  741. 

Tark.-r,  .lanus  t'.,  iSiiJJ.  trial  of,  617. 

I'arrott,  .lohn.  |>etiti()n  of,  (W3. 

J'arnjtt&  Co.,  of  Alaska  Couiuicr.  Co., 

r,u\. 

I'.i.«pt-!()f,  death  of,  :<'2.S. 

ras.->a,i;c  Canal  iiameil,  '_'78. 

I'aul    1.,  character,  grants   oi.kaz   to 

J-Iuss.  Amer.  Co.,  .'{7>S-^;  orders  to 

naval  otiici'rs,  ,'{!)•_'. 
I'avlof,    Mikliai,    Lieut    in   expedt., 

.'r.'-II.J. 
I'avlovsk,    settlement  at,    ;VJ4,    414; 

llaranof  at,   .T_\S,   :iS4;  .luvenjil    at, 

;j(j7;  J^isian.sky  at,  4J.'>. 
Paviiii.ski,   Dmitri,  in  expedt.,  37-S; 

death  of,  41-2. 
I'axin,  Ivan,  in  expedt.,  !(4. 
I'a/.niakof,  I'eter,  in  expedt.,  !).'l.  ' 
I'ekin;,',  Russian  inlliieneeat,  24.'». 
IVUy  Kiver,  golil  discovered,  (i!)S. 
]^•naslli^'ak,  adventures  of,  14r>-(!. 
I'eredovchiki,  regulations  of,  2;<.'{. 
IVreiiiigo,  Vaasili,  in  e.vpeilt.,  !•;{. 
I'orez,  Juan,  expedts.  of,  1774-i»,  I'.Cj- 

202. 
Perez  Strait  named,  27.">. 
I'l.'pil  .Strait.     See  Destruction  Strait, 

;;iK). 
Permakof,   Yakov,    discovers   island, 

1710, -J.S;  death  of,  •_".». 
I'ei'rier  I'a.-^s  named,  7;!:{. 
Persia,  Itussian  Irudi!  with,  10. 
J'eslcliourot,  Alexei,  Capt. ,  l!us.  com- 

niis.  iit  Siika,  .V.W. 
Peter  tlio  GrtJat,  purposes  of.  .V>;  ex- 
pedt. to  Kamchatka,  :{ti;  death  of, 

.-'.ri. 
Peters,  capt.  of  Knglish  ship,  2.30. 
Pecrie  Sound  nauKil,  2t)0. 
I'etrof,  .Vfauiissi,  liuildsostrog,  killed, 

100. 
Petrof.  Matvei,  in  expedt,  O.'J. 
Petrof,    Ivan,    descript.    of    climate, 

ISSO,   5;  chart  compiled.  ~\);  vi-tit 

to   Simghanood.i    IJ.iy,    1S7H,    211; 

statement  of,  .'{.')H. 
Petrof,  mate  with  Kotzehue,  404. 
Petrof,  master  of  the  "  .Maria,"  405. 
Petroleum,  tiUo. 


I'hilip,    agricultural  experiments  of, 

Phili|ipine    Islands,  trade  with,   4.>:i. 

'•  PhuMiix,"  shiis  H2j,  ii.il-li. 

Pinart,   Alphonse,  attempt  ascent  of 

Mt  ."^hishaldin.  02!). 
"Pinta,"  U.  S.  steamer,  728. 
Pisaref,    Stormakof,  comdr   Okhot.-ik 
17.'M,  4."),  8,  57;  l»iog.,  4.");  accusa- 
tions of,  M;  relieved,  01. 
Pitt  Archipelago,  277. 
Plenisner,  Col.,  64,  1)0,  126,   15.3,  IGl, 

170  7. 
Plioo,  native  of  Unalaska,  14.")-0. 
Plotnikof,    Alirossim,    testimony   of, 

402-7. 
Plotnitzki,  Kiril,  builds  ship,  07. 
"  Plover'"  at  Kotzehui;  Sound,  .")72. 
Pluiiting,  Mikhail,  48,  :)2,  .VJ,  04,  73, 

0.3. 
Podushkin,     Lieut,     conidr    of     tho 

••Neva,'    403;  comdr  of  the  "  Ot- 

krytie,"  500. 
Pogihsliie     .strait,    see     Destruction 

Mniil,  ;V.I0. 
Point  Keyt's,  l.'uuling  fif  Diako  15S9, 

4SI. 
P<ilevoi,  Alexc'i,  in  trading  co.,  ISO. 
Polevoi,  .Simeon,   in   hunting  expedt. 

1750,  121-2. 
Polomoshnoi,    actions  and  death  of, 

300   1;  troul.les  at  Vakutat,  .31)0. 
Poloponissof,   expedt.    sent   hy,    150. 

KiO. 
Polo!  kof,  expedt.  of,  154. 
Polossof,  Lt,  in  IJiUings'  expedt.,  283. 
Polutof,    Dmitri,    expedt.    of,    170 -I; 

fate  of,   ls7-'.)0;    Nisit   to    Kadiak, 

1770,    213;    treatment   of    natives, 

2SS. 
'•Polyfcm,"  voy.  of,  .V.3. 
I'onididin,  Lieut,  txpedt.  of,  5"27. 
Ponoitasew,  expe'(t.  of,  I'.U. 
Ponomaref,    Sav.i,    map   liy,    P20;    in 

ininting  expedition,    17.'»8-62,    P20; 

collects  trihute,  I. '10. 
Popof,  in  eonsjiiracy,  404-5. 
Popof,  Alexander,  liaptized,  1  ^•2. 
Popof,  .\lexeief,  attat.'ked  liy  native*, 

11)0. 
Popoir,   .\ndrei.  ailmitted   to  citizen 

ship  IsOS,  002. 
Popof,  Kedor,  in  expedt.,  04. 
Popof,  Ivan,  huilt  ship,   140;  expedt. 

of,  l,")0. 
Popof,  Leonti,  in  eonspiiacy,  170. 
Popof,    Peter   I'ilianovicli,   deposition 

of,  •27. 
Po|>of,  Vassili,  liuutiit;;  expedt.,  1700, 

130,  14U. 


IXDCX. 


7C7 


Popof,  Ycflm,  in  trading  co.,  186. 

r<irtiil(>,  Cuiiul  (If,  iianicil,  'Ji8. 

Portland  Canal,  277. 

Portland  Inlet,  \aucoiiver  at,  276. 

PortloL'Iv,  liiinting  exiiedt.,  '2'M;  furs 
collected  liy,  -44;  trade  with  na- 
tives, 'Jl'.t;  HtCook  Inltt,  1780,  201; 
voyaj^u  of  17fci,>-0,  202-4, 

Port  -Mary  Day,  1!«». 

Poshaikof,  Vassili,  exploration  of, 
104:!-0,  20. 

Possession,  Point,  Cook  names,  208. 

Postal  routes  establislied,  72.5. 

Po.itels,  rejjort  of,  517. 

Postnikof,  Imnting  expedt.,  17r)9,  IC.*?; 
at  Attoo  I>land,  128. 

Povalisliin,  Lieut,  fate  of,  430. 

"  i'redpriatie,"  voyage  of,  1823-0, 
.'•)40. 

Prcdtetcim  Co.  on  Prybilof  Island, 
.S.M. 

Prianislinikof,  Fedor,  in  expedt.,  U4. 

Pru'e,  Admiral,  suiciile  of,  f)71. 

Prince  Jill  ward  Island,  tind)eron,  Ci'Xi. 

Prince  Ernest  Sound,  277. 

Prince  Prcdcriek  Sound,  188.'1,  herring- 
oil  eslal).  at,  000. 

"Prince  of  Walc;:.,"  ship,  207. 

Prince  of  Wales  l.--land,  refwencea  to, 
P.)0,  201,  218,  230,  277,  o23-4,  002, 
087.  OUU,  IrX). 

"Plincesa,"  bhip  left  Nucliek,  207, 
270-2. 

Prince  William  Sound,  187,  100-1, 
200.  20'.>,  220,  22fi,  230.  230-40,  213, 
240,  250,  200,  271.  274,  287,  3(»i, 
.321,  325,  320,  330-40,  343,  385-7, 
300,  400,  530. 

Prokofief,  statement  of,  541. 

"Prnkop  i  Zand,"  sliip,  100. 

Promchisliciief,  Vassil,  in  expedt.,  93. 

"I'romissel."  1830,  8hi[.  liuilt,  001. 

Promysldciiiki,  CoHS,ack  advanoo 
f^nard,  18;  swarming  of,  174.3-07, 
tiO-150;  system  of,  235  7;  treat- 
ment ef  natives,  280,  205;  end  of 
rule,  207-8;  priests  among,  352. 

I'riincliislichcf,  Lieut,  appointment  of, 
52;  on  Lena  Piver.  1735,  50. 

Pruta.ssof,   Viikof,   1.30,  131),  184,  180. 

Protection,   I'ovt,  277. 

Protestant  eler).'j  at  Sitka,  702;  mis- 
sion estalilisliecl,   1877,  705. 

Pnitodiakunof,  owned  ship,  100;  fitted 
out  cNp  ■dition,  174. 

lVolo|iof,  Alexei,  in  conspiracy,  170. 

Pryliilof  discovers  Fur  Seal  I.sjands, 
185;  left  at  lllinlink  lJay.204;  rejiort 
of,  208;  discoveries  of,  321;  death  of, 
350. 


Pryliilof, Ocrasaim.  expedt.  of,  102-3; 

ill  lii dings' expedt.,  2',KJ. 
Pryldlof   lslan<ls,    reicreiices   to,  211, 

202,   472,  505,  5.30,  547,  5(i2,  582, 

508,  0.38,  041,  040-7,  052. 
Puget,  Lieut,  at  Vakutat  Pay,  23:), 

348. 
Purcell,  Ensign,  in  e.xpedt.,  73(!. 
I'm  chase   money  paid    for   territory, 

597-8. 
Purtof  assisted  hy  Puget  and  Urowii, 

239;  hunting  party  of,  270. 
I'ushkaref,  (.iavril,  with  Hering,  121; 

in     hunting     expedt.,     1750,     12;;; 

cruelties  of,  125;  expedt.  of,  105. 
Pustozersk,  traders  of,  232. 
Putiiiun  Uiver,  (explored,  730,  737. 
I'utof,  expedt. to  Yakutat  LJay,  344-50; 

resolute  conduct  of,  345. 


Q 


"Qiieen   Cliarlotte,"  ship,  244,  201, 

202-5. 
Queen  Charlotte  Island,  100.  2.50,  205; 

explored,    275,  27ti;    native  attack 

on   Kuskof,  482;  sea-otter  alx)und, 

52S. 


B 


Rada,  Cabo  do,  settlement  at,  271. 
ILulionof,  at  Kadiak,  357. 
llavniond,    Charles    W.,   expedt.    of, 

iNiO,  02! ». 
Pioiil,   Marina,   puerto  dc  la,  named, 

218. 
Refugio,  puerto  del,  named.  2 IS. 
Itegla,  Isla  ile  la,  Arleaga  takes  po.i- 

session  of,  220. 
Hemcdios,  Spanish  laud  at,  200. 
Uepin,  of  Lebedef  C..,  .".10. 
Ke|iiii,  Ivan,  news  sent  bv,  451. 
"liesolution,"   sliij)  of    Cajit.    Cook, 

202. 
Revenue,    custom    receipts,    18110-78, 

020:    1808  73,  0:)l-2. 
Revilla  CJigedo  Lxland,  270. 
Hevilla  (Jigedo  Pay  naiie  d,  273. 
Rezaiiof  supports  Shell kof's  jietitioii, 

377-0;  anibiiHsador  to  .lapan,   42.'!; 

vi.-its    Alaska,   440,   443-00;    visits 

Cal.,  457;  complaints  of  naval  ollj- 

cers,  457-8;  death  of.  400. 
Ricord,  Lieut,  with  tJolovnin,  470. 
Rij|),  Cornells,  exijedt.  of,  1505-0,  11, 

12. 
Kobeck,    surgeon,    283;    at    Illiiiliuk 

Buy,  294;  ut  Putropavlovsk,  296. 


768 


INDEX, 


"  RoWrt  and  Ann,"  ship,  182. 
]  lock  well .     See  llarri.iljiir^. 
Kodiaiilit',  agent  iit  Nuclick,  300. 
Uodicliuf,  Kniilia,  in  cxpvdt.,  93. 
Ivmliiey,  Cupo,   2!)2. 
lli);.'ac'lii  f,  sliip-liuilder,  97. 
};(i(liu'fcuil,  Caimilc,  voyage  of ,  r)'22-.'). 
K'>nituiiif,    Count,    e(jui|)8   vuasel    for 

noitli-i'ast  passage,  494. 
KosL'iilmrg,    Lieut,   temporary    gov., 

.")S(i;  contract  of,  r)87. 
];.  ^s,  witli  Ciipt.  Meares,  202. 
Uoss  Colony  founded,  result  and  fail- 
ure, 4S.'{-9;  conference  at,  497;  llus- 

.siiiUH  lit,  o22. 
liorsilius,    in    expcdts,    1740-2,    04, 

90. 
lios.sysky,  mate  with  Lozaref,  504. 
"  llosiib'.af,"  ship  built  at  Yukutat, 

420. 
Rousseau,  L.  II.,  Oenl,  U.  S.  eonimis. 

at  Sitka,  1807,  599;  orders  of,  18GU, 

o:i(j. 

liotli,  private  in  Schwatka  ex^jcdt., 
7:;2. 

Itowan,  Capt.,  at  Kadiak,  .389. 

lUishchif,  in  cxpodts,  1740,  G4,93;  de- 
tained in  .Siljeria,  9(J;  superseded, 
IGl. 

]\ud;ikof,  temporary  gov.,  ."iSO. 

Hiuhicf,  (lavril,  in  expedt.,  9.11. 

Kuiniaiitzof,  Count,  meeting  at  office 
.;f,  41(1. 

lluiiiiiuitzof  ll;»y  named,  482. 

"Kurik,"  voy.  of,  IS  I  (},  494-501 ;  voy. 
.if,   IvJl,  oM-~. 

Rus.sia,  claim  to  N.  W.  Auicr. ,  98; 
supremacy  in  N.  W.,  194. 

ltii.'?»iun  American  Co.,  Aleuts  in  ser- 
\icu  of,  2;!7;  prices  pail  for  furs, 
241;  organized  1790-9,  .'(75-84; 
iH'W  cii:irter,  410;  losses,  4S7,  509; 
cai)!tal  and  earnings,  527,  528;  sec- 
ond jieriod,  1821-42,  5,'iO-07;  last 
jitriod,  1842-GO,  508-509;  revenue 
ISU-OJ,  .WJ. 

Itut-si.ui  I'inland  Whaling  Co.  estub- 
lihhcd,  5St,  585. 

Ifuw.sian  River,  Russian  eolony  on, 
485. 

Russians  in  XVI.  century,  .'>-8;  fur 
trade  of,  7  10;  commu.  with  Cook, 
20S,  20!  I,  212. 

Rvan,  I'.  1>.,  constable  for  Sitka  1807, 
001. 

R\bc!iskoi,  Andrti,  hunting  expeilt., 
"ITIO,  107-S. 

Ryliinskoi,  Ivan,  hunting  expcilts, 
■|7 17-49,  lOi),  112;  builds  siup, 
12.J. 


S 


Saghalin  Lslands,  Hezanof  at,  445. 
".^aginaw,''  U.  .S.  ship,  012. 
Sainionof,  IJov.,  at  Tobolk.  1759,  43; 

prokuror  of  senate,  1723,45;  orders 

cxpcdt.,   15(. 
St  Augustine,  Mt,  Cook  names,  208. 
St  Constantine  Cove  named,  207. 
8t  I^ionys  Fort  named,  5.'j(>;   salutes 

Kng.  lliig,  557. 
St  Elias  Cape,  fort  at,  229,  414;  lo- 
cated,   288;    ship-building  at,  300; 

colony  at,  ,3.")2,  353,  350,  400. 
St  Elias  Mtn,  78,  219,  .5:;0;   sighted 

by  Co<jk,  204;  by  La  IVrouse,  255. 
"  St  (Jeorge,"  ship,  XX). 
St  (ieorge,  ccmdition  of,  041-2. 
St  (jeorge    Island    named,    192;   dis- 
covered,   290;   settlement  at,   3.'i4; 

fortat,  414;  seal  catcli,  038;  church 

budt,  700. 
St  Helena,  Kotzebue  at,  502. 
St  [Ielen.1,  Cove  named,  207. 
St  Ilermogi'U  lslun<l,  128. 
.St  llerniogenes.  Cape,  200. 
St  .John  -Mtn  named,  85. 
St    Konstautin,  fort    established  at, 

:t95. 
St  I^iwrence  Bay,  210,  291,  292,  29;]. 
St    Lawrence    Island,    37,    211,  501, 

548. 
St  Makrius,  land  named,  85. 
St  Matthew  Island,  211,  292,  547. 
St  Michael,  descript.  of,  085. 
St  Nicholas,  Fort,  33,">,  414;  warnings 

sent  to,  .337-8;  Konovalov  at,  342. 
St  I'aul,  settlement,  3b5;  fort  at,  411; 

visitors  at,  437,  445,  448,  401,  47^1; 

hospital,  408;  popidation,  401,  40J; 

removal    froui,    OsO,    081;    church 

built,  099;  school  at,  700. 
St    I'aul    Harbor,  Li.siansky  at,  425. 
St  I'aul    Island,    discovery    of,    19.3, 

290;  licnuetat,  503;  fur-seal  catch, 

038,  040. 
St  Petersburg,  |)olitical    changes   at, 

175;  II.  \i.  Co.  furs  at,  .342;  acts  of 

authorities,    370;    shares   in   Russ. 

Amer.  Co.,  381. 
"Sv  Alexci,'Hhip,  185,  187. 
"Sv  Aoxius,"  ship,  190. 
"Sv  Andrei."  ship,  voyage  of,  109. 
"Sv  Andrii  l*ervosvannui,"ship,  voy- 
age of,  109,  184. 
"  Sv  I'^katerina,"  siiip,  voyage  of,  157, 

102,  10.3. 
!  "Sv(;avril,"  ship.  97. 

"  Sv  deorgiy,"  ship,  voyage  of,  185, 
I      191-3. 


INDEX. 


768 


«Sv    loann,"   at    NiBhekamchatak, 

1764,  111. 
*'St  loann  Predtecha,"  ahip,  voyage 

of,  185. 
"Sv  loann  Rylskoi,"  ahip,  voyage  of, 

185. 
**Sv  Ivan,"  reinforcement  by,  341. 
•«Sv  Mikhail,"  ahip,  187,  223,  324. 
Sv  Mikh^l,  Fort,  attack  on,  402-13; 

cannery  at,  662. 
"Sv  Nikolai,"  ship,  voyage  of,  114, 

169  184 
••Sv  Pavel,"  ship,  voy.  of,  64,  67, 

07, 162, 153, 154, 157,  183,  314, 334, 
"  Sv  Petr,"  ship,  64,  66-8,  97,  153. 
"Sv  Petr  i  Sv  Pavel,"  ship,  123,  131, 

156;  aeoured  by  conapiratora,  180, 

181. 
"Sv  Prokop,"  ship,  voyage  of,  169, 

185. 
"Sv  Simeon,"  ship,  223,  325. 
"  Sv  Simeon  i  Anna,"  ship,  112. 
"Sv  Tro'itska,"  shipi  voyage  of,  131, 

135-8. 
"Sv  Vladimir,"    ship,    voyage   of, 

170-4. 
"  Sv  Yevpl,"  ahip,  voyage  of,  171-3, 

185. 
Salmon  Packing,  1880-3,  660-1. 
Samghanooda  Bay,  Cook  at,  209,  211. 
Samoilof,    instructions    to,    22^9-30, 

312-13;  in  Lebedef  Co.,  350. 
Samsonof,  cadet  with  Lozaref,  504. 
San  Alberto,  bahia  do,  named,  218. 
San  Antonio,  Arteaga's  expedt.  at,  219. 
San  Antonio,  puerto  de,  named,  218. 
San  Bias,  Santiago  sails  kom,  195, 

197;  Martinez  at,  270;  Caamafioat, 

275;  Wrangell  at,  654. 
San  Bias  Island  named,  201. 
"San  Carlos,"  ship,  270. 
San  CriatiSbal,  canal  de,  named,  218. 
Sanderson,  contract  of,  687. 
San  Diego,  O'Cainat,  478;  Ayreaat, 

480. 
Sandwich,  Lord,  203. 
Sandwich   Islands,  Hagemeister  at, 

490-2;  Kotzebue  at,  497-500;  trade 

with,  538. 
San  Fernando  Islands  named  218. 
San  Francisco,  Ayroa  at,  480;  Kotze- 
bue at,  497;  Lazaref  at,  505;  trade 

with,  1817-25,  540;  expedt.  from, 

62S-9;  sheep  from,  688. 
San  Ignacio  Island,  named,  218. 
San  Jacinto,  Mt,  199,  204,  259. 
San  Juan  Bautista  Island  named,  218. 
San  Juan  de  Fuoa,  Spanish  claim  to, 

488. 
San  LuisObispo,  Eliotcaptured  at,  494, 
Hut.  Alaska.    49 


Sannakh  Island,  128,  286,  479,  683; 

hostilities  at,  141 ;  natives  of,  209. 
San  Nicolds,  puerto  de,  named,  218. 
Santa  Barbara,  Eliot  taken  to,  494. 
Santa  Catharina,  Krusenstem'a  ex< 

pedt.  at,  424. 
Santa  Cristina  Island,  201. 
Santa  Cruz,  trade  with,  1817-25, 540. 
Santa  Cruz  Bay,  Arteaga  names,  217. 
Santa  Magdalena  Point  named,  195. 
Santa  Margarita  Point  named,  105. 
Santa  Rita  Island  named,  218. 
"Santiago,"  Spanish  ship,  195-7. 
Santiago,  Port,  219, 273. 
Sapochnikof,  Y.  I.,  expedt.  of,  183; 

at  Unga,  214. 
Sarambo,  Dionya,  lieat,  expedt,  of, 

556-7. 
Sarana,  liquor  from,  67. 
Sarychef,  Admiral,  mistake  of,  79. 
Sarychef,  Lieut,  in  Billings'  expedt., 

282-96;  efforts  against  scurvy,  298; 

charts  of,  297. 
Saner,    Martin,  at   Prince   William 

Sound,  190;  prediction  of,  252;  in 

expedt.,  283-303;  at  Illiuliuk  Bay, 

294;  report  of,  301. 
Savelief,  Sido,  in  expedt,  1740, 64-03; 

captured,  70-1. 
Saw-mills  in  operation,  1880,  690. 
Schaffer,  Heinrich,  in  expedt,  94. 
Schehl,  Elias,  in  expedt..  04. 
Schelting,  AlexeiC,  in  expedt.,  40,  61, 

52,  93. 
Scheffer,  Dr,  actions  of,  498-9, 503-9. 
Scherbinin,  Mikhail,  in  expedt.,  03. 
Schischmaref,  Lieut,  with  Kotzebue, 

494, 
School  in  Kamchatka  1741,  62;  first 

started,  227;  established  by  Shell- 

kof,  313. 
Schveikovsky,  Lieut, with  Lozaref  ,504. 
Schwatka,  Lt,  voyage  of,  732-5. 
Scurvy,  sufferings  from,  261,  294, 298, 

302  357. 
Scutdoo,  outrage  by,  1869,  614-15. 
Seals,  wholesale  slaughter,  445,  446, 

646;  in  Cal.,  487,  488;  habito,  driv- 
ing,    and     slaughtering,      654-8; 

slaughtered,  1868,  658. 
Seal  fisheries,  th  reatcned  exhaustion  of, 

376;  act  to  prevent  destruction,  638. 
Seal  Islands,  Russians  at,  6'22. 
Seal  oil,  yield  and  value,  639. 
"Sea  Otter,"  ship,  260. 
Sea-otter,  abundance  of,  4,  73,  314; 

Chinese  trade,  88,  216;  expedts  for, 

90-100,  350;    at  Gore  Island,  211; 

at  Ltua  Bay,  357;  at  Norfolk  Sound, 

358. 


770 


index;, 


Secbcr,  Chester,  commr  at  Unalaska, 
728. 

Sclawik,  river,  5. 

SeUlen,  Capfc.,  report  of,  620. 

Seldovia,  Bcttlement,  679-80. 

.Sclifontof,  Vassili,  in  expedt.,  94. 

Semiclii  Island,  85. 

Semidi  Islands,  in  Kadiok  district, 
5,SG. 

Seniavin,  recommendations  of,  47-9. 

"Seniavin,"  voy.  of,  647. 

Seniavin,  Cape,  named,  547. 

Surcbrennikof,   Andrei,   of    Moscow, 
100;  expedt.  of,  1735,  115-23. 

Serebrennikof,  N.,  owned  ship,  169;  in 
conspiracy,  179. 

Seward,  Mr,  visit,  598,  599;  opinion 
of  Alaska,  747. 

Seyraor  Canal  named,  280. 

Sluidovski  quarrels  with  Pisaref,  57. 

Sliakmut,  chief  of  Ilyamnas,  3G9,  370. 

Shalaiirof,  voyage  of,  13;  death  of, 
284. 

Shantar  Islands,  expedt.  to,  1742,  40; 
explored,  97. 

Shapkin,  Vassili,  in  trading  co.,  ISO. 

Sharipof,  Yakof,  in  hunting  expedt., 
1759,  123. 

Rhashin,  fate  of,  411. 

Shavrigin,  Ivan,  in  expedt.,  94. 

Slidanof,  Andrei,  in  hunting  expedt., 
1759,  12.3. 

Shebanof,  in  expedt.,  160. 

ShefiFer,  Dr,  with  Lozaref,  504;  biog., 
507. 

Sheliorbakof,  Matvei",  fur-trade  mo- 
nopoly, 110. 

Shckhurdin,  in  hunting  expedt.,  103, 
105. 

Shekalcf,  Petr,  in  expedt.,  death  of, 
1.32,  13.3. 

Shelagcs,  tribe,  31. 

Sliclikof,  Grigor  Ivanovich,  first  men- 
tioned, 182-85;  fits  out  expedt., 
184;  voy.  of,  222-31;  character  of, 
241,  299-300;  plans  and  projects  of, 
2G(i,  295,  297,  305-9,  352-4;  es- 
tablishment of,  286,  295;  at  court, 
307;  rewards  to,  309;  Baranof  with, 
315,  317;  organizes  central  oflice, 
354,  355;  death,  305,  377;  settle- 
ments made  by,  335;  petition  for 
grant,  370. 

Shelikof,  Madame,  maracfer  of  Russ. 
Amcr.  Co.,  359,  300,  377,  382. 

Shelikof  Bay,  199. 

Shelikof  Co.,  Bai-anof  at  head,  320; 
quarrels  with  Lcbedef  Co.,  339-42, 
357,  376;  Golovin's  report,  358, 359; 
opera 'iions  of,  527. 


Shelikof  Sound,  260. 
Sliolikof  Strait,  271,287..^ 
Shomchushuykof,  Kiril,  in  expedt., 

94. 
Shestakof,  Afanassiy,  at  St  Peters- 
burg, 37;  expedt  of,  37-40;  result 

of,  44. 
Shestakof,  Ivan,  expedt.  of  1729,  38. 
Shetilof,  Vassili,  in  expedt.,  94. 
Shovyrin,  in   hunting  expedt.,   103, 

104,  114,  120-4. 
Shields,    ship-builder,    279,   323-33; 

expedts  of,  331,  358;  treatment  of, 

415,  416. 
Shinganof,  Andre,  in  expedt.,  1740, 

64,  93. 
Shilkin,  Ivan,  hunting  expedta,  109, 

112,  118-19. 
Shilof,  oukaz  issued  to,  126;  forms 

CO.,    153;  at  St  Petersburg,   155; 

reed  by  empress,  168;  fits  out  ex- 
pedt., 169. 
Shilof  &  Lapin  Co.,  Zaikof  in  services 

of,  170. 
Shinn,  H.  H.,  director  of  mining  co., 

740.  , 
Ship-building,  difficulties  of  Baranof, 

328-31;  at  Ross  Colony,  484. 
Shirclitr,  Corp.,  in  Schwatka  expedt., 

732. 
Sliishaldin  Mtn,  629. 
Shishkiu,  Peter,  map  by,  120. 
Shitikas,  dcscript.,  100. 
Shnialef,   Capt.,  on  Cook's  expedt., 

213;  commu.  with  Billings,  283, 284; 

coind  at  Pctropavlovsk,  296,  312. 
Shoalncss,  point,  211. 
Shoetzof,  expedt.  to  Cal.,  477-8,  480. 
Shoshin,  in  expedt.,  170. 
Shuiak  Island,  on  Cook's  chart,  208; 

expedt.  to,  228;  trading  post  at,  2.30. 
Shukof,  Feodor,  hunting  expedt.,  108, 

117. 
Shuluk  Sound,  205. 
Shumagin,  death  of,  83 
Shumagin  Island,  256,  286,  314,  536, 

576;  explored,  214;  surveyed  1871- 

2,  629;  cod  banks  at,  664. 
Shuralef,  fits  out  expedt.,  185. 
Siba'ief,  Ivan,  in  conspiracy,  179. 
Siberia,   descript.,    16;    map  of,    19; 

famine  1743,  96-9;   merchants  of, 

107;  special  privileges,  376;  trade 

with  Cal.  1883,  630. 
Sibiriaks,  fear  of  Spanberg,  50. 
Sidorof  reveals  conspiracy,  464. 
Sievers,  recommendations  of,  47-9. 
Signam  Island,  expedt.  at,  164. 
Silver  mines  on  the  Amoor,  20. 
"Simeon,"  shiD,  183. 


INDEX. 


7Vl 


Simeon,  Father,  agricultural  experi- 
ments of,  355. 
Simpson,  Sir  George,  actions  of,  558- 

60;  Narrative  of,  1841-2,  567. 
Simnsir  Island,  colony  formed,  545-6. 
Sisson,  Wallace,  &  Co.,  cannery  of, 

6()2. 
Sitka,  founding  of,  170S-1801,  384- 
400;  massacre  at,  1S02,  401-20; 
recaptured  1803-5,  421-42;  U.  S. 
in  possession  18G7,  559-COO;  offi- 
cials, 601;  riot  at,  609-11;  out- 
rages on  natives,  617-18;  mail  ser- 
vice to,  628;  settlement,  072-7; 
social  life  at,  074-7;  saw-mill, 
690;  church  services  at,  699-700; 
echool  at,  700. 

"Sitka,"  ship,  401;  wrecked,  462. 

Sitka  Bay,  230,  029. 

Sitkans,  treaty  with,  387-3. 

Sitkhalidak  Island,  208,  434,  435. 

Sitkliin  Island,  Drushinniu  stationed 
at,  121. 

Sitkhinak  Island,  208. 

Siwau,  18G9,  actions  and  fate  of,  613. 

Skaonshleoot,  treachery  of,  412. 

Skilakh,  lake,  discontent  of  tribes  at, 
343. 

Rhipunskoi,  Cape,  wreck  at,  15,3. 

Skobeltzin,  Pctor,  in  expcdt. ,  94. 

Skuratof,  Alexei',  Lieut,  in  cxpedt., 
rr2,  93. 

"  Shiva  Rossie,"  ship,  285-95. 

Slaviankn  River.     See  Russian  River. 

Slcdgo  Island,  Cook  names,  210. 

Sloljoilchikof,  Pavel,  expedt.  to  Cal., 
471. 

Small-pox  among  natives,  350;  epi- 
demic, 5G0-3. 

Smith,  Leon,  fate  of,  614. 

Smuggling,  6.33-5. 

Snettisham,  Port,  named,  280. 

Snug  Corner  CoTe,  Cook  at,  205;  dis- 
covered, 260. 

Soil,  desoript.,  3. 

Sokolof,  Kosma,  at  Okhotsk  1714,  31. 

Solmanof,  Stepanof,  in  conspiracy,  178. 

Solovicf,  Feodor,  monopoly  of,  110; 
impressions,  129;  expcdt.,  I49-5.S, 
109;  infamies  of,  150-1;  fate,  154. 

Somof,  Vassili,  in  expedt,  04. 

"Sonora,"8hip  in  .Spanish  cxpedt,  197. 

Sookin,  Lieut,  conduct  of,  457. 

Sopohnikof,  expedt.  of,  155. 

Sopronof,  in  conspiracy,  175. 

South  Siictland,  furs  from,  245. 

Spain,  explor.  expedts,  1773-9,  194- 
202,  217-21;  expedt.  to  N.  W., 
270-5;  frigate  at  Cook  Inlet,  287; 
claims  of,  444. 


Span1)€rg,  <^apt.  M.,  expedts.  of,  .TO, 
41-59,    93,   9fi;    biog.,    50;    rccou- 
noissance  of,  95. 
Spencer,  Cape,  203,  2(M,  279,  556. 
"Sphanef,"  ship  built,  97. 
Spiridof,  Sergei,  in  expt^dt.,  93., 
Spring  Corner  Cove,  207. 
Spruce,  abundance  of,  Ua9. 
Spruce  Island,  village  at,  682. 
.Sralef,  in  ex|)cdt.,  IGO. 
Stadukbiu,  Mikhail,  expedt.  of  1G50, 

23. 
Stadukhin,  Vassili,  expedt.  of  1711,29. 
Sta;hlin,  iiups  of,  12S,  211. 
Stael,  Frederich,  i;i  expedt.,  53. 
Stakihn  River,  402. 
Staniukovich,  Capt.,  expedt.  of  1823, 

547. 
States,  Ily.,  commr  at  Jnnean,  72S. 
Stcllcr,   G.   W.,   in  expedts,  1740-1, 
52-4,    61,    64,    6G,  88-9,   92,  204; 
biog.,  53;  joins  Bering,  C5;  at  Kyak, 
80-1. 
Stepanof,  in  expedt,  160;  in  conspir- 
acy, 175. 
StephanoiT,   comdr   at    St'   Michael, 

085. 
Stephens,  Ph..  203. 
Steriegof,  l>mitri,  in  expedt.,  93. 
Stevau,  Jero«luikon,  missionary,  3G0. 
Stewart,  Port,  277. 
Stewart  River,  mining  on,  7.37-8.' 
Stikeen  F(»rt,  attack  on,  55S-9  ' 

Stikeen   River,   English  tradiiig  post 

on,  555-6;  surveyed,  570. 
Stook-r.iisini»  at  Itoss  colony,  4SG-7. 
Strfbykhin,  Maivei,  1711  commander 

of  Anadirsh,  27. 
Stroganof,  Anika,  salt-works  of,  1'). 
Stoncy  Lt,  explor.  exix)dt.   of,  7oG, 

737. 
Stuart  Island,  546,  538,  .170. 
.Stuilentzof,  attack  by  n-.Uvcs,  119. 
Stuugcl,  Baron,  coLiO'd.  at  Petropav- 

lovsk,  2'.!'J  I. 
Stupin,  Ivan,  in  exjKjdt.,  03. 
Sturcis,  st.'itemcnt  of,  40S-9.' 
Suckling  Cape,  named,  204;  nuutcn 

lost  at,  3S0. 
Sukhotm,  Ivan,  Lieut,  in  expedt.,  1).!. 
Sukli  Island,  .■»7t;. 

Sunda  .Straits,  burial  of  llaranof,  .'il  I. 
SunLof,  Sergei,  in  cxix.-dt.,  ii.i. 
Sushctno  River,  explored  1. ••;.■{,  ^i~  '). 
Sutkhumokoi,  Iiuseians  at,  522. 
Sutter,   .lohn     A.,     purchases    Ross 

colony,  4S9. 
"  Suvarof,"  fhip,   504;  vov.  of,   510, 

511. 
.Sviaiauuf.  Ivan,  in  expedt.,  94.. 


772 


INDEX. 


Sweden,  war  with  Russia,  285.' 
Swineford,  A.  P.,  apptd  govr,  ^S2, 
Sykes  Point,  277. 
Sylva,  Dr,  with  Lozaref,  004. 
Synd,  Joann,  in  expedt.,  64,  93;  pro- 
moted, 96;  ezpedta  of,  163, 167, 168. 


Tabomkin,  in  expedt.,  164. 
Tasalak  Island,  128. 
Takoo  Mines,  738,  739; 
Takoo  River,  fort  built  on,  657;  min- 
ing on,  697. 
Talin,  behavior  to  Baranof,  391.''. 
Tamary,  King,    troubles  with,  499, 

506-9. 
Tamena,  visit  to  Hagemeister,  491. 
Tanaga  Island,  Billings'  expedt.  at, 

290. 
Tanisky  ostrog,  32. 
Tatikhlek,  village  of,  260. 
Tatitliatzk,  Russians  at,  345. 
Tayatoot,  natives,  145. 
Taylor,  Thomas,  suit  against  Alaska 

Commer.  Co.,  650. 
Tchechina  Island,  128. 
Tchinkit&nd    Sound,   Indian  i  name, 

275. 
Tchitchinoff,  Zakahai,  sufierings  on 

Farallones,    487;    Adventures    of, 

MS.,  520. 
Tebenkof,  Lieut,  expedt.  of,  548;  gov. 

1852,  ofla    acts,   576,  684;  founds 

port,  685;  charts  of,  692. 
Tegalda  Island,  village  on,  562. 
Tehnkotsk,  Cape,  354. 
Temnak  taken  from  Attoo,  105. 
Tcnerifife,  Krusenstem's   expedt.   of, 

424. 
Tereshkin,  Yukagir  Ivan  Vassiliovioh, 

deposition  of,  1711,  27. 
Terpigoref,  survivor   from. "Neva" 

wreck,  494. 
Terra  del  Fnego,  furs  from,  245. 
Thlinkeets,    fierceness,    239;    inter- 
course   with     Russ.,  268-9;   sack 

Yakutat,   300;    promises    of,  350; 

surprise  hunters,  384. 
Three  Saints,  settlement,   320,  324, 

414;  first  church  at,  362;  storehouses 

at,  389;  school  at,  706. 
Three  Saints  Bay,  228,  230,  434,  435. 
Tigil  River,  31,  157. 
Tikhmenef,  character  of  Rezanof,  460, 
Timber,  resources  of,  688-90. 
Timofeief,  journey  to  Pacific,  9. 
Tinnchs,  natives,  207. 
Tnaianas,  natives,  144. 


Tobolsk,  Fort,  17;  expedti  at,  38,  66, 

160. 
Togiak  River,  Koraaakoviky  expedt. 

at,  521. 
Tolbukhin,  investigation  by,    1739, 

69. 
Toldin,  Yegor  Vaarilievich,  1711,  de- 

poeition  of,  27. 
Tolstykh,  Ajndrel,  hunting   expedt., 

1749,  108,  111,  116;  expedt,  1760- 

4,  127-30.  153,  168. 
Tomari,  King,  domain  of,  606. 
Tomsk,  founded,  17;  Siberian  contin- 
gent at,  96. 
Tongass,  sufferine  at  settlement,  660. 
Tongaas  Fort,  U.  S.  military  poet, 

679. 
Torckler,  trade  of  at  Petropaolovsk, 

296. 
Toyunok,  outrage  on  party  from,  336. 
Trading  Bay,  Portlock  at,  262. 
Traitor  Cove,  origin  of  name,  277.' 
Trapezuikof,  Aruip,  permit  to,  101; 

monopoly,  110. 
Trapeznikof,    Nikofor,  partner  with 

Bassof,  100;  hunting  expedts,  1746, 

1752-«,  62.  108,  111.  112. 114,  117, 

120,  130.  131;  voy.  of,  112;  enter-. 

prise,  135. 
Trauemicht,  sends  expedt..  1711,  28. 
Treadwell,  mine  owner,  740. 
Tredwell  mine,  account  of,  740-2. 
Treaty,  signed  and  ratified  1867,  594. 
"Trekh  Sviatitch,"  ship,   183.  223, 

266,  352,  355-7;  wrecked,  318. . 
Tretitikof,  Alexei,  in  expedt.,  94. « 
Treveuen,  Lieut,  with  Cook,  307. 
Tribute,  collecting  of.  130,  168.  231- 

7;  from  Aleuts,  294;  end  of  system, 

297-8. 
Trinidad,  Cape,  145. 
Trinity  Island,  208,  271. 
Trocadero,  Cafios  de  la,  named,  218. 
Tmpischef,  Tryfon,  orders  to,  1730, 

3a 
Tschemich.  rancho  at  Bodegl^  489. 
Tubinskoi,  MikhaYl,  in  trading  co., 

186. 
Tugidak  Island,  natives  from,  366. 
Tumakaif,  fate  of,  407-11. 
Tumannoi  Island,  discovered,  82;  Cook 

at,  208. 
Tunguse,  order  preserved  among,  232. 
Tunulgasan,  native  chief,  118,  128. 
Turn-again  River,  Cook  names,  208. 
Tuyurskoi,  in  expedt,  184. 
Two-headed  Cane,  208. 
Tyrin,  Stephen,  huntingexpedt,  1747-^ 

9.  109,  112. 
Tzaklie  Island,  288. 


INDEX. 


m 


Uganak,  trading  post  at,  230. 
XJgak  Bay,  trading  post  at,  230. 
tJIga  Island,  village  on,  662. 
Umnak  Island,  expedts  at,  123,  131, 

136,  147.  1S4,  164,   168;  Korovin 

vrecked,  138;  coast  surveyed,  148; 

Zaiikof  at,  173. 
UnkoTsky,  Lieut,  with  Loearef,  804. 
Unalaska,  trade  with  natives,    120; 

ezpedt.  and  visitors  at,  132,  164-5, 

168, 171, 182, 183, 233, 260, 272, 295. 

600,  547;  massacre  at,  133-40,  145, 

154;  natives  submit,  162;  church, 

700;  school,  708-0;  rainfall,  710. 
Unalaska  Island,  72,  128,  296,  676; 

expedts  at,   137,  285,  291;  black 

foxes,  141;  village,  662. 
Unalakleet,  villaee  of,  674. 
Unalga,  attack  of  natives,  165. 
Unalga  Island,  village  on,  662. 
Unalga  Strait,  209. 
Unga  Idand,  300;  Molef  escapes  to, 

319. 
"UDicom,"  ship,  at  Sitka,  406. 
Unimak,  expedt.  165;  village,  662. 
Unimak  Strait,  Za'ikof  residence  at, 

213. 
Unimak,  volcano,  209,  272. 
Unimaks,  the  chief  of.  at  Amik,  191. 
United     American     Co.,    coufimicd 

by  imperial  decree,  378-83;  name 

changed,  379. 
United  States,  treaty  with,  542. 
United  States  officials,  appointment 

of,  727,  728. 
Unmak,  villages  at.  562. 
Ust-Yana,  commanders  of,  1710,  28. 
Ust-Yanskoie  Simovie,  expedt.  from, 

1712,  29. 


Vagin,  Merkuri,  expedt.,  death  of, 
1711-12,  28-9. 

Valde's  Bay,  named,  273. 

Vallenar  Point.  277. 

Vancouver.  Geo.,  voyage  of,  1791-4, 
276-81,  348.  498;  observations,  79; 
hunting  parties,  239;  ou  competi- 
tion, 249-50;  on  Kaknu  river,  335; 
charts  of,  692. 

Vancouver  Island,  244,  532. 

Varonin,  Luka,  in  expedts,  283,  293. 

Vassilaief,  expedt.  of,  1829,  546,  547. 

Vassili,  in  conspiracy,  178. 

Vassili  3vich,  Ivan,  Tartar  yoke,  6. 

Vassiuiinaki,  Petr,  in  expedt.,  127, 
129,  IbO. 


Velikopolskl,  Andrei,  in  expedt,  03. 
Veniaminof,  missionary  career.  364-5; 

statement,  684;  bishop,  701-4. 
Vereshchagin,  Ivan,  in  expedt.  02. 
Verkhneikamchatsk,  312. 
Verkhnoi  Kovima,  Billings  at,  284. 
Verstovoi,  expedt  at,  388. 
Verstovoi,  Mt,  674. 
Vilegin,  visits  Kopaf,  1724.  31. 
Viliuya  River,  "Juno"  wrecked  on, 

474. 
Vinzent  Thomas,  in  expedt.,  93. 
"Vladimir,"  ship,  120,  155. 
Voievodsky,  Capt,  elected  gov.  1850, 

685. 
Volkof,  Ivan,  in  conspiracy,  179. 
Vou  Verd,  mate  to  Bering.  47. 
Vorobief,  AlexeiC,  in  hunting  expedt, 

112. 
Vosikof,  Mikhail,  in  expedt.,  93. 
Voskressenski.  "The  Orel"  at,  331; 

ship-building  at  341.  351,  355. 
Voskressenski  Bay,  Yakutat  expedt. 

at,  345;  Baranof  at  357.  395. 
Vosnessensky  Island,  Pinart  at,  629. 
"Vostochnui  Gavril,"shii),  97. 
Vsevidof,  Andre]£,   hunting  expedt., 

108. 
Vtoruikh,  death  of.  108. 
Vtroushin,  Luka.  expedt  of,  144. 
Vuikhodzef,  Mikhail,  in  expedt,  04. 


Walker,  fate  of,  1869,  611-12. 

Walker  Cove,  277. 

Walton,  William,  lieut  in  expedt.,  61, 

52.  93. 
Warren  Island,  277. 
Waxel,  Lt  in  expedts,  1740-2, 52,64, 

79  96;  ioumal,  67;  cart  79. 
Wedge  Island,  277. 
Weidel,  Friedrich,  in  expedt.,  94. 
Wells.  Port,  Kamed.  278. 
Westdahl,  Ferdinand,  statement  of. 

577-8. 
Western  Fur  and  Trading  Co.,  stores 

of,  681, 
Western  Union  Telegraph  Co.,  opera- 
tions of,  576-8. 
Whale  Bay,  259,  265. 
Whale,  humpback,  669. 
Whale,  sperm.  669. 
Whaling,  descript   and  value,  582- 

3,  668-670. 
Whidbcy,  Lieut  passed  up  Stephens' 

Passage,  280. 
White,  Capt.  J.  W..  acct  of  natives, 

610;  actions,  637;  statement,  747. 


774 


INDEX. 


Whito  Point,  named,  265. 

WJiitsunday,  Cape,  208, 

Whvmper,  at  St  Michael,  685. 

Williams,  Haven,  k  Co.,  of  Alaska 
Commer.  Co.,  646. 

Williunison,  Lieut,  at  Cape  Newen- 
ham,  209. 

Willougbby,  Sir  Hugh,  voyage,  1553, 
8. 

Wilfion,  Dr,  in  Schwatka  expedt., 
732. 

Windblath,  Major,  in  conspiracy,  175, 
178. 

Winsbic,  John,  hunting  expedt.  to 
Cal.,  1809,  480. 

Winship,  Nathan,  hunting  expedt.  to 
Cal.,  1810,  480-1. 

Winter,  Luthi:ran  pastor  at  Sitka, 
702. 

Wittemore,  hunting  expedt.  to  Cal., 
1812,  481. 

Woahoo,  Dr  ScheflFer  at,  499. 

••  Wolcott,"  ship,  620. 

Wolf,  Capt.,  supplies  purchased  of, 
529. 

Wood,  voyage  of,  1676,  13. 

Wood,  W.  H.,  mayor  of  Sitka,  1867, 
601. 

Wood  Island,  ice  trade,  587;  settle- 
ment, 681,  682;  saw-mill,  690. 

Wormakloid,  scientist  with  Kotzebue, 
494. 

Wosdwith,  Capt.,  joins  adversaries  of 
Scheffer,  508. 

Wolves.     See  Fur-trade. 

Wra;igoll,  Baron,  travels  of,  22;  rec- 
ommend, of,  403;  ia  Cal.,  485;  mis- 
sion to  Mex.,  1838, 438;  apptd  govr, 
548;  off!  acts  of,  548-56,  691. 

Wrangell,  Fort,  troubles  at,  613-16, 
623-4;  description,  577-9;  agric. 
at,  687;  school,  710. 

Wrangell  Island  renamed,  619;  lead 
found,  096. 

Wymea,  fort  erected  at,  508. 


Yago,  Dmitri,  fur-trade  monopoly, 
110. 

Yakhoutof,  nia,  in  expedt.,  94. 

Yakovlef,  Petr,  investigations  of, 
141. 

Yakoutsk,  school  at,  707. 

Yakutat,  disasters  at,  252,  300,  451, 
455,  515;  agric.  at,  300;  convict  col- 
ony, 358;  settlement  at,  396.  401; 
ship-building  at,  420. 


Yakutat  Bay,  expedts  at,  204,  26.1, 
344,  350;  "Threkh  Sviatiteli "  at, 
268;  colony,  352;  Baranof  at,  3r>(J; 
sufferings  on,  357,  map,  390;  furts 
on,  414. 

Yakutat  tribe,  239;  engagements  with, 
326-7. 

Yakutsk  founded,  17,  18;  expedts  at, 
56,  57,  160,  284,  298;  conspiracy  at, 
178. 

Yana,  expedt.  from,  23-9. 

Yana  River,  19;  island  on,  30. 

Yanovsky,  Lieut,  Hagemeiater's  repre- 
sentative, 511;  report  of,  522;  acting 
chief  manager,  534. 

"  Yosatchnoi,^'  ship,  284. 

Yatof,  Katlion,  in  buntingcxpedt.,  102. 

Yeames,  Lamb,  sliip-builder,  283. 

Yelagin,  in  expedt.,  1740,  04,  Go,  74, 
93;  explorations,  1739,  95;  pro- 
moted, 96. 

Yelovoi  Island,  school  at,  706. 

Yenissei  River  information  of,  1595, 
11;  ship  built  on,  56. 

Yenisseisk,  founded,  17;  contingent 
at,  96. 

"Yeremy,»ship,  112. 

"Yermak,"  ship  built  at  Yakutat,  420. 

Yermak,  Timofeief,  visits  Stroganof, 
1578.  15. 

Yermola,  baptized,  122. 

Yevdokia,  shitika  built,  102. 

Yt  -einof,  Ivan,  expedt.  1719-21,  32, 
3J,  44. 

Young,  Capt.,  cruising  for  Russ, 
Amer.  Co.,  525. 

Yugof,  Emilian,  traffic  monopoly, 
death,  110,  111. 

Yukon,  Fort,  population  of,  686;  tern- 

Yukon  River,  211,  530,  550,  553,  576, 
629;  source  of,  4,  5;  shoals,  41; 
salmon  run,  66l,  662;  mining  on, 
698,  737,  738;  Schwatka  explors, 
732-5;  Everett  explors,  735-6. 

"Yulian.,"8hip,  120. 

Yullits,  natives,  191. 

Yuuaska  Island,  128. 

Yurlof,  death  of,  108. 

Yurlof,  Andreian,  in  expedt.,  93 

Yurlof,  Moissei,  in  expedt,  93. 

Yushin,  Kharlam,  64,  93. 


Zadskoi,  Hcraclius,  in  conspiracy,  179. 
Zagoskin,    Lieut,    expedt.  of,    IS'12, 
653-4. 


INDEX. 


776 


Zaikof,  Potop,  expedts  of,  1772-5. 
1783.  170,  173,  186, 191,  219;  report 
of,  141;  in  trading  cc,  186;  at  Un- 
aloska,  214,  272;  meets  Vancouver. 
278;  map,  214. 

Zaikof,  Stepan,  expedt.  of,  JP5;  chief 
at   St  Nicolaa,  312;    character  of, 

"  Zakhar !  Elizaveta,"  voyage  of,  123; 

Zakhmilln,  bravery  of,  328. 


Zand,  in  expedt.,  1741-2,  90. 
Zane,  engineer,  in  expedt.,  736. 
Zasheiverak,  Banner  inspector  at,  41C 
Zavailof,  Elias,  in  trading  co.,  180 
Zokharin,  Lieut,  with  Kotzebue,  494. 
"Zossima  i  Savatia,"  ship,  voyage  of, 

184. 
Zubof,  Count,  settlers  sent  by,  399. 
Zubof,  Sava,  Capt.-lieut,  signs  oukaz, 

Zybin,  Capt,  comdt  at  Okhotsk,  153. 


